New principal brings a passion to job

Born in El Salvador, Sandra Shanhai came to this country when she was just 7 years old. As an immigrant, she did not know the English language, she said. What she also did not know was that several years later, she would be in the top post at Valley Stream Christian Academy.

Responsible for leading teachers and staff members, and molding the young minds of 155 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, Shanhai has a lot on her shoulders. But, she appears to handle it with ease, displaying a passion for helping children. “We are here to serve the community in whatever way we can,” she said.

The married mother of three and first-time principal has been with the school for more than a decade. She graduated from Far Rockaway High School, and later earned a bachelor’s degree in languages from Queens College. After leaving college, she worked for several years at Citibank, before taking time away from the workforce to start a family. Little did she know that education was her next calling.

Shanhai began working at the academy, part of Bethlehem Assembly of God, as a part-time Spanish teacher in 1999. She has been on a steady path of promotion in the last few years, taking over as the middle school and high school chairperson in 2007. After one year, she became assistant principal, a position she held for three years.

Shanhai noted the strong sense of family at the Valley Stream Christian Academy. All of her children have either graduated or still attend the school. Currently, her two youngest children are in ninth and 10th grade. She brings a unique perspective to the school as a parent, teacher and administrator, she noted. “I have risen from the ranks,” she said. “I know all the kids, and classmates of my children.”

After former principal Leslie Fowley was promoted to superintendent, a vacancy opened up. Fowley spoke about why Shanhai is deserving of the new position. “She believes in the mission and purpose of the school,” Fowley said. “She has always been such a positive influence of change in the school. It’s great to see her ability to make changes. It’s exciting for me as a former principal to see her transition.”