HighRoad Academy

Grade 4

Grade 4 Teacher (on medical leave)

I earned my E.C.E. Certificate at Douglas College, my Bachelor of General Studies at S.F.U. and completed the Professional Development Program at S.F.U.    I started at Highroad in 1989 and helped in the move from A.C.E. to traditional classrooms with BC Ministry of Education funding for the elementary grades. I enjoy coaching soccer and basketball. I try to encourage students to experience activities that they may not have explored before.

I enjoy the outdoors, where I would like to camp and fish more often. I Have been a member of the Chilliwack Fish and Game Protective Association for several years. The field trips I enjoy most are the Chilliwack River Fish Hatchery and the guided tour of Cheam Lake Wetlands. I enjoy reading and collect old books. I have a wife Anna without whom I would be lost. My daughter Prisca works at the Chilliwack Public Library and will graduate this year with a degree in honours History. She was a graduate of H.R.A. attending there from Kindergarten to grade 12. She got married in February and now our family includes a son Colin.

French 7 A/B, French 8, French 9, French 10, French 11

French Teacher

I was educated in England, gaining a B.Ed. degree from the University of London. I taught modern foreign languages for many years before coming to Canada with my family on a teacher exchange in 1995. This was such a positive experience that we emigrated in 1998. I taught at Cornerstone Christian School in Abbotsford for five years before coming to Highroad in 2003.

Kindergarten full-time

Kindergarten Teacher

Istarted teaching at Highroad Academy in 2003 and have taught grade 1, 2 ,3 and now Kindergarten here. I actually attended a one room rural school for grade 1 due to the location of my parent's farm in Alberta where I grew up. From grade 2 to12 I caught a school bus every morning to a school in another small community and graduated from Irvine High School. I went on to earn a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Lethbridge.  I now attend City Life Church and enjoy reading, walking, shopping and restaurant sampling.

Grade 5

Grade 5 Teacher

I was born into a Christian family in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and was raised as the 4th child out of 8.  After graduating from High School, I attended Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alberta earning a B.S. in Biblical Studies. Three years later, I started on my Bachelor of Education degree at Grace College in Indiana.  It wasn't until my children were raised though, that I started teaching in the classroom.  The fall of 2006 marked the beginning of my career as an intermediate teacher at Highroad Academy.

Grade 3/4

Grade 3 & 4 Teacher

I was born and raised in the Chilliwack area and am a graduate of Chilliwack Senior Secondary School and Simon Fraser University where achieved a Bachelor in General Studies and a Professional Teaching Certificate. I coordinated the Summer Tutoring Program in Agassiz for 2 years and managed my own tutoring business for 2 years.  I started at Highroad Academy in 1990 with the Primary Dept.  I have been involved in the Chilliwack Alliance Church Sunday School program working with all ages and special needs adults, the church choir, and Christmas musical Centerville.  When not at Highroad I enjoy gardening, landscaping and most of all mowing lawns - with my riding lawn mower!

Grade 5/6

Grade 5 & 6 Teacher

I attended high school in Victoria, B.C., finished my Bachelor of Science at the University of Victoria and my Master of Science at the University of Manitoba.  This is my 35th year of teaching in Christian Schools. I began at Highroad Academy in 2001. I love teaching, and I also sense potential additional opportunities coming in the future.  I am writing devotionals and teaching in the area of mental health.  I have a strong desire to put together an on-line course on Christian mental health.  I love fishing, gardening, and travelling around the province.

Grade 2

Grade 2 Teacher

I have an Associate of Arts Degree (Business Administration) and a Bachelor of Education from Simon Fraser University. 

I began teaching school in 2000 and am now entering my 6th year at Highroad Academy.  I am married and have two children, one stepson, five grandchildren.  My hobbies include reading, golfing, walking, shopping, gardening and playing with my grandchildren.

Elementary Head Teacher, Grade 3

Intermediate Head Teacher
Grade 3 Teacher

I am an elementary teacher with more than 11 years of experience teaching in a variety of grades. I graduated with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta after attending High School in Edmonton, Alb. After teaching Grade 3 for 7 years in La Crete, Alb (10 hours north of Edmonton!), I moved to B.C and completed my Masters of Education in Educational Technology. I started teaching at Highroad Academy in 2007 and have taught from Grades 2-4. I am also Head Teacher of the Upper Elementary.

I am a member of the Valley Festival Singers choir in Abbotsford and also enjoy reading, listening to a wide variety of music and designing websites and online tools. I am the founder of iWishfor, an app I am developing for the iPhone. I am involved in my church serving on the Men's Ministry team and am married with two beautiful children.

Kindergarten part-time

Kindergarten Teacher

I graduated from the University of Victoria in 1974. My first assignment was a split Grade One/Two. I left the position in 1977 to begin a family and continued for the next 15 years raising children and teaching as a T.O.C. Most of my experience was in the primary grades. When we moved to Chilliwack in 1990 I applied for part time work at Highroad Academy where my children were attending. I accepted a position teaching Kindergarten in 1993 and have been working with the Kindergarten children ever since.
I have five grandchildren. I taught Kindergarten to my first grandchild and have my second grandchild in my class this year. I enjoy sailing in the summer, and am presently taking a pottery class, which I thoroughly enjoy.
 

Secondary Science Department CoordinatorScience 10, Apprenticeship Math 11, Chemistry 12, Biology 12, Physics 12, Biology 11

Secondary Science Department Coordinator
High School Math & Science Teacher

John has been teaching since 1992 and has been at Highroad since 1997.  He attended high school in Coquitlam (Centennial School, 1987) and then graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Science (1992). He loves to take summer adventures with his family to explore the wonders of God's creation.  He is a recipient of the AMGEN Award for Science Teaching Excellence and the NSTA Shell Science Lab Challenge.

Grade 6

Grade 6 Teacher

I have been teaching  Grade 6 at HRA since 2009, going into my third year this year. I graduated from Norland Sr. High School in Miami, FL and received my B.S. in Elementary Education at Miami Christian College and  my M.S. in Reading at Barry University, with other graduate studies at the University of Alabama.

I am a former MK (missionary kid) from Cuba and taught many years in an MK school in Quito, Ecuador.  This makes me a very missions minded person, and I want my students to realize there's a "world out there" they need to know and reach with God's love. I enjoy reading, quilting, and taking long walks.

Secondary Humanities Department Coordinator, Socials 11, English 11, Law 12, History 12, Socials 10, English 12, Student Leadership and Outreach

Secondary Humanities Department Coordinator
High School Humanities Teacher

Highroad Academy might just be part of my DNA.  I began here the year the school opened as a (very young) student, and after I graduated, I returned to volunteer as coach and choir director.  Then it was off to UBC to get my B.A and B.Ed. degrees and become a full fledged teacher.  My husband and I met as students at Highroad, and we are now the proud parents of three extraordinary Highroad students.

Our family loves music and we are all involved in our church's worship ministry, where my husband is the Worship Pastor.  Being part of outreach is one of our family activities, whether that means working together at the Soup Kitchen, or traveling to the other side of the world to work in refugee camps.  We consider ourselves blessed to have had these experiences. In the summer, it is our goal to spend as many weeks as we can camping close by the ocean, reading books, riding bikes, and exploring.

K-6 Head Teacher, Grade 1

 Kindergarten-Gr.6 Head Teacher
Grade 1 Teacher

I attended HRA from Kindergarten to Grade 12. After HS, I spent 6 months on the mission field in Malawi, Africa. I began my university studies in Chilliwack at UCFV and transferred to Simon Fraser University where I later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Psychology. Continuing my studies at SFU, I entered the Professional Development Program and completed my education training. I am now entering my 10th year teaching at Highroad Academy and have been working with the Administration Team as Head Teacher for the Elementary for four years. Hobbies include reading, cooking, shopping and Starbucks!

Mod Squad, Gr 5 & 6 French

High School Special Needs Teacher
Intermediate French Teacher

I grew up in England and moved to Canada with my family in 1998.  I attended Cornerstone Christian School in Abbotsford, BC and went to UBC to study science and education, completing my B.Sc. In Plant Biology and B.Ed..  I taught Grade 2 in the Abbotsford School District for one year.  I started at Highroad in 2010 and currently teach the Mod Squad and intermediate French.   I love travelling, reading books and messy science experiments!

Middle School Head Teacher, Science 7/8/9

Middle School Head Teacher

I went to high school in Abbotsford at WJ Mouat Secondary.  I attended UBC from 1992-1996 and was a member of the varsity swim team. I received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UBC.   My focus at university was in plant ecology and I spent a summer in Fort St. John doing biological research for the forestry company Canfor.  My husband and I lived in Quesnel for 10 years before moving to Chilliwack.  I started working at HRA in 2006 as a TOC and part time teacher in the grade 5 class.  I have 3 talented children and my hobbies include Starbucks, gardening and travelling to exotic locations courtesy of the web.

Bible 7/8/9/10/11, Service 9/10

Middle School Bible Teacher

I attended Christ for the Nations Bible College two years, and University of the Fraser Valley four years. I started at Highroad in 2008 as an Educational Assistant and starting teaching in February 2009.  I graduated from Fraser Valley Christian High School in Surrey after attending Sheldon Williams Collegiate in Regina for grades 9-11.  I grew up in the church and have been involved in youth and worship ministries for most of my life.  Along with my wife Jennifer, we have helped lead a life group at City Life Church for several years.  I have two children with a third on the way. I love watching sports and movies, reading and playing with my kids.

Social Studies 7/8, English 7/8, Computer 7/8

Middle School Humanities Teacher

I started teaching at Highroad Academy in 2005. I attended HRA from grade 2-12. I attended UFV and UBC for my university training receiving a B.A. from UFV and a B.Ed. from UBC.  My wife(Melanie) and I have three children: Zachariah, Annabelle and Elijah. I am interested in missions and my family and I are part of the School of Missions in our church. I enjoy hiking, rock climbing, scuba diving and golf but find less time for these since my wife and I had our third child!

High School Vice-Principal, Planning 10-12, Socials 10

Vice PrincipalI
High School Head Teacher

graduated from the teacher education program at UBC in 1994.  I started off teaching in the public system in Richmond before moving out to Chilliwack to take a grade 7 teaching position at Highroad Academy in 1995.I began serving as head of the Middle School Department in 1999 and later assumed the responsibilities of the High School Department Head Teacher and Vice Principal in 2004.

During my time at Highroad Academy I have coached basketball, soccer, and track.  I have presented workshops at ACSI Conventions on writing and student leadership, served on several marking teams for provincial exams and a number of External Evaluation Committee teams for the Ministry of Education.  Currently, I serve on the Executive Board of ACSI Western Canada and the Ministry of Education’s Dogwood District Authority Awards Committee.

My wife Diane also holds a professional teaching certificate but is currently a stay at mom to our three children, Madeline,  Aidan, and Ethan.  We are deeply committed to Christian education and are so thankful to our church and all our children’s teachers who have partnered with us to “bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord.”