Elementary Staff


	Ms. Courtney Attle K2 Teacher I am a returning teacher to BCCIS and am looking forward to my second year teaching Kindergarten (KG2) in Egypt. I grew up in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada with my parents and my sister. I have always wanted to see more of the world. I have a bachelors degree with a major in psychology, and a minor in English, and a bachelors of education with an elementary focus. I love working with kids, and am looking forward to this coming year.
	Ms. Becky Garrod K2 Teacher My name is Becky Garrod and I am from Langley, British Columbia. I recently graduated from the University of British Columbia-Okanagan with a Bachelors of Education. Prior to this degree, I attended Mount Olive College where I completed a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science. At Mount Olive College, I was a two sport varsity athlete competing in softball and cross country. In my spare time, I enjoy travelling, training for triathlons and spending time outdoors. Currently, I am training for two half Ironman triathlons that will take place this summer. I’m looking forward to Egypt being my next adventure, and am excited to get in the classroom.
	Ms. Erin Kolmatycki Grade 1 Teacher I have completed a Bachelor of Elementary Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and Sociology from Vancouver Island University. I worked as a health and wellness assistant at the VIU gym for 3 years. I recently completed my second year playing for the UBC Okanagan Heat women’s volleyball team. We won the National Bronze medal last year and the National Gold medal this year! Beach and indoor Volleyball and other team sports have always been a big part of my life. I love coaching and playing both team and individual sports. These include: long distance running, mountain biking, yoga, rock climbing, soccer, hiking and tennis. I have spent the last two summers working for the BC Ministry of Forests as a forest fire fighter. I will be working as a forest fire fighter again this summer. I was born and raised with my sister Jen, and parents, Jane and Bob, on Vancouver Island. Since graduating from high school, I have spent over 4 months travelling in South America, Mexico, and Cuba.
	Ms.Jen Kolmatycki Grade 1 Teacher My name is Jen Kolmatycki and I was born and grew up on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I enjoy hiking, playing volleyball, tennis, scuba diving and many other outdoor activities. My love of sports has motivated me to spend time coaching volleyball and track and field to children of all different ages and skill levels. Upon completing my Bachelor of Arts in English and Physical Education, I took some time to travel around Europe, Mexico, Central America and South East Asia. Exploring other parts of the globe has made me extremely interested in learning more about other cultures and meeting different people from all around the world. I am incredibly excited for the upcoming school year at BCCIS in Cairo and look forward to meeting all of the people involved in the school community!
	Ms. Lisa Van Es Grade 2 Teacher As all teachers at BCCIS, I am from British Columbia, Canada, but specifically Vancouver Island. I am a graduate from Malaspina-University College and have both my Bachelor of Arts degree as well as my Education degree. I majored in English and Anthropology and have a great interest in culture. This is my second year teaching at BCCIS as the Grade 2 teacher and I am looking forward to another great year!
	Ms. Ashley Richardson Grade 3 Teacher Welcome! My name is Ashley Richardson and I will be teaching Grade 3 at BCCIS this year. I am very excited to start my educational journey in Cairo and am looking forward to immersing myself in a new culture and community. I am an avid backpacker and have recently travelled in Thailand, Australia and Mexico. I love the outdoors and when given the opportunity will be seeking out more adventures. I look forward to joining the BCCIS team and meeting the students and staff. See you in the fall!
	Ms. Jillian Folk Grade 4 Teacher Hello. My name is Jillian Folk. I was born and raised in the city of Vernon, in the Okanagan Valley, found in the beautiful interior of British Columbia. I am hoping the fact that I used to work for B.C. Parks, including a park in the pocket desert of Osoyoos, will help me adapt to the hot dry climate of Egypt faster than my coastal colleagues. Addicted to learning, I have about eight years of post secondary education under my belt including a diploma in Wildland Recreation and a B.A in History /English. My love of travel has lead me to backpack around Europe and drive across Canada (in my rusty little 1983 Chevy Cavalier Wagon). After completing my Education Degree, I took a teaching position at a Canadian School in China, which allowed me to travel around South East Asia and India. I am very excited to be joining the BCCIS community in fascinating Egypt!
	Ms. Mindy Elgie Grade 5 Teacher Hello! My name is Mindy Elgie and this is my second year teaching Grade 5 at BCCIS. I was born and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia where I earned two degrees from Vancouver Island University - Bachelor of Arts (Majors in Anthropology and Sociology) and Bachelor of Education. Through the education that I have received, I have a keen interest in children and their development within different diverse and cultures backgrounds. I decided to come to Egypt as I wanted to work with ESL students and immerse myself into a different culture than my own.
	Mr. Peter Stoll Grade 6 Teacher My name is Peter Stoll and I have been teaching at BCCIS since September 2007. I hold a Master’s degree in Education Administration and have been teaching at the elementary/middle school level for over thirty years. I enjoy coaching the elementary girl’s soccer teams and very much enjoy working with the students at BCCIS.
	Mr. Jeff Von Wartburg Grade 7 Teacher "As a new teacher from Canada, I am both delighted and honoured to be teaching at BCCIS. I am an active and energetic individual who loves exploring what the world has to offer. In Canada, I really enjoy hiking and surfing, as well as playing basketball and soccer. I am also an avid musician. I will try and play any instrument I can get my hands on. As I prepare for 2009/2010 school year, I am excited for the ideas and materials that I have to offer the students, as well as what the students, school, and community can teach me. I look forward to our time spent together during the upcoming school year!"
	Ms. Maya Matthew Elementary French Hello. My name is Maya Matthew. I was born and raised in BC, Canada. I recently graduated from the University of Victoria with distinction, concentrating on German and Choral music. My passion is learning new languages and to this end, I have travelled and moved to different countries to immerse myself in the local language and culture for example French in France and Quebec, Canada. I developed a love of music early in life and decided to pursue studies in singing at the encouragement of a vocal coach in Berlin, Germany in 1999. I completed a diploma in Vocal Performance in the Music Program at Capilano College, BC before continuing with my studies in the field of Education. As a teacher, I find it exciting to provide my students with the resources and support they need to successfully embark on their personal journeys. I am delighted to be a part of the BCCIS team!
	Mr. Kris Walushka Physical Education Hello, Hello,Hello! I am very excited to be in Egypt and teaching PE and Social Studies. I am originally from Victoria, British Columbia, but have spent the better part of the last 7 years living in Nanaimo, BC, Australia, and England. I attended University in Nanaimo at Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina University-College), where I completed my Bachelor of Arts. I then headed down under for a year to complete my Masters of Teaching in Queensland, Australia. I have most recently spent a year teaching in London, England where I was a supply teacher for all subjects, and a full time teacher of Physical Education, Technology, and Citizenship. I am an extremely active person and thoroughly enjoy working with young people within the community and within the school system. I am interested in all types of sports and games and look forward to bringing a positive, motivational energy to BCCIS for this upcoming school year! I am looking forward to meeting all of you, so feel free to come and meet me as soon as you can! See you all very soon!