New Teaching Staff
This year Island School welcomes eight new members of staff including two new Vice Principals, Gayle Marshall, and Nicholas Lee. Please join us to give them a warm welcome
Name: Nicholas Lee, Vice Principal, Head of Middle Phase
Subject: Geography and Explorations
Mr Lee is from: UK
ECA that he will contribute: Tennis/ GolfMr Lee has just moved to Hong Kong from the UK with his wife Hannah. He grew up in Dorset and spent most of his childhood outdoors enjoying the countryside. He studied Geography at The University of Newcastle Upon Tyne and is particularly passionate about sustainable development. He has been teaching in the UK for the last 10 years in a variety of schools. He is a keen golfer and enjoys playing tennis and hopes to find an affordable way of playing both of these sports in Hong Kong! He is enjoying getting to know Hong Kong and looks forward to spending some of his free time exploring other parts of Asia as well.
Name: Gayle Marshall, Vice Principal
Subject: Mathematics
Ms Marshall is from: Australia
Ms Marshall has moved to Hong Kong from the UAE where she was Head of Secondary phase at a school in Abu Dhabi. Her first teaching placement was in Darwin, Australia, teaching Science and Mathematics. She then moved to the UK where she worked as Deputy Headteacher of a South London school and also as an OFSTED Inspector, before moving to the UAE. She is very much looking forward to discovering all that Island School and Hong Kong have to offer.
Name: Joanne Burgon, Head of Science
Subject: Biology and Science
Ms Burgon is from: Scotland
Ms Burgon is from Scotland and enjoys travel, photography and CrossFit. She has been teaching Science for 13 years and has worked in Leeds, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Frankfurt. Ms Burgon was previously Head of Biology at Island School and is very much looking forward to rejoining the Island School community as Head of Science.
Name: Darryl Hood, Teacher of Chemistry
Subject: Chemistry and Science
Mr Hood is from: Northern Ireland
ECAs that he will contribute: Award for Young People, Guitar and Football.
Mr Hood is originally from Northern Ireland but has been living in Hong Kong since 1999, working in the International Schools sector for the past 14 years. A previous Head of Chemistry, Head of Year and Head of House, he is very much looking forward to focusing on his subject area and immersing himself into the dynamic teaching and learning environment that Island School offers.
Having coordinated the Award for Young People program at his previous three schools, Mr Hood is an avid supporter of outdoor education. Playing football and guitar are some of the pastimes he most enjoys, and he hopes to help facilitate related extracurricular activities. Mr Hood is very happy to be joining Da Vinci house, and is very grateful for the warm welcomes he has received.
Name: Lucinda Vignoles, Teacher of Design and Technology
Subject: Design and Technology
Ms Vignoles is from: UK
ECA that she will contribute: Food Technology
Ms Vignoles is from the UK and studied Graphic Design at the University of Hertfordshire, before completing her Post-Graduate Certificate of Education at the University of Buckinghamshire. After starting her teaching career in the UK as a teacher of Resistant Materials and Product Design, she spent four years teaching Art and Design in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before moving to Hong Kong one year ago with her husband. She enjoys travel, walking and music, and is excited to be joining the Island School Design and Technology department, to teach Years 7 and 8.
Name: Alexey Popov, Head of Psychology
Subject: Psychology
Mr Popov is from:
ECAs that he will contribute:
Mr Popov received his teaching degree and a PhD in Educational Psychology from Perm University in Russia. He came to Hong Kong after spending 4 years in Dhirubhai Ambani International school in India, teaching IB Psychology and TOK. He has been affiliated with the IB as an examiner, workshop leader and textbook author. If you ask him where the boundary lies between Psychology and his life, he will find it difficult to answer. He describes himself as a “devoted introvert” who does not make friends easily, but once he does, such friendships are very deep, long-lasting and rewarding.
Name: Mari Herron, Teacher of Mathematics
Subject: Mathematics
Ms Herron is from: Ireland
ECAs that she will contribute: Girls football or Sports
Ms Herron graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics followed by a PGCE in Liverpool Hope University in the UK. After spending time teaching in the UK and the last five years teaching in Dulwich International High School, Zhuhai, Ms Herron decided to move across the bridge and join the amazing team at Island School.
Ms Herron is excited about the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and is very keen to support and collaborate with all stakeholders of the Island School. She is a sports enthusiast and looks forward to getting involved in all aspects of Island School life.
Name: Rhiannon Beveridge, Teacher of Chemistry
Subject: Chemistry and Science
Ms Beveridge is from: Wales (Swansea)
ECAs that she will contribute: AYP
