Faculty

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Billy Gilliland Intern Principal

We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Gilliland back to Edison as our Interim Principal!

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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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

Mrs. King was born and raised overseas.

Mrs. King was born and raised overseas. Due to her father’s career, she lived in places ranging from Scotland to Texas to Egypt, where she completed her schooling career from Kindergarten to Grade 12, graduating in front of the pyramids! Mrs. King attended the University of Lethbridge, obtaining a combined degree with a Bachelor of Arts and Education, majoring in Physical Education. Although this is Mrs. King’s first year at Edison School, this will be her sixth year of teaching. Mrs. King has taught in Raymond and Edmonton, ranging in Grades from K – 11. She looks forward to meeting a plethora of students this year, as she will be teaching math, science, STEM, drama, health, and PE to Grades 4, 5, and 6 students.

Mrs. King is quite competitive, so in her free time, she loves to play any type of game, whether it’s spike ball, cards, or just a game of rock, paper, scissors. She also thoroughly enjoys crafting; Mrs. King recently discovered the Cricut and has been exploring all the fascination that comes with it! Mrs. King is looking forward to a wonderful first year at Edison School!

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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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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

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.

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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 Middle 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 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.

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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 that she wanted to be a teacher from the time she was five years old. She achieved her Bachelor of Education in Music Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of Saskatchewan. Mrs. Oborne spent five years teaching music in Saskatoon and moved to Okotoks in 2008. She taught Kindergarten and Music for a brief time before taking a third maternity leave. With three young children at home, Mrs. Oborne operated a day home for five years. She had a brief return to teaching in Black Diamond and has most recently been Director in a Childcare Centre. She is very excited to return to teaching Music and Grade 1 at Edison School.

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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 13th year teaching, and she is passionate about athletics and coaching. She has a 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 directing the school musical. When she is not on the court, she is chasing around her two littles, on the golf course with her husband, or traveling the world.

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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 enjoyed teaching Grade 1 and Grade 2 students over the past seven years at Edison and is presently 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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Teacher 1 School Teacher

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Teacher 2 School Teacher

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Teacher 3 School Teacher

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Teacher 4 School Teacher

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Teacher 5 School Teacher

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Teacher 6 School Teacher

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Teacher 7 School Teacher

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Teacher 8 School Teacher

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Teacher 9 School Teacher

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Teacher 10 School Teacher

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