Sondra is new to Te Puna Wai o Waipapa in 2018. She is a new kaiako and has been well prepared for this position by completing a BA in Te Reo at Victoria University and her Masters of Teaching and Learning.

Firstly, Sondra completed a double major in Te Reo and Māori Studies and, secondly, she was fortunate to win a scholarship to study for a fifth year at Victoria, completing her Masters in Teaching and Learning. The final year of study was mainly spent practising her teaching and learning skills for the whole year at St Patrick's College and 3 weeks at Naenae College. Sondra learned very quickly with her Year 9-11 rangatahi that respect was earned and cultural responsiveness is all about building respect between your rangatahi and kaiako.

Sondra comes from a long line of fishermen, although she was raised in Te Ao Pākeha. Sondra didn't realise what it meant to be Māori and to grow in Te Ao Māori until she took Te Reo Māori as a subject in Year 7. From here, Sondra's passion and knowledge was sparked and she began to develop and grow within her own world. One of the most influential people to help begin her journey through Te Ao Māori was her Māori kaiako who taught Te Reo through kapa haka, karakia and the local marae. Being raised in Te Ao Pākeha by her whānau and then later learning and growing in Te Ao Māori through education has given Sondra the ability to walk in two different worlds, which she hopes to reflect in her teaching practice. Sondra is the first born daughter and granddaughter, so she also felt the responsibility to learn Te Reo and pass it on to her whānau. In her second year of university, Sondra had her daughter, Maareikura, but this didn’t stop her from carrying on her studies with the exceptional support of her whānau, friends, and Te Tumu Herenga Waka (Victoria University's marae). Sondra was encouraged to take baby to classes, while one of her best friend's whānau "adopted" Sondra and Maareikura into their home. This whānau became her Wellington family and were a major support for Sondra during this time.

By the end of 2017 Sondra was ready to join the teaching profession and started looking for a full-time permanent position mainly in Christchurch, so that she could be supported by her sister in the care of Maareikura. Te Reo was growing at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa and our commitment to biculturalism was being fostered in a very proactive manner, so a new position became available for a kaiako of Māori language and tikanga. Sondra flew down to meet Regan and Ros and to look at the College. Sondra asked a lot of very good questions about our ako around Te Reo and went back to Wellington seriously considering Te Puna Wai o Waipapa as the College at which she wanted to start her teaching career. We employed Sondra after her interview and she moved to be kaiako here in January 2018. Te Puna Wai o Waipapa is extremely privileged to have two dedicated and passionate Māori Kaiako in Regan and Sondra. We warmly welcome Sondra to Te Puna Wai o Waipapa and know we have a very capable young Māori kaiako who is bringing Te Reo to the College in a vibrant and integrated way.