STAFF
Dr. Jenny Small
DIRECTOR
Dr. Small trained as a physician in the United Kingdom, where she worked as a General Practitioner until her third son was born. When moving with her husband and three boys to Ottawa in 2010, they were led to St. Timothy’s where her older two boys spent two rich and fulfilling years. She was captivated by her first taste of classical Christian education, and was inspired by the godly community they found there. After time on the board and teaching science to Grades 5&6 students, her family moved up to Northern Ontario. Here she spent some time homeschooling her younger two boys, becoming more familiar with classical pedagogy. On returning to Ottawa in 2016, with her youngest son at St. Timothy’s, she became involved in many aspects of school life. She attends Local Church, Ottawa and is passionate about glorifying and enjoying God. Her prayer is that those around her might be inspired to do the same.
Erin McDougall
SENIOR KINDERGARTEN
Erin was born and raised in Ottawa and obtained a Bachelor of Commerce with a concentration in Information Systems and an MA in Economics at Carleton University. She worked in the fields of business operations, healthcare data research, and management consulting before leaving her career to stay home with her five children, all of who attend or have attended St. Timothy's. Erin always enjoyed working with children and volunteered with children consistently through high school, university, and beyond in programs at CHEO, Children's Aid Society, Girl Guides, and in the Children's Ministry at her church. She learned about classical education while supplementing her children's education at home, leading her to discover St. Timothy's and to join the community in 2017. She wished to inspire young students to notice the beauty in nature, areciate great stories, and to love what is true, good, and beautiful. Erin attends Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church.
Angela Richmond
GRADE 1 HOMEROOM, GRADES 3-8 ART
Angela Richmond earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts, specializing in painting and drawing, with a minor in Psychology from the University of Ottawa. She also has a background working with youth as a volunteer missionary with NET Canada (2013-14) and Catholic Christian Outreach (2015). An active member in the Ottawa arts community, Angela creates commissioned pieces for local and international clients. Her personal work is informed by her interests in the theology of beauty, the sacramental worldview, and the interior life dynamics. Angela has taught art in multiple settings, and became passionate about the classical curriculum while teaching high school art classes at Chesterton Academy of Ottawa. As an art teacher, she hopes to encourage every students' God-given creativity and give an understanding of excellent art in its historical framework. She attends St. Patrick's Basilica Parish.
Emily Martin
GRADE 2 HOMEROOM, GRADE 3 LANGUAGE ARTS
Emily has a wealth of experience in teaching to various age groups. She received an M.A. in English from the University of Ottawa in 2004. Since then she has taught writing at the University of Ottawa, has led book discussion groups and intensive reading courses with homeschooling students, and has been teaching the Literature in Western Culture course at Augustine College for several years. Emily is passionate about introducing great works of children's literature to young minds, as well as encouraging her students as they learn to enjoy reading across different subjects. She also has an interest in developing excellent writing skills which will serve the children well throughout their lives. She takes delight in steering her students towards the good, the true, and the beautiful, and helping to form their minds so that they naturally seek this out. Emily is currently attending Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church.
Aaron Beckingham
GRADES 3-4 HOMEROOM
Aaron has been a teacher and a school counsellor in the public school system in British Columbia for ten years. His undergraduate studies were in geography and history at the University of British Columbia, his Bachelor of Education degree is from Simon Fraser University, and he holds a Masters of Education (School Counselling) degree from City University of Seattle. Aaron and his family moved to Ottawa in order for his wife, Bridgid, to pursue further education. They were first drawn to St. Timothy's to pursue a classical education for their children and, fortuitously, an opportunity arose for Aaron to teach and serve here as well. He is excited to be working in a faith-based context, to share and explore openly in God's creation with his students.
Evelyn Buhrmann
GRADE 5 HOMEROOM and MATH, GRADE 4 WRITING,
GRADES 5-6 LANGUAGE ARTS
Having obtained a Bachelor of Education in Elementary and Special Education from The University of Saskatchewan and a Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology from McGill University, Evelyn has taught and consulted in various capacities in the areas of learning disabilities and educational psychology. Her enthusiasm for classical education was birthed and cultivated as she homeschooled her own three children who are now young adults. Passionate about guiding students to discover truth in God’s Word and in His world, Evelyn gratefully embraces how St. Timothy’s mission is woven through both its classical curriculum and school community to enable students to discover and celebrate truth, goodness, and beauty. She and her family attend WestVillage Church.
Dr. Jennifer Patrick
GRADE 6 HOMEROOM, GRADES 5-8 SCIENCE, GRADES 6-8 MATH
From an early age Jen knew she wanted to be a marine biologist, veterinarian or a high school science teacher. She has a BSc from the University of Guelph and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Ontario Veterinary College. She practiced small animal medicine and emergency medicine for 8 years in Vancouver, BC before moving to Ottawa with her husband and children, all five of whom have attended or currently attend St. Timothy’s. She has a passion for classical education and filling young minds and hearts with a wonder of God’s creation and the beauty that surrounds us. Her family attends Calvin Christian Reformed Church.
Dr. Michael Klaassen
GRADES 7-8 HOMEROOM, LANGUAGE ARTS and LOGIC,
GRADES 5-8 HISTORY, GRADES 4-8 LATIN
Michael has Masters degrees from the University of Toronto and the University of Pennsylvania, where he also received a PhD in Classics. Michael and his family moved back to Canada in 2006 after spending one year in Rome. He taught Latin and classics to all grades, with a focus on grades seven and eight, at the Episcopal Academy in Pennsylvania from 1995-2005, where he also served as Chair of Department of Classical Languages from 2000-2005 and was a curriculum advisor to many different grades. Fluent in Latin and Greek, he has presented numerous papers to the Classical Association of Canada meetings. In addition to his teaching duties at St. Timothy's, Michael is currently a Lecturer in Latin in the Department of Canon Law at St. Paul University, and a Lecturer in Medical Terminology at the University of Ottawa. He attends the Village International Mennonite Church in Vanier.
Oana-Maria Rusu
GRADES 1-8 FRENCH
Oana-Maria obtained a B.A. Hons. in Philology (English and French Languages and Literature) in her native Romania. She later earned graduate certificates in both Human Resources Management and in TESL/TEFL (the teaching of English as a foreign/second language) in Canada. Her studies gave her a strong foundation in the methodology of instruction of foreign languages, pedagogical grammar, language acquisition, assessment and evaluation. Before taking responsibility for the French programme at St. Timothy’s, Oana-Maria gained experience in the educational field by teaching children in after-school programmes, tutoring middle- and high-school students, serving as a teaching assistant, and teaching business English and French to employees of an international company. She has also worked as a translator/interpreter and in administration. Oana-Maria, her husband, and her two children are active members of Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church. She is keen to cultivate in her children and students not only a love of learning, but also a love of Christ.
Melissa Korte
GRADES 1-2, 5-8 PHYS ED, GRADE 1 SCIENCE
Melissa was born and raised in Ottawa, getting involved in athletics through school as soon as she was eligible. She developed a love for sport and physical activity, especially running and volleyball. She pursued her interest in physiology and sport, completing a Human Kinetics program at the University of Ottawa, followed by Teachers College. As a teacher, she seeks to encourage her students toward healthy, active living and discovering what it means to glorify God with the remarkable bodies he has given us. Melissa and her husband Stephen found St. Timothy’s as their oldest child was entering school, and have been blessed to have their three children at the school. Melissa is passionate about seeing the school grow and the long-term flourishing of the school and its students. Melissa and her family attend Rideauview Bible Chapel.
Alan Gilman
GRADES 5-8 BIBLE
Alan believes that the Bible is God's epic story—his holy, inspired and authoritative revelation of his plan to rescue a broken world. He delights in showing how God's plan of salvation begins with Abraham and his descendants, is fulfilled in the Messiah Jesus, and is expressed through Jesus' followers today. The only way to fully experience God's blessings is to understand the essential Jewishness of the Gospel. He is very happy to be teaching bible to the grades 5-8 students at St. Timothy's. Mr. Gilman has been married for almost 40 years and he and his wife Robin have 10 children. Mr. Gilman has been active in Bible teaching, devotional writing and worship leading.
Heather Lynn Smith
GRADES 1-8 MUSIC
The joys of music and of learning took hold of Heather Lynn long before she can remember. Sharing this love with students and audiences has been a passion throughout her life. She holds a BMus from the Crane School of Music, Potsdam, NY and an MMus from the University of Ottawa. She has spent over fifteen years teaching the Music for Young Children© program, raising her two children, supporting music ministry at Kanata Baptist Church and, more recently, conducting community choirs. Among her many performance experiences, with the Juno Award winning Ottawa Bach Choir. She has been thrilled to share incredible repertoire in Ottawa and venues around the world including Carnegie Hall, Notre-Dame de Paris, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Bach’s Thomaskirche in Leipzig, and the Beijing National Centre for the Performing Arts.
Matthew Larkin
GRADES 5-8 MUSIC
Matthew is a choral and orchestral conductor, concert and church organist, composer, arranger, recording artist, collaborative pianist, and educator. His Christian formation came through participation in sacred music from an early age, and the ways in which liturgical music composition and performance has informed western cultural thought, expression, and spirituality have been at the centre of his creative work. For over twenty-five years, he served as an Anglican cathedral musician, where his responsibilities to the musical training and advancement of young singers were at the forefront. Since then, he has concentrated on the development of Caelis Academy Ensemble, a concert choir and entity he co-formed in 2017, on his solo recital and guest conducting work, and he has served the congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church as Custodian of Music and Organist. He is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and an alumnus of Trinity College (University of Toronto), and the Royal College of Music. In addition to all of this, he is an avid sports fan (Go Leafs and Jays!), traveller, foodie, and reader of books on theology, art, world history, politics, and culture. He regards music-making and music education as an important form of Ministry, and is delighted to offer his work to St. Timothy’s this coming academic year.
Janine Lingrell
ADMINISTRATOR
Janine was born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta and holds a BMgt (Management Information Systems) from the University of Lethbridge. She previously worked in the high-tech sector until the birth of her eldest child. Motivated by the classical model of Christian education offered at St. Timothy's, she has been actively involved with the school since 2011, volunteering in various roles. She and her husband have two children, both who attend or have attended St. Timothy's. Janine and her family attend Calvin Christian Reformed Church.
BOARD
Dan Kaiser - CO-CHAIR
Dan is an Ottawa native and very familiar with independent Christian education. He attended a local Christian grade school, and has taught at Redeemer Christian High School for almost two decades. Dan and his wife, Trish, have been blessed to partner with St. Timothy's in educating all three of their children, and value above all the diligent and caring staff. Dan previously served a term on the Board from 2016 to 2019. The Kaiser family attends Arlington Woods Free Methodist Church
Joel Lendore - CO-CHAIR
Born and raised in Ottawa, Joel has fond memories of volunteering as a young adult at a nascent St. Timothy's on Bromley Road. He graduated from Redeemer High School as well as Augustine College, where he later served on the board. With experience in both project and property management, he currently works for a signage company in Orleans. Joel and his wife Anneke are blessed with three children, all of whom attend St. Timothy's, and treasure the opportunity to be a part of the school. The Lendores attend the Ottawa Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Josh Beattie - SECRETARY
For ten years, Josh was deeply involved in helping plant a church—first serving on the board and later joining the staff team. In his ministry roles, he contributed to many aspects of church life and helped manage a kombucha-based social enterprise that raised awareness and support for individuals facing addiction and mental health challenges in Ottawa. Josh earned a diploma in Intercultural Studies from Columbia Bible College and later became a Journeyman Electrician. He and his wife have four children — three who are currently enrolled at St. Timothy’s. He values the ecumenical spirit of St. Timothy’s and considers it a rich and welcoming community for his family. Josh and his family attend St. Mary's Parish in Ottawa.
Lucas Coelho - TREASURER
Lucas was born and raised in Brazil. He has called Canada home since 2017 and holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Ottawa along with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He currently works in business management and administration at a local signage and large-format print media company. Lucas also has professional experience in data analysis, financial reporting, database management, and workflow optimization, including work with Statistics Canada. He attends the Ottawa Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Matthew Zacharias - PARENT LIAISON
Matthew was born in rural southern Manitoba and completed a BA in Biblical Studies at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia. He went on to earn an MA in Eastern Christian Studies from Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario. He is currently self-employed in community-based rehabilitation. Matthew and his wife, Cheryl, have five children—all of whom are St. Timothy’s alumni or current students. Matthew and his family attend Annunciation to the Theotokos Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa.
David Ayer
David was born in rural northern New Brunswick and spent his high-school years in western Quebec before moving to greater Ottawa. He has completed degrees in Political Science and Education at the University of Ottawa, as well as a Materials Management Certificate from Algonquin College. He is a retired Supply Chain Manager. David and his wife, Jacqueline, have four children, and thirteen grandchildren—five of whom are current St. Timothy’s students. David has over fifteen years experience as a church bookkeeper and he and his wife currently attend Resurrection Church in Ottawa.
Hannah Brown
Hannah holds a BA from Queen’s University and a MA from Dallas Theological Seminary. She works as a psychotherapist in Ottawa and cares deeply about supporting the emotional and mental well being of her clients. Hannah and her husband, Stephen, are parents of four children who are current and future students at St. Timothy’s. They are thankful for the school’s thoughtful approach to Christian education and consider it a gift to be a part of the community. Hannah and her family attend Resurrection Church in Ottawa.