School Staff
Speciality Teachers
French
Dominique de Chantal
French Teacher
Dominique de Chantal has been teaching upper level French at MMA since 2014. Dominique has a French Canadian background and took her teaching education at UVIC along with a bachelors of English Literature. She also has a bachelors of Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership from Mount Royal University. Dominique is an active equestrian and loves spending her weekends competing or camping with her Appaloosa horse Elmo. Keep an eye out for them around Elk Lake Park.
Stéphanie Charlebois
French Teacher
Stéphanie Charlebois, originally from Penetanguishene Ontario, has been member of the MMA team since relocating with her family in 2016. She holds a degree in Physical Education & Health from the University of Toronto, a BC Independent Teacher Certificate and is a MACTE certified Casa Directress. Mme Stéphanie has shared her love of French language and culture throughout her 10+ year career in Toronto, teaching exclusively in French and bilingual Montessori classrooms and running her own business, Tante’s Childcare. Her family of four is fully immersed in life on Vancouver Island, each pursuing their passions of which rugby, cycling, hiking, gardening, canoeing and rowing top the list.
Arts Education
Madi Phaff
Art Teacher
Local artist and educator, Madi Phaff, has been interested in all things art for as long as she can remember. Miss Madi began her art journey at the University of Lethbridge, where she completed two undergraduate degrees in 2020. While working on her Bachelor of Fine Arts, Miss Madi focused on drawing, oil and acrylic painting, printmaking, as well as dabbling in installation art and photography. Miss Madi obtained her Bachelor of Education from the University of Lethbridge and now enjoys teaching Upper Elementary art at Maria Montessori Academy as well as children’s and adult art classes at McTavish Academy of Art and Paint Box School of Art. Most of Madi’s inspiration for her artwork is found in nature, with a specific focus on patterns in nature. In her off time, Madi enjoys hiking, camping, BBQ-ing, baking, learning about and spending time with nature, attending local music events, and quality time with her husband and friends. “Teaching art and creating are my biggest passions in life. Art making allows for thoughtful time to consider how to leave our world a better place than we found it. Through time and thought, these creations become tangible treats for the living.”
Sandi Henrich
Art Teacher
Sandi Henrich has been teaching art classes and developing art programs and workshops in Victoria since 2002. Her teaching approach is centered on encouraging creative expression and process-based art exploration. Miss Sandi has a degree in History in Art from the University of Victoria and a background in visual arts. When she is not making art, Miss Sandi loves to spend time with her creative family enjoying the beauty of nature.
Music
Stephanie Smith
Music Teacher
Stephanie Smith first came to MMA as a substitute teacher and then joined MMA permanently in 2023 as the K-12 Music teacher. She holds a B.A. and B.Ed. from Concordia University of Edmonton and has 10+ years’ experience teaching all age groups (0-99) group and private music lessons. Through a musical lens, Stephanie is passionate about connecting the personal to the wider cultural, social, and political context and sharing with her students the power of storytelling that music has. When she is not teaching, she enjoys going on road trips with her 2 naughty dogs and fabulous partner, playing piano and crib, swimming in the ocean, and being a chemist in the kitchen still searching for the perfect combination of ingredients to make her gluten-free/dairy-free/egg-free baking light and fluffy.
Physical & Outdoor Education
Andrew Farrell
Outdoor Education Teacher
Andrew Farrell began at MMA in 2007 as a PE and Outdoor Education Teacher as well as a Classroom Assistant in Serenity. Andrew finished a Geography Degree at the University of Victoria in 2002, followed by teaching English in Japan, then returning to the west coast to complete a Bachelor of Education at UBC in 2004. His first teaching stint after UBC was as a Social Studies Teacher in Comox, moving there so that he could be on the mountain on a more often. Andrew left MMA for a year to run an alternative school but returned on an on-call basis in 2017,and is back to four days a week in 2018. Andrew and his wife have two young daughters at home, who love to go camping, biking, paddling, swimming and playing in the snow with their dad as often as possible. Andrew loves the outdoors, snowboarding, and paddling. Growing up in Ontario, Andrew played all sports that were in season. He continues to stay active outside of school chasing his daughters around playgrounds and beaches and playing squash on a regular basis.
Lisa Heffernann
Outdoor Education Teacher
Lisa began her career with a degree in Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership and has been working as a Guide, Outdoor Educator, and Program Manager since 2008. Throughout her career, she has led single- and multi-day trips in a wide variety of environments, from underground to mountain top, river to sea, and is certified to instruct in an array of disciplines. Her biggest passion is outdoor education, and she loves to empower her students by teaching them the outdoor skills needed to safely enjoy our majestic outdoor world, as well as the wonderous natural history and ecology of those environments. Wanting to further her career in education, Lisa graduated with a B.Ed in 2020 and worked as the Outdoor Education and Leadership Specialist at a school in Calgary before moving west in 2021. She has been working at MMA since September of 2024.
Alanna Youngberg
Physical Education Teacher
Miss Alanna began her journey at MMA in 2016 as a Sigma teacher. She holds a BA from the University of Victoria, where she studied English Literature and European History. After completing her degree, Miss Alanna spent time volunteering in West Africa, South East Asia and Cuba. She eventually returned to Canada to complete her Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia Okanagan. She spent 4 years teaching middle school Physical Health and Education and Social Studies in Kelowna. She eventually found her way to Victoria where she worked in the Victoria School District before discovering MMA in 2016. She has coached numerous teams including volleyball and badminton. In her spare time, Miss Alanna enjoys travelling, snowboarding, playing volleyball and tennis, and spending time outdoors.
Inclusive Education
Kristi Repay
Senior Inclusive Education Coordinator
Kris Repay graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and most recently completed her Master’s Degree in Special Education. She has experience in inclusive education both as a teacher and as a parent of two children with designations. Her background has given her a deep understanding of the challenges that neurodiverse students and their families face and is committed to providing support and resources to help all students succeed. Kris is passionate about inclusive education and believes that every child deserves access to quality education that meets their unique needs.
Jenny Szulc
Inclusive Education Teacher
Jenny Szulc graduated from Queen’s University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and has further specialized in Special Education, earning her certificate in 2023. She enjoys connecting with her students in Learning Support and supporting them in their individual development as lifelong learners. Miss Jenny has travelled and worked abroad for years before settling with her family in Cordova Bay. When Miss Jenny is not at work, she is passionate about growing food and enjoying her backyard chickens.
Jessica Lambrick
Inclusive Education Teacher
Jessica Lambrick began at MMA in 2019 as an Inclusive Education Teacher. She graduated from the University of Victoria in 2013 with a Bachelor’s of Education. Miss Jessica brings with her a love for reading and enjoys igniting the passion of reading in all students. In her spare time, Miss Jessica can be found frolicking in her garden with her children, her partner and their little dog, Ruby.
Basil Kazakos
Inclusive Education Teacher
Mr. Basil is new to the school, bringing a lifetime of teaching and facilitating experience along with him. He has studied at different universities, guest lectured at a few, taught across Canada in a variety of locations and unique situations. Along the way he was Head of Schools for The Toronto Montessori Schools. When he is not at school, he works on the third draft of his book where he shares his experience and perspective of education, plays bass and guitar, practices T’ai Chi and exercises at the gym.
Leslie O’Hagan
Inclusive Education Teacher
Biography coming soon!
Mariel De Castro
Inclusive Education Teacher
Miss Mariel graduated from Redeemer University College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Education: primary/junior division. From Ontario, she moved to Victoria to teach at a Christian school for 4 years as a Kindergarten-Grade 1 homeroom teacher. She has now joined MMA for this school year and is excited to be a teacher in the Inclusive Education Team. Mariel has a passion in supporting students in their learning and celebrating their achievements together. When she is not teaching, she enjoys reading, paddle boarding and going on hikes with her dog.
Guidance Counsellors
Maria Butler
Guidance Counsellor
Maria Butler began working as the school counsellor at MMA in 2015. She meets with students from Pre-School through to Grade 12 for personal and/or academic counselling and loves getting to know each student who comes to see her. Miss Maria received a B.A. (hons.) and then a post-graduate teaching certificate (for high school) from the UK. After moving to Canada in 2000, she completed a B.Ed. (elementary and middle school) and then an M.A. in Counselling Psychology a few years later. Miss Maria taught in the UK and in Victoria before deciding to pursue counselling – something she has always felt drawn towards. When not at school, Miss Maria enjoys dance classes and fun family outings with her husband and two children.
Courtney Roskelley
Guidance Counsellor
Courtney Roskelley began working at MMA as a counsellor in the lower elementary and preschool/k classrooms last school year (2023-2024). Courtney holds a BEd in Elementary Education from the University of Victoria (2017) and is in the final stages of completing her MEd in school counselling from City University (2024). Prior to working at MMA, most of Courtney’s teaching experiences had been with students with diverse leaning needs. In 2019 she and her husband moved to the arctic, where she spent three years working as an inclusive education teacher in an elementary setting. Currently, Courtney splits her time between MMA and Discovery School, where she works as a high school teacher and school counsellor. Courtney’s approach to counselling involves play based techniques, CBT, and somatic strategies to help students learn, understand, and manage their emotional experiences.