Western Heights School

Sandra Hewetson

Principal, Western Heights School

It was lovely to meet Sandra again, one who grew up in West Auckland and who espouses the oneness of the community we all love. Growing up in Te Atatu, Sandra attended Rutherford Primary (as a foundation pupil) and Rutherford College before qualifying as a teacher through North Shore Teachers College, commencing in the last year the college was based in Richardson Road, Mt Roskill. From there she taught at Rutherford Primary for a year before marrying Terry, Glen Eden Intermediate (on the same day I married my wife). For three years they taught in Te Kopuru, Northland and then returned to the West and in particular Lincoln Heights School. “We worked with the legendary Elwyn Richardson, a wonderful person who switched us into what teaching and learning was all about.” From Lincoln Heights Sandra left to have two daughters and then began working part-time at Carrington Polytechnic as UNITEC was then known. She supported as an ESOL teacher with a large number of foreign students who entered Waitakere City in the early seventies. With brief spells then at Fruitvale, Avondale Primary and Arahoe School Sandra then joined the Auckland Advisory Service teaching and supporting teachers in junior schools around Auckland enabling them to enhance programmes that would have a greater impact on children in their early years at school. “My first principal’s position was Edmonton primary, a small school with a very supportive community and awesome children. Then eight years ago I ‘won’ the principal's position at Western Heights Primary. The community’s values and expectations match mine and I just really enjoy coming to school every day. It is lovely to see children of ex pupils who now attend our school. We celebrate our cultural diversity and we make the most of our Waitakere city environment. We have our school camps, and environmental studies in the area and enjoy the closeness to the Corban’s Estate Art centre. I take a positive attitude all the time and endeavour to be a powerful and consistently encouraging motivator. I have high expectations from teachers and in turn they have high expectations of the pupils. I consistently model the expectations of how people should be treated and everyone knows and owns ‘The Western Heights Way’. If everyone in the school is treated with respect and dignity you have a culture that is really special. In partnership with the parents and caregivers we are proud of Western Heights Primary and what we achieve together.”