From suit and heels to sandals and play dough, life is a playground for So High Methodist Pre-primary’s new principal

When So High Methodist Pre-primary principal Leila Sharp began her career in the corporate world it took her about three weeks to realise that it was not for her.

Swapping her pinstripe suit and heels for open sandals and play dough, Leila found her niche in teaching.

Those three weeks were not wasted, however, as she fell hard for a dashing young art director at the advertising agency she was working for.

Declan and Leila have now been married 12 years and they have three boys, Kadin (10), Liam (7) and Jude (3).

Leila grew up in Bloemfontein, attending Eunice Girl’s High. She began her teaching career in Cape Town and moved to Umhlali Prep in 2011.

Eight and a half years flew by and Leila became a much loved teacher at the growing school.

At the same time her boys attended So High Methodist Pre-Primary and she got involved with the school community, volunteering for the school board and helping with fundraisers.

“I grew to love the school, so when the position of principal opened up I naturally applied,” said Leila, who’s striking brunette features hail to her Lebanese roots.

Leila took the reigns in January and has already brought her own flavour of sunshine to the little school.

“I inherited a well-oiled machine from past principal Hazel Lovett,” said Leila, who believes one of the school’s main strengths is its relationship with the church.

While she does not plan to bring big changes she said she would focus on inviting parents in and growing the school’s ‘heart’.

One of her welcomed additions to the school week has been ‘Thoughtful Thursdays’ whereby each class takes it in turn to make sandwiches for poor children at nearby schools.

Having done her honours in educational support through Stellenbosch University she is passionate about holistic learning and helping each child overcome their own unique challenges to learning.

Leila said she has enjoyed learning from therapists and believes it is important to identify learning difficulties early on so that children have the best start possible.

Learning through play is a big part of how So High operates but the new principal said she has always loved drama and hopes to pass that love on to her pupils.

She recently put her dancing shoes back on, reviving her love for tap.

In much the same way the kind-hearted principal appears to have a new spring in her step as she walks the halls of her new home with laughing children dancing behind her.

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