Sports Academy Administration

Ian Kennedy

Ian Kennedy

Director of Instruction

Prior to becoming a Director of Instruction in West Vancouver Schools, Ian has served in a variety of positions:

  • Vice-Principal at West Vancouver and Rockridge Secondary Schools
  • Director of Instruction and Head of Wentworth Campus at Collingwood School
  • Principal at Carson Graham Secondary in North Vancouver

Ian has three decades of experience in education, as a teacher and administrator. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Education from the University of Victoria and his Master’s degree in Education from Simon Fraser University.

Ian has a rich background in public and independent schools and is passionate about the evolution of education, the development of teachers, and the transformation of our public education system.

Ian has a proven track record of guiding innovation and his leadership work around school improvement has been recognized locally and nationally.

Ian is a former National Team athlete and has always been involved in coaching and supporting school athletics. He is a resident of the North Shore and is an active member of the community.

Cari Wilson

Cari Wilson

District VP of Innovation and Technology

Cari Wilson, District VP of Innovation and Technology

Cari Wilson is an educator with over 25 years of classroom experience, much of that in a technology-rich environment. Cari is currently the District Vice Principal of Innovation and Technology, and she has been part of the Robotics team since 2019. With a Masters Degree in Educational Technology, Cari is passionate about helping students use and explore technology in a meaningful, engaging way. In addition, Cari hopes to encourage more girls to get excited about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) related careers!

Paul Eberhardt

Paul Eberhardt

Vice Principal Academies

A Vancouver native Paul began his coaching career in 1982 while he was still a student at Magee Secondary and continued coaching as he got both his Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia. He also earned his Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix in 2005. He began teaching in the Richmond School District in 1989 where he spent 28 years prior to moving to the West Vancouver School District in 2018 to take on the job of Vice Principal for the Academy Programs.

During his career Coach Ebe has coached just about every sport but his main passion is coaching basketball which he has coached at every level including High School, College, Provincial Teams and the Canadian National Team. Presently Paul is the head coach of the Langara Falcons men’s team and the West Vancouver Highlanders grade 9 boys team. Paul has been recognized as one of top coaches in the Country as he was selected as the 2013 Canadian Colleges men’s Basketball Coach of the Year. He has also been selected by Sport BC as the Coach of the Year in 2014 and Basketball BC has named him the College Coach of the Year in 2013 & 2014 and the High School Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2011. Paul’s colleagues also recognized him as the PACWEST Coach of the Year in 2013, 2014 & 2017 as well as Richmond Coach of the Year in 2011 and the Lower Mainland Coach of the Year in 2007.

Paul has been chosen to lead our BC Provincial teams on numerous occasions winning five gold medals and one silver at the Western Canada Games and one silver medal and three bronze at the Canadian National Championships. Paul was also selected to be an assistant coach with the Canadian Men’s National Basketball Team from 2000 to 2004.

Paul is also one of only two coaches in the Country to have won both a High School Provincial Championship which he did in 2011 with the Palmer Griffins and a Canadian College National Championship in 2014 with the Langara Falcons.

Paul has also been very actively involved in athletic administration as he was an Athletic Director for over 20 years and he has also served on the Board of Directors for the Nighthoops Program which works with at-risk youth in Vancouver. Paul has also worked with Basketball BC on a number of occasions serving as the chair for a variety of elite programs and he was the longest serving President of the BC High School Boys Basketball Association serving from 2014 to 2018. For all his volunteer work in high school sports BC School Sports recognized Paul with a Special Merit award in 2018. Presently, Paul is the head coach of the Langara Falcons men’s team and the West Vancouver Highlanders Junior boys team.

Tara Ledingham

Tara Ledingham

Assistant

Tara was raised in West Vancouver and attended UBC and SFU, graduating with a double major in Sociology and Communications.

Since graduating, Tara has been employed in the human resources field for over twenty years.  She initially worked as a recruitment specialist for Medical Recruiters International Canada, placing medical professionals in hospital and clinic settings in the United States.

After taking time off to raise her two children, Tara was hired by Mackay CEO Forums as a meeting and event planner before starting with West Vancouver Schools in 2016.

Tara has also enjoyed contract work with BC Children’s Hospital and the Crystal Ball Foundation and was registrar for the North Shore Inline Hockey league.

Being a part of the West Vancouver community has always been important to Tara and she spent several years managing her children’s sports teams and volunteering at the school level.

Teacher/Coaches

Todd Ablett

Todd Ablett

WVS Teacher

2015 – Teacher at West Vancouver Secondary School
2000 – 2015 – Began teaching basic robotics in his classroom

Realized that competitive robotics engaged students who were considering career paths that required a strong background in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Provided education, instruction & coaching to over 70 students per year
Coached up to 20 competitive robot teams each year
Qualified and attended the VEX Robotics World Championships since 2007

2012 – Won the VEX Robotics World Championship title winning over teams from countries that included United States, Australia, Singapore, China and the United Kingdom

Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM 2010-2011

Dr. Mahesh Chugani

Dr. Mahesh Chugani

WVS Teacher

Dr. Mahesh Chugani is an Electronics Engineer who has worked as a Software Engineer at National Instruments (Austin, Texas, USA), and as Director of Support and Training at Momentum Data Systems (Huntington Beach, California, USA).

He holds the following credentials:

(a) Diploma in Electronics and Radio Engineering from Cusrow Wadia Institute of Technology, Pune, India.

(b) Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunications from College of Engineering, Pune, India.

(c) M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA.

He has authored numerous technical publications, and has also coauthored two books.

Recently selected to be on the Educational Advisory Committee of Canada’s ICTC (Information and Communications Technology Council) Digital DASH initiative.

Dr. Chugani likes to run, swim and practice Yoga.  He is currently learning Mandarin.

Andrew Kay

Andrew Kay

WVS Teacher

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
Degrees and Certificates Held:
  • Bachelor of Education (Physics), University of BC.
  • Bachelor of Science (Physics), University of BC.
  • Dive Master and Open Water Dive Instructor Certification, PADI.
  • Emergency First Aid and CPR/AED level C CSA Std.Z1210-17-Basic, Canadian Red Cross.
  • First Aid Instructor (w/ AED) Certification, Emergency First Response [non-instructional status].
  • Machine shop competency and safety, Physics Department, University of BC.
  • GTAW Welding, BCIT
Management skills:
  • Over 10 years’ experience in Special Events coordination.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Able to work with demanding clients and staff with patience and tact.
  • Can easily multitask and improvise when required, in order to meet deadlines.
  • Detail oriented without losing sight of the “big picture”.
  • Strong Motivational and Interpersonal skills with students and staff.
  • Budget preparation and oversight.
  • Extensive computer skills:
  • hardware, operating systems, programming and end user application, technical support.

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Braydan Pastucha

Braydan Pastucha

WVS Teacher

Braydan Pastucha
WVS Teacher
WVS Premier Robotics Academy Teacher

EDUCATION

  • University of British Columbia — Bachelor of Education 2021
  • University of British Columbia — Bachelor of Science 2018
  • Specializing in a triple-major of chemistry, mathematics, and physics, my undergraduate work focused on communication of scientific concepts and applications in atmospheric science. This well-rounded understanding of different scientific fields has given me a diverse set of teachable subjects and an ability to connect material between classes, including applications using coding and scientific analysis of problems.

 STEM EXPERIENCE

Daedalos Academy — Senior Coach / STEM Instructor (Sept 2016 – Present)

Responsibilities & Role Included:

  • Creating programs using LEGO and VEX robotics for summer camps, after-school camps, and in-school programs that focus on engineering, design, and coding principles in the ADST curriculum
  • Working with diverse age groups during the camps
  • Ensuring the quality of individual learning experiences
  • Working with teams on projects from creating the programs to implementing them with a team of coaches
  • Using problem-solving skills for classroom management, technology, and instruction
  • Coming up with solutions to problems or challenges

University Hill School — STEM Instructor (January 2017-March 2020)

Responsibilities & Role Included:

  • Developing a program using LEGO Education products in conjunction with the BC curriculum for Grades 2-3 and 4-5 STEM classes, with an emphasis on engineering and technology applications
  • Creating fun and engaging classroom experiences for the classes by using multimedia and experimentation in lessons
  • Coordinating & collaborating with teachers and school administrators to distribute information to parents

Sealy Tutoring — Senior Tutor & Centre Manager (May, 2017 – Present)

Responsibilities & Role Included:

  • Tutoring secondary students in mathematics, chemistry, physics, and biology, both individually and in group settings
  • Communicating with students and parents both learning materials and expectations
  • Maintaining and managing the drop-in center, including managing tutors and developing an enjoyable learning environment

 VOLUNTEER WORK

Science World — STEM Communicator

Gearing Up! — Senior Coding Club Instructor

Ben Hunter

Ben Hunter

WVS Teacher

Ben holds bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Western Ontario and education from the University of British Columbia. He began teaching in West Vancouver in 2018, and currently teaches math and drafting in addition to robotics. Ben is very excited to be part of the Premier Robotics Academy.

Outside of school, Ben enjoys programming puzzles, volleyball, pickleball and running our beautiful north shore trails.

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