New Junior School Teachers for 2025/26

We are delighted to welcome eight new educators to the Junior School this September. Read below about their diverse backgrounds and teaching experiences.

We are delighted to welcome Kirsten Beckley to WPGA. Kirsten has extensive experience teaching intermediate grades and supporting diverse learners. Most recently at Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School, she taught grades 4–6 and served as an IEP Case Manager, fostering inclusive, well-managed classrooms grounded in Universal Design for Learning principles. Prior to Kenneth Gordon, Kirsten was an associate teacher at Mulgrave School, having completed her practicum in primary schools in Cardiff, Wales. Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Guelph and a master's level degree from Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales.

A warm welcome to our new Music Teacher, Yiu Long (Austin) Ching. Austin brings a dynamic and culturally responsive approach to music education, with a Master of Music in Music Education from San Jose State University and a Bachelor of Music in Bass Performance from the Los Angeles College of Music. With a wealth of experience teaching students from early childhood through grade 7 in Canada and the US, Austin is dedicated to nurturing student creativity and a love of music. His background includes designing curricula, directing choirs, leading performances, and integrating Orff and Kodály methodologies with a strong emphasis on social-emotional learning. Austin is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, and we’re excited to welcome his talents and expertise in musicianship, concert planning, and instruction.

Please join us in welcoming our new grade 5 Teacher, Leigh Della Siega. Leigh joins us most recently from St. Augustine School, where she taught grade 6 with a special focus on ADST and assessment, implementing engaging units on digital literacy, textiles, coding, and AI. Prior to this, Leigh taught grade 3 for six years at Immaculate Conception School, focusing on technology integration, social-emotional learning, and Indigenous education. Leigh holds a Master of Educational Technology from UBC, centered on integrating technology, makerspaces, project-based learning, and UDL. She also holds a Bachelor of Education from UBC specializing in social-emotional learning. During her tenure at UBC, Leigh was a Thunderbirds softball athletic scholarship recipient, Team Captain, and First Team All-American.

We're excited to welcome Alexandra Kouzas to our grade 4 homeroom team. Alexandra comes to us from York House School, where she was a homeroom teacher for grades 5 and 6 for three years. At York House, she led their first ADST Entrepreneurship Fair, fostering real-world experiences in financial literacy, sustainability, and business planning through student-led ventures. A high-level athlete herself, Alexandra led the junior swim team to win the ISEA Championships in 2025 and the senior swim team to the zone and provincial championships in 2023. She is a two-time Olympic Trial qualifier and competitor, representing both South Africa and Canada. She is currently Head Coach for the UBC Masters Swim Club and a past Head Coach for the Vancouver Vikings Swim Club. Alexandra has a Bachelor of Education (IB) and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, both from UBC.

We're delighted to introduce Lisa Labere as our new junior kindergarten teacher. An experienced early childhood educator, Lisa's classroom environments have often been used as a model for child creativity and expression. Before joining WPGA, she spent 12 years at the Children's Hearing & Speech Centre (CHSC), the only listening and spoken language center in Western Canada, where she taught programs from preschool to Grade 2. Prior to CHSC, she was an educator at Core Education & Fine Arts, managing ages 1 to 5, and at L’Ecole Bilingue, where she taught grades 1 and 2. A continuous learner, Lisa has participated in many professional development opportunities and most recently was a speaker at the ECEBC annual conference. She is passionate about making nature accessible for students and endeavors to help every student, regardless of developmental or physical needs, learn and thrive from a young age.

We're thrilled to welcome Cale McDonald as our new Intermediate PE Teacher. Cale brings a passion for creating inclusive environments to our student-centered PE program. He most recently taught PHE and Economics for three years at King David High School, where he was also head coach of their basketball, soccer, volleyball, and golf teams. Prior to King David, Cale taught at The Dalton School and high schools in Toronto. His extensive background in sports includes playing with the University of Canterbury Premier Basketball Team and serving as an assistant coach for AAA secondary school basketball teams in Ontario. Cale holds a bachelor's degree from Brock University, a primary teaching graduate diploma from the University of Canterbury, and certifications in history, social sciences, and PE from Brock University.

Please give a warm welcome to our new Intermediate Languages Teacher, Margot Poracchia. Margot is fluent in English, French, and Spanish, and has been a teacher at Alliance Française in Vancouver since 2019, teaching online and in-person courses for children, teenagers, and adults using a communicative and action-oriented method. These courses notably use the PFL2 method from the Government of Canada. Prior to Alliance Française, Margot lived and worked in Mexico, Australia, and Asia for many years, bringing a rich global perspective to her teaching. She holds a master’s degree in teaching, education and training from ESPE de Toulouse, a bachelor’s degree in educational sciences from the University of Montpellier, and is accredited for DELF (up to level B2), TCF, and TEF.

We are excited to welcome Declan Rodriguez as a Teacher Assistant, supporting our primary classrooms in the morning and serving as an Internal TOC in the afternoon. Declan holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and Youth Leadership from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and brings extensive experience working with children and youth in both educational and athletic settings. He has a background in early intervention, having worked with young learners as a behavior interventionist and educational assistant to support students with diverse needs, including autism and behavioral challenges. His ability to build meaningful relationships and implement individualized support strategies makes him a wonderful fit for our youngest learners. In addition, Declan has a passion for youth development through sport, having coached competitive soccer at various levels and age groups.