Faculty & Staff

Director

Dr. James Shen

Ph.D.

As an educational entrepreneur, Dr. Shen received his Ph.D. from a Canada-China joint program sponsored by the Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) in 1998. He also obtained the Sloan Consortium Online Teaching Certificate in 2012. As the founder of Silong International Education Group, Dr. Shen has established a robust network and excellent connections with prestigious independent schools and public school boards through his decade of service in international education.

Head of School - Meet the Supervising Director and
9-12 Principal

Beverley Ohashi

B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed.

Dedicated to learning as a principal, coach, instructor, and teacher, Ms. Beverley Ohashi endorses a partnership model to ensure a commitment to student success, equity, accountability, and global responsibility.

Her experience includes being the principal of 2 flagship secondary schools, Earl Haig Secondary School and AY Jackson Secondary School, with the Toronto District School Board, Supervising Principal of Community Development and International Languages, and Director and Principal of AYJGlobal Programs. Working as a principal coach for the Ontario Principal’s Council, Bev Ohashi supported principals in Ontario School Boards to change teaching practices and improve student learning.

As an educational leader, The Learning Partnership, which is dedicated to championing a robust public education system in Canada, has awarded her a 2010 recipient of Canada’s Outstanding Principals Award. In 2015, Ms. Ohashi was recognized by the Canadian Multicultural Council – Asians in Ontario for her contributions to education.

Head of School - Meet the K-8 Principal

Robert Hamilton

Mr. Hamilton has over 35 years of experience in education. He began his teaching career as a secondary school teacher in Newfoundland and later moved to Ontario where he transitioned to the elementary level. In total, he has 12 years of experience as a teacher and 23 years as a school leader.

Robert retired from public education in 2018 to work for a teacher recruitment company in London, U.K. He attended teacher recruitment events across Canada, helping teachers find positions in England and Scotland, as well as visiting many universities and delivered presentations to teacher candidates. His belief is that teacher success translated to student success, and he was always pleased to see teachers succeed. In 2021, Robert was hired as the principal of Wildwood Academy, a private school in Oakville that supports students with learning challenges. He continued in this role until December 2024 when he joined the team at Laureate College.

Robert is very passionate about working with children and helping them discover their true potential. He believes that every student has their own unique strengths and it is our responsibility to discover them. He feels strongly that every child should receive the best possible support so they can have access to all available options in life. Robert prides himself on being approachable and transparent. He works hard to ensure that parents are informed and feel connected to their child’s school. You will see him everyday building strong positive relationships with the students, staff and parents.

Teachers

Our teachers excel in providing knowledge, learning and critical thinking skills through direct instruction, on-line courses, and individual support.

We have an experienced teaching team that focuses on creating a positive and safe learning environment. It is their belief that all students can achieve success through encouragement, support, and meeting individual needs. Opportunities are given to students to personalize their learning and to develop their awareness of how they learn best. Students will become active learners to strengthen their confidence and self-directed learning.

Our guest artists help students pursue their interest in the arts.

Cherubina De Bartolo

Ms. De Bartolo believes the needs of students are what drives her as a teacher…
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Jerome Gentles

Mr. Gentles is a Canadian teacher from Toronto. He has taught in Japan, South…
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Corey Hayashi

Originally from Toronto and descent of English and Japanese heritage…
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David Li

Graduated from an Engineering program, Mr. Li has taught AP …
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Dr. Steve Carter

Was a University Teaching Assistant for five years: one year at Queen’s University and four years at the…
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Lenssa Olana

Graduated from the University of Toronto, Ms. Olana has worked as a full-time…
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Brendan Johansson

Graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University; Mr. Johansson is from Etobicoke…
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Walter Raemisch

Mr. Raemisch, the Artistic Director of Laureate’s Gifted Arts program, brings remarkable…
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Mehreen Hasan

Ms. Hasan is a visual artist and dedicated art educator with a master’s degree in fine arts, specializing in…
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Ixchel Saurez

Ixchel Saurez is a world-renowned artist, especially for textile and fiber art. She holds a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies…
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Dr. Lina Li

Dr. Lina Li is a collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and choir conductor who has performed extensively in North America and Europe…
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Staff

The success of any school is determined by the staff that are committed to giving continuous support and believing that all students can succeed.

The staff provides a caring learning environment and a challenging curriculum to prepare students to achieve success not only at Laureate but in their educational pathways in postsecondary institutions. All Laureate staff are highly educated with university degrees and experience in working with people. They take the time to listen, understand, and provide support whenever it is needed for students to learn, creating a respectful, kind and positive learning environment.

Harriet Hou

Student Life Director

Harriet previously served as a Mandarin teacher at Yew Chung International School of Shanghai.
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Mark Wyckoff

Property Coordinator

Mark has been the property coordinator for 38 years, overseeing the building’s maintenance and ensuring… Read more

Dorothy Litwicka

Administrative Assistant

Dorothy provides valuable support to staff and students.

Kathryn Booker

Receptionist & Admissions Assistant

Welcoming, approachable, and knowledgeable, creating a positive and welcoming environment.

Counselling is always available for the students to discuss what their personal needs are and how they can reach their academic goals. The teachers take the time to get to know the students in the classroom as well as giving opportunity for experiential learning.

Staff participate in regular professional development so that they can find ways to work in professional learning teams; collaborate on using evidence-based instructional strategies and effective feedback. Bringing student engagement in the classroom will motivate students to improve their learning and obtain higher grades.

Guest artists

In order to strengthen the professionalism and diversification of our art courses, Laureate College recruited well known artists to participate in the design of our curriculum and as students’ art portfolio guides.