Waikato Teacher & Māori Dean leads cultural change in PE

A Hamilton teacher and Māori Dean has been recognised nationally for transforming the way te ao Māori is taught through physical education in Catholic and state schools across the Waikato.

Matua Jacob Kelly, of St John’s College, received the Tāne Pepeke Award at the 2025 Physical Education New Zealand (PENZ) Conference for his work leading the Hato Hoani Te Ao Māori Movement Project, which in 2024 reached more than 800 students and staff across 11 schools.

Underpinned by the Tū Manawa programme, the project included more than 60 school visits, three marae-based learning experiences, tuakana–teina partnerships between secondary and primary school students, and a regional cultural festival involving over 1,000 attendees.

Through games like Mau Rākau and Ki-o-Rahi, and increased use of te reo Māori and tikanga across schools, the project has helped normalise cultural practices within classrooms and playgrounds.

“To be honest, I was really stoked,” Jacob says after receiving the award. “It felt like a reward for all the mahi last year, and it was a lot of work. I’m also incredibly grateful to the teachers who’ve helped me on my journey.”

Raised in Ōpōtiki on his family farm and teaching in the Waikato, Jacob’s approach to physical education has always been grounded in people and whānau. He credits his own PE teacher, Mr Edwards, for planting the seed for him to begin a teaching career, and sparking the belief that relationships are the heart of good teaching.

It’s not rocket science,” Jacob says. “It’s about how you treat people. How you look after them. How you help them grow, and give them the space to lead.”

Teachers across the Kāhui Ako have praised Jacob’s work for empowering both students and staff. One nominator described seeing rangatahi from St John’s College, under Jacob’s guidance, confidently share te ao Māori with tamariki in a way that was “firm, kind, and full of patience and natural teaching talent.”

The initiative also helped normalise te reo Māori, kapa haka, and tikanga across participating schools, while also giving expression to Catholic faith through cultural compassion. Teachers reported professional growth and greater comfort engaging with te ao Māori in their own practice.

Jacob’s own motivation remains deeply personal through his children, his mokopuna, and the hope that students leave school with a lifelong connection to movement and identity.

“You might not see the impact straight away,” he said, “but years down the line, when students are still active, still proud of who they are, that’s what it’s about,” says Jacob.

“I just want our students to leave school still being active, that’s the dream; that they carry physical activity with them through life.”

Jacob’s legacy is already clear. Former students who’ve gone on to become national-level athletes, strength and conditioning coaches, and leaders in their own right still stay in touch.

“I’m proud of what they’ve done, but more than that, I’m proud of the relationships we’ve built.”

Jacob’s teaching career started with a sports and recreation degree at Wintec. He then graduated from Teachers College in Hamilton. Since then, Jacob has continued to challenge himself to grow, attending PENZ conferences and other PENZ events throughout the year, and encouraging others to do the same.

“I come every year to get better as a teacher. If you’re content, you’re not doing the best for your students. You have to keep pushing yourself to grow.”

With deep ties to whānau, faith and community, Matua Jacob Kelly is described by his colleagues as a calm and generous leader, someone who builds others up without needing the spotlight.

“None of us do this alone,” he said. “It’s always been about the collective.”