Not only has he gone to school each day as assistant principal for the past 15 years, he also attended Sawtell Public School as a student in the late 1960s.

Most of the kids don't believe him when he speaks of a time when children didn't wear shoes to school and computers in each classroom were a notion dreamt up by fiction novelists.

Many of the classrooms Mr Cheers taught in during his time as assistant principal were the exact same as when he learnt how to read and write as a young boy, and the playground he supervises each lunch time is dotted with huge trees he remembers being planted during his time at the school.

One thing that has changed dramatically is the use of technology, where even children beginning their school career are extremely tech savvy.

Now almost every classroom has an interactive whiteboard, computers and myriads of other technological equipment - and at home many children have more gadgets than you can poke a stick at. But while the focus may have shifted from pen and paper to computer literacy, the community feel at Sawtell Public School is still strong - something Mr Cheers is happy about.

"It's hard to describe but Sawtell Public is very community focused," he said.

"Parents are heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the school, most of the kids are involved in local sporting clubs and at the end of Year 6 the majority will make their way to Toormina High School."

So what makes Sawtell Public School such as great place to be?

"It's easy," said Mr Cheers. "The surrounds of the school are beautiful, we are passionate about the environment and want to provide these kids with a healthy space to learn and grow in.

"In my role as principal I want to make a difference to the students lives - broaden their minds and give them adventure.

"We have a great camping and excursion program I began introducing as assistant principal, and are currently working on a school garden project also."

Whatever the task, it's probably a far cry from his experience in the '60s, but it seems like the base of the school is still the same - the community and school working in conjunction to educate the next generation of professionals.

Who knows, we might even see a future school principal.