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NEW FACULTY 2014-2015

Adrian Dowst

IB Chemistry

Hi, my name is Adrian Dowst and I'm currently

living in Seattle, Washington with my fiancée,

Ashley Wearly. I'm now teaching at Foster High

School, in Tukwila, Washington. Our district has

been identified as the most diverse in the United

States! Working with students from all over the

world is what got me to starting thinking about

teaching abroad.

I earned my Masters in Chemistry from the

University of Washington. My interest in chemistry

has translated into a love for cooking, coffee and

wine. When I'm not in the kitchen, you'll probably

find me at the gym or exploring the side streets of

the city (undoubtedly listening to one of my

favorite podcasts). The only thing left to say is that

I look forward to meeting everyone!

Amanda Garwood

HS Math

Hi, my name is Amanda Garwood and I will be

coming to Quito to teach Mathematics in the high

school. Currently I am teaching in Basel,

Switzerland and have thoroughly enjoyed my time

here. Before teaching I worked in Marketing and

completed my MBA before I decided that teaching

was what I really wanted to do. I, like many of the

children I teach, have three different nationalities

and when asked where I am from I usually choose

based on sport (so normally I am English when

watching football, Barbadian when watching

cricket and Canadian when ice hockey is on). I

will be coming to Quito with my wonderful dog

Lola and we are both looking forward to exploring

what on all accounts is a spectacular country.

Look forward to meeting you all soon!

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Ashley Wearly

G8 Language Arts/Social Studies

Hello! My name is Ashley Wearly, and I am

currently living in Seattle, WA with my fiancé

Adrian Dowst. I am originally from Arizona, but

came up to the Pacific Northwest for college and

never left! I earned both my Bachelors in History,

and Masters in Teaching from the University of

Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA.

This is my 5th year teaching Language Arts and

Social Studies (7th and 8th) at Kamiakin Middle

School. I have been privileged to take part in

many opportunities at Kamiakin, but now it is time

for a new adventure! Adrian and I are excited to

spend our first years of marriage in Quito. Like

English teachers everywhere, I love books and

coffee. I teach with a coffee mug permanently

attached to my hand. I used to be a classical

harpist, but am currently trying to learn guitar

(slightly more portable). Can't wait to meet

everyone in August!

Betsy Kolodziej

G7 Math/Science

My name is Betsy Kolodziej and I am currently the

gifted education teacher at the Crested Butte

Community School, a K-12 school in Crested

Butte, Colorado in the United States. I have my

Master’s degree in Education and, over the course

of my teaching career, have had the unique

opportunity of teaching at both the elementary and

secondary levels.

I will be moving to Quito with my husband,

Roman, and our dog, Lucy. I enjoy reading for

pleasure, mountain biking, skiing, and hiking and

look forward to experiencing the outdoors in

Ecuador.

I am so excited to be a part of the American

Cotopaxi learning community!

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Biplob Ghosh

HS Math

Hi everyone,

My name is Biplob (but you can call me Bip), I'm

Canadian and I did my undergrad at the University

of British Columbia (UBC) in Math/Statistics. I'm a

new math teacher and I'm looking forward to

teaching at Academia Cotopaxi. I used to work for

the Canadian government agency dealing with

statistics for a couple of years before heading into

teaching. Despite having travelled throughout Asia

and Europe, I've never been to South America

and so Ecuador will be a new experience for me.

I'm a big fan of storytelling and what is travelling

really other than collecting stories and

experiences to share with people? I know we'll

bond immediately if you're an avid fan of

storytelling podcasts like This American Life,

RadioLab and Planet Money. I'm looking forward

to meeting you all and sharing some great stories.

Brian Farrell

Technology Integration Coach

Hello AC!

My name is Brian Farrell. I am originally from

Cleveland, Ohio and have been living and working

in Mumbai, India for the last four years. I have a

unique background with a degree in business

marketing and years of sales and service

experience. I currently serve as the

Communications Coordinator at the American

School of Bombay. My experience in education

has been so rewarding that I decided to go back

to school and receive a Master's in Educational

Leadership. I have a passion for technology,

outdoor living, rugby and new adventures. I will be

joining AC as a Technology Integration Coach

along with my amazing wife Shannon, who will be

the PYP Coordinator/Instructional Coach. We are

both very excited to meet everyone and start our

next chapter in Ecuador.

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Daniel Kerr

Principal for Intermediate School Division G3-8

My name is Dan Kerr and I am the new

Intermediate Principal of grades 3 through 8. I am

originally from Nova Scotia, Canada but I have

lived overseas for the past 15 years, and I

absolutely love, love, love International school

education. I have had stops in the United Arab

Emirates, Indonesia, China, and now Ecuador,

and I couldn’t be more excited about this new

opportunity and adventure. I have a beautiful wife

named Jocelyn, who will also be joining the school

faculty, as well as two amazing children named

Max (9 years old) and Gabby (6 years old)...my

family is everything to me and the three of them

are the lights of my life. Some of my hobbies

include reading, writing, music, cooking, and

playing sports but my biggest thrill comes from

traveling to new countries and experiencing new

cultures. I am passionate about education and I

cannot imagine myself doing anything else with

my life. I literally cannot wait to arrive and to

become a part of this incredible community!

Deb Darson Athletic Director I love being an International educator. Working with young students in a progressive school keeps me fresh! I am a lifelong learner who really enjoys developing professionally. I encourage my students to communicate and collaborate using 21st Century Skills. I am a fitness and active outdoor enthusiastic who loves travel, talking with friends, watching movies and curling up with a good book. I have worked as a PE teacher at international schools in China, Jordan, Korea, India and also Ecuador. I have been a coach in volleyball, track & field, soccer, basketball, badminton, and softball, and have participated in many regional tournaments. Most recently, I have been the Head of the Physical Education Department at the American School of Bombay. I have a Masters degree, two Bachelors degrees and a PE Honors Specialist Certification from Lakehead University in Canada. I am very excited to return to Ecuador and re-engage with a culture that I love.

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James Fischer HS English My name is Jimmy Fischer. My wife, Jessica Terbrueggen, and I live in China with our two daughters, JJ and Dharma. I teach at DAIS, Dalian American International School. I graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature. I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio and am an avid reader, golfer, runner, fisher, talker, eater, imbiber, lover, lay-around-in-hammocker, and general doer of things. Estoy aprendiendo español, and look forward to joining the Cotopaxi community.

David Muniz

Director of Technology

My name is David Muñiz and I am the new Director of

Technology beginning the 2014-2015 school year. I

have a MEd in Educational Technology. I am coming to

Quito from Germany where my beautiful wife and I both

began teaching at the International School of Stuttgart in

2011. In 2012, my wife took some time off to give birth

to and care for our son, Xol, who is now 16 months old!

In my free time, besides spending time with my wife and

son, I like to make music with my computer and enjoy

finding other ways technology can enhance creativity. I

really miss playing soccer and hope I can find some

friends that are interested in a few friendly games

throughout the year. I'm fluent in Spanish and English as

I grew up speaking both at home. I’m very excited to be

a part of the Academia Cotopaxi community!

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Desiree Choy

Kindergarten

My name is Desiree’ Choy and I am very excited

to be joining Academia Cotopaxi as my first

international teaching experience. I am currently

teaching kindergarten at Bay View Academy

Charter School in Monterey, California. While I

have been fortunate enough to call the beautiful

town of Monterey home, I am eager to begin my

next adventure in Quito. I graduated from UCLA

with my bachelors in Psychology and Minor in

Education. I went on to get my Masters in

Education and teaching credential at The

University of California Santa Cruz. In addition to

teaching and traveling, I am also a runner. Last

year, I ran the Paris International Marathon for my

birthday, The Chicago Marathon and a number of

other half marathons. Running supports one of

my other hobbies, food! I am a foodie at heart and

have only heard good things about the food in

Quito! Generally, I am a very happy, friendly and

optimistic person who loves to meet new people,

learn about new cultures and try new things. I look

forward to getting to know my new students, their

families, staff, the language and ultimately

becoming part of the community.

Dylan George

Drama and PE

Hey, I'm Dylan. My lovely lady Jodi and I have

been away from teaching for the past four years

and we're pretty excited to be getting back into it.

I'm currently working in Toronto as an actor,

photographer and carpenter (I'll share my full list

of jobs over the past four years with you over a

drink). We have previously taught in Singapore

and Tanzania and loved both places. I'm originally

from Toronto, but it's just gotten too cold here, so

I'm happy to be moving on again. I love building

things, fixing things, photographing things, and

playing the guitar. I also love adventure (kite

surfing, rafting, biking) and am very much looking

forward to exploring my new playground in

Ecuador.

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Frédéric Bordaguibel-Labayle

IB DP Coordinator

Hola a todos,

I am Frédéric Jacques Michel

Bordaguibel-Labayle! By reading this,

you may have guessed that I am French

but my family as roots in Basque country

(North of Spain and South West of

France). I got my Masters in French as a

Foreign language from Pau University

(France) and my Post Graduate

Certificate in Education from Saint

Martin's College (UK). I have been

working at Istanbul International

Community School for eight years and I

have served the school as the IB

Diploma Coordinator for five years. In

Quito, Stéphanie, my wife, will seek a

position at the French school - the Lycée

La Condamine. Dorian, our four and a

half year old son, is already excited to

learn a new language and we are already

practising. After our time in Istanbul, we

are now ready for a change. This is going

to be our first time in South America and

we are looking forward to being part of

the AC Community and to discovering

the Ecuadorian culture. We can't wait to

be with you!

James Gormley

Special Education Teacher

Hi y’all, greetings from California, I’m Jimmy

and I currently reside in the San Francisco

Bay Area. For the past four years I’ve been

teaching at Star Academy, a small school

that serves students with learning

challenges.

It will be sad to say goodbye to such an

incredible group of educators, but I’m

looking forward to the community I will

discover at Academia Cotopaxi.

I’ll see all real soon, ¡a tu salud!

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Jessica Terbrueggen HS English My name is Jessica B. Terbrueggen; sometimes Jessie, Jess, most often Mom. For three years, my husband, James Fischer, and I have been teaching at Dalian American International School in China. Along with our bright, beautiful daughters, Dharma and Jessica (Jr.), we have been slurping spicy shǒugōng lāmiàn, soaking in steam baths, learning Mandarin, and embracing the art of sagacious tea sipping.

I completed my bachelor's degree in Books-as-a-Lens-for-Understanding-Humanity's-Struggles (English Literature) and Governance-Theories-as-a-Lens-for-Solving-Humanity's-Struggles (Political Science) in my home state of oranges and sun, Florida. Obvious Statement: I am keen on travel, reading, languages, writing, history, memoirs, and culture. Not as obvious: I am in love with the cello and the likes of Yo-Yo Ma, Kronos Quartet, and Ennio Morricone. In the same way, my brooding soul is soothed by the sounds of Camille Saint-Saëns and Erik Satie. Innate, unexplainable (evolution?) yearnings to live in the depths of the African jungle will in due time bend my story into the pages of my own Heart of Darkness, The Darling, and Henderson the Rain King. If my second career (Art Consultancy being the first) as a teacher should not work out I would don a white ensemble and whip my other passion into a culinary career. Kayaking, hiking, biking, running, eating, drinking vino, pondering existence, journaling, Instagram photographing, and volunteering are also frequent ways in which I deal with the auspicious issues of existence and time.

I am very much looking forward to shedding my winter coat in

favor of more temperate climates, refining my Spanish, and of

course meeting all of you.

Jocelyn Kerr Counselor Warm greetings from Shanghai. My name is Jocelyn Kerr and I am so looking forward to joining the dynamic school community at Academia Cotopaxi. I have recently completed my Masters Degree in Counseling and I have previously taught Mathematics and Science in London, Abu Dhabi, Jakarta and Shanghai. I am originally from Nova Scotia, Canada and I will be arriving in Quito with my husband, two children and our dog. I am an avid runner and I’m eager to participate in all of the amazing outdoor adventures that Ecuador has to offer. ¡Hasta pronto!

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Jodi Sprung-Boyd

HS English

I am overjoyed to be joining the faculty at

Academia Cotopaxi after a four year sabbatical

from International teaching. I recently completed

my MFA in Theatre Direction and have been

working in Toronto's theatre industry as a director,

acting coach and designer. Prior to this I taught

high school and middle school English and Drama

at the Canadian International School in Singapore

and the International School of Tanganyika in Dar

Es Salaam, Tanzania.

This summer I will be marrying my partner in

adventure (and teaching colleague), Dylan

George. I am an avid horseback rider and outdoor

adventure seeker. I also look forward to becoming

a member of the highest Crossfit affiliate/gym on

earth when I arrive in Quito.

John Gates will be our Interim High School

Principal for the 2014-2015 school year. John is

a recognized educational leader in the

international school world. He has just completed

a five-year term as the Superintendent of

Walworth Barbour American International School

in Israel. John served for 9 years as the

Secondary Principal at the International School of

Islamabad and for 5 years at the American School

of Brasilia, after which he was appointed as their

Head of School. He then served as the Director of

the Damascus Community School and went on to

Walworth Barbour American International School.

John’s ability to establish a climate of collegiality,

collaboration, and trust is well known and he is

looking forward to working with our High School

students, teachers, and parents next year. His

wife Linda will join him here in Quito, and will also

spend time in their home in Brasilia.

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John Reber

G6 Math/Science

Hi everyone,

I'm really excited to be on board! My

name is John Reber, I'm originally from

New York State about an hour outside of

NYC, which is also where I finished my

MS in Education. I am coming to you after

teaching at the American School of Dubai

for 3 years.

I'm glad the job fair is out of the way so I

can start thinking about my new life in

Ecuador. I am leaving Dubai after

exploring some of the deserts and dry

mountains of the middle east. I wish I

could say I picked up some Arabic while

here, but sadly almost none. I'm looking

forward to continuing my Spanish, and

exploring the whole region. I miss green

mountains and humble living. I can't wait

to throw on a backpack and get lost.

Justin Muenker

G7 Language Arts/Social Studies

My name is Justin Muenker and I have been teaching

for three years at Freedom Middle School in Orlando,

Florida. I have a Bachelor's Degree in History from

Richard Stockton College and a Master's Degree in

Education from the University of Central Florida. In

the last three years, I have been a civics teacher,

middle school basketball coach, high school

basketball coach, and Social Studies Dept. Chair.

In my free time I like to do a lot of things outdoors

such as camping, hiking, walking around with my dog

Howie, and going to the beach. I also enjoy reading,

playing sports, and watching sports.

I am really looking forward to experiencing new

culture, learning from great educators, and becoming

part of a new teaching family.

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Kristin Abraham

Grade One Teacher

My name is Kristi Abraham and I will be teaching Grade One at

Academia Cotopaxi next year. I have a heart for adventure and

the outdoors. I have been on a variety of different sports teams

including volleyball, basketball, and softball but my favorite sport

to play is soccer. I have coached a number of different soccer

teams over the years with children ranging from 5-year-olds to

12-year-olds. I am an outdoor enthusiast and enjoy many outdoor

activities like hiking and running.

I grew up in Central California in a small town called Atwater and

moved to the California coast to Monterey to attend California

State University Monterey Bay. A great deal of my time and

energy was focused on movement-based education. I have lived

in Monterey for the last 7 years. After college I was hired as a

Math and English Language Arts Intervention Teacher to assist

small groups of struggling students. The following school year I

was offered a job teaching first grade at an amazing Charter

School in Monterey called Bay View Academy. I have taught first

grade in this location for the last three years.

I am looking forward to my move to Quito and am excited to see

a new culture and meet new people.

Ginia Oviedo

IMAGINE Teacher

Guten Tag from Germany!

Hello Everybody, my name is Ginia, and I have been working at

the International School of Stuttgart. I’ve enjoyed living here

and am going to miss the amazing friendships I’ve made

immensely. I’ve been a teacher for 8 years, 6 of those

internationally. I’ve taken the last 2 years off from teaching to be

with my little 1 year old son, who has learned quickly that his

parent’s favorite pass time is cracking-up with laughter.

I am super excited to join the early childhood team next year

and work on messy creative projects. I hope my team teacher

doesn’t mind that I love to sing with the kids and it’s always off

key.;) My son, Xol, will join us school next year too! He will be

in the Imagine early years program.

I’ve taught many different grade levels from early childhood

through grade 5. I love to mix it up! I have a degree in

Elementary Education as well as a Masters in International

Education.

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I am really excited and looking forward to mangos dripping off

my chin (1 mango in Germany is 7€), exploring nature, building

sand castles on the beach, speaking Spanish and tons more.

See you soon!

Ginia and little Xol

Nicholas Sprague

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Hello from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA! My name is

Nick Sprague and I will be arriving at Academia

Cotopaxi with my wife, Vanessa, in August. We are

actually getting married just a few days before we head

south! Currently, Vanessa and I are teaching at

separate schools in the Milwaukee Public School

system and while we love our students, we are so

excited for Academia Cotopaxi. I will be supporting the

ESOL students at AC. I earned my Bachelors in History

in 2006 and my Masters in 2012. I earned both of these

degrees in my home state of New York. I am truly

looking forward to living and working in Quito. I

thoroughly enjoy hiking, playing soccer and ultimate

frisbee, reading, and just being outdoors. One of my

other biggest passions is helping to direct a non-profit

organization I was part of founding that funds education

for children in Cambodia. I can't wait to meet all the

amazing people at Academia Cotopaxi!

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Shannon Farrell

PYP Coordinator/Instructional Coach

Hello! My name is Shannon Farrell, and I am

originally from Cleveland, Ohio, USA. I define

myself as a lifelong learner, so after achieving my

undergraduate degree I went on to get my

Master’s in Gifted Education and am currently

working on a second Master’s in Educational

Leadership. At the moment, I am the Math Coach

at the American School of Bombay, where I have

been working for the past four years. Prior to

serving as an instructional coach I was a grade

two teacher who loved developing creativity,

inquiry, and international-mindedness in my

students through a PYP framework. Thus, I am

very excited to bring these two passions together

in my dual role as PYP Coordinator/Instructional

Coach at Academia Cotopaxi. I am joining AC

with my husband Brian, and we are both looking

forward to a lot of exploring, hiking, biking, and

blue skies!

Shannon Sacher

Reading Specialist

Hello! I’m Shannon Sacher and I will be the reading

specialist at AC next year. I’ve been teaching

middle and high school since 2007. I am currently

the reading coach at Freedom Middle School in

Orlando, Florida and have been here for the last

three years. I’m interested in nutrition and natural

health, yoga, and psychology. I believe in servant

leadership and the law of attraction. I graduated

from the University of Central Florida in 2012 with a

Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. I like

being in nature and spending quality time with my

friends and family. My favorite authors include Kurt

Vonnegut, Carl Hiaasen, Ursula Le Guin, and

Angela Carter. I feel incredibly blessed to be given

this opportunity. I’m looking forward to making new

friends and learning Spanish!

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Vanessa Weber

Special Education Teacher

After spending a few years abroad, I am back in

my hometown, Milwaukee, WI. I am currently

teaching at a public high school in a

predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, which has

really sparked my interest in learning Spanish.

(Yay Ecuador!) At the moment, I am finishing up

my Masters degree in Urban Special Education

and I also hold a Bachelors degree in Journalism

and Film Production. Taking photos, watching the

Packers, hiking, yoga, and planning our wedding

keep me busy when I'm not teaching. Nick and I

will be getting married in Milwaukee on August

9th, and then heading to Quito ASAP. I must say

getting back into an international community,

exploring a new continent, and playing in the

Ecuadorian environment are frequently on my

mind as the current school year, and Wisconsin

winter, wind down.