Kristin Pass

Executive Director

Together our Principal and Mrs. Pass are the Leadership Team at Braemar. Mrs. Pass joined Braemar in August 2014. Her background is in fundraising and administration. Most recently, she was Executive Director at the Brant United Way.

Mrs. Pass is responsible for overseeing the operations of the school, including Human Resources, Budget, Property Management, Communication, and working with our Board of Directors setting the strategic direction for the organization.

Mrs. Pass's first affiliation with Braemar, was as a volunteer family with Roots of Empathy. After that experience she could see the wonderful environment in the school and is proud to years later to be a part of this special community.

Pam Krason

Principal

Mrs. Krason, has been at Braemar for 18 years. She began her career in education as teacher, before becoming a Principal. She is is a dedicated professional with a child-centered approach to teaching and learning. She is sensitive to the needs of her students and her teaching staff, and communicates her expectations in a clear manner. She is warmly approachable and has a proven track record in establishing positive parent-teacher interaction. Mrs. Krason is an inspiring leader and a valuable resource for our programming and enrichment initiatives. She remains an instrumental force in our Drama program and our Spring Musical productions.

Andrea Haley

Montessori Directress

Montessori Diploma (North American Progressive Montessori)

Mrs. Haley brings over 25 years of preschool experience to the Braemar Montessori program, combining a love of children and attention to the Montessori philosophy. She is a fully qualified Montessori teacher with more than 15 years of Montessori experience. Mrs. Haley is attentive to her students and to the classroom environment, always seeking to improve Braemar’s Montessori program and provide effective resources for the enrichment of her students.

"I believe creativity flourishes in an atmosphere of acceptance and trust. I believe whole heartedly in the philosophy “Please don’t do for me what I can do for myself”." - Andrea Haley

Jamie Bailey
Prep One Teacher

Bachelor of Arts (Guelph University)

Master of Science in Education (Niagara University)

Mrs. Bailey has been a teacher for over ten years. She has worked at both independent and public schools and is thrilled to return to Braemar House School. Mrs. Bailey likes the philosophy and close-knit community that makes Braemar so unique and is excited to begin in the Prep One classroom. Throughout her career, she has focused on providing a nurturing, empathetic and family-like environment. Mrs. Bailey believes that all children should feel comfortable and confident coming to school every day. She aims to provide meaningful and enriched learning opportunities where children may become passionate about their education and develop a love of learning.

Amy Van Damme

Grade One Teacher

Honours Contemporary Studies (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Bachelor of Education (Nipissing University)

Mrs. Van Damme thoroughly enjoys teaching Grade 1! She encourages and engages students through hands on activities that connect to their personal lives. These experiences enhance their learning as it is being done in a fun and educational setting. With her enthusiasm, passion and caring personality, the students develop a sense of security, which helps them to feel comfortable and happy in all areas of their learning. She truly believes that teaching is a rewarding profession as it allows for the opportunity to assist in the growth and development of children; socially, emotionally and academically.

"Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their mind.
The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea spark another."
–Marva Collins

Jamie Thompson

Grade Two Teacher

Bachelor of Arts (Wilfrid Laurier University),
Bachelor of Education (University of Western Ontario)

Mrs. Thompson has been an educator for over 15 years, first in teaching private music lessons, and then as a substitute teacher at the Primary, Junior, and Intermediate levels for three area school boards. She has completed the Special Education Part One and Part Two courses and brings Primary French qualifications to Braemar House School. A dedicated, enthusiastic teacher, Mrs. Thompson's positive attitude makes her very approachable to students, parents, and staff alike. Outside of school life, she and her family are very involved in the community and passionately support the Arts.

"I feel very fortunate to be a part of my students’ educational journeys. The small class sizes at Braemar House allow me to connect on a personal level with each of them every day, helping me to better identify their individual needs."

Ann Spaxman

Grade Three Teacher

Honours Bachelor of Arts (McMaster University),
Bachelor of Education (University of Toronto) with Primary Specialist qualifications

Ms. Spaxman, is an experienced educator who brings an energetic attitude and a passion for teaching to her classroom. She has a welcoming disposition and is genuinely interested in developing the potential of each of her students. She strives to create positive and open relationships with the families of her students, and is both encouraging and helpful. Ms. Spaxman brings a wealth of experience in Music, particularly Choral Singing, and works enthusiastically with our student Choir.

"I am passionate about teaching and love coming to work each and every day!"
- Ann Spaxman

Leah Duck
Grade Four Teacher

Honours BA in English (Language and Literature) from Queen's University and a Bachelor of Education in the Concurrent program.

Ms. Duck has been at Braemar since 2015. Prior to that, Ms. Duck taught abroad in Honduras, South Korea, and China. Ms. Duck loves to read and is focusing her professional development on student literacy.

In addition to a good read, she loves to travel, paint, dance, and spend time with her family and friends.

Michelle Cogger

Grade Five Teacher

Additional Qualifications, Special Education 1 & Primary. (University of Trent)
Bachelor of Education, Art Specialty, Honours. Primary, Junior and Intermediate qualified. (University of Western Ontario)
Bachelor of Arts, Art History Major, Honours. (University of Guelph)

Ms. Cogger has been an educator for ten years, teaching art and arts education in many areas of the community, as well as private tutoring from Grade 1 to 8. Ms. Cogger has experience working with youth, their families, and other organizations such as the Ontario Deaf and Blind Association and the Grand Erie District School Board Indigenous Education Program.

Ms. Cogger is a lifelong learner and continues to explore many different learning options from local art classes to continuing education at the University of Trent. Her passion for learning is what pushed her to become an educator and she works to share that passion with all types of learners so that they may work and grow together.

Ms. Cogger is a flexible, open-minded and empathetic teacher who is sensitive to the needs of others and all her students. She prides herself on a teaching style that allows all learners and skill sets to develop and blossom. She ensures that her classroom environment is inclusive, welcoming and a free place to learn.

Nicole McClelland
Grade Six Teacher

Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Geography and History with Concurrent Bachelor of Education in the Primary/Junior division from Lakehead University.

Mrs. McClelland has enjoyed being a supply teacher at Braemar House School, getting to know all the staff and students. She knew she wanted to be a part of this great community and is so excited to be joining the team as the Grade 6 teacher!

Mrs. McClelland brings with her experience as a supply teacher in Peel District public board, as well as assisting with summer school for grade 6/7 students. Mrs. McClelland has had a lifelong passion of working with children, starting as a swimming instructor in high school. She has continued her passion for helping others with many volunteer activities in her community, including being a Girl Guide leader and supporting various events in conjunction with the Rotary Club.

Mrs McClelland enjoys many activities including reading, swimming and crafting. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends; going on walks, camping and playing board games to name a few!

Debora Melo

Grade Seven Teacher

Bachelor of Arts – English Major (York University)
Masters of Science in Education (Medaille College)

Mrs. Melo is excited to be joining the Braemar Staff. She brings with her 4 years of full-time teaching experience in the private sector, 4 years of supply teaching and countless years of volunteering with students in and outside of the classroom. Mrs. Melo held an early interest in education and continues to look for opportunities to learn new strategies and technology integration that can be used to enrich the classroom experience. She enjoys exploring innovative ways to engage students and lead them in their learning. She believes that partnering with students in their success is key to building lifelong learners. Mrs. Melo challenges herself and her students to work hard and strive to give their best each day. She looks forward to collaborating with the teachers and students at Braemar to create memorable lessons and moments to be remembered for years to come.

Alix Loewenguth

French Teacher

Bachelor of Arts in Career Counseling (Université du Québec à Montréal)

Mme. Loewenguth joined our teaching staff in 2017. She has continued Braemar's strong French programming, developed by Mme. Hanna. Our French Program meets and then exceeds the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Core French expectations. We create a relaxed yet active learning environment where students feel comfortable and enjoy learning a second language through various hands on projects.

Born and raised in France and having lived in Quebec for many years, Alix Loewenguth brings her extensive knowledge of the French language and its culture to the classroom. Throughout all of her experiences as a university French instructor, youth counselor and meditation teacher, she has brought her passion for sharing, guiding and helping to her students. She is delighted to now share this enthusiasm for learning the French language at Braemar. Alix’s teaching philosophy begins with compassion, recognizing the individuality of each student, and working with their strengths to give them every opportunity to succeed. Above all, she works to motivate students to feel comfortable to express themselves, whatever their level, and dares them to have fun in French!

Sue Spence
Health and Physical Education Teacher

Bachelor of Arts, McMaster University
Professional Education Program, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland

Mrs. Spence has been an educator for many years. Her love of travel has given her wonderful
experiences teaching in places like Scotland, England, and The Bahamas. She is a life long
learner who enjoys taking Additional Qualification courses like ESL Part One (Brock University)
and Junior Division (Western University) and several courses pertaining to our mental, physical
and emotional well being, such as The Science of Well Being (Yale University). She will bring to
her class a love for learning, enjoying nature and our community, and taking care of ourselves
through exercise. Mrs. Spence ran her own Health and Wellness business for many years and
has taught children and adults in our community how to lead healthier lives. Giving back to the
community is another passion for Mrs Spence. Over the years, she has done plenty of
fundraising for The City of Brantford and The Rotary Club of Brantford, by organizing walking
and running teams that raised money to help our community. She has offered free “Learn to
Run” clinics and has helped many children and adults cross their first finish line in a variety of
races. She has also ran in many races over the years, including three half marathons. She
loves spending time with her husband and four grown children, gardening, and walking her two
dogs.

“Learn continually. There’s always “one more thing” to learn.” Steve Jobs

Jen Semiwolos
Montessori Assistant

Montessori Diploma (North American Montessori Center)
Early Childhood Education Diploma

Mrs. Semiwolos is excited to be joining the Braemar staff. She
brings with her many years of working with young children.
She believes that the first years of a child’s education are very
precious ones as young children are naturally curious and have
a thirst for knowledge. With patience, enthusiasm, and calm
energy her goal is to fill the children with the knowledge they
desire using the Montessori methods. Setting them up to be
successful and to develop confidence. The way a child feels
about their first year of school can have a long-lasting impact
on how they approach the rest of their education.
Outside school life Mrs. Semiwolos loves to dance. She has
been dancing since she was 4. She is Certified to teach dance
through Dance Masters of America and has been teaching
dance for the past 25 years. She can't wait to share her love of dance with the students at Braemar!

Justin Banks

Grade 8 Teacher

BA Degree, History and English (St. Francis Xavier University),
B. Education Degree (Memorial University)

Mr. Banks spent several years teaching in a remote northern community in the province of Quebec. While in this position, he taught multi-level classrooms from grade 7 to 12. His experience in the Kativik School Board was enriching professionally and personally. Working for the Inuit population of Quebec was a unique and special experience he carries with him wherever he goes. After six years of professional teaching, Mr. Banks remains a passionate educator. Mr. Banks seeks constant improvement to stay on the forefront of educational trends. He is adept with interactive boards and experienced in online course management software.

“The important thing is to never stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."
Albert Einstein

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour—his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear—is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle—victorious."
Vince Lombardi

Lisa Berki

Bookkeeper

Mrs. Berki brings wonderful skills and organization to our school. She has been a great addition to our administration team.

Stefanie Faria

Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Faria is the friendly voice who answers the telephone and the friendly face that greets you in the office. Mrs. Faria brings many skills to her position from previous work experience as well as owning her own business. Mrs. Faria truly loves Braemar and that comes through in all she does.

Ted Graham

Custodian

Mr. Ted is new to the Braemar team and is very excited to be here! When you walk into our building, you can see that Mr. Ted takes pride in his work. Our school is clean, safe and well looked after!