Sunnybrook Elementary Faculty

Irene Davy, Ph.D., Principal and Director

Our director, Irene Davy, received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Vienna. After eight years in Austria and two years in Hamilton she returned to Toronto where she soon began to work with Mrs. Hoff at Sunnybrook. Dr. Davy is a parent of three grown children. She has guided the school through many changes, including the implementation of the IB PYP.
In 2001, Dr. Davy was invited to join the faculty of the IB and she has since developed and led workshops and school visits for IB on three continents. She has participated in curriculum committees in Cardiff for the IB PYP , and is the past Chair of the Primary Years Programme Committee for the IB. She has served on the International Heads committee for IB as well as the IBNA Board of Directors. Dr. Davy is a member of the IB Board of Governors.

The SBS Leadership Team

Our director works collaboratively with our leadership team and all faculty to provide direction in the development of our programmes. All members of our Leadership Team are workshop leaders for IB. The leadership team includes:

Teralee Johnston, BA, B. eD., Vice Principal

Mrs. Johnston has been at Sunnybrook School since 1992. During those years she has taught grades 2, 3 and 6 and is currently team teaching in Senior Kindergarten. Mrs. Johnston became our Vice Principal in 1997 and is a dynamic presence in all areas of school life. She is a member of the IB Educator’s network and conducts workshops for IB, specializing in Early Childhood Learning. In addition, Mrs. Johnston coordinates and choreographs the SBS musical production every year. She is the mother of two boys, one of whom still attends Sunnybrook School.

Michael Ruffolo, BA, B. Ed., MA,IB PYP Coordinator

Mr. Ruffolo has been at Sunnybrook School since 1999 and is our PYP Coordinator. In this role he works with classroom teachers to develop curriculum, ensure cohesion in the programme, and facilitate collaborative learning amongst staff. In addition, Mr. Ruffolo communicates with IB on behalf of the school and is an experienced IB workshop leader. In his dual role, Mr. Ruffolo is our dynamic music teacher, providing a rich musical experience to all our students. He steers the school through concerts as well as the annual Musical Production.

Tanya Low, BA, B. Ed.,Curriculum Coordinator

Mrs. Tanya Low joined the SBS faculty in 1998, taught grade 2 for many years and is currently teaching our grade 4 class. In her role as curriculum coordinator, Mrs. Low is responsible for developing our language arts and mathematics programmes, ensuring skills development and enrichment in both of these areas. She is responsible for consistency throughout the grades, and guiding teachers in best practice. Mrs. Low has a significant role in assisting the leadership team in planning future directions in programme development. Mrs. Low is an experienced workshop leader for IB. She is also the mother of two boys, one of whom is currently a student at Sunnybrook School.

The Faculty 

Sunnybrook has a dedicated and highly qualified faculty. The teachers at Sunnybrook work collaboratively to create a nurturing and challenging learning environment for their students. In addition to their university degrees and teacher training, our talented teachers have received extensive training in the IB PYP, both in-service and at IB workshops.

Our faculty is a devoted group of professionals, who take pride in student learning and success. Seven members of our staff are members of the IB Educators’ Network, providing workshops and conducting school visits.

Professional Development

A core strength of our school is the time devoted to PD. In addition to weekly staff meetings and meetings with the Director, we have 12-15 full PD days each year. The week after school closes and the week before school starts are vital to our professional learning.

Important Numbers 

Administration 

Faculty