DAIS Faculty 2023-24: New Teachers, Promotions, Reassignments

As our school continues to grow, we are pleased to welcome new colleagues to join our great team of teachers in meeting the needs of our developing teaching and learning programs at Dalian American International School in 2023-24. At the same time, we are excited to share staff who are taking up promotional opportunities in the school, transitioning to other teaching assignments or taking up additional responsibilities in their teaching assignments.

Promotions

Thank you for continuing your work in guiding and supporting student learning experiences:

• Mr. David Jones (on the cover picture), currently DAIS-E Curriculum Coordinator – promotion to DAIS Elementary Principal.
• Ms. Robin Capozzoli, currently Lower Primary Coordinator – promotion to DAIS Elementary Curriculum Coordinator.
• Mr. Stephen Cairns, currently EAL teacher and Health Safety and Security (HSS) team member – promotion to whole school Designated Safeguarding Lead as an additional responsibility in coordinating our campus child protection and Safeguarding policies and practices.
• Mr. David Hopkinson, currently Social Studies and PE Teacher – promoted to Assistant Director of Activities and PE Teacher.
• Ms. Dianne Hopkinson, currently PE Teacher and Outdoor Education Coordinator – promoted to Head of Physical Education Department.
• Ms. Quennie Zhang, currently Counseling Office Administrator – promotion to National Curriculum Personal Social Health and Wellbeing and College Counselor.
• Ms. Lara Potter, currently Grade 5 homeroom teacher, will take up the responsibility for English Language Acquisition Teacher at DAIS/DHS Secondary.
• Ms. Lauren Smith, Currently EAL Specialist at DAIS-E – promotion to Elementary Lead.

With their exceptional qualifications and experience, our faculty will continue helping students reach their maximum potential.

^{Ms. Xiaoming Liu}

Additional Duties

These outstanding teachers are taking up extra responsibilities in the upcoming school year:

• Mr. Brandon Iwanyshyn will take additional responsibility for AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C: Mechanics.
• Ms. Xiaoming Liu will take additional responsibility teaching AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism.
• Ms. Elyda Torres-Tafoya, currently Elementary STEM Teacher at DAIS-E, will take the additional responsibility for Elementary Lead teacher.
• Mr. Rezaul Karim, currently Library TA for DAIS Secondary and DHBS, will take up the responsibility as Librarian Assistant for DAIS Elementary.

 We wish them all the best!

New Teachers

Dalian American International School has a strong and stable teaching team, with nearly 80 excellent teachers. The average length of service of our current faculty is more than 5 years. In the new academic year, another group of highly qualified teachers is joining our school community.

The following new colleagues have been engaged through the rigorous and intensive recruitment process at our school and as part of the Nord Anglia Education international standards for appointment of the highest quality and experienced staff.

Dr. Kymmberli Stowe (USA) - Director of Counseling and Student Services

Ph.D., M.B.A., M.H.C.A., B.A.

Experience: 16 years (8 Years in PRC).

Other Qualifications: Masters Construction Management (CMC and JD), Paralegal, Corporate Law, Child Protection Law.

Certifications: Teaching/Administration Certification, Fitness Instructor, Nutritionist, TEFL/Cambridge English, Olympic Trial Medalist (2016/2016), Women's' Commissioner of America, Citizen Liaison US Consulate (Guangzhou).

Previous Positions Held: Director of Studies & Counseling/Vice Principal/Director of Teaching & Learning/Associate Dean of Academic Studies/Director of Counseling & School Psychologist/Social Studies-Literature-Athletics Director.

Activities: Boxing, Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Swimming, Track and Field, Dancing, Cheer-leading.

Dr. Ira Canada (USA) - Head of Learning Support

Ed.D., M. (Pub Admin), B.Sci.

Experience: 14 Years (3 years in PRC).

Certifications: Teaching Certification, Administrator License School Leadership PreK-12, TEFL, Co-Teaching Coach and Workshops.

Previous Positions Held: Principal/Learning Support Specialist/Education Consultant/ Early Childhood Education Director/Teacher.

Ms. Iveth Morillo (USA-Ecuador) - Secondary Curriculum Coordinator

M.Ed. (Leadership), B.S.Ed.

Experience: 12 years (1 year in PRC).

Certifications: Teaching Certification, IBDP Coordinator, TESOL.

Previous Positions Held: PK-12 Curriculum and IB Coordinator/Chair-Department of World Languages/Asst Academic Coordinator-ELL Teacher/IB Examiner/IBDP English-Spanish Literature.

Mr. Paul Robinson (UK) - Director of Activities and Athletics

M.Sc. (Sports Education and Coaching), B.Sc. (Hons) (Sports and Fitness and Health Science), PGCE.

Experience: 25 Years (16 Years in PRC).

Previous Positions Held: Director of Sport, Head of Secondary School, Head of Physical Education, Physical Education Teacher, Learning Mentor, EAL Teacher.

Ms. Sonya Boufath (Tunisia) - Physical Education

M.Ed., B.A. (Business English).

Experience: 19 Years.

Certifications: PE and Health Teacher Certification, SEN certification, Certificate in Special Education.

Activities: Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming, Soccer.

Previous Positions Held: Physical Education Teacher (K-10), ESOL/EAL/ESL Teacher, Learning Support (SEN), Arabic/French Language Teacher.

Mr. William Johnson (USA) -Physical Education

B.Ed.

Experience: 25 Years (12 Years in PRC).

Certifications: Licensed interscholastic National Coach, Certified High School Coach; CBA Basketball Coach, Certified Personal Fitness Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, SHAPE America.

Activities: Track and Field, Basketball.

Previous Positions Held: Physical Education Teacher (K-12), Strength and Fitness Coach.

Mr. Ronald Diarez (Philippines) - Product Design, Coding, Video Production

M. Tech Ed., B Tech Ed., Comp Eng. Tech.

Experience: 19 Years (15 Years PRC).

Certifications: Secondary/Tertiary Teacher Certification, TESDA NC Computer Servicing, Accredited Assessor for Computer Technicians, Qualified Computer Technician, TEFL Certified.

Previous Positions Held: Director of Studies, IT Instructor, Multi Media Design Instructor, Language Acquisition Teacher (IELTS, TOEFL, ESL, EFL, Business English), AP Micro-Economics, AP Language and Composition.

Ms. Joanna Palle (India) - Science

M.Sc. (Psychology), B.Sc. (Math/Physics/Chemistry), B.Ed. (Math/Physics).

Experience: 19 years (5 years in PRC).

Certifications: Teaching Certification (USA), TESOL, Laboratory Safety, Math/Combined Science/Physics Cambridge Assessment.

Previous Positions Held: Grade Level Chair, Science Team Leader (Physics, Biology, Chemistry), Math/Physics and General Science Teacher.

Ms. Juvilyn Daliva Yonting (Philippines, USA) - Mathematics

M.A. Ed.(Mathematics), B.Ed. (Secondary Mathematics).

Experience: 16 Years.

Previous Positions Held: Mathematics Teacher (Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Statistics & Probability).

Mr. Kaluwe Petros Libingi (Zambia) - Mathematics

D.BA, M.Sc. (Acc&Fin), B. Bus.Studs/ Mathematics, Dip. Acc.

Experience: 22 Years (2 Years in PRC).

Certifications: Teacher Certified/Secondary Teacher Diploma, Teaching Gifted and Talented, Awarded Teacher of the Year, Cambridge IGCSE, BC teacher + Advanced Placement; Curriculum - Cambridge, Canadian BC, Advanced Placement.

Previous Positions Held: Mathematics Teacher in Elementary, Middle, High School, University; Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Business studies, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Accounting and AP Calculus.

Ms. Lydia Donahue (USA) - Elementary

M.Ed., B.Ed.

Experience: 13 Years.

Certifications: Teacher Certification, National Board of Teacher Certification, Associate Degree (Arts – Elementary Education).

Previous Positions Held: Teacher, Instructional Coach, Special Education Teacher.

Mr. Tairo Medeiros (USA) - Elementary

M.Ed. Curriculum, MA Teaching (K-6), M.Ed (Curriculum and Instruction), BA Communications.

Experience: 13 Years (5 Years in PRC).

Certifications: Teacher Certification and K-6 General Educator License, CELTA, IBPYP, Associate Diploma of Arts (Child Development), Associate of Science in Early Childhood Ed., Microsoft STEM Educator, G4/2 Teacher, PYP Homeroom Teacher, ESOL Teacher, Math Science STEM teacher, Multi Linguist (Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, Mandarin).

Ms. Stacy Jacques (Canada) - Elementary

B.Acc.

Experience: 8 Years.

Certifications: Teacher Certification, PYP Certification, WIDA Certification.

Previous Positions Held: Kindergarten Teacher.

Activities: Swimming, Karate.

^{Mr. Brandon Iwanyshyn}

We have nearly completed our recruitment campaign for the 2023-24 academic year and are excited to have additional high quality and experienced teachers to serve in our growing community and will also be able to add new learning courses to our already diverse programs of learning.