Staff Announcements
Welcome Colleagues!
Senior Leadership Appointments
Operations Management Appointments
District Appointments
Elementary Appointments
Middle Appointments
Secondary Appointments
Senior Leadership Appointments
MONICA SCHULTE | Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
Monica is happy to be joining the Abby Schools Team! She is a numbers girl, receiving her CPA, CA designation in 1997 with BDO Dunwoody in Penticton, BC. In 2001, she began her career in education as a Finance Manager and then Director of Finance in the Central Okanagan School District. Since then, Monica has been a Secretary-Treasurer in the Kootenay Lake and Saanich School Districts, only to discover that her love for numbers and focusing on the work of the Finance Department is really where her heart is. For the last six years, Monica has been the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer in the Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows School District, which confirmed that the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer role is where she is meant to be.
Outside of work, Monica loves gardening and cooking and has been putting together a cookbook of her favourite recipes for the last several years. She recently acquired an electronic keyboard and is reviving an old skill (her household is pleased that she also purchased headphones).
Monica looks forward to meeting and working with everyone in the Abbotsford School District!
Operations Management Appointments
PAM ALZONA | Administrative Assistant, Secretary-Treasurer's Office
Pam started with the district in 2019 as a casual clerical. With a background in Finance, she shifted over to the Finance Department in January 2020. She joined the Operations Management team in February 2022 as an Administrative Assistant in the Secretary-Treasurer's office.
She looks forward to making more connections and gaining more knowledge with the Operations Management team.
MARLEE BASSANI | Communications Assistant, Communications Department
Marlee Bassani joined the Abbotsford School District in 2015, serving in various administrative capacities at the school and department levels. In 2016, she was hired at the Mámele'awt Indigenous Community Centre, where she gained immense experience in event planning, communications, and administration. Over the years, Marlee developed an interest in communications and transitioned her skills to a new role in the district's Communications Department. She has been serving as a Communications Assistant since March 2022.
In her new role, Marlee supports content creation, the district's social media platforms, marketing and events, and website issues and training. She also collaborates with schools and departments on various projects. She is currently enrolled at UFV and is working towards a certificate in Public Relations to further develop her skill-set.
As an Abbotsford local and an Abbotsford School District graduate, she brings a wealth of knowledge of the organization and community. Outside work, Marlee enjoys spending time with her family and getting on the pitch to score a few goals.
STACEY HAGKULL | Senior Manager of Labour Relations, Human Resources Department
Stacey's career in HR began approximately 15 years ago when she worked as a Senior Recruiter with the Calgary Board of Education. Those two years were amazing, and as she worked her way through various HR roles, mostly in public sector settings, she always knew that she would love to get back to education in some form. She feels fortunate that her re-entry into this sector is with Abby Schools. In addition to her HR knowledge, Stacey is a trained mediator and volunteers with the local Restorative Justice organization. It's very fulfilling and simultaneously allows her to feel more connected to her community and keep up her facilitation skills.
Outside of work, she has an angsty teenager and a rescue dog. Stacey has been known to DIY her way through a few houses and lives for either fireworks or a good meteor shower in the heat of summer.
JEN ROMERO | International Program Coordinator, International Student Program
Jen joined the Abbotsford School District in 2022. She holds a BA in International Development Studies from Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg. Her professional background is quite varied. She has previously coordinated a program supporting men on day parole in the Fraser Valley to reintegrate safely into the community and has also managed a program supporting newcomers to Canada in their settlement process. As you may imagine, Jen is community-minded, and her passion is helping build stronger, healthier communities for all. She is grateful for the opportunity to continue to do so for international students here in Abbotsford.
In her current role, Jen supervises the International Student Liaison team to support international students in schools across Abbotsford.
District Appointments
ALLISON GARDNER | District Vice-Principal, Indigenous Education Department
Allison has been a passionate educator teaching Kindergarten through Grade 8, and working in the LSS Department since 2006. Allison's teaching experience is predominantly with Grade 6 and 7 students, where she enjoys finding opportunities to connect students with their personal and cultural identities and find meaningful learning opportunities in the world around us. Most recently, Allison had the privilege of working alongside teachers to create resources that nurture relationships and opportunities for teachers to weave Indigenous Pedagogy through classroom learning experiences. Allison's MEd in Indigenous Education: Truth, Reconciliation and Resurgence and GDE in Maker Pedagogy have strengthened her relationship with meaningful learning.
Allison is grateful to be a part of the education sector as she feels it has always been a part of her. Two of her ancestors were the first female Métis educators in the Red River Settlement, and she has personally wanted to be an educator since she was four years old. Allison enjoys connecting to the world around her with her family through shared adventures and stories with gratitude and heart.
Elementary Appointments
CATHY BEUKERS | Vice-Principal, ASIA North Poplar Elementary
Cathy Beukers is excited to join the amazing administration team as Vice-Principal at ASIA North Poplar this fall. She has been an educator for 28 years and brings a commitment to teamwork, social and emotional learning, early literacy intervention & equitable education.
She loves travelling, walking, cooking and spending time with friends and family. Cathy loves dogs, great wine and funny people! She cannot wait to learn alongside her colleagues as she takes on this new adventure!
JOE FREW | Acting Vice-Principal, Godson Elementary
Joe Frew grew up in the mean streets of the Fraser Valley, playing street hockey and feeding his addiction to 7-11 Slurpees. He would describe himself as athletic, warm-hearted, hard-working, ambitious and full of energy. However, whenever he tries, his children correct him by saying that he is a sports-obsessed nerd that is also an annoying morning person with a penchant for action movies and prioritizing fun over anything else.
Joe recently completed his master's degree in Educational Leadership from Western Washington University and is now very excited to be joining the administration team of the Abbotsford School District this year. He will be taking his love of school culture, equity and inclusion to Godson Elementary in September and learning how he can better serve his colleagues, his school and the community.
NERLAP SIDHU | Vice-Principal, Blue Jay Elementary
Nerlap Kaur Sidhu is a middle school teacher in public education and has recently moved into the role of Vice-Principal at Blue Jay Elementary. She teaches courses that include social studies, math, English, social justice, leadership, and social-emotional literacy. Nerlap's role as a classroom teacher, district curriculum and instruction leader, and director on a private school board has given her the opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and inspire educators. She has directly influenced the instructional practices of colleagues and continues to learn from educators across Canada and the globe. Her interests include critical social justice, critical race feminism, human rights education, and critical Indigenous education.
Nerlap designs challenging and high-support learning experiences that strengthen student identity formation. She is a passionate social justice advocate. Nerlap has taught at elementary, middle and secondary levels. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Education.
KRIS SWARD | Acting Principal, Auguston Traditional Elementary
Kris was born and raised in Mission but has also lived in Abbotsford and Chilliwack (where she currently lives). She came to the education world a little late after a starter career in municipal government, but when she finally figured out that teaching was her game, she jumped in feet first. After 12 years or so of teaching at various elementary schools, Kris transitioned into the admin world and was a Vice-Principal for five years, first with a short stint at Fraser Valley Distance Ed, then Robertson Elementary for the rest of her first year and then four years at Bernard Elementary, an inner-city school where she learned a lot of things about a lot of things! She made the move to the Principal pool in Abbotsford in April, recently covering a ten-week stint at Dormick Park Elementary. For September, she looks forward to moving into the Acting Principal role at Auguston.
When Kris is not working, she loves spending time with family and friends, travelling, reading on the couch with her dogs, kayaking, bike rides, and apparently home renovations…. or maybe that's just what takes up most of her time!
So far, every step along the way of her journey has been great fun, an intriguing learning experience and just a wild and amazing ride. Kris is excited to take on this new role at Auguston and to see what the new year will bring.
KRISTEN VOGEL | Principal, Ross Elementary
Kristen is a mother, wife and curious educator who brings a love of learning into her professional roles. She brings a wide range of experiences to her leadership and teaching roles and believes in using curiosity as the catalyst to create equity in education. She has worked in various countries and districts and has taught primary, intermediate and secondary students throughout her 25 years of teaching. Her various teaching and leadership roles have helped her understand the importance of student-centred learning and the need to hear different perspectives and embrace diversity. She also holds a passion for instilling value-focused decision-making into her practice and teaching.
Kristen holds a BA in English/Literature from Point Loma Nazarene College in San Diego, CA and an M.Ed from Vancouver Island University. She has just completed the Transformational Educational Leadership Program at UBC with Linda Kaser and Judy Halbert. Kristen enjoys the outdoors, travelling, reading and a good laugh.
ANDREA WILDEMAN | Vice-Principal, Sandy Hill Elementary
Andrea started her teaching career as a TOC in Abbotsford in 1999. In 2001, she received a continuing contract at Aberdeen Elementary, where she taught grades 4 to 7 for twenty years! She considers herself a life-long learner, and she constantly looked for ways to improve her practice during those years. She also found herself drawn to leadership roles within the school and educational community. These roles have included leading collaboration teams, heading inquiry-based learning groups, presenting teaching strategies during professional development sessions, as a member of the School-Based Team, and being a teacher in charge.
Andrea grew up in Mission and currently lives in Langley with her husband and two sons. Her youngest son is almost 16 and attends Langley Secondary School. Her oldest has just turned 19 and is in the environmental science program at SFU. In her spare time (when she has some!), she loves to garden, read, and watch an inordinate number of cooking shows.
Andrea had always planned on getting her master's, but there always seemed to be something more pressing, saving for a home, kids, childcare, the works. Finally, in 2020, she decided to go for it and completed a master's degree in educational leadership. Her journey into the administration world has been long and winding, but she has learned many valuable lessons about collaboration, inclusion, diversity, and kindness along the way.
Middle Appointments
BEN KRUGER | Vice-Principal, Abbotsford Middle School
Ben Kruger is the new Vice-Principal at Abbotsford Middle School. He has taught for the past 20 years in Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. He worked as a teacher in Northern BC for six years in various roles, including industrial education, Indigenous Support, and Head Teacher of a K-11 rural school. He has worked in the Abbotsford School District for the past 14 years at Aberdeen Elementary, Bakerview Center for Learning, and Clayburn Middle School. He has a BA in Kinesiology from Trinity Western University and an M.Ed in Counselling Psychology and Leadership from the City University of Seattle. Through the shifting needs of our time, he has implemented individual and school-wide interventions to address the needs of students, teachers, and families in key mental health areas such as anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, identity formation, and self-regulation.
His passion lies in increasing equity and inclusion for all learners, including our most vulnerable populations. He is also a dedicated coach and most recently led the Clayburn boys' rugby team to victory at the Fraser Valley Championships.
ELIZABETH SMOES | Vice-Principal, Colleen & Gordie Howe Middle
Elizabeth was raised and educated in Abbotsford and is a proud product of the Abbotsford School District. She has been an educator within Abbotsford since 2005 at both the secondary and middle levels. Her experience spanned both secondary as a classroom teacher and, more recently, at the middle school as a Learning Support Services teacher for the past five years. The opportunity to serve as an Acting Vice-Principal at Howe Middle School for parts of the past two years has offered her new experiences and opportunities.
Currently, her interests include kayaking, camping, and water sports at the family beach house with her four children and spouse. She is looking forward to the upcoming year with its challenges and opportunities!
REBECCA (BECKY) TOEWS | Vice-Principal, Abbotsford Traditional School
Becky began with the district in 2002 and had a variety of short teaching contracts at several schools. In 2010 she started at ATSS where she taught English for 11 years. In October of 2021, she jumped into the role of acting Vice-Principal at Abbotsford Senior and in January 2022, she moved into the position of Vice-Principal of both Abbotsford Traditional Middle School (ATMS) and Abbotsford Traditional Secondary School (ATSS), now officially Abbotsford Traditional School (ATS). Outside of school, Becky enjoys spending time with her family and being amongst the trees.
Secondary Appointments
BRENT SCHROEDER | Acting Vice-Principal, Rick Hansen Senior Secondary
Brent Schroeder is an Acting Vice-Principal who takes a relational leadership approach in his work with students, families, and staff at Rick Hansen Secondary School. Brent believes that learners thrive in school environments that keeps them - their needs, their voice, their passions, and their wellness - at the center of its mandate. Before his current role, Brent taught chemistry and later worked as a counsellor at both the elementary and secondary levels in various schools across Vancouver, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford. In addition to his work in the school district, Brent is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. He is the owner, manager and lead therapist in a community-based counselling practice which provides counselling services for children, adolescents and adults in Abbotsford, BC.
Outside work, Brent enjoys a busy family life with his amazing wife and three wonderful children. They particularly enjoy spending summers at the lake and camping together. On the rare occasion that Brent gets spare time to himself, you might find him singing and playing guitar or piano. If not, he might be hiking or kayaking in the cedar strip kayak he built with his dad.