Faculty & Staff
Michael Simmonds
is the Head of School. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of New Brunswick before completing his first masters degree in biomechanics from McGill University. His education degree was also obtained there. Michael taught university transfer courses at the College of New Caledonia for two years before beginning his career in independent school education. He worked for fourteen-years at York House School in Vancouver, first as a secondary science teacher, and later as Director of the Senior School. He completed his second masters degree at Columbia University as a Klingenstein Fellow where he graduated from the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership. He is completing his doctoral studies in Educational Policy & Leadership from the University of British Columbia where he is writing about The Fraser Institute Ranking of Secondary Schools. Michael lives in Vancouver and commutes daily to Bowen Island on water taxi service provided by English Bay Launch.
Tania Douglas Krumpak
is the Assistant Head of School. She teaches English 6-9 and Philosophy 6 - 9, and she is also the Excursion Coordinator for the school. Tania completed her B.A. and B.Ed. degrees at the University of British Columbia and moved to Bowen Island in 2007 with her husband Matthew and two children, Savannah and Ethan. Tania has her Level 1, IB-MYP certification in Humanities and her Level 2, IB-MYP certification in Language A (English).
Kaija Sproule
teaches Physical Education to students in Grades 6-9 and French 9. She is also the IB-MYP coordinator. Kaija completed her B.A. in Forensic Anthropology from Simon Fraser University before completing her B.Ed. from the University of British Columbia in French language instruction. Kaija was schooled in the Programme Cadre de Francais and taught French immersion in the Surrey School District before moving to Bowen in July 2008 with her two little boys. Kaija has achieved Level 1 training in IB-MYP Language B (French) instruction and Level 2 IB-MYP training in Physical Education. Most recently, Kaija completed IB-MYP (Level 2) certification. In addition, Kaija has completed both Theory and Technical aspects of the National Coaching Certification Program, Level 3. She has competed provincially in springboard diving, nationally in gymnastics, and internationally in trampoline. Kaija has coached and a judged competitive athletes in all three sports. She currently trains at the Vancouver Circus School in trampoline and trapeze (for fun) and has also studied German, Russian, Spanish and 'a little Japanese'. Kaija is also the ultimate coach and cross country running coach for IPS.
Suzanne Allan
teaches French 6-8. She is also the Community Service coordinator. Suzanne completed her B.A. in French at UBC, then travelled through Europe and nannied in France. She completed her teacher training at SFU in French Immersion and taught grades 4-6 French Immersion for 5 years in North Vancouver, before having children. Suzanne moved to Bowen Island 20 years ago with her husband Ross and her daughter Danielle. She had two more daughters, Emily and Lissy, all of whom have attended IPS. She has taught in various part-time capacities on Bowen, most recently at IPS from 2001-2006. She very much enjoyed piloting the AIM French program and is looking forward to coming back to do it again!
Pam Matthews (Math & Science: bio coming soon)
Matt Neufeld (Learning Assistance: bio coming soon)
Adrian van Lidth de Jeude
teaches Fine Arts, Humanities 6, Science 8, and assists in the teaching of Physical Education. Adrian studied theatre at the University College of the Caribou (now called Thompson Rivers University). He then attended Simon Fraser University where he graduated in 2004 with a major in History and minor in Education. Adrian then left for Tanzania to develop a program providing basic education to child labourers. After his return to Canada, Adrian completed a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of British Columbia in the Fine Arts and Media cohort four years later. Adrian's educational background and work experience make him especially suited to expand our fine arts program in Grades 6-9. Not only will Adrian be teaching visual arts, but he will be developing a drama, and music program as well. Adrian has worked as an actor at the Lee Creek Community Theatre and developed a drama unit for students in Grades 4-7 at Glenwood Elementary in Maple Ridge. He has worked previously with Bowen Island youth as a Group Leader and has sung with the Bowen Island Community Choir. Adrian also plays the guitar and drums and has traveled extensively throughout the province, the country, an abroad. His travels have taken him to: Israel, Egypt, Europe, Tanzania, Zambia, and Cypress. He is an outdoor recreational enthusiast and counts as his interests: camping, hiking, mountain biking, snow boarding, canoeing, and Kayaking. Over the summer Adrian received his IB-MYP Visual Arts (Level 1) certification.
Support Staff
Barbara Bingham
is the Director of Operations for the school. She joined IPS in August of 2002 as a part-time administrative assistant. She has previously worked in various administrative roles in the insurance, real estate, re-cycling and information technology industries. Barbara and her family moved to Bowen Island in 1999 from Vancouver. Her son, Alexander, is a Grade 7 student at the school.
Karen Cowper
is the volunteer librarian for the school. She is a long-standing Bowen Island resident who loves traveling as much as she loves books.
Shayle Duffield
is the Financial Manager for the school. In 1996, after a few years of travelling and living in Australia and England, she received her certificate in Business Management. Shayle was employed as an Administrative Manager and a Chartered Accountant's assistant before moving to Bowen Island in 1999. Since moving to Bowen, Shayle has been a self-employed bookkeeper for a variety of organizations and companies. She has been working at IPS since 2003.
