Science

Zena Muhtaseb, MYP Coordinator and Head of Science

Zena received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Toronto, where she specialised in Molecular Biology and Genetics. She then went to York University and obtained her Bachelor of Education, specialising in secondary science. She taught high school science in Canada for four years before moving to Bahrain to teach IB Diploma Biology at Bahrain Bayan School, and later MYP and Diploma Science, Biology and Chemistry at the Amman Baccalaureate School. Zena joined JBS from Uptown High School in September 2011. She is also a Diploma Examiner and Moderator for Biology and an MYP Moderator in Chemistry.

Dean Thomson, Chemistry

A double degree holder in Science and Education, Dean is from British Columbia where he studied at the Thompson Rivers and Simon Fraser Universities. Trained and experienced in teaching MYP Chemistry, he joined JBS in 2011 from EIS, Meadows having also taught in Ningbo, China. Academically, he is committed to the use of emerging technology in the classroom and his extensive ECA experience includes coaching volleyball and tennis.

Mathematics

Simon Paul, Mathematics Co-ordinator

Simon was educated at Dubai College and Leeds University, where he studied for his first degree in Mechanical Engineering, after which he completed his B.Ed at the Metropolitan University of Leeds. He holds an MA in Educational Management from the Open University, and since his return to Dubai he has taught Mathematics at Al Ittihad (Pvt.) School, EC and JC before joining Taaleem, with whom he has had responsibility for Educational Project Development. He then led the Mathematics Department at Uptown High School and joined JBS as Secondary Maths Co-ordinator in September 2011.

Vijaya Vatkar, Maths and Physics

Vijaya joined JBS in September 2011 from Dubai International Academy, where she taught IB Physics. An engineer by training, she took her B.Eng. in Electronics and Communication Engineering form Mysore, followed by an MTech in Digital Systems from the Calicut Engineering College. She was both a published lecturer and departmental leader in India and has become an experienced secondary teacher here in Dubai since her arrival in 2003. AT JBS Vijaya teaches Mathematics, Physics and Science.

English

Malin Rogland, DP Coordinator Designate; Language A Coordinator

Malin was working as second in the English department at EIS, where she also coordinated the Mother Tongue Maintenance Programme before joining JBS as English Language A Coordinator and Diploma Co-ordinator (designate) in September 2011. She holds Bachelor degrees from City University (New York) and Lund University in Sweden, where she also took her Masters in Liberal Arts, specialising in English Literature. She holds a PGCE from Sunderland University. She has taught IGCSE and Diploma English since her arrival in Dubai and is an experienced swimming coach.

Jennifer McCabe

Following a Musical Theatre school course, Jennifer studied Theatre, Languages and Literature at the University of Glasgow. During her undergraduate degree Jennifer worked voluntarily in primary and secondary schools, helping students with literacy, before taking her MA in European Civilisations at Glasgow, where she also obtained her PGDE for teaching secondary English. After her first position teaching English at Port Glasgow, she developed her fluency in Spanish, during a stay in Spain, before relocating to Qatar, where she taught English Language and Literature to IGCSE and A Level at the Cambridge international School, Doha. Jenny continues to be committed to the development of dance, and maintains her interest in EAL and Spanish.

Arabic and Islamic Education

Abdelghany Shadeed, Head of Secondary Arabic and Islamic Education

Abdelghany joined JBS in September 2011, having taught Arabic, Islamic Education, TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and Arabic as a second language in Jordan. He has extensive experience in MYP and IB Diploma work: before joining JBS, he worked at Uptown High School, and in Jordan at the Amman Baccalaureate School and Amman Academy. He is an MYP Arabic A moderator, and MYP workshop leader. In addition to his academic background, he is a rated chess player, and an athlete with a passion for staying fit and inspiring others to do so as well.

Ola Jarrar

Ola is a graduate of Jordan University in Amman, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies and a High Diploma in Information and Communication Technologies in Education (ICTE) ‏. Ola then joined Amman academy school as a teacher of intensive Arabic and Islamic studies and subsequently the International Academy, Amman as a teacher of Arabic Language B and religion. While at IAA, she continued her training, taking further courses in teaching Arabic A & B and in MYP methodology. She joined the JBS secondary Arabic and Islamic Education department in September 2011 from her native Jordan.

Iman Yousef

Iman studied for her degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Jordanian University and joined Taaleem in 2006 to teach at Uptown High School, after extensive service in private education both in Jordan and Dubai. Iman teaches Arabic B and Islamic studies, joining JBS in September 2011 from UHS.

Language B

Carolyn Siklos, Language B Co-ordinator; French and German

Carolyn is a native speaker of German who is a graduate of Durham University, where she studied English, French and Psychology. She also holds a diploma in Letters and Languages from the Sorbonne and a PGCE from Oxford University. She joined JBS in September 2011, having taught French and German at IB Diploma level at EIS Meadows and Uptown High School. She has a keen interest in the arts, especially in the area of dance.

Anneke Claesens, French and EAL

Since graduating as a Bachelor in Professional Secondary Education, specialising in language, Anneke, a native speaker of French and Dutch, worked as a teacher of modern languages in her home country, Belgium, where, in 2010 she also took her Masters in Instructional and Educational Sciences from the University of Antwerp. Besides educational research she is interested in cooking, travel and sports.

Humanities

Michele McLay, Humanities coordinator; Geography

Michele grew up and was educated in New Zealand, where she took her BSc at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch followed by her Teaching Diploma from Christchurch College of Education, where she specialised in Geography and Outdoor Education. She has worked in Sydney Australia (most recently at the Scots College) and in the UK where she taught in London. Michele arrived at Uptown High from Prem Tinsulanonda School (The Prem Centre) in Chiangmai, Thailand , and has been leading our CAS programme and teaching Geography from September 2011 when she started at JBS. She is an active sports person and an expedition specialist.

Dan Housely, History

Dan is a double degree holder from Canada, having taken his BA in History from the University of Lethbridge, and B.Ed. from the University of Calgary, after a successful engineering career. Dan built up significant special needs experience after leaving the engineering world, following which he took his History and Education degrees. Before leaving Canada, he taught Social Sciences and PE at the Third Academy and arrived in Dubai in 2006, to teach Humanities and English at Uptown High. He joined JBS in September 2011, to teach History, Geography and Humanities. Dan is a keen sportsman and coaches Basketball at JBS.

The Arts

Jecton Were; Arts Coordinator; Visual Arts

Having graduated with a degree in fine arts from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Jecton taught in his native Kenya, (most recently at the Aga Khan College, Mombasa), before moving abroad to teach at the Bishop Mackenzie School in Malawi. He joins us after two years’ service at The Lester Pearson United World College (UWC) in Vancouver, where he taught Visual Arts and Theory of Knowledge (ToK) in the IB Diploma programme. In addition to his ECA experience with the arts, Jecton has coached football, volleyball, cross country and squash. He joined us the Arts Subject Leader in September 2011.

Cecile Godel, Music and French

Cecile joined Uptown High School from the Francophone School Board in British Columbia, where, most recently, she taught at the Ecole Mer et Montagne. She is an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, and has taught Music and French throughout her career, at home in Alberta and BC, and in Qatar at The Learning Center School and Doha College Primary. She is a qualified EAL teacher and has a keen interest in outdoor sports.

Design Technology

Susanne Alder

After graduating from Wolverhampton University with a degree in Design Technology, Sue taught in the English midlands, before moving back home to Southend-on-sea, Essex to take up a position as Key Stage 3 (G6-8) co-ordinator at Westcliff High School for Girls, where she was later appointed Head of Technology. Susan left the UK in 2007 to teach in Thailand where she spent 4 years working at Bangkok Patana School. She has, for the past 16 years enjoyed being an examiner for GCSE and ‘A’ Level and more recently for IB.