Mrs. Abrante has worked in the educational field since the 1990s. Over the years, she has held a number of positions, such as English as a Second Language teacher, Portuguese instructor (in the US), and Education Coordinator. She also ran her own tutoring business in Brazil before relocating to Canada to pursue a Post Degree Diploma in Business Administration. Mrs. Abrante has a BA in Social Communication and a Post Degree Certificate in English. Mrs. Abrante devotes her personal time to volunteer work at a non-profit organization, as well as to her twins, husband, and friends. She believes each person has their set of skills, and the beauty of a community resides in putting all these pieces together to form a unique mosaic.

Ms. Albertson graduated with honours from Simon Fraser University, receiving a degree in General Studies in Education with two minors in Curriculum and Instruction, as well as Learning and Developmental Disabilities. She has also completed a Bachelor of Education degree. Through her experience working with children, Ms. Albertson has developed a passion for creating and sustaining inclusive environments where every individual is valued for the unique qualities they bring to the community. Ms. Albertson believes in combining democratic principles with educational practices as it provides an opening for students to have a voice and choice with regard to their own development. When not at school, Ms. Albertson loves going for nature walks, has a passion for photography and spending time with her friends and family.

Mrs. Brooke attended Simon Fraser University where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and History, followed by a Bachelor’s in Education from Brock University. She has always wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember, believing that it’s very rare to have a job that allows her to do all her favourite things every day while empowering her students to strive for confidence and courage in everything they do. Outside of school, Mrs. Brooke runs Shadows and Dreams Theatre company, which has performed Shakespeare productions in Queens Park for the last 12 years. Mrs. Brooke hopes to create joyful and critical thinkers who use their knowledge to make the world the best place it can be.

Ms. Creighton holds a Bachelor of Education from UBC. In her role as a Learning Resource teacher, she has worked collaboratively alongside classroom teachers to support their students with a variety of programming and learning activities. Her primary focus throughout her teaching career has been in the area of Early Intervention. She has taught in literacy support programs such as the Provincial Early Intervention Resource Program and has training in both the Orton Gillingham method and Reading Recovery. In her work as a support teacher, she understands the importance of making meaningful connections with her students and their families. Her approach to children’s learning is individualized and strength-based. She strives to ensure learning experiences are child-centred, interactive, self-reflective, and fun! Outside of the classroom Ms. Creighton appreciates her wonderful community of family and friends, and enjoys biking, reading, and walking on the seawall.

Mlle. Dizon completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia with a double major in Political Science and French. She then completed her Bachelor of Education at the same institution where she specialized in French and the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. Mlle. Dizon’s interests in lifelong learning and language acquisition are outcomes of her education and her experiences as an instructor in various environments. In addition to teaching French and English, she has worked as a rowing instructor for the Vancouver Rowing Club, Burnaby Lake Rowing Club, the Canucks Autism Network, and MOSAIC. As an educator, Mlle. Dizon strives to create a plurilingual environment that values diversity and encourages students to explore language acquisition as a whole. She loves the outdoors and enjoys spending her free time with her two dogs, friends, and family.

Ms. Liddle has certificates in Early Childhood Education, Infant Toddler, and Special Needs. She has worked with infants and children since 2006: as an early childhood educator in a parent-participation preschool, as a kindergarten assistant, in before & after-school programs, and in respite care.

Mrs. McBride has a Sports Science Diploma and a Bachelors of Physical Education and Coaching from Douglas College in New Westminster, as well as a B’Ed with a minor in Outdoor Education from Simon Fraser University. Mrs. McBride became a teacher because she wants to make a positive difference in her community. She believes that having a teacher who shares their passions with their students makes for an enriching classroom. Mrs. McBride enjoys teaching students about being healthy and active, and believes that experiential learning helps students develop a deep connection to the subject matter. Exercise is at the heart of what Mrs. McBride loves to do for fun. She enjoys running and trying out new fitness classes, as well as weekend hikes with her family and dog. Mrs. McBride hopes that her students love school and feel a special connection to with their peers in the classroom. She also hopes that they continue to love playing outdoors in any type of weather, especially on those rainy, Vancouver days!

Ms. McCarron graduated from the University of the Fraser Valley with a BA in Child and Youth Care and a Masters in Counselling from City University. Ms. McCarron has continued her passion for supporting children for over 20 years. Julia’s experience includes working over 17 years for the New Westminster School district, internship at Child and Youth Mental Health in Port Moody and is currently working as a Child and Family therapist at Bright Star Counselling in Port Moody. Ms. McCarron’s therapeutic approach is attentive to being child-centered to establish a safe, compassionate, and supportive relationship to better support students’ social-emotional needs.

Ms. McCarron loves to spend her spare time with family and friends walking her dog, cooking, traveling, camping, biking, and generally anything outdoors. Ms. McCarron is excited and looking forward to being a part of the Urban Academy community and getting to know the students and staff for a great 2021/2022 year!

Mr. McDiarmid completed his Bachelor of Music in Elementary Education Stream at the University of British Columbia, specializing in percussion. He also holds a Bachelor in Elementary Education. He came to Urban Academy eight years ago, and since then has transitioned to the Music & P.E. Specialist sharing his passion for music and sports with students from JK-Gr. 3. Mr. McDiarmid has always enjoyed and excelled at working with children, and felt teaching was a great way to inspire positive change in the world. Outside of school, Mr. McDiarmid enjoys team sports, hiking, cycling and swimming. Mr. McDiarmid aims to inspire his students by introducing them to different forms of fitness and music to help enrich their lives. He prides himself on making personal connections with his students, providing a safe learning environment for them to thrive.

Ms. McEwen holds a Bachelor of Elementary Education from the University of British Columbia where she specialized in Mathematics, Science and Technology. Her experience also includes two years of teaching in London, England. Ms. McEwen is a passionate learner and explorer of the world. As a primary teacher, she hopes to share this enthusiasm with her students. In her free time, Ms. McEwen enjoys baking, sculpting, and travelling. Ms. McEwen strives to create a supportive, engaging classroom environment in which her students can develop as creative risk takers and critical thinkers.

Mrs. Pohlod has a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta. In March she completed her Master of Education in Special Education from Vancouver Island University. Mrs. Pohlod believes that every student has a different learning style and strives to ensure that all students’ needs are being met so they can access their full potential.

In her spare time Mrs. Pohlod is a competitive curler, most recently winning bronze at Mixed Doubles Provincials in February. She also enjoys hiking, running, rowing… really anything that involves outdoors and exercise- she’s in! She also enjoys reading, baking, and hanging out with her husband and two cats.

Mrs. Pohlod is looking forward to starting this new opportunity and joining the community at Urban Academy.

Madame Rhodes completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Windsor, where she majored in International Relations and minored in French. She completed one year of study at the Institute d’Études Politiques in Grenoble, France. She then completed her Bachelor of Education at Nipissing University, where she specialized in teaching French as a second language. Madame Rhodes has spent most of her education career teaching overseas. She taught in Japan, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia before returning to Canada in 2019. Madame Rhodes is passionate about second language education, and when she isn’t sharing her passion for languages with young minds she enjoys practicing yoga and spending time in the great outdoors.

Ms.Twaites graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts in History. She also completed her teacher education program at UBC. Ms. Twaites has worked as a homeroom teacher teaching grades one, two and three for over a decade, with extensive experience and training in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years program. She values inquiry-based approaches to learning and is passionate about encouraging students to apply their learning to take action, connecting with and impacting their local and global communities wherever possible. Ms. Twaites enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband Mike, and their young son Noah, as well as playing baseball, making jewellery, travelling and reading. Ms. Twaites has enjoyed working as a teacher-on-call and most recently, covering a maternity leave in Kindergarten, as it has allowed her to get to know a wide range of ages and the wonderful community at Urban Academy. She is looking forward to supporting and nurturing students in the library this year, in a space where they feel safe, included, and inspired to think critically and creatively.

Ms. Worth graduated from SFU with a BA in Psychology and a Minor in Theatre. She also holds a Masters in Counselling from City University. Ms. Worth has a rich background in mental health, working in the Downtown Eastside, the New Westminster School District, SHARE Community Services and as a current Youth Counsellor at Bright Star Counselling in Port Moody. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in developing a warm and non-judgemental relationship with students to create opportunities for connection and validation.

Outside of school, Ms. Worth enjoys plant-based cooking, attending live theatre, reading, camping, and spending time with her family. She is currently teaching herself to sketch and draw, and would love any lessons that students would like to teach her. Ms. Worth is excited to learn and grow alongside the students at Urban Academy.