Faculty

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Kevin Tonak Principal

Principal Kevin Tonak has been in the field of education for approximately 35 years.

Principal Kevin Tonak has been in the field of education for approximately 35 years, serving as a teacher, counselor, learning leader, assistant principal, and principal. He spent 26 years with the Calgary Board of Education and has also worked overseas at a private Alberta international school, with the University of Calgary Men's Varsity Football team, and with student teachers in the Faculty of Education. Most recently, he taught and served as an administrator at an Alberta independent school.

Principal Tonak holds a B.Ed. in Secondary English, an M.A. in Counseling, and an M.Sc. in Exercise Science and Coaching. During the late summer and fall, he coaches high school football.

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Sean Armeneau Middle School and French Teacher

Mr. Armeneau was born in Edmonton and moved to Calgary during grade school.

Mr. Armeneau was born in Edmonton and moved to Calgary during grade school. He attended Mount Royal University and achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree with a specialization in English. Over the course of this degree, Mr. Armeneau developed a love of education that drove him to pursue a career in the same field. He then attended the University of Calgary to complete a Bachelor of Education degree in order to become a teacher. Mr. Armeneau has taught at Edison School for a number of years now, and he can often be found in the Middle School building teaching social studies to Middle School students or French to Lower School students.

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Ashley Armstrong Lower School Teacher

Ms. Armstrong was born in Killarney, Manitoba.

Ms. Armstrong was born in Killarney, Manitoba. After high school, she attended Brandon University, where she completed her Bachelor of General Studies and was accepted to the University of Calgary to the Bachelor of Education program. While attending university, she worked for a daycare, where she was an integration facilitator and worked one-on-one with children with special needs. Ms. Armstrong has been teaching at Edison since 2010 and has taught Grades 2 through 6. She loves spending time with her two boys. They spend most of their time at the hockey arena in the winter and enjoy camping and boating in the summer. Ms. Armstrong is currently teaching Grade 3, and she loves sharing her passion for learning and forming meaningful relationships with her students.

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Susan Armstrong Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Armstrong obtained her Bachelor of Fashion Design degree while in Toronto and was awarded the Governor General Silver Medal for excellence.

Mrs. Armstrong obtained her Bachelor of Fashion Design degree while in Toronto and was awarded the Governor General Silver Medal for excellence. She worked as the head designer for a leading leather manufacturing company and had a major contract designing for Nordstrom's of California. Mrs. Armstrong has been very involved lending her talents to costuming and set designs to the Upper School Major Productions here at Edison School. After working in the fashion business, Mrs. Armstrong returned to university to graduate with Honours from Brandon University with a Bachelor of Education degree. She joined the teaching staff at Edison in 2006 and has taught Language Arts, Math and Visual Arts over the years. Attending numerous workshops in Vancouver, Denver, Miami, Regina, Montreal, Las Vegas and Calgary has enabled Mrs. Armstrong to glean new information annually and share her love of learning with students of all ages.

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Stephanie Carter Lower School Teacher

Born in England, Mrs. Carter moved to Canada at age six, and grew up here in Okotoks.

After high school, she obtained her Elementary Education degree with a minor in mathematics and science from the University of Alberta, finishing in the top 1% of her faculty. She found her way back to Okotoks so that her own children could enjoy the same carefree small-town childhood that she was lucky enough to experience.

Despite greatly enjoying her final practicum placement in Grade 5, it wasn’t until Mrs. Carter began teaching at Edison School in 2008 that she found that Kindergarten is where her heart truly lies. After teaching a combination of Kindergarten and Grade 1 for ten years, as well as directing the annual K-8 musical productions during that time, she took several years off to raise her own young family. She returned to Edison in 2023 to teach Kindergarten part-time. In her free time, Mrs. Carter enjoys trampolining, crafting, and playing board games with her family, as well as performing with the Foothills Philharmonic Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

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Christopher Cartwright Upper School Teacher

Mr. Cartwright was born and raised in Edmonton, where he attended the University of Alberta and achieved a bachelor’s degree in physics with specialization in astrophysics.

Mr. Cartwright was born and raised in Edmonton, where he attended the University of Alberta and achieved a bachelor’s degree in physics with specialization in astrophysics. He then continued on to achieve a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Alberta. Shortly after graduation, he moved to north-eastern Alberta, where he spent three years teaching math, science, and physics in Bonnyville and Cold Lake. While there, he lost his love of the big city and fell in love with quading, camping, hiking, and mountain biking in the summer, and snowmobiling in the winter.

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Sherley Chau Middle School Teacher

Born and raised in Calgary, Ms. Chau has lived in the city for the majority of her life (with a brief stint in the UK).

Born and raised in Calgary, Mrs. Chau has lived in the city for the majority of her life (with a brief stint in the UK). A lover of all books, she translated this passion into a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary in 2012. Mrs. Chau then obtained her Bachelor of Education degree in 2014. Throughout her teaching career, she has had the opportunity to work with secondary students in both the English language arts and social studies. As an educator, Mrs. Chau aims to encourage learners to develop into positive and resilient critical thinkers with the ability to adapt and thrive in their future challenges.

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Heather Coco Upper School Teacher

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Ruth Daly Lower School Teacher

Ms. Daly teaches Grade 4 at Edison.

Ms. Daly teaches Grade 4 at Edison. She has been teaching for over 25 years, and at Edison since 2003. Ms. Daly was born and raised in England, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Education Honours degree from Edge Hill University, Lancashire. She began her teaching career in London, England, and then taught in Vancouver, B.C., and in Calgary, teaching English to international students. In 2014, Ms. Daly was a presenter at the 2014 Alberta Conference for Differentiated Instruction, leading sessions on how to engage children in reading and writing. She took a sabbatical in 2015 where she pursued her interests of photography and travel. Ms. Daly is also a published writer, and has written more than 50 non-fiction children's books for educational publishers.

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Brodi Etheredge Middle School Teacher

Ms. Etheredge grew up in the beautiful Treasure Valley region of southern Idaho.

Ms. Etheredge grew up in the Treasure Valley region of southern Idaho. She attended The College of Idaho, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, summa cum laude. Upon graduation, she moved to Okotoks to be near family and pursue a career in education.

Ms. Etheredge spent five years as an Educational Assistant supporting the diverse learning needs of junior high students. In 2021, she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and began working as a guest teacher. She has been employed at Edison School since 2023, where she teaches social studies and language arts to grade six students.

In her free time, Ms. Etheredge enjoys hiking with her dog, spending time with family, and singing in choir. She has performed classical music with choral ensembles for nearly 20 years and is a current member of the Foothills Philharmonic Society.

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Michael Finnerty Middle School Teacher

Mr. Finnerty hails from the hot desert climate of Phoenix, Arizona.

Mr. Finnerty hails from the hot desert climate of Phoenix, Arizona, where he attended Arizona State University. After he received a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education for Biological Sciences in 2012, he taught at inner-city schools for four years, working with at-risk populations. In 2016, he moved to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where he taught at a private school with a diverse population. Returning to Arizona in 2018, Mr. Finnerty brought his expertise to an online-only school before moving to Canada in the summer of 2019. His teaching experience spans both Middle and Upper School grade levels for biology, general science, English, and math.

In his spare time, Mr. Finnerty loves to read and explore the outdoors. Mr. Finnerty is thrilled to bring his passion for learning to the students at Edison School!

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Jeff Friesen Middle School Teacher

Mr. Friesen has been teaching at Edison since 2005.

Mr. Friesen has been teaching at Edison since 2005. He has taught a variety of grade levels and subjects, and this year is teaching grade 6 Math and Science. Mr. Friesen was born and raised in rural Saskatchewan. His life experience in agriculture has contributed to his love of science. Mr. Friesen attended the University of Regina, receiving a Bachelor of Education with distinction. He taught in Indonesia for a year before joining Edison. Mr. Friesen's interests include golfing, horseback riding, and spending time outdoors.

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Jike Gu Upper School Teacher

Mr. Gu was born and raised in China.

Mr. Gu was born and raised in China. After completing secondary school, he came to Canada for university. He graduated from UBC with an Engineering degree in Electrical with a Mathematics minor. He then worked at Hewlett-Packard and Accenture for a few years, but he knew that teaching was his dream. After achieving an Education Degree from Thompson Rivers University in STEM, he became a BC-certified professional teacher and taught in Kamloops and Abbottsford for a few years. His major teaching areas were physics and mathematics. Mr. Gu enjoys singing and playing basketball, ping pong, and billiards. He also loves marine life and is an experienced breeder for African Cichlids. Mr. Gu is thrilled to be joining Edison School as a mathematics specialist.

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Blair Harker Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Harker was born in Red Deer, Alberta, but moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, when she was seven years old.

Mrs. Harker was born in Red Deer, Alberta, but moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, when she was seven years old. She spent summers traveling the world with her family and visiting friends and relatives in Canada. After high school, she attended the University of Alberta, where she completed her Elementary Education degree with a minor in Special Education. Mrs. Harker worked for the Education Technology Department and led summer programs for inner-city children. She began teaching at Edison 12 years ago.

A believer in lifelong learning, Mrs. Harker has a deep passion for theatre, soccer, and crafts—but most of all, for travelling and spending time with her family. She is teaching middle school students this year and loves sharing her passion for learning with her students.

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Claire Johnson Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Johnson was born in England. She moved with her family as a baby and has called Canada home ever since.

Mrs. Johnson was born in England. She moved with her family as a baby and has called Canada home ever since. She earned her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary, majoring in English. She began her teaching career in Calgary, working with upper elementary students, where she developed a strong foundation in literacy and student-centered learning.

After several years in the classroom, she took a meaningful break from teaching to raise her four wonderful children. During this time, she pursued her passion for health and wellness, becoming a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer, working in the field while balancing family life.

This is her third year teaching at Edison School, where she brings her passion for education into the classroom each day. She loves being part of the Edison community.

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Minette Joubert Upper School Teacher

Mrs. Minette Joubert was raised on a farm in Africa, where she developed a deep appreciation for the natural world, outdoor living, and plant life.

Mrs. Minette Joubert was raised on a farm in Africa, where she developed a deep appreciation for the natural world, outdoor living, and plant life. She enjoys gardening, hiking, and spending time with her two cockapoos.

Mrs. Joubert holds both a Bachelor's and an Honours degree in Dramatic Arts from the University of Pretoria. She later pursued postgraduate studies in education through the University of South Africa and furthered her studies at St. Mary's University in Calgary.

Her professional experience includes several years teaching Drama and Language Arts at a private school in South Africa. After immigrating to Canada with her husband, she devoted time to raising their three children before returning to education, driven by her passion for lifelong learning and teaching. The current academic year marks her first as a full-time teacher at Edison School.

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Sara Knowles Upper School Teacher

Mrs. Knowles grew up in Brooks, Alberta, where she spent most of her time as a competitive dancer.

Mrs. Knowles grew up in Brooks, Alberta, where she spent most of her time as a competitive dancer. After graduating high school, she moved to Lethbridge to attend the University of Lethbridge, where she obtained her Bachelor of Education in Science Education and Bachelor of Science in General Science with a focus in Chemistry, Biology, and Neuroscience.

In her free time, Mrs. Knowles enjoys spending time with her dog, building Lego, and losing herself in a good book.

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Jessica McElroy Lower School Teacher

Edison School is excited to announce our first Edison graduate to join our faculty. Welcome back, Mrs. McElroy!

Mrs. McElroy was born and raised in southern Alberta. She was a student at Edison School for nine years, and was an active member of the badminton team and drama program. After graduating from Edison, she completed her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Calgary in Anthropology and Archaeology. During this time, she spent part of her degree in Mexico studying Mayan culture and architecture. After her experience there, she returned to Calgary to complete her Bachelor of Elementary Education. This is Mrs. McElroy's fourth year teaching, and she is delighted to be back in the Edison community teaching Grade 1.

In her free time, Mrs. McElroy enjoys spending time with her friends and family, as well as all of the animals on her farm. She loves travelling, playing badminton, and show jumping with her horse, Bear.

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Heidi Oborne Lower School Teacher

Mrs. Oborne knew that she wanted to be a teacher from the time she was five years old.

Mrs. Oborne knew she wanted to be a teacher from the age of five. She earned her Bachelor of Education in Music Education and Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of Saskatchewan.

Mrs. Oborne has raised three children in Okotoks and has worked in the area as a teacher, daycare manager, and dayhome operator. She enjoys sharing her passion for music and early learning with students at Edison School in her role as Music Educator and Kindergarten teacher.

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Shauna Palmer Lower School Teacher

Mrs. Palmer obtained her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta with a minor in community education.

Mrs. Palmer obtained her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta with a minor in community education. She began her teaching career in Fort McMurray, Alberta, where she worked as a K-12 substitute teacher as well as holding positions in Kindergarten and Grade 3. Upon heading south, Mrs. Palmer followed her passion for teaching young children and spent several years teaching preschool to 3- and 4-year-olds in Calgary. After returning from maternity leave in 2002, she worked as a substitute teacher for the Foothills School Division and taught Kindergarten at Spitzee School in High River. The following year, Mrs. Palmer became the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten teacher here at Edison School. Since 2008, she has primarily taught in the Grade 2 program.

Outside of school, Mrs. Palmer enjoys reading, scrapbooking, and photography.

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Julia Power Lower School Teacher

Mrs. Power received her Bachelor of Education with a minor in Educational Psychology from the University of Alberta.

Mrs. Power received her Bachelor of Education with a minor in Educational Psychology from the University of Alberta. She also completed an Arts and Science certificate from Mount Royal University. Mrs. Power has had the opportunity to teach Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2 and physical education for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. During the summer months she was a program coordinator and camp counsellor for the YWCA day camps, with evenings filled by tutoring students at the Sylvan Learning Centre. Her most recent experience was staying home to raise her three children, which has provided her with great insight into how children's minds work and develop. Outside of teaching, Mrs. Power enjoys snowboarding, camping, water sports and travelling with her family.

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Renee Redgate Athletic Director

Mrs. Redgate was born and raised in Provost, Alberta, and received her Bachelor of Education degree through the University of Alberta.

Mrs. Redgate was born and raised in Provost, Alberta, and received her Bachelor of Education degree through the University of Alberta. This is her 15th year teaching, and she is passionate about athletics and coaching. She has a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, played college badminton and softball, and she coaches an elite jump rope team. Mrs. Redgate is the Athletic Director at Edison School, coaches the JV Boys volleyball team, and is co-directing the school musical. When she is not on the court, she is chasing around her three littles, on the golf course with her husband, or traveling the world.

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Claudia Saenz Middle School Teacher

Sra. Saenz was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia.

Sra. Saenz was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. She holds a BSc in Engineering and a degree in Pedagogy. Before settling in Canada, she worked with marginalized and underprivileged students, an experience that deeply shaped her inclusive, student-centered approach to teaching. She is excited to return to Edison after more than a decade and looks forward to reconnecting with the school’s vibrant and supportive learning community.

Outside of school, she enjoys dancing to traditional Latin American music and loves traveling with her husband and two sons.

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Tamara Smith Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Smith began her path to teaching while building a career in human resources.

Mrs. Smith began her path to teaching while building a career in human resources. The training and staff development programs she underwent encouraged her love of teaching, and she decided to change careers in order to pursue her passion. Mrs. Smith acquired her ESL and TESOL certificates and moved to China, where she lived and taught for three years. Her next adventure was riding her motorcycle from China to Turkey, where she taught at English First for another two years. Mrs. Smith returned to Canada with a strong desire to gain her teaching certification and join a community where she could make a lasting contribution and work with others who shared her passion. In her free time, Mrs. Smith loves to ride her motorcycle, craft, garden, spend time with her family and continue her pursuit of lifelong learning.

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Sheila Vogelaar Lower School Teacher

Mrs. Vogelaar grew up on a farm in southern Alberta and obtained her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary.

Mrs. Vogelaar grew up on a farm in southern Alberta and obtained her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary. Upon graduating, she spent her first 10 years teaching students from Kindergarten to Grade 4 in various private schools in Alberta. Then, while taking time to raise her young children, she worked as an educational consultant for home-schooled students for an additional nine years. Before returning to the classroom, Mrs. Vogelaar spent three years as a lead teacher for a before- and after-school programme in southwest Calgary and taught Preschool and Kindergarten at a Montessori school in Okotoks. She has a passion for teaching and instilling a love of learning in her students. Mrs. Vogelaar is very excited to be back teaching in a classroom setting at Edison School. She began teaching Grade 1 at Edison in 2018 and since then has been teaching Grade 2. Outside of teaching, Mrs. Vogelaar enjoys outdoor nature walks and gardening.

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Darci Wiwchar Lower School Teacher

Born and raised in the Kootenays, Mrs. Wiwchar earned her Education degree at the University of Calgary, finishing her practicum in China.

Born and raised in the Kootenays, Mrs. Wiwchar earned her Education degree at the University of Calgary, finishing her practicum in China. She began her career in Fort McMurray, where she taught elementary school for 10 years before moving down south to Okotoks. Mrs. Wiwchar's two children attended Edison before she decided to join our community as a teacher; she is currently teaching Kindergarten at Edison. Mrs. Wiwchar and her family love being part of the Edison family.

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Lindsey Wonderham Lower School Teacher

Lindsey Wonderham is an experienced educator with a commitment to learning.

Lindsey Wonderham is an experienced educator with a commitment to learning. Lindsey's educational journey began with a foundation in psychology and sociology, earning bachelor's degrees in both disciplines from Purdue University and Indiana University. She furthered her academic pursuits with a Master's degree in communication from Purdue University, with a focus on interpersonal and cross-cultural communications. A lifelong learner, and aspiring to achieve her goals, Lindsey obtained a Bachelor of Education degree from St. Mary's University, where her hard work was recognized with inclusion on the Dean's List as well as other academic awards and bursaries.

Lindsey's teaching experience includes being a lower school teacher for Grades 1and 2 at the Singapore International School in Hong Kong, where she had the opportunity to teach English and to be part of a multicultural learning environment that incorporated both Eastern and Western pedagogy. She also taught Grades 5 and 6 science and social studies at Holy Spirit Academy. She worked as a substitute teacher for Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools for Grades K-9. Lindsey then gained three years experience assisting and teaching preschool and Kindergarten in Okotoks and High River. She feels privileged to have been placed at Edison School for her final practicum, where she taught Kindergarten and Grade 4. At Edison, we loved her so much, we hired her straight out of her practicum! Lindsey is now teaching Kindergarten at Edison.

Lindsey's biggest passion is traveling and experiencing new cultures and different ways of life with her husband and three boys.

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Adrianne Yip Upper School Teacher

Ms. Yip was born in Calgary, Alberta, to immigrant parents from the Czech Republic. She is fluent in the Czech language.

Ms. Yip was born in Calgary, Alberta, to immigrant parents from the Czech Republic. She is fluent in the Czech language. Immediately after graduating high school, she lived in Europe and worked as a tour guide at UNESCO World Heritage Site Český Krumlov. This experience stimulated Ms. Yip’s passion for history and culture and inspired her post-secondary pursuits. In 2015, she earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary with a double major in History and English. After a few years exploring the world of hospitality management, Ms. Yip returned to the University of Calgary and subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Education. She is thrilled to now be teaching language arts and social studies at Edison School.

In her free time, Ms. Yip enjoys all forms of dance, creative writing and art. She is also an avid traveller - recent highlights abroad include adventures in Panama and India. Ms. Yip loves animals of all shapes and sizes (especially her two cats), and she has been a long-time competitive member of the equestrian community in Southern Alberta.

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Gale Zhang Middle School Teacher

Mr. Zhang was born and raised in Beijing, China.

Mr. Zhang was born and raised in Beijing, China. He moved to Canada as an international student in 2003, and earned a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, with double majors in Pure Mathematics and Combinatorics & Optimizations. He also earned a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Mr. Zhang also earned his master's degree in mathematics for teachers from University of Waterloo.

Mr. Zhang has been teaching at Edison school since 2013. Before joining Edison, Mr. Zhang taught AP/IB Math, IB Physics, and Computer Science in Toronto for five years. After moving to Calgary, he worked as a substitute teacher at a Calgary charter school. He is passionate about the integration of technology into his lessons, and he is an expert in using LaTeX, Maple, and MatLab. Additionally, he wrote a math textbook and compiled a workbook for a high school in China. Outside of school, Mr. Zhang enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with his family.

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