For the first time St. Joseph’s Alafua, Samoa, has a female principal. Since it was founded in 1950 the principal has always been a Marist Brother.
44-year-old laywoman Susitina Maletino Levao replaces Br Bryan Stanaway, who resigned for medical reasons last year.
A mother of one child, Ms Levao has a long history with the college dating back more than two decades to when she was among the first-ever group of girls to enrol in 1993 at Year 13.
She first joined the teaching staff of the College in 1999, working her way up to the senior management team of the college.
Levao was head of the science department; Dean of Year 10; prize-giving coordinator and mentor/facilitator for junior teachers and President of Zone B’s Association of School Presidents.
By January 2017, she was the school deputy Principal. In May she inherited the duties of acting principal when Br Stanaway left.
Levao has a Bachelor of Science degree (major in Chemistry & Biology), University of the South Pacific; a Diploma in Education, National University of Samoa, and Secondary Trained Teachers’ Certificate (Ministry of Education, Sport & Culture).
The Chairman of the Governance Board of Marist Brothers’ Schools, Aumua Ming Leung Wai, said the board is confident that Ms. Levao will be able to improve St Joseph’s College so that it can become a ‘school of excellence’ which is its vision for the college.
“Ms Levao is very committed, understands the Marist charism and has the necessary teaching and management experience for the role of Principal. We wish her all the best with her appointment,” he said.
“I’m happy and thankful for the appointment,” Levao told the Sunday Samoan.
“But I am mostly grateful to the Board of the Marist Brothers for believing in me and putting their trust in me.
“My plans for the next three years of my contract will be to look into the academic wellbeing of students, not only in education, but spiritually too because the mission of the school is to help teach our children the right path.
“But I will work on maintaining the high standards of the school academically and in sports too.
Source
- Sunday Samoan
- Image: Sunday Samoan
