Meet Sandra Luitjes, Manager, Mildura Regional Centre

Sandra has been a teacher, assistant principal and literacy coach in government schools for the past 30 years. Throughout her career, she has taught in primary and secondary schools in Victoria.

Sandra is passionate about creating positive learning environments for all students and supporting teachers to differentiate instructional practice based on the learning needs of each student.

The best part of my job is…

Working with teachers and leaders to support school improvement and student outcomes.

What education means to me…

Education is the pathway to the goals you wish to achieve.

One of my fondest memories from working in a school is…

My first school was a small, 2-teacher, remote school where the school and wider community welcomed and supported me at the beginning of my career. 

The best place to get coffee near the Academy‘s Mildura centre is… 

I don’t drink coffee, but you can get a lovely cup of Earl Grey Tea at Deakin 27, which is a short walk from the Academy Mildura centre.

My favourite subject at school was… 

My favourite subjects were music and dance. I have loved the arts throughout my career. Having spent 8 years learning classical piano, I’m sure my parents expected that I would follow a career in music, but I had other ideas. As a teacher, I have had the absolute pleasure of coordinating and producing countless school productions and concerts over the years.

A teacher who inspired me…

My Year 4 teacher left a lasting impression and ultimately led me into my teaching career. This teacher made learning exciting and interesting. At the beginning of each week, we would come into the classroom to see a new, magnificent chalk drawing on the blackboard. The drawing showed us the theme for the week. We had numerous pets and community members visit our classroom, which were always interesting and informative.

What advice would you give to teachers interested in doing some professional learning?

Decide what your goals are and then find the professional learning that will support the achievement of these goals. Be open to new ideas and be willing to share your thoughts with others.

The programs I am most excited to offer local educators are…

Literacy has been a passion of mine for a very long time, so I continue to be excited about delivering Literacy Local Leaders and Leading Literacy in the Mallee area in 2024.

My connection to the Mildura region started way back when…

I fell in love with Mildura when I was sent here as a beginning teacher: the river, the vines, the weather and certainly the people.

What I think has improved over the years in Mildura is…

Our ability to link with other areas has greatly improved. When I first came to Mildura, it was a very isolated area. Travel involved long car trips or an overnight trip on the passenger train.

Today we have numerous flights per day to and from various major centres which has made it easier for residents to access many services. The Academy centre in Mildura means teachers in the Mallee area can access high-quality professional learning without the hassle of extensive travel.

Find out more about the Mildura centre here.