Sheik and Farzana – the friendly faces caring for Panama Road School for ten years
Sheik and Farzana Saheb have been CrestClean franchise owners for almost 19 years, and for the past ten, they’ve cared for Panama Road School in Auckland. Since then, the school has almost doubled in size, growing from 180 students to 340. Through all that change, Sheik and Farzana have been a steady, friendly presence at the end of each school day.
Principal Jane Dold has been at the school just as long as the cleaning team, and over the years they’ve built an exceptional relationship. She doesn’t just see them as contractors – she considers them part of the school community.
“We just love the relationship we have built with them and all the cleaners that come through here.”
“They’re like family,” she says.
Working with Sheik and Farzana is easy. If something needs extra attention, Jane or any of the staff simply let them know and it’s sorted quickly and without fuss. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and there’s a real sense that they take pride in getting things right.
Sheik and Farzana also show a genuine care for everyone at the school. If teachers are staying late, they make a point of noticing who’s still on site and making sure everyone is safe at the end of the day.
Jane says she loves that little moment at the end of the school day when teachers can catch up with Sheik and Farzana in person.
“They’re the friendliest people,” she says.
For Jane, long-term, trusting relationships like the one she has with Sheik and Farzana are incredibly special. That trust really shone during Covid, when keeping everyone safe was more important than ever. Sheik and Farzana played a key role in making sure the school stayed a safe and clean place for staff and students.
Knowing the school was in such caring hands gave everyone peace of mind.
“They took it all very seriously and understood their part to play, so that was great for us,” she says.
To celebrate their amazing 10 years with the school, Sheik and Farzana, along with Auckland Regional Master Franchisee Dries Mangnus, brought morning tea to share with staff – a small way to mark a big milestone.
