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Flexible, caring, friendly, dynamic, and passionate about learning are words that describe our DL staff. Our team are here to serve you and partner with you and your child during your school-at-home journey.
Administrators
Allan Garneau
Administrator
Allan has devoted his working life to education, having spent the first 25 years of his career in the public school system, and the last 19 as founder and principal of the Traditional Learning Academy. An advocate for the family, he strives to ensure that parents have access to a wide range of options for educating their children. He and his late wife, Moira, raised five sons and five granddaughters, three of whom are currently being homeschooled.
Allan has presented several practical seminars for parents at conferences, many of which have assisted homeschooling parents to plan and teach their own children. He manages to take educational “jargon” and put it into plain English, while assuring parents they can offer a quality program for their children.
Karen Gledhill
Principal
 Karen Gledhill is a homeschool mom and an educator with a passion for online learning, homeschooling, science and math. She earned a Master’s degree in Distance Education and has put many of the skills she learned to good use within TLA. She has taught in the UK (where she was born), Hong Kong and Edmonton and also lived in Toronto for a little while. She spends any spare moments with her family.
Home Teachers
Ann Vanderloo
Lower Mainland
Ann Vanderloo came to the DL program four years ago, after working for six years as a full-time high school teacher, ten years of homeschooling three of her children and six years of substitute teaching at the elementary grade levels.
She appreciates the flexibility and creativity offered by the DL program and fully enjoys supporting families and students in blending the offerings of the DL program with the gifts and talents each brings to the setting.
Ann lives in New Westminster with her husband and youngest son Simon. Gardening, hiking, and canoeing activities are high on her priority list.
Cara Lee Buzza, Orientation Coordinator
Coquitlam
Cara Lee has been working with TLA families since 2002. She lives in Maple Ridge with her husband, David and her three amazing children, David, Connor and Emily. She is a DL teacher for students living in Maple Ridge and Port Coquitlam. Before working at TLA, Cara Lee taught primary grades in the public and private school systems. Cara Lee is thrilled to be working with the TLA DL program, and loves assisting families as they blend BC curriculum into a home learning setting.
Claire Burgoyne
Thomson, Shuswap
Claire appreciates the flexibility the DL program provides for each of her students. Her belief is that a good education is one that encourages students to discover their strengths, to use their imaginations, and to be excited about learning. Claire is home teacher to students in the Thompson, Shuswap and Okanagan regions.
Prior to joining the TLA team in 2004, Claire taught students in grades seven through twelve in the BC public School system. She lives with her husband Rick and her daughter Jennifer in Blind Bay, BC.
Emily Woelders
Lower Mainland
 Emily resides in Langley, B.C. with her husband Adam and her two sons Lucas and Samuel. She joined the TLA team in 2008 and appreciates the flexibility her career offers to raise her boys at home. She enjoys working with DL families, helping to meet the unique needs of each child. Emily and her husband spent their first year of marriage in Korea, coordinating and instructing English Language training programs for teachers. After returning home, Emily taught Learning Assistance and ESL in elementary and middle schools in the Abbotsford and Langley school districts. In her spare time she enjoys gardening with her boys, adventuring in the local outdoors with her family, reading a good book, and enjoying a hot coffee with a good friend.
Judith Zandbergen
Burnaby
 Since lining up dolls in her play classroom, teaching has been Judith's passion. Judith is a BC-certified teacher who has taught both primary and intermediate grades in the independent schools and has homeschooled her own eight children these past nineteen years. Working with TLA's DL program allows Judith much creativity in meshing each family's individuality with the learning outcomes. Judith lives in her hometown New Westminster with Nico, her Dutch-born husband, and continues to homeschool her three youngest. Judith also teaches Grade 12 humanities courses.
Julie Chetty
Vancouver
 Julie Chetty lives in Vancouver with her husband, Selvan and her two young daughters, Mandelena and Jada. Julie has spent 9 years as a high school teacher teaching English and Home Economics in West Vancouver. Before teaching in Canada, Julie taught in Lithuania and Zambia where, among the world’s least privileged children, she learned the value of using nature’s tools as a powerful resource. Julie holds a Bachelor of Education in English and a Bachelor of Home Economics from the University of British Columbia. Julie is an avid photographer. She is thrilled to be going into her second year as a Home Teacher with TLA.
Kara Bisschop
Abbotsford Teacher
 This is Kara Bisschop's first year as a home teacher with TLA. She is excited for this opportunity to work in the education field while being able to primarily stay at home with her son, Elias. Kara's husband, James, is a primary school teacher so there is always a lot of "school talk" around the house! Together they enjoy visiting family, camping, and marveling at how quickly their son is growing and changing!
Karen Ehrenholz
Lower Mainland
As a TLA distance learning teacher since 2004, home schooling parent for 11 years, provincial literacy program founder, as well as a private- and public-school educator for many years, Karen strives to effectively support, encourage, and tailor learning to meet the diverse needs of her families and students. With a background in writing and literature, Karen focuses on developing and strengthening effective language and literacy skills while equipping her students to thrive in all areas of their learning.
A few of Karen's favourite things include running at the gym while listening to music on her iPod, swimming in an island lake on a hot summer day, getting lost in a good story book, spending time with her two daughters, and baking and eating muffins warm out of the oven. Karen lives in a home near the sea.
Lori-Anne Harold, curriculum coordinator
Langley
Lori-Anne has been with TLA since 2006. Besides being a home support teacher, Lori-Anne is teaching “Half Day” and other workshops at TLA. She also supervises the Bible/Religious Studies and Marketing courses for Grad students. Lori-Anne likes the variety of teaching used in the DL program and the amazing, creative work shown by the children. Recently Lori-Anne moved from Langley, where she had been a teacher for the past 12 years in both the public and private school system, to Surrey.
When she is not planning classes or studying, Lori-Anne enjoys reading, creating digital scrapbooks, spending time with family and friends, and planning future travels. In 2006, she travelled to Zambia to train teachers at the Agape School. More recently Lori-Anne has cruised to Mexico and visited New York City.
Marion James
100 Mile House
Marion homeschools her three children, ages 16, 14, and 7. She is a BC-certified teacher and has taught 10 years in the Public School system and 1 year in a Christian School. She really enjoys working with homeschool families and has been with TLA since 2005. Marion and her family enjoy living rurally in the beautiful Cariboo. She loves to explore the many lakes and photograph the spectacular Cariboo scenery.
Melanie Beukema
Abbotsford
 Melanie Beukema was a Grade Two teacher for four years before she joined the TLA team. After having her son, Jayden Connor, with her husband Rob, she decided that she would rather work from home. Melanie enjoys walking, soccer, volleyball, cooking, gardening and getting together with her friends and family. She has always had a passion for learning, and that has continued now through her career of teaching.
Peggy Smart
Lower Mainland
Peggy comes to TLA with 15 years of experience in the BC Independent School system. She is excited to be working with Home School families having observed first-hand the many benefits of homeschooling. Peggy loves the flexibility of fascinating curriculum to meet the needs of individual students and families. She sees how students enjoy working in a warm, caring environment. Peggy looks forward to many years of learning and growing with her families and students in the Lower Mainland.
Subject Specialty Teachers
Amy Jones
2nd Language
Amy Jones lives in Cloverdale with her husband, Marty, and her 3 children, Judah, Myah and Joshua. She graduated from university with her Bachelor of Education in 1998 and specializes in teaching French as a second language. She is currently the Grad language teacher and also has a few K-9 DL students. Amy loves spending time with her children and is heavily involved with her church as her husband is one of 5 pastors at Crossway Community Church. She is very thankful to be a part of the TLA team.
CJ MacKinnon-Scott
English
 CJ is a teacher who has experienced diversity in her 20+ years of teaching. She began teaching in a Christian high school in Miami Florida, where she taught everything from French to Family Science, moved on to teaching English at Wheaton College in Illinois, after she graduated with an M.A. in Communications from there. Then she moved back to Canada, settled in Vancouver for about 10 years and tutored students in high school English until she finished her teaching degree at UBC and took a teaching position in The King’s School in Langley. In the last five years, since she moved with her husband, Steve, to Kaslo, her teaching experience expanded into international teaching in Korea, Saudi Arabia and The Dominican Republic. CJ now back in Kaslo running a picturesque B & B is very glad to have the opportunity to join the team at TLA as an English teacher and feels she has found a true niche for herself here. Plus, the commute can’t be beat!
Deanna Van Dyke
Jr. High Math & Science
 Mrs. Van Dyke has two young children at home and enjoys the time she gets to spend with them every day. She also loves Math and is excited to pass that on to her students. Mrs. Van Dyke has been teaching Math and other subjects for 6 years, and continues to enjoy the challenges it brings. In her spare time, she is an avid volleyball player, and enjoys reading a good book.
Gabriel Linder
Grad Coordinator
 Gabriel Linder met his wife Nancy while living in Mexico City working as an English teacher. He is the son of two teachers, the oldest of ten children and the father of three, Marianne, John and Monica. Gabriel is excited to be leading the grad program while still maintaining his love of teaching Social Studies with the Grade 10s and the AP World History.
Grace Ponto
Grad Adapted Program
 Grace Ponto is the teacher for the Grad Adapted Program. She has been with TLA since 2006 and has taught Home Economics and worked with K-9 home families in that time as well. Grace lives in Prince George with her husband, who is also a teacher, and her two young sons. Before TLA, Grace taught K-7 and classroom Music in two Okanagan School Districts and the Prince George school district. She is looking forward to building the Grad Adapted Program and meeting the new students coming into the program this year.
John Emmons
Science
 John is a man of many experiences! Over the years he has been: a firefighter – a marine biologist – a pastor – and a teacher.
He believes life should be lived with passion – One of his passions is science… and anything science-related.
His motto? SCIENCE ROCKS!
As a teacher at TLA for the past five years, he has combined his passion for science with his love of working with his students.
When he is not contacting students or grading papers, he enjoys hobbies such as: woodworking – exercising – visiting different cultures – and, especially, riding his motorcycle. John is the proud parent of four children and two very wonderful grandchildren (one pictured at left).
Jeff Kho
Math
Jeff was born and raised in the beautiful island city of Richmond, where he still resides. He attended Simon Fraser University where he majored in Math, and graduated with a degree in Education. He has been teaching Math at TLA since 2006. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys spending time with his family, photography, and tinkering around with computers, electronics and RC vehicles.
Karyn Rohrick
Fine Arts
 Karyn counts it a privilege to support and encourage our grad students as they develop skills in various fine arts disciplines. As a homeschooling mother of three, she also enjoys watching her own children’s creativity flourish. Karyn appreciates time with her family and can often be found hiking and enjoying God’s creation near their home in the East Kootenays.
Mary-Anne VanderHorst
Tech
 Mary-Anne VanderHorst lives in Langley with her husband Burke (who is also a teacher) and her two sons Jacob and Ben. Mary-Anne earned her BBA from TWU and her BEd from UBC. She taught for 4.5 years at a private school in Langley before she had children. Mary-Anne is thrilled to be part of the TLA Grad Program and enjoys helping students work through her courses. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, photography, running and soccer.
Sandy Lang
PE
 Although Sandy was raised in Canada, she was born in Washington State. Sandy met her Canadian husband Don, on a blind date. Shortly before they got married she moved back to Langley. They now have 4 children, whom she homeschooled for 5 years. She then taught Grade 6/7 and PE K-9 at The King’s School, which her children were also able to attend. She is now very excited to be back homeschooling again. She recently moved with her family to the Okanagan and is the home teacher for this region as well as teaching PE and Home Economics in the grad program.
Steve Borley
Jr. High
Steve Borley hails originally from rural Manitoba and eventually gravitated back to a little farm in the Comox Valley where he raises sheep, chickens, and hay. The girls of his family provide some horses to help take care of any excess hay! Steve has taught in Christian schools in Richmond, White Rock and Comox; he has homeschooled his own children at different times; and he firmly believes in the rights and responsibilities of the family to help govern the educational process. Steve’s role in TLA focuses mostly at the Jr. High level where Steve coordinates a growing program and believes in providing a challenging, interesting, and motivating educational opportunity complete with online learning and face-to-face interaction to augment the strong programs already underway in the homes.
Susanne Munro
Susanne Munro is excited to be working with some of the Catholic homeschoolers in the TLA family. Susanne taught for a number of years in the Catholic system before starting a family. Since the kids kept coming, she kept her hand in teaching by TOCing and working with some homeschool families to support their learning in English and Literature. She and her husband, Harold, have six children and live in Surrey. Susanne is looking forward to getting to know the world of wonder and learning through the homeschool programs and families.
Special Needs Program
Charles McKaig
Special Education Teacher
 A desire to help children reach their potential is what drew Charles to education 10 years ago. He enjoyed working in various Christian schools throughout the Lower Mainland. Previous to that he worked supporting adults with physical and mental challenges in the community. After graduating from Simon Fraser University, he went on to complete a master’s degree in education at the University of British Columbia. He and his wife Nicole (also an educator) live in White Rock, where they spend their time adding to their substantial film collection or taking photographs of family members.
Debi Ronneseth
Special Education Teacher
Debi has worked as a classroom teacher for more than 30 years in the public school system. She has taught kindergarten and Grades One and Two. Recently, she has been a learning support teacher focussing on literacy and numeracy working with students from Grades One to Six. Debi has also worked privately on teams supporting children with autism. She graduated from SFU with a Bachelor's Degree in General Studies and then completed the PDP program with a concentration in Early Childhood Education and Learning Disabilities. Debi has also completed a diploma in Law Education at UBC and currently is completing a Diploma in Editing at SFU. She is very happy to work at TLA with families of students with special needs! She enjoys sailing, reading and spending time with her family.
Jessica Wildeboer
Special Education Teacher
   Jessica Wildeboer graduated with her bachelor of Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies from the University of Calgary (Edmonton campus) in 2005. While studying she worked as a Special Education Assistant. Upon her university graduation, she packed her bags and went to China teaching English there for 6 months, loving it immensely. Jessica then moved to Langley, BC and put her degree (recognized as a Special Education teaching certificate) to use at an independent Christian school, also loving this too! She’s excited to now be a part of the TLA team. She feels she has a unique job outlook as she is close with a nephew with disabilities, and her baby has a moderate hearing loss. Jessica enjoys playing sports, camping, reading, and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Jenny Williams
Special Needs Coordinator
 Jenny has a passion to help families identify and support their child's unique needs and provide an environment where their children can thrive. Her heart for children with special needs led her to obtain her master's degree in special education. For over 20 years Jenny has been a dedicated teacher of special needs students in grades K-12 in both Australia, where she lived with her family for 10 years, and in Canada. She was homeschooling her two children when in 2006 she was invited to develop the special needs program at TLA, and is now the Special Needs Coordinator with a team of 5 other TLA special needs teachers. Jenny works out of her home in Abbotsford, where she lives with her husband and 2 teenage children. Her son Josh is in university and her daughter Holly is in high school. Jenny's hobbies include rollerblading, cycling, going out for coffee and running a taxi service for her teenage kids. She is excited about continuing the development of the special needs program that serves our TLA families.
Joanne Bueno
Special Education Teacher
 Joanne has three passions in life: her faith, her family, and her career as a teacher. Ever since her volunteer days at Vanspec, an organization that provides religious education for Special Needs Children, she knew that she wanted to pursue a career in Special Education. She studied English and History in her undergrad years and then completed her Bachelor of Education in Secondary English and Socials Studies and Diploma in Special Education at UBC. She has been teaching for six years in both the BC public and private school systems. She is blessed to be part of the Special Needs Team at TLA. Joanne is truly dedicated to her role as a Special Needs Teacher in providing the best possible education for her special needs students and support for their families.
Nancy Jeske
Special Needs Office Assistant
Nancy Jeske is the administrative assistant to TLA's Special Needs department, and the SEA for Grace Ponto in the Grades 10-12 GAP program. Nancy has lived on three continents, enjoying learning about other cultures and working for women's groups. Presently she travels yearly with her husband of 28 years doing workshops on leadership and special needs for those who do not have the wealth of training and printed material in their country.
Rachel Fordham
Special Education Teacher
 Rachel has recently joined the TLA team in the fall of 2008. She graduated from SFU with a Psychology degree and her teaching certificate focusing on Early Childhood Education and Special Needs. For the past nine years, she has spent time in the Christian school system as a classroom teacher and has always had a heart for the special needs students in her class. Rachel has 3 children between the ages of 1 and 5 and in the occasional free moment, she enjoys scrapbooking and cross-stitching and has been learning how to make flowers in a cake decorating class.
Val Lymburner
Special Education Teacher
 Val comes to TLA from the Surrey School District, where she was a teacher of all grades from primary to secondary, as well as Special Education. She has her Master's Degree in Supervision of Instruction and was a Vice-Principal with the Surrey District. She has a passion for students who require the extra support and understanding to feel successful in learning. Val is also very supportive of the important role that teachers play in partnership with parents in the education of their children.
Val and her husband have two daughters and two beautiful grandsons. Family is very important to her and she is very pleased to be a part of the family of TLA.
Office Staff
Candace Willis
Secretary
 Candace is on the front line at TLA, directing your calls and delighting in problem solving. True to the motto of "Family comes First", she has been involved in her own children's education in the public, private and homeschool spheres. With her 2 children grown and nest almost empty, Candace and her husband Dave enjoy entertaining guests and keeping active in the life of their church family.
Edward Hewlett
Tech Support
It was the joy of helping other students in his computer class in high-school that convinced Edward that he might enjoy teaching - enjoying computers was a given. Edward obtained his BA in History and his BEd in SS-History from UBC, spent time in Japan and New York, then returned to the Lower Mainland with his family. In his first year at TLA, Edward served as the school's English and Social Studies Specialist, Grad Coordinator, and Tech Guy. As TLA has grown and others have stepped in to take over some of those roles, Edward has been blessed with the opportunity to focus once again on one of his first loves: helping others utilize computers!
Brigitte van der Walt
Bookkeeper
Brigitte found her love for bookkeeping quite late in life. Prior to being an office person, she trained as a hair stylist in Germany and worked in Europe and South Africa. Returning to college, she graduated with a diploma in Business Computers. Enjoying the education environment, she spent 6 years as the Financial Administrator for an adult education college in Calgary. After moving to BC and working in various bookkeeping assignments, she joined TLA, it was for her as if she found her long lost family again!
In her spare time, Brigitte loves to play with her Siamese cat ‘Picasso’. Her other favorite activities are riding with her husband Gary on a motorcycle, RV touring, and kayaking.
Joy Godwin
Activities Coordinator
 Prior to having her children Joy had a successful career in Restaurant Management. Although she had planned to return to work after a short time at home, she was introduced to homeschooling knew all those plans would change. Thankfully, she found an excellent support network and began the homeschool journey in 1992. Joy began working with TLA three years ago with instructor training for 'Excellence in Writing' and since, her job has expanded to include the 'Activity Coordinator' position and more. Teaching creative writing is a natural fit for Joy as she is a hobby writer and avid reader as is the activities position where she is able to exercise her gregarious nature and organizational skills.
Book Store
Cindy Beadon
Cindy has homeschooled her children from the beginning. Now that they are getting older and more independent, she was feeling a need to go spread her wings. With working in retail and with her diploma in accounting, she was excited to take on a new challenge of running the One Stop Learning Educational Supplies Store. She enjoys working with people to help make their homeschooling experience more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Sharon Rodger
After being away from TLA for two years, Sharon jumped at the opportunity to rejoin the TLA team when an opening came available at One Stop Learning bookstore. Sharon is very much enjoying hearing familiar voices and seeing families who come in the store. She is just a phone call away to assist families with inquiries and with book orders at One Stop Learning!
Deanna Van Dyke
Jr. High Math & Science
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