Faculty
Dr. Billy Gilliland
Principal
Dr. Gilliland earned his Bachelor of Education Honours Degree in Glasgow, Scotland and has taught in Alberta schools for nineteen years.
Dr. Gilliland earned his Bachelor of Education Honours Degree in Glasgow, Scotland and has taught in Alberta schools for nineteen years. In 2006, he left a career as Principal at a Special Education school to join Edison, primarily as our badminton expert. As a former world #1 professional player and Head Coach to the Canadian Olympic Team, he brings a wealth of experience in that regard. In 2014, Mr. Gilliland received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Glasgow for services to Scotland in his field of expertise, and in the same year was inducted into the Strathclyde University Sports Hall of Fame. Along with his administrative duties as school Principal, Mr. Gilliland teaches Physical Education and thoroughly enjoys the challenge of directing Upper School Musical Theatre productions.
Samantha Alessi
Upper School Teacher
Miss Alessi is originally from Brampton, Ontario, but has lived in Alberta for six years.
Miss Alessi is originally from Brampton, Ontario, but has lived in Alberta for the last six years. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Science degree, after completing a double major in mathematics and English and completing an English Honours Thesis, at the University of Lethbridge. Following this, she attended American University, in Washington, D.C., and completed her teaching degree and Masters of Special Education. Most recently, she was teaching in northern Alberta as a Grade 8 general education teacher. In her downtime, she enjoys playing soccer, cooking and painting. She is excited to be back in southern Alberta and to be joining Edison School as a mathematics and English teacher in the Upper School. She is looking forward to meeting everyone and sharing her passion for math and literary studies with the Edison community.
Lonnie Antal
Co-Founder and Middle School Teacher
Mrs. Antal is a co-founder of Edison School.
Mrs. Antal is a co-founder of Edison School. She was born and raised in Calgary, and after graduating from the University of Calgary in 1992 with a Bachelor of Education degree, she taught in Drumheller. Following this, Mrs. Antal joined forces with Beth Chernoff to build Edison School. We have honoured Mrs. Antal's contribution to our community by naming our newest building, Kubota Hall, with her maiden name. Mrs. Antal was the school Principal until 2012. During her time at Edison, she taught several subjects at a variety of grade levels. English is her first love and she now primarily teaches Grades 5 to 7 English. Mrs. Antal is also responsible for overseeing the library, as well as coaching the Junior Recreation Badminton program and the cross-country team. Outside of school, Mrs. Antal enjoys spending time with her family. Her hobbies include reading, yoga, several outdoor activities, and riding her horses competitively in dressage and jumping.
Sandra Arevalo
Languages Teacher
Born and raised in Colombia, Ms. Arevalo earned a Bachelor’s of Education degree with a focus in Spanish Language, English and French at La Salle University, as well as a post-graduate Title of Specialist in Higher Education Teaching at Nueva Granada Military School in Bogota, Colombia.
Born and raised in Colombia, Ms. Arevalo earned a Bachelor’s of Education degree with a focus in Spanish Language, English and French at La Salle University, as well as a post-graduate Title of Specialist in Higher Education Teaching at Nueva Granada Military School in Bogota, Colombia. Ms. Arevalo began her teaching career in Colombia, where she worked for over five years in elementary and high schools teaching Spanish, English Language and English Literature. Outside of teaching, Ms. Arevalo has a passion for the outdoors and enjoys spending her time hiking in the mountains.
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.
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.
Ruth Daly
Lower School Teacher
Ms. Daly teaches Grade 3 at Edison.
Ms. Daly teaches Grade 3 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 40 non-fiction children's books for educational publishers.
Terri DeMos
Upper School Teacher
Ms. DeMos earned an Honours English degree from the University of Alberta, and soon after graduated with distinction from the Secondary Education Program.
Ms. DeMos earned an Honours English degree from the University of Alberta, and soon after graduated with distinction from the Secondary Education Program. Ms. DeMos began her teaching career in Edmonton and was very pleased to join Edison School in 2012. She oversees the school's Duke of Edinburgh program, which promotes personal development and volunteerism among youth. Ms. DeMos enjoys being immersed in different languages and cultures and has completed French studies at different campuses across Canada, including University of Montreal, University of British Columbia, and University of St. Anne. She instructs Upper School English, French and Social Studies.
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.
Blair Harker
Lower 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. After high school, she attended the University of Alberta, where she completed her Elementary Education degree with a minor in Special Education. While attending university, Mrs. Harker worked for the Education Technology Department and led summer programs for inner-city children. Mrs. Harker is a believer in lifelong learning and has a deep passion for theatre, soccer and crafts, but most of all for travelling and spending time with her family. Mrs. Harker is teaching Grade 1 and loves sharing her passion for learning with her students.
Bridget McKenzie
Lower School Teacher
Mrs. McKenzie is originally from the United States. She was born and raised in Washington state and attended Central Washington University, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education.
Mrs. McKenzie is originally from the United States. She was born and raised in Washington state and attended Central Washington University, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education. After graduating university, Mrs. McKenzie taught Grade 3 in London, England and then moved to Taipei, Taiwan to teach at an English Kindergarten and Language School. After 4 years of living abroad, she returned to Washington state and taught ESL and Kindergarten. During this time, Mrs. McKenzie also attended Seattle University and received her Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Technology and Curriculum Integration. In the summer of 2012, Mrs. McKenzie moved to Canada. She worked as a substitute teacher and spent two years as the lead teacher of the High River Montessori School. In 2018, she joined Edison School as a Kindergarten teacher. Mrs. McKenzie continues to enjoy travelling, although most trips are now family camping trips.
Jessica Melville
Lower School Teacher
Edison School is excited to announce our first Edison graduate to join our faculty. Welcome back, Ms. Melville!
Ms. Melville 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 Ms. Melville’s first year teaching, and she is delighted to be back in the Edison community teaching Grade 1.
In her free time, Ms. Melville 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.
Shauna Palmer
Lower School Teacher
Mrs. Palmer graduated from the University of Alberta with her Bachelor of Education degree.
Mrs. Palmer graduated from the University of Alberta with her Bachelor of Education degree. She began her teaching career as a substitute teacher in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Mrs. Palmer held several positions in Kindergarten and grade 3 over the next five years. Upon heading south, she spent several years teaching preschool in Calgary. For part of the 2002/2003 school year, she taught Kindergarten at Spitzee School in High River, and the following year she became the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten teacher here at Edison School. For the past two years, she has taught in grades 1 - 3. Mrs. Palmer's two children have attended Edison since Kindergarten.
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.
Amber Robinson
Lower School Teacher
Mrs. Robinson has been teaching at Edison for over a decade.
Mrs. Robinson has been teaching at Edison for over a decade. She is a passionate early childhood educator; in previous years at Edison, she taught Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Grade 1, and also has experience as a Preschool Director and Preschool Music Teacher. Mrs. Robinson graduated from the University of Calgary in 2005 with a B.A. in Sociology as well as a B.Ed., specializing in Early Childhood. Mrs. Robinson acquired her Level III Childcare Certificate and has experience running her own business teaching music classes to children and their families in the Okotoks community.
Cheryl Ryan
Middle School Teacher
Mrs. Ryan is a Scottish native who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in French, Spanish and German from the University of the West of Scotland.
Mrs. Ryan is a Scottish native who obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in French, Spanish and German from the University of the West of Scotland. After graduating, she attended Glasgow University, where she received her Diploma in Education. Mrs. Ryan has spent time in Barcelona, Spain as a live-in au-pair; in Bordeaux, France as an English language teacher; and in Toulon, France studying at the University of Toulon. Her main objective as an educator is to inspire students to discover and embrace a love of languages and cultures.
Megan Scheirman
Lower School Teacher
Mrs. Scheirman was born and raised in southern Alberta.
Mrs. Scheirman was born and raised in southern Alberta. After high school, she moved to the United States where she attended Brigham Young University, then later settled with her family in New Mexico. She was a substitute teacher and stay-at-home mom for several years before returning to university to complete her Bachelor of Elementary Education. Mrs. Scheirman was a Grade 5 teacher before she moved back to southern Alberta to join Edison School where she is delighted to be teaching Kindergarten.
Mrs. Scheirman has had a great deal of experience with children in many capacities outside the classroom. Several years as a lifeguard and swimming instructor, planning and organizing children's camps and educational tours outside the country, and teaching piano and music lessons to young children have all contributed to her experience. Outside of school, Mrs. Scheirman loves to be active, doing almost anything outdoors such as gardening, hiking, skiing, fishing and walking her dog. She loves travelling anywhere, but particularly treasures trips returning to visit New Mexico.
Darlene Schmidt
Music Teacher
Darlene Schmidt is a recognized teacher and musician.
Darlene Schmidt is a recognized teacher and musician. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Music (Voice), Bachelor of Education from University of Western Ontario, and has Royal Conservatory of Music certificates in both Voice and Piano. She is a member of the Alberta Registered Music Teachers Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In addition to her musical studies, Darlene completed a Diploma of General Studies in Social Work and was a member of a Professional Learning Community for Positive Behaviour Modification Philosophy. She has 5 years of experience as an elementary school teacher, teaching homeroom classes along with leading choirs, school concerts and ensembles Her classroom experience is complimented by over 10 years of experience teaching voice and piano in music studios and her home studio. Darlene has extensive knowledge of music education philosophies and approaches including Orff and Kodaly methods. Most recently, she has completed advanced certificates for Music Harmony and Music History through the Royal Conservatory of Music receiving First Class Honours in all of them. For enjoyment, Darlene loves to stay active with her children and x-country ski or hike in the mountains.
Carlos Schroeder
Upper School Teacher
Mr. Schroeder was born and grew up in Brazil, where he obtained his bachelor degree in Physics and MSc in education.
Mr. Schroeder was born and grew up in Brazil, where he obtained his bachelor degree in Physics and MSc in education. Still in Brazil, Mr. Schroeder taught physics at a university and science and math at an international school; following this he moved to the USA to teach science at a public school. Mr. Schroeder moved with his family to Calgary in 2010 and has taught math and science at private and charter schools before joining Edison in 2016. Mr. Schroeder enjoys camping and hiking with his family.
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.
Adrianne Sovak
Middle School Teacher
Ms. Sovak was born in Calgary, Alberta, to immigrant parents from the Czech Republic. She is fluent in the Czech language.
Ms. Sovak 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. Sovak’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. Sovak 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. Sovak 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. Sovak 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.
Hayley Twist
Upper School Teacher
Dr. Twist is currently teaching sciences at the grade 7 - 12 levels.
Dr. Twist is currently teaching sciences at the grade 7 - 12 levels. After completing her Ph.D in Microbiology at Dundee University, Scotland, she worked as a research scientist at The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute. Her post-doctoral teaching experiences led her to complete a diploma in higher education at Aberdeen University, and she went on to teach high school in Edinburgh. She then taught the sciences at The American International School and The British School in Muscat, Oman. Since living in Canada, Dr. Twist has completed further post-graduate studies in education at the University of Calgary (specializing in gifted education), taught in the Foothills School Division, and has been teaching here at Edison since 2010. After living in many countries, Alberta is now home. Dr. Twist and her family enjoy several outdoor activities including snowboarding, camping, riding and being active in the local light horse 4H club.
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 enjoyed teaching Grade 1 and Grade 2 students over the past two years at Edison and is presently teaching Grade 2. Outside of teaching, Mrs. Vogelaar enjoys outdoor nature walks and gardening.
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 is currently working towards a Masters degree in Mathematics for Teachers (University of Waterloo).
Mr. Zhang taught AP/IB Math, IB Physics and Computer Science in Toronto for five years. He also worked as a substitute teacher at a Calgary charter school before joining the Edison faculty. Mr. Zhang is passionate about the integration of technology into his lessons, and he is an expert in using LaTeX, Maple and MatLab. Aditionally, he wrote a math textbook and compiled a workbook for his high school in China. Outside of school, Mr. Zhang enjoys cooking, barbequing and spending time with his family.
