How long have you been an educator, and where did you train?
I’ve been in education for 23 years and trained at the Auckland College of Education. My journey has allowed me to work in a range of diverse roles, which has helped to develop a comprehensive understanding of both teaching and leadership in schools.
When did you become principal of Howick Primary School?
I started in term four, 2022. Howick Primary is my second principalship. I’ve lived in Howick for over 20 years and proud to consider myself a local. The opportunity to live and work in my community was very appealing and exciting, one I couldn’t let pass. I love being the principal of our school.
What’s the best thing about being an educator and principal?
Working in my community and ensuring the success of the next generation is the best part of my job. Another great part of working in a school is the variety – no day is ever the same. I love everything about being an educator and principal, from being personally involved with a range of sports and activities to supporting our teachers and families and seeing our kids achieve their goals. I’ve enjoyed learning about our diverse community and engaging with them. Connecting with our students and families in the playground before and during school is a wonderful part of the role and it’s important to be a visible principal in our school community. It’s incredibly rewarding to serve and contribute to the place I call home.
What’s special about Howick Primary School?
The different people in our school community are what make us special. Howick Primary School is lucky because of our dedicated team and the commitment they show to making a difference to each child’s learning journey. Our classrooms are single cell rather than open plan and we believe in taking a differentiated approach to teaching and learning, so every student thrives. Of great importance is ensuring we maintain appropriate numbers in each class to ensure teachers can meet regularly through the week with each child. Our team works hard to review their approach to supporting and improving what we do. This is evident in all parts of our school from the office and administrative aspects of our operations through to the teaching and learning programmes we design. We constantly strive to provide learning experiences that engage and encourage students to take risks and build confidence. The support from our school community and the relationships we have with them is very special. Our community helped greatly in contributing to the development of our strategic plan. This means we have a clear direction set and understand what’s important for our community. It’s amazing to see the way members of our community support us to make a difference for our students, everything from our enviro programmes like our Garden to Table (we’re the east Auckland model school), tree planting, and other activities through to supporting the arts and sports teams in and out of our school. Inspiring confident lifelong learners isn’t just a vision statement; it’s our mission, and we’re fortunate to have a staff and community that truly cares.
Is there anything you’d like improved in the education/school management sector?
A one-size-fits-all approach isn’t right because one size fits one. Whilst I agree we need to constantly review and measure the impact of our initiatives, we need to ensure programmes we put in place are well researched and considered before implementing them for our students. It’s important we meaningfully engage each learner and it’s essential to ensure we’re giving our students everything they need to make excellent educational progress. Increased support for our students and their specific needs and flexibility in the curriculum would be valuable steps forward.
How is the relationship between the school and its immediate local community?
My vision is for Howick Primary School to be the community’s school of choice. This means we actively work with our community, and we encourage our families to partner with us. We know when home-school relationships are strong that our students thrive, and our students do thrive! We want our community to see the school as their school. This means families can use our outdoor facilities outside of school hours, and we operate an open-door policy where parents can meet regularly with their child’s teacher. We’re fortunate to have a strong, supportive community, actively involved in events and projects to improve what we offer. This connection enriches our students’ experience and reinforces the school’s role at the heart of the community. In 2023, we implemented a school zone and the Howick Primary School Board has prioritised providing places for students living in our area. We accept very few out of zone students. We feel this is an important step in building our local community spirit. We encourage people to come and meet with us and see for themselves the amazing opportunities we offer for students and their families.
