About us
Mō mātou

The Greater Christchurch Schools' Network is a charitable trust which works to bridge the digital divide in education for ākonga and their whānau across greater Christchurch.

What we do

Professional Learning and Development to support digital fluency and the integration of digital technologies.

Project management and support of Equitable Digital Access projects.

Advocacy and support in issues relating to the digital divide and equity of access for ākonga and whānau.

Support and develop initiatives for ākonga to promote participation in STEAM disciplines.

Advice and guidance for schools, ākonga and whānau around digital access and support.

Our Board

Steve Wakefield

Chairperson

Steve is a Chartered Accountant, and in 2017 he retired from a 36 year career with the global accounting and consulting services firm of Deloitte.

Steve is now a professional director and trustee, who supports the community in governance roles at GCSN, NZ Health Innovation Hub, Brackenridge Services, Court Theatre, Church Property Trustees, and Christchurch Cathedral Reinstatement Limited.

With an IT and financial background, Steve brings considerable expertise to the board.

Derek Wenmoth

Derek has a broad background in education, with experience as a teacher and principal, lecturer and policy analyst and adviser to the Ministry of Education. He is a pioneer in the development of eLearning clusters in NZ, including the CANTAtech project, the Virtual Learning Networka and GCSN.

Derek currently lives in Wellington and operates his own educational consultancy, FutureMakers.nz, providing strategic and future-focused advice and support for schools and educators. He was previously co-founder and eLearning director of CORE Education Ltd, a not-for-profit educational research and development organisation based in Christchurch.

Paul Armitage

Paul has been a member of the GCSN Board since 2011, shortly after it was established. With more than thirty years’ experience in education, Paul brings a wealth of experience to the Board particularly from a primary schooling perspective. He is passionate about future focussed teaching and learning and the role technology plays in this.

He is currently Principal of Elmwood Normal School.

Niki Davis

Emerita Professor Niki Davis, having retired from the University of Canterbury, continues to support research in the area of online learning and virtual schooling.

Previously editor, she remains a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (JOFDL). Publications include chapters describing practices of virtual schooling, the evolution of integrating technology in the education of undeserved children in India (with Amina Charania), and her 2018 book 'Digital Technologies and Change in Education'.

Murray Spackman

Murray is passionate about supporting young people who need a hand up in achieving equitable access to education. He pursues this through his work as a Justice of the Peace, and roles as a trustee for GCSN, Chairperson of Christchurch Budget Service Trust and involvement in a number of other organisations.

As a Chartered Accountant, he has worked in a range of business and education organisations prior to retirement.