Meet our staff! Click on their photos to learn more about them.

Senior Management

Kauri Syndicate Teachers

Principal

I have been at Sunnyvale as Principal for 15 years. I am a farm girl at heart and have spent my entire life working in schools in the west. I really love my job and the children at Sunnyvale are what makes us who we are. It is my job to drive my own learning and that of those around me to improve teaching and learning. I believe in an open door policy and I encourage families to come and see me so I can develop a healthy teaching and learning partnership with our community.

Deputy Principal
I feel extremely excited, blessed and honoured to be a part of Sunnyvale School. I believe that whānau have a valuable role to play in their children’s learning and that having strong home-school-community relationships are of the utmost importance. I am passionate about learning and am looking forward to supporting all our ākonga on their learning journeys.
Ma Te huruhuru, Ka rere Te manu ~With feathers will a bird fly ~so it is with education that our learning will succeed!

Deputy Principal

I emigrated from the UK to New Zealand twenty years ago with my family. New Zealand is home now. I have been Deputy Principal at Sunnyvale for the past ten years. The biggest thrill is to see our children achieve whether it be in rugby, speeches or camp. I love seeing children reach their full potential. I cannot think of another job I would rather be doing.

Pohutukawa Syndicate Teachers

Kauri Senior Teacher
Room 7 Teacher
MLE Upstairs

Kia Ora everyone my name is Kelly Fitzjames, I was born in West Auckland and have lived here all my life. I am in my 6th year here at Sunnyvale. I am the Teacher in charge of P.E and Sport and love challenging the children when the staff have a game against them. I love travelling and enjoying a good movie or book. I also have a secret love of the Ninja Turtles and Lego!! Cowabunga!!

Room 7 Teacher
MLE Upstairs
Tēnā Koutou Katoa
Ko Puwheke tōku maunga
Ko Tokerau tōku moana
Ko Ngāti Kahu tōku iwi
Ko Tāmiki Makaurau tōku kāinga ināianei
Ko Sara Sabin tōku ingoa
Kia ora - My name is Sara Sabin and this is my third year at Sunnyvale. Before this, I taught numerous year levels at a school in South Auckland. I am the Kapa Haka tutor for Sunnyvale and love working with the tamariki who are involved in this. In my spare time I love to go hunting & fishing and spend time with whanau

Room 7 Teacher
MLE Upstairs
Having acquired a Physical Education degree in 2014 and working in coaching jobs and personal training I realised what drew me to those occupations was the teaching element in them. So, when I began looking for new challenges, I gravitated toward a teaching degree, and now here I am at Sunnyvale and loving it. Naturally my hobbies include sports and exercise, I also like drawing, painting and science. I grew up in West Auckland and am glad to be working out here too.

Room 8 Teacher
MLE Downstairs

I'm excited to begin my second year of teaching at Sunnyvale Primary and look forward to progressing my skills and career within teaching. I particularly enjoy the challenges and rewards of modern teaching and love seeing children prosper in the school environment. Personally, in my free time I partake in many equestrian sports and relax in the outdoors as often as possible.

Room 8 Teacher
MLE Downstairs

Room 8 Teacher
MLE Downstairs

Teacher in Rooms 7 & 8
Taking groups for Reading, Writing and Maths

I have been teaching at Sunnyvale for a number of years. I work with year 5 and 6 students in the Kauri Syndicate. I enjoy seeing children taking on challenges and becoming good role models.
Sunnyvale is a family orientated school and I think this is one of the reasons I have always enjoyed teaching here. It is always nice to meet past students and find out what they are doing.

Pohutukawa Senior Teacher

I also do Reading Recovery and ELL (English Language Learners) groups.

Room 15 Teacher
Year 3 & 4

Room 16 Teacher
Year 3 & 4

Kia Ora, I'm Miss Boswell and I teach the amazing learners in Room 16. I grew up in West Auckland and I'm a very proud Kiwi. My class will probably tell you I'm a bit crazy about the All Blacks! I have also been a volunteer with the Auckland Special Olympics Ten Pin bowling team for over 20 years now.
I love teaching Reading because it is my favourite thing to do and I really enjoy reading a good book, especially if it is about my favourite thing - spiders!

Room 19 Teacher
Year 3 & 4

I am in my third year of teaching and have been at Sunnyvale since 2017. I am passionate about teaching, and love helping children have those 'light bulb' moments. When I am not teaching I am spending time with my partner and two boys. I enjoy reading, painting, going to the beach and playing basketball.

Room 20 Teacher
(Mon-Wed) Year 3 & 4

Kō Dartmoor te maunga
Kō Teign te awa
Kō Atlantic te moana
Kō Ingarangi te whenua
Kō Hilary tōku whaea
Kō Graham tōku matua
Kō Tom tōku ingoa

I love surfing, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and reading. I also work as the Across Lead Teacher for the Henderson Kāhui Ako (Community of Learning).

Room 20 Teacher
(Thur-Fri) Year 3 & 4

Room 21 Teacher
Year 3 & 4

This is my 18th year of teaching and I have taught across all the year levels (year 0 -6). I love teaching reading and maths! I am married to Faga and we have two children, Joshua (13) and Kiana (7). We have two cats Boots and Dora and a dog Kenobi. I love going to the beach, shopping and Jandals!

Room 22 Teacher
Year 3 & 4

Kowhai Syndicate Teachers

Kowhai Senior Teacher
Room 13 Teacher

I have been teaching at Sunnyvale for a number of years. I aim to foster a lifelong love of literacy in all children. I am currently a Reading Recovery teacher and teach in Room 18 each afternoon. I have taught in the junior school for much of my teaching career.

Room 12 Teacher
New Entrant

My name is Sally Elliott and it is great to be teaching in Room 12. We are a friendly, fun class who enjoy learning new things. If you are a parent or caregiver ‘feel free’ to come in after school if you have anything to discuss regarding your child.

Room 14 Teacher
New Entrant

Nikau Syndicate Teachers

Room 1 Teacher
Year 2
Kia Ora and welcome! I have been teaching at Sunnyvale primary since September 2016, I think the Sunnyvale family is fantastic! I absolutely love my job as a teacher and thrive on helping children develop a love for school and learning. I am passionate about animals and travelling. During summer holidays I adopted a Labrador puppy named Hunter, he is a lot of fun! I have lived in West Auckland my whole life and think we're so lucky to live in such a beautiful place!

Nikau Senior Teacher
Room 2 Teacher
Year 1 & 2

Hello my name is Catherine Collins. I am happy to be part of our Sunnyvale family and have taught in West Auckland for a number of years. I love teaching Literacy and the Visual Arts and am looking forward to a year full of fun and learning.

Room 3 Teacher
Year 2

Kia ora! My name is James and I am hugely excited to be teaching at Sunnyvale this year! At school I love reading and anything to do with the arts curriculum. I think it is awesome how things like dance and drama can add so much depth and understanding to other learning. Outside of school I love to participate in theatre, go for bush walks and spend time with friends and family. You are all very welcome to visit room 3!

Room 4 Teacher
Year 1 & 2

Room 5 Teacher
Year 1 & 2

Room 6 Teacher
Year 2
Talofa lava, o lou igoa o May Gaseata. O au o le faiaoga i le potu numera 6 mo lenei tausaga.
Hi! My name is May Gaseata and I am in Room 6 this year. I am proud to be full Samoan. My passion is the Performing Arts and working with our Pasifika Group. In my spare time I enjoy reading, watching movies and spending time with my family. My favourite part of teaching is seeing children flourish and achieve. I have been at Sunnyvale since 2015 and am looking forward to 2018.