HEAD OF SCHOOL

Mark Renie

Mark has a BA in Sociology and Labour Studies from York University, a PGCE from Sunderland University, and an MEd in Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development from the University of Toronto. More recently, he received his Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

Mark has over 20 years of experience in education, several of which have been in leadership positions in international schools in South East Asia and China. Through his roles as an educator and school leader, he has deep knowledge of developing and implementing curricula ranging from the IB PYP and IB DP to the National Curriculum of England, the Cambridge IGCSE and and the Shanghai Formed Curriculum.

Mark believes that the way forward in education is to ensure that the learning approach is student-centred, engaging and experiential, including the use of technology. As a leader, he envisions a collaborative process for the entire staff, which empowers everyone to co-create a learning ethos where students can thrive and attain their true potential.

Admissions & Communications Director

Jasween Gill​

Originally from the UK, Jasween joined OWIS when the school had only 120 students. What drove Jasween to OWIS was seeing the school place children first, championing open communication and having such strong core values – all of which remain true to this day.

Head of Early Childhood & Primary School

Karel van der Linden

Half-Dutch and half-Thai by origin, Karel grew up in the UK. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Economics from the UK, and he has also completed a Postgraduate Course in Primary Education, provided by the West London Partnership. He has received extensive training in the IB approach as well as in child safety. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Educational Leadership online at the University of Leicester.

Karel has over 17 years of experience in teaching and school leadership in schools in the UK and at an international school in Bangkok. He entered the teaching profession by what he calls an accident – he joined a school to get some work experience right after college and never looked back after that.

Karel believes children learn best when they are seen, heard and valued. He encourages students to take ownership of their learning and actively participate in collaborative and hands-on activities.

Having recently relocated to Singapore to lead OWIS’ Primary School, Karel is looking forward to getting to know our diverse school community. Aside from work, he enjoys spending time with his baby daughter, collecting vinyl records, playing video games, and reading comic books and anime.

Head of Secondary School

Dr Tracy Ghomashchian

Tracy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Graphics Technology from Glasgow Caledonian University, and then completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Management & Leadership from University of Strathclyde, UK. Tracy has also earned her Doctorate in Education from The University of Dundee, UK, specialising in supporting schools to embed high-quality learning and teaching with technology.

Tracy embarked on her career in education as a teacher of Design Technology in Scotland. She then transitioned into school leadership and managed art, design and creative arts departments, before moving up to leading Secondary School. She has worked for a number of years in international schools in Malaysia and China.

At OWIS, she looks forward to using her rich experience in school leadership to create outstanding academic standards across the school and nurture our school values of compassion, diversity and inclusivity.

Senior Coordinator – Teaching and Learning, Secondary School

Angelo Govender

Angelo is originally from Cape Town, South Africa. He holds a degree in Master of Arts in Education from Sheffield Hallam University, Adv Certificate in Education (Technology) and National Professional Diploma in Education from North-West University, International Diploma in Computer Electronics, hardware and Network Engineering from NCC Training College and Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers from Cambridge University.

Angelo’s passion is to share his knowledge with the future leaders of tomorrow. His goal is to create knowledgeable, caring students who will one day go out into the world and make a positive difference in the lives of those they are surrounded by and in the communities surrounding them.

Angelo decided to become a teacher so that he could make a difference and inspire young people to make good life choices.

Angelo looks forward to sharing his knowledge and experience with those he is privileged to be working with and he plans to continue to share his passion for science and technology with his students. Further to this, he aims to instil and develop key core values such as kindness, compassion and empathy that will always keep students grounded.

Angelo loves the ocean and enjoys visiting islands!

Senior Coordinator – Pastoral Care, Secondary School

Catherine Adler

Catherine, who we all know as Katie, was born and raised on the East Coast of Canada. She has a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. She then completed her Graduate Diploma in Education (Major in English, Minor in Humanities) from Edith Cowan University in Australia, and she spent the subsequent 15 years in the country garnering valuable experience as an English teacher, a Head of Department and other school leader roles.

Upon relocating with her family to Singapore, Katie was drawn to OWIS’ values of kindness and being “One with the World”. She believes every child is unique and should be given a chance to be understood – once they feel understood, children will bloom and display their talents in various ways.

Katie loves trying different cuisines from around the world and enjoys traveling.

Senior Coordinator – Teaching and Learning, Early Childhood & Primary School

Rashmi Tourani

Rashmi Tourani has a passion for words. She earned her Bachelor’s in English from the City University of Hong Kong, Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Hong Kong, and Master’s Degree in Literary Arts from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Rashmi’s teaching experience spans over six years at prestigious international schools. Her expertise includes Secondary and Primary English study levels.

Children benefit from an effective learning environment that stimulates and nurtures individual growth. This is where Rashmi steps in to help students grow. She advocates excellence in communication and encourages students to build lasting relationships and a passion for life-long learning.

This is why she chose to join OWIS. She believes in the OWIS approach to learning and believes the individual study methods employed in our curriculum enable students to achieve the highest standards possible. Collaboration is key to retaining information, and the group study programmes help nurture this in young children.

Rashmi loves exploring new countries, cultures, and cuisines, as long as the menu doesn’t include seafood. An avid fitness guru, Rashmi loves dancing and yoga. Her love for words is evident in her reading style. When not teaching or exercising, you will find Rashmi reading her favourite historical novel.

Senior Coordinator – Pastoral Care, Early Childhood & Primary School

Prem Kumar Rajoo

Kumar is a Singaporean who has been serving as an educator for the past 13 years. He holds a Diploma in Education from NIE, Singapore, and a Degree in Social Sciences (Counselling) as well. In his time as a teacher, he has received the Caring Teacher Award and was a finalist for the MOE President Award for Teachers. He has held several roles in school leadership in both MOE and international schools.

Kumar believes that every student can learn, and it is the job of every teacher to guide students toward being their best selves. By helping students take ownership of their learning, children learn to be independent and confident.

Kumar was inspired to become a teacher by his former teachers, who showed kindness towards students and passion for making a difference in the lives of others. At OWIS, he looks forward to journeying with different individuals whilst imparting and co-constructing knowledge.

Kumar enjoys spending time with his children, exercising, and being out at the beach with his family in his free time.

IB PYP Coordinator

Nur Syahdiqin Ismail

Syah is a Singaporean, but she was born in Japan. Her upbringing in four countries nurtured her adaptable, cosmopolitan nature and open mindset. Being an international school student who did the IB DP spurred Syah’s passion for the IB curriculum. This led her to obtain her Master of International Education from the University of Melbourne, specialising in the Primary Years Programme. She also holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Care from Singapore Polytechnic and a Diploma in Educational Studies from College of Teachers (UK).

Over the course of her career, Syah has taught various curricula, including the UK’s EYFS, Reggio-Emilia approach and the Singapore NEL framework. She has over 10 years of preschool and elementary level teaching experience in international and local school settings. Syah has also worked with English as Additional/Second Language learners and is familiar with their unique needs in the classroom.

Syah strongly advocates for learner-centric curricula that encourage self efficacy and self regulation, and which allow children to uncover their natural abilities, talents and interests. She constantly seeks to expand her knowledge and skills through personal and professional initiatives.

Early Childhood Coordinator & Early Childhood 3 Teacher

Nur Suhaili (Lyn) Ghapar

Lyn is originally from Singapore. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Care & Education – Teaching from Seed Institute.

Lyn has a lot of experience working with young children and loves her job. She sees all the children she works with as beautiful individuals and is happy to see them learning through play and through social bonding. She believes in creating a lifelong love of learning in her students and seeing students develop on all levels.

In her free time, Lyn loves watching movies and cooking.

IB Diploma Programme Coordinator

Sanhita Roy

Sanhita hails from Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, in India. She holds a Master’s Degree in Geography from Banaras Hindu University and Bachelor’s Degree in Geography from Calcutta University and an IB DP CAT1 Training for Geography Certificate from IB.

Sanhita has several years of experience teaching secondary students. She has also been a level coordinator for senior grades and head of the exam department previously in another school.

Sanhita believes that all students are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they grow physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. In other words, a safe environment where they can share their ideas and take risks. After covering her insights on various topics, she frequently facilitates discussion among the students to help them understand each other’s perspectives.

Sanhita wishes to make a difference in as many students’ lives as possible through academic values and important life lessons.

Her favourite food is Biriyani and she loves music and dancing!

Early Childhood 1 Teacher

Shey Ann Asuncion

Shey Ann is from the Philippines. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Education. She has also earned her Cambridge International Certificate in Teaching and Learning.

Shey Ann has five years of experience teaching young children at the preschool level in both the Philippines and in Singapore. She believes in inculcating the core values of early childhood education through classroom activities and programmes. She is also skilled in setting up a learning environment that is conducive to developing curiosity and inquisitiveness in young children.

In her free time, Shey Ann enjoys going for a massage, doing yoga, visiting cafes and having fun in an amusement park every once in a while.

Grade 1 Teacher

Samurdhi Rupasinghe

Grade 1 Teacher

Syahira Chishty

Grade 1 Bilingual Teacher

Julie Moran

Grade 1 Teacher, Grade 1 Coordinator

Neha Kaprani

Neha Kaprani has earned her BA honours in Sociology and ECCEd from ORT India (London). She is currently pursuing a Masters in International Education from the UK.

She has over 18 years of experience in the field of education. With her knowledge of the IB, she was promoted to the role of PYP Coordinator in her previous school, where she worked for 10 years.

Neha is proud of her profession and strives to be a motivated, passionate, proactive teacher. She enjoys developing and implementing lucid methods of teaching that encourage curiosity and interest in students, as well as self-resilience and confidence.

She is looking forward to building her relationships with her students, parents and colleagues at OWIS. She works best in collaboration with others and looks forward to sharing great ideas and learning new and innovative skills from her colleagues at OWIS.

Neha enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with her family in her free time.

Grade 1 Teacher

Manpreet Kaur

Grade 1 Teacher

Ann Patteri

Ann moved around a lot when she was young, staying in India and the US before settling down in the sunny island of Singapore, which she is happy to call home. Ann has a Bachelor of Arts (English) degree from University of London, Goldsmiths College and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Nottingham.

Ann firmly believes that children learn best when they are happy and feel accepted. She aims to create a classroom environment that allows children to feel safe to take risks and grow into their potential. She believes in the power of books and performance and incorporates both into her class teaching.

Ann looks forward to teaching children of various nationalities at OWIS and has been inspired by her teachers at school, who never gave up on her.

Ann enjoys watching movies, going out with her friends and tasting different cuisines in her spare time.

Grade 2 Teacher

Azura Aziz

Grade 2 Teacher, Grade Coordinator

Fiona Watson

Fiona who is originally from Northern Ireland graduated from University of Brighton with a BA (Hons) in Physical Education with QTS. She has been working as an educator for the last 20 years and has taught across various subjects at all age levels, from Early Childhood through to Post 16, in both England and Northern Ireland.

Upon moving to Singapore, 8 years ago, Fiona has been teaching primary level in an international setting. She is currently developing her teaching career by undertaking a Diploma in Special and Inclusive Education.

Fiona is passionate about inclusive education and believes that every child belongs in a classroom community learning alongside each other and can benefit from an individualised approach to learning.

Fiona has 2 young daughters who keep her very busy! Fiona enjoys reading, travelling with her family and has a love of sport.

Grade 2 Teacher, PS CAS Coordinator

Angeline Swee

Angeline has over 20 years of teaching experience in both local and international educational institutions. She is a Singapore trained teacher in both local and international schools in Singapore. She has also taught in International schools in Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. Angeline has experience teaching the Singapore, British, and Australian Curricula, and has taught students from Year 1 to 12 with a broad spectrum of learning abilities and needs. Previously, she had taught IELTS, IGCSE and WACE programme to students from diverse backgrounds to prepare them for their further studies to Australia, Canada, the UK and US.

Angeline completed her Masters of Education with the National Institute of Education (Singapore) and has been keeping up with the latest development in education. Working in different countries has allowed her to interact extensively with learners from diverse backgrounds.

Angeline is happy to be teaching at OWIS which encourages teachers to enhance students’ learning experience and give them a strong foundation of learning to reach their full potential.

Angeline is a firm believer in holistic education and inculcating good values. She wants her students to be independent learners, problem solvers and critical thinkers with integrity and kindness to make a difference in the world.

Grade 2 Teacher

Devika Bhutani

Devika started off in advertising in India, but was drawn to a career in teaching after finding joy in being actively involved in her daughters’ educational journeys. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Education with a specialisation in PYP from the University of Melbourne, a Postgraduate Certificate in the IB Primary Years Programme and a Cambridge International Certificate in Teaching and Learning.

Having taught children from Nursery to Year 5 in International schools in India and Singapore, her style of teaching is an amalgamation of the different curricula she has been part of, including both the Cambridge Primary and the PYP.

As a teacher, Devika understands that every child has a unique learning journey and she cherishes being a part of this both as a facilitator and observer. It also gives her immense pleasure to interact with students of different age groups and cultural backgrounds to share their enthusiasm. She believes that ‘when one teaches, two learn’.

She is excited to be a part of such a dedicated, competent team at OWIS and to contribute towards the holistic growth of her students. The teaching and learning environment generated by the PYP at OWIS provides numerous opportunities for creativity, initiative and personal growth.

Devika likes spending time with her daughters outside of school. She also enjoys experimenting and making her own creations through cooking, baking, sketching and painting.

Grade 2 Teacher

Treeconica Sapra

Grade 3 Teacher

Munmun Ray

Munmun is from Puri, India. She has a Master’s Degree in Accounting from Utkal University, India, and a Master’s Degree in Education from Monash University, Singapore. Her love for learning led her to start teaching in 2011.

Munmun firmly believes that teaching should be fun and learner-centric. She strives to nurture her students’ interest in learning by promoting their creative thinking and stirring up their natural curiosity.

At OWIS, she looks forward to creating a learning environment that is engaging, challenging and caters to the need and potential of each student. She brings her fun-loving, hardworking and creative nature to every class.

Having relocated from the USA six years ago, Munmun lives with her husband and daughter in Singapore. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, biking and kayaking.

Grade 3 Teacher

Grace Altarejos

Grace is from the Philippines. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from De La Salle University and a Master’s Degree in Literacy Education from University College London.

Grace has been teaching for nearly 9 years, focusing on both the early and primary years. She has experience with various globally-recognised curricula in international schools in the Philippines, England, Japan and now, Singapore.

Her vision as an educator is to provide students with confidence in their abilities and lifelong skills that will nurture and inspire them towards achieving their individual potential. She believes in encouraging them to make a difference in their own way.

Grace strongly identifies with the OWIS philosophy of being kind and understanding. She feels kindness is best taught by committed adults who consciously ingrain lessons on kindness in every activity and interaction the child experiences.

At OWIS, Grace is looking forward to productive discussions with like-minded educators who share the same vision of promoting meaningful learning. She is also eager to learn new things from her students. In her free time, Grace enjoys having a good meal and spending time with loved ones.

Grade 3 Teacher

Vidhi Mamtani

Originally from India, Vidhi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and she has also completed her Postgraduate Studies in Human Development and Childhood Studies. Further, she has a Specialist Diploma in Specific Learning Differences from the Dyslexia Association of Singapore and she has also pursued a course on Disability Inclusion in Education from the University of Cape Town. Her diverse teaching experience spans more than nine years across various schools in India and Singapore.

Vidhi sincerely believes diversity in the classroom should be respected and valued. She aims to provide creative and stimulating experiences to help learners shine in their own unique way and achieve their true potential. In her classroom, students are nurtured to grow into independent and confident individuals.

Vidhi chose OWIS because diversity is very important to her. At OWIS, students and teachers come from all over the world, representing many cultures and countries.

Vidhi enjoys playing golf over the weekends. She also loves to travel to different countries so that she can explore their culture and traditions.

Grade 3 Teacher, Literacy Coordinator

Rachel Holmes

Rachel holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Primary Teaching. She is experienced with meeting the diverse needs of students in her care.

Originally from the UK, Rachel has been teaching for thirteen years. For nine years, she taught the British curriculum in UK schools which included six years as Head of department. She has also taught international students in Russia and Malaysia.

As a classroom educator, Rachel encourages independent learning and fosters an environment to facilitate this. She enjoys creating resources and activities which enhances students’ deep understanding of concepts. She is dedicated to ensuring that students are enthusiastic about their learning and try their best. Rachel finds that becoming a teacher at OWIS is an amazing opportunity for her to join with other staff and pupils to create a wonderfully diverse and friendly school community.

Rachel is a mother of one which takes up most of her time! When she gets a moment, she enjoys reading contemporary and classic literature, drawing, painting and using mixed-media. She also enjoys visiting new places, and meeting new people.

Grade 3 Teacher

Irum Shah

Irum is originally from India and moved to Singapore in 2017 from Shanghai, where she lived for 10 years. Irum has a Master’s Degree in Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of Kashmir, India.

She also holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education from the Institute of International Teachers Training, India. She has a TEFL certification from Jioa Tong University, Shanghai, China and a diploma in Intensive Chinese Language course from Shanghai Maritime University, China.

Irum believes that children are very resourceful and her job as a teacher is to facilitate their learning by allowing them to follow their curiosity and enquiring nature. She believes in giving her students a voice and ownership of their learning. She strives to create a learning environment for students where they build critical thinking and cognitive skills, make connections, reflect and achieve their personal and social goals.

Coming from a family of educators, Irum’s mother inspired her to be a teacher. As the Head of High school, Irum’s mother taught her to always practice kindness and be a lifelong learner. Irum believes that teachers have the power to change the world by creating responsible global citizens.

Irum has three beautiful daughters and enjoys reading, travelling and photography.

Grade 3 Teacher, Grade 3 Coordinator

Ekta Sabharwal

Ekta holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Education from India, an International Educator’s Certificate for IB Qualification from University of Windsor in Canada and is currently pursuing an English Diploma from London Teacher Training College.

Ekta has been teaching for more than 16 years and has taught at various international schools in Singapore for the last 9 years.

Ekta firmly believes that teaching is a learning journey and teachers who demonstrate curiosity, generosity and reflective thinking encourage students to achieve their goals. She strives to motivate students in ascertaining their inner strengths and discovering what truly inspires them. She encourages students to learn more actively and independently by nurturing a curiosity that goes beyond the formal curriculum, and a love for learning that stays with them through life.

Ekta is excited to be a part of OWIS family. She likes the culture of kindness within the school and feels that small acts of kindness can change the world. She strongly believes in inquiry as a leading pedagogical approach here which helps students understand how they learn best so that they become lifelong learners.

Ekta enjoys cooking new recipes and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves dancing and listening to music.

Grade 3/4 Bilingual Teacher

Juan Zhao

Grade 3 Teacher

Anina Joseph

Anina holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Delhi University, India. She spent most of her life in Delhi with her family and taught in a primary school there for more than three years.

Anina believes that each child brings unique strengths and has varied learning styles. This helps each one of them to thrive and grow in different ways. It is her desire to create a learning environment where students are free to share their ideas, express their views and take risks, so they can meet their full potential.

As a child, Anina felt her traditional schooling did not provide the resources for her to grow as an individual. So, she decided to become a teacher to enable the changes she would like to see in education. In her time at OWIS, she looks forward to practising teaching where she can make a difference in the lives of children.

In her free time, Anina loves to make art, take care of the garden and spend time with family.

English Teacher, Grade 3/4 Bilingual Programme

Nina Basra

Grade 4 Teacher

Buvaneswari Chitty (Buna)

Buna is from Singapore. She graduated from Temasek Polytechnic in Electronic Engineering and then received her Diploma in Education with Merit from the National Institute of Education. She has been professionally involved in primary education for about twelve years. Her philosophy of education is that when learning is made fun and exciting, students retain information better because the process is enjoyable and memorable.

Buna always wanted an opportunity to make a positive difference, and she has found that opportunity in teaching. When students or parents tell her how much they appreciate what she’s done, she feels great happiness. While working at OWIS, it’s her goal to positively impact her students and help them engage in lifelong learning through creative and engaging lessons.

She says that every day of her teaching career has been memorable. However, when asked to remember a particularly memorable teaching moment, Buna recalls a time when a student gifted her a pen and said she was the reason that he could write well.

Buna has a special love for antiques and flea markets. In her free time, she enjoys refurbishing antique furnishings and giving them a new lease of life. Her other hobbies include beading, painting and gardening.

Grade 4 Teacher

Mallika Sinha

Mallika is from India. After pursuing degrees in Mathematics and Economics and embarking on a corporate career, she quickly realised her passion lay in empowerment of children and continuous learning. She switched to teaching and, at the same time, earned her relevant university qualifications in the field of education.

She now has over eight years of experience in teaching students in the Primary Grades. She believes it is her mission to help children experience new things, keeping in mind that they are on the path of becoming experts. Her priority is to create a safe, fun-filled, positive and collaborative classroom environment where students are welcomed at the door with a smile.

In her time at OWIS, she looks forward to being a part of the dynamic and inspiring team who work towards the school’s mission of creating inquiring, compassionate and reflective lifelong learners who respect all cultures and care for the world. In her free time, she enjoys singing and she is a trained Indian classical dancer.

Grade 4 Teacher

Preeti Shetty

Preeti is originally from India, and she was born and brought up in the City of Dreams, Mumbai. Singapore has been her home for 12 years now. She holds a Bachelors in Education and a Masters in Science in Zoology, specialising in Animal Physiology. She has taught both kindergarten and primary school levels in Singapore.

Preeti’s teaching philosophy is to make learning relevant and relatable. She truly believes that learning becomes more enjoyable when theory becomes one with real life. Preeti believes that children are the nucleus of our society. They are our future, and they deserve to be treated with kindness, empathy, a lot of care and with the utmost respect.

At OWIS, Preeti looks forward to forging a strong bond with the children and her colleagues. The school’s philosophy of kindness aligns well with her own, so she knows that she is in the right place.

In her free time, she loves to read, bake and crochet.

Grade 4 Teacher

Rebecca Petersen

Rebecca hails from the USA. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Finance, a Teaching Certificate and a Master’s Degree in Education with a research emphasis. She also earned a TEFL 5 Diploma to position herself to help young English language learners better. She has been teaching in Singapore for four-and-a-half years.

Rebecca loves children and firmly believes that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. She has worked with children who were removed from traditional education systems because they were failing academically and socially, only to have them reintegrate as excellent academic students with strong social skills.

When asked what inspired her to become a teacher, Rebecca says there are few things she likes more than learning, growing and developing in new ways and seeing others do the same. Rebecca looks forward to spending each day in a classroom full of curious, energetic and happy students at OWIS.

Rebecca believes that kindness is best taught by example. She has five children, one of whom is in her last year of the IB DP. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys learning new things, engaging in outdoor activities and playing the piano.

Grade 4 Teacher, Grade 4 Coordinator

Serinder Kaur

Grade 4 Teacher

Nurita Samanta Mondal

Grade 4 Teacher

Charu Tandon

Susmita Bhattacharyya

Susmita Bhattacharyya

Grade 5 Teacher, Grade 5 Coordinator

Amrita Bakhtani

Grade 5 Teacher

Preema Thomas

Grade 5 Teacher

Sakshi Singh

Grade 5 Teacher

Mathiarasi Maslamani

Mathiarasi is a born-and-bred Singaporean, used to the sunny weather and sudden, thundery showers. She has a double degree in English and English Literature and a Masters in Applied Linguistics. With more than ten years of teaching experience and seven in an international environment, she continuously seeks to hone her teaching craft to bring it to the next level.

Mathiarasi always loved to learn new things and understand how the world works, and this drove her to become a teacher. She believes that education is the best empowerment anyone can have, and she aims to teach this truth to her students.

She believes education rooted in kindness and integrity is an enhancing, self-realising and creative experience for her students. She seeks to deliver this kind of educational experience in all her classes at OWIS. She also looks forward to being part of exciting school events.

In her free time, Mathiarasi loves reading books, interacting with nature and going to the theatre. She also enjoys playing board games.

Grade 5 Teacher, Mathematics Coordinator (Primary)

Karen Brooks

Grade 5 Teacher

Ding Yuanxin (Louise)

Louise is a native of Singapore. She earned her Master of Teaching degree from Monash University. She has worked with Australian, Victorian and Singapore curricula in Australia and Singapore for more than a decade.

Louise is passionate about teaching, learning and the inclusion of all students. She believes curriculum should be built upon the student’s abilities, strengths, interests, culture and language background.

Louise chose OWIS because she strives to promote children’s agency and autonomy. At OWIS, children are given opportunities to make choices and take risks. That, combined with OWIS’s focus on building and nurturing trusting relationships with students, is entirely in line with Louise’s educational philosophies. She strongly believes in inquiry-based learning and that students are the centre of teaching and learning. Students and coworkers describe Louise as engaging, innovative and fun.

In her spare time, Louise enjoys swimming, yoga and hiking.

Grade 1 Teaching Assistant

Rajeekha Gunasekaran

Grade 1 Teaching Assistant

Thamayanthi N (Tamy)

Grade 1 Teaching Assistant

Zahidah Kamsari

Grade 1 Teaching Assistant

Siti Nurfarhanah Sidek (Hanah)

Grade 1 Teaching Assistant

Afiqah Anwar

Maths Teacher, Grade 9 Tutor

Selva Priya

Selva Priya is originally from India, where she did her Engineering degree from Bharathidasan University and her MBA from Annamalai University. She started her career as a lecturer in an Engineering College in India and subsequently moved to Malaysia and continued teaching in various colleges in Malaysia.

Selva has always been passionate about Maths and decided at one point of her career, that she would like to teach younger students. As a result, she did a Post graduate Diploma in Education from University College, Fairview and obtained an IB Teaching and Learning Certificate as well.

Selva has been teaching the IB and IGCSE curricula for the past 10 years. She is very excited to share her expertise and knowledge with secondary students and believes in student-centered learning through experiential activities.

Selva loves cooking, travelling, playing badminton and volleyball in her spare time. She is married to a software engineer and she likes to spend time with her two daughters.

Economics Teacher, Grade 8 Tutor

Harjinder Kairon

Maths Teacher, Grade 12 Tutor

Paramsheel Chaudhary

Paramsheel hails from India and has a double Masters degrees in Mathematics and Education from Mumbai University. She has been teaching secondary students for over 11 years and has a PGDEA (Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration) from Symbiosis Institute, India and has completed various Cambridge courses as well.

Paramsheel believes that teaching is a life-long process where you learn from students, colleagues and parents as well. She was selected by India’s National education board for her exemplary teaching and her students have done extremely well in Mathematics with her coaching. She was inspired to teach by her Mathematics teacher, Dr. K B Subramaniam, who was her mentor and guide.

Paramsheel loves spending time with her family, especially her two young daughters and pursuing spiritual activities in her spare time.

Chemistry Teacher, Grade 10 Tutor

Steven Tsai

Steven Tsai grew up in Hong Kong. He completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and completed his Postgraduate Diploma in Education at the University of Hong Kong. He is currently studying for a Master of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering at the National University of Singapore.

Steven taught in an IB World School in Hong Kong for four years before coming to OWIS. He served as the Head of the Chemistry Department and was in charge of the Chinese Medicine Research Centre.

Steven is passionate about science and was inspired to become a teacher because of his love of chemistry. He believes that a science teacher is a facilitator who helps students to build their critical thinking and construct scientific knowledge by themselves.

At OWIS, he looks forward to meeting students and colleagues from all around the world. He wants to learn more about different cultures.

Science Teacher, Grade 9 Tutor

Stanley Sim

Stanley graduated with a degree in Physics from the National University of Singapore. After completing his contract teaching at a junior college, he went overseas to teach at the international schools in Jakarta. He describes the experience as “irreplaceable”.

He has a deep passion for technology and is an Apple Distinguished Educator and an Apple Professional Learning Provider.

Stanley believes students learn better when they enjoy the educational process. This can be achieved through lessons that encompass teamwork, communication and creation, personalisation of learning, critical thinking and real-world engagement.

Stanley is always curious about the world and hopes to bring this sense of curiosity to his students so that they may know more about the world, too. On teaching at OWIS, Stanley looks forward to leveraging technology to bring about the most enjoyable and effective learning experiences for the students.

English Teacher, Grade 7 Tutor

Nadia Khalid Feroze

Humanities/TOK Teacher, Grade 11 Tutor

Sophia Fujino

Sophia was born in Singapore. She is currently in the final stages of finishing her Masters in Social and Cultural Anthropology from KU Leuven, a Belgium-based University.

Sophia values a robust humanities education and believes it adds value to young people and builds character. She likes to provide students with the humanistic perspective and life skills that are taught in a well-rounded humanities course. Given the precarious position where globalisation has highlighted differences in each society, Sophia believes it is essential that students understand where they stand in this global development.

She became inspired to become a teacher because she loves to quietly but sincerely connect with people, so that everyone can learn from each other.

At OWIS, Sophia looks forward to meeting students and working with colleagues. In her free time, she enjoys reading and learning languages.

PSHE Education Teacher, CCA Coordinator

Lingeswaran Gunasekaran (Lingesh)

Science Teacher, Grade 8 Tutor

Pooja Bajaj

Science Teacher, Grade 7 Tutor

Amrutha Raman

Amrutha Raman originally hails from India (Bangalore) where she earned her Bachelor’s degree and Masters degree in Microbiology from the University of Bangalore. Amrutha started her career 16 years ago as a lecturer. She has taught graduate and post graduate students and trained them in the field of Bacteriology and Industrial Microbiology. She later pursued her MBA in Industrial Relationship and Personal Management from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Affiliated to Mumbai university).

Later, Amrutha decided to slightly change her career focus as she was passionate about working with younger students and hence earned a degree in Nursery Teachers Training and Bachelor’s Degree in education.

Amrutha worked in a number of international schools in India teaching students of different age groups (Across pre primary, primary and secondary) and also worked as an assistant to a child psychologist trying to understand child psychology, while working with children with special needs.

Amrutha is excited to share her knowledge and expertise with her secondary students at OWIS. She looks forward to engaging and guiding her students to become internationally minded.

Amrutha is also a professional Indian Carnatic classical singer, a stage performer and an All India Radio artist with over twenty years experience in training students in the field of music. She loves traveling and trying authentic cuisines. Her passion to travel has taken her to various places in Asia, Europe and Africa. She enjoys physical fitness with her family and loves cycling, scuba diving, hiking, camping, playing badminton and dancing. Married to a software engineer, Amrutha and her husband are proud parents to their son, Ruthvik.

Physics Teacher, Grade 10 Tutor

Lakshmi Ganapathy

English Teacher, Grade 6 Tutor

Stephen Glover

Humanities Teacher, CAS Coordinator, Grade 11 Tutor

Suruchi Bhatia

English Teacher, EE Coordinator, Grade 11 Tutor

Jarrod Nooh

Maths Teacher

Jason Leong

Science Teacher, Head of Science Department

Mavis Quah

Mavis was born and educated in Singapore. She is proud to have a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from NUS and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programmes from NIE/NTU. She is currently completing her Master of Science in Education from the University of Glasgow, where she is learning inquiry-based pedagogy in Science and its impact on Science achievement.

Mavis was inspired to become an educator by her teachers, who never gave up on their students. She believes that when students develop a positive attitude, they are able to be more reflective and resilient in their learning. Seeing this transformation is what gives Mavis strength and motivation to keep going.

At OWIS, Mavis looks forward to learning new things. She says that it’s challenging to do things that are outside her comfort zone, but this also keeps her humble and helps her become a better person.

As an honest, helpful and grateful teacher, Mavis believes that students can be taught to appreciate the little things in life and be thankful for what they have.

In her free time, Mavis enjoys playing the violin.

Business Teacher, Grade 7

Joel Toussaint

English Teacher, Grade 8 Tutor

Peter Banning

Humanities Teacher, Grade 9 Tutor

Caroline Hooper

Caroline is originally from the United States and has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Linguistics from McGill University. She has fourteen years of teaching experience in  international schools in South Korea, South Africa, China, France and Costa Rica, and she has taught from Early Childhood to Secondary levels.

Caroline believes education is empowering and should provide students with the tools they need to engage in their communities in a political and transformative manner. She is inspired by a love of learning, but since being a professional student is not a viable career, Caroline pursued a career in the education field as the next best thing.

At OWIS, Caroline looks forward to getting to know students and building a partnership with them to support their learning. Her students describe her as understanding, supportive and dedicated. She’s excited about the school’s values of international-mindedness and respect for diversity. She believes that as the world becomes ever more interconnected, all global citizens must strive to understand each other better and celebrate their differences.

In her spare time, Caroline loves learning new things, whether by visiting museums, reading books, or meeting people. Caroline is new to Singapore but very excited to explore the country.

Drama Teacher, Grade 9 Tutor

Dario Villallobos

Humanities Teacher, Grade 6 Tutor

Shabnam Zareefi

Shabnam is a native of the United Kingdom, where she studied Religious Studies and Philosophy at the University of Kent and did a PGCE in Religious Education at the University of Bristol. She has been teaching for four years and has taught in the UK, Bahrain and now Singapore.

Her teaching philosophy is to embody openness and integrity in the classroom, enabling students to become bigger and better versions of themselves. “Decolonisation” is a central part of her teaching because it means showing a different narrative combined with the positive contributions of marginalised communities, with a more accurate depiction of the societies in which we live.

At OWIS, she looks forward to contributing further regarding diversity and the steps we take in this, as well as teaching students from many countries. She came to OWIS because of its diversity and kindness. Students describe her as kind, bubbly and patient.

In her free time, Shabnam loves playing tennis and reading. She also loves to dance and has started learning how to play the guitar.

Maths Teacher

Sathivelu Manickam

Science Teacher

Anjali Singh

English Teacher, Grade 7 Tutor

Kevin McCaustlin

Computer Science Teacher

Hardeep Kaur

English Teacher, Grade 6 Tutor

Junaidah Binte Sidik

Maths Teacher

Shilpa Arora

English Teacher

Shafiah Sulaiman Sha

Science Teacher

Rubina Pasha

ICT / Computer Science Teacher

Asawari Kulkarni

Maths Teacher

Neelimarao Gopal

Humanities Teacher and Exam Officer

Firmin Lee

Music Teacher

Yiqing Tay (Joanne)

Born and raised in Singapore, Joanne holds a Bachelors in Music (Piano) from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from UCL Institute of Education. Besides Singapore, she has worked in the UK, Germany, and Malaysia as a Music Educator.

As an educator, Joanne is a firm believer in lifelong learning and the power of music to build a community. Although the bulk of her work experience is with young learners, she grew to enjoy sharing music with the “young-at-heart” as well. Regardless of competency, making music as a community warms her soul. She often shares the fascinating sounds of different cultures and languages in her classroom.

At OWIS, Joanne is looking forward to spending quality time with the diverse cohort of teachers and students. She particularly appreciates how everyone practises kindness – an important value that is perhaps neglected in the busyness of our lives.

When she is not thinking about teaching, Joanne enjoys coffee, authentic conversations, concerts, traveling, long walks in nature, cooking experiments and practicing mindfulness

Music Teacher

Milay Baydur

Music Teacher

Erwin Angullia

Music Teacher

Malcolm McCormick

Music Teacher

Isabel Chia

Art Teacher

Yuzdhaliny Yusoff (Liny)

Art Teacher

Reshvinder Kaur

Art Teacher, Grade 10 Tutor

Yasmin Sirraj

Visual Arts Teacher

Chen Weisha

Weisha is from Qingdao city of China. She has a Master of Science in Higher Education from Walden University, USA, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Fine Art from Sunderland University, UK, a Specialist Diploma in Arts Education from the National Institute of Education, Singapore, and a Diploma in Fine Art from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore.

She has won many awards, including the Artist of the Singapore Friendship Fabric, 1st Youth Olympic Games of Singapore, Fine Art Awards from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Chinese Painting Silver Award, China, and more.

Weisha started teaching art in 2008 in Singapore. She chose OWIS because she appreciates the interaction and rapport she’s able to build with students. She loves sharing fun moments with each student and learning through fun activities. Students would describe her as fun, caring and motivated.

In her spare time, Weisha explores cafes in Singapore. She also enjoys reading and spending time with her family and her cat.

PE Teacher, Head of PE Department

Neha Thapa

PE Teacher

Nurul Faheezah Abdul Rahmi

PE Teacher

Suryakandhan Raman

Surya Raman graduated from National Institute of Education, NTU, Singapore as a Physical Educator and has been teaching in Ministry of Education schools for more than 7 years. He loves the outdoors and strives to teach PE in creative and engaging ways to all his students.

He is excited to be able to share his knowledge and expertise in sports science with OWIS students. He believes that through sports and PE, students will be able to create a positive mindset and become great individuals in society.

Surya Raman enjoys being outdoors; he is an avid surfer and is into fitness (at the gym). His forte is soccer and he plays the sport every weekend. When not active, he loves listening to music and hanging out with his friends. He is excited to be a part of the awesome OWIS community!

PE Teacher

Dini Jeffri

Modern Foreign Languages (French & Spanish) Teacher

Rubén Baños

Mandarin Teacher

Jia Qiao (Joanna)

Joanna holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching Chinese from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Bachelor’s Degree in Chinese Language and Literature from Liao Ning Normal University in China.

Joanna has been teaching Mandarin language in schools in Singapore and China for almost 11 years before joining OWIS in 2018.

Joanna believes that education is the key to success for young students. As a teacher, she hopes to motivate students in ascertaining their inner strengths and abilities and discovering what truly inspires them. Joanna aims to provide a stimulating learning environment that encourages students to trust their own opinions while fostering confidence in order for students to realise their full potential.

She has learned that if students construct their own learning experiences they will not only retain information longer, but they will also become more confident in their abilities. Joanna loves working with children and wants to continue to strive to be a positive influence in their lives.

Joanna likes being part of the OWIS team to develop independent, inquiring, lifelong learners whilst fostering internationally minded individuals within the school and wider community. She believes that these are the essential qualities needed in the 21st century and are consistent with her educational philosophy.

Joanna likes traveling, cooking and gardening.

Mandarin Teacher

Luyang Jiang (Kara)

French Teacher, Grade 6 Tutor

Helani Weerasinghe

Mandarin Teacher

XiuRen Liu (Serena)

Mandarin Teacher

JingJing Miao (Jacqueline)

Mandarin Teacher

Xun Zhou (Wendy)

Wendy holds a Bachelor of Chinese Literature degree from Singapore University of Social Sciences. She has also earned her IB MYP Educator Certificate from the University of Windsor, Canada.

Prior to joining OWIS, Wendy taught for 5 years in Singapore schools as an MOE Registered Instructor.

Wendy believes Mandarin can be a good communication skill in today’s global world. Besides developing language skills in her students, she places equivalent focus on the overall development of a student. Wendy loves to challenge students, build up their inquisitive minds through active inquiry based learning and prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

Wendy enjoys spending time reading, travelling and participating in different self-enrichment and improvement activities.

Mandarin Teacher

Yue Wang (Serena)

Serena has a Master’s Degree in Teaching Chinese as an International Language from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and she has also earned the Chinese Test Administration Certificate. Over the many years of her career, she has taught in China, Thailand, the UK and Singapore.

Serena believes it’s important to know students well to understand how they learn. She uses this knowledge of her students to adjust her teaching style to their needs, to keep all students engaged. She also considers a positive learning environment to be essential for students to realise their full potential.

At OWIS, Serena looks forward to applying her academic knowledge to practical situations in the classroom. She loves to teach students about Chinese culture, history and other interesting facts. She also looks forward to meeting teachers from different cultural backgrounds.

Serena feels that kindness and respect go hand-in-hand. Kindness is best taught to students through example. All children learn better in a safe and kind environment.

Serena enjoys travelling, playing Chinese zither, and doing Pilates in her free time.

Mandarin Teacher

Xiao Yu (Stephanie)

Mandarin Teacher, Head of Mandarin Department

Chang Liu

Mandarin Teacher, Grade 6 Tutor

Chen Wanyi

Mandarin Teacher

Bing Bai

Spanish Teacher, Grade 9 Tutor

F. Javier Calvo

PYP Teacher Librarian

Helen Eustaquio

Primary School Cover Teacher

Puja Jacob

IB DP Librarian

Mark Angilo Alceso (Gelo)

Mark Angilo, or Gelo as likes to be known, comes from the Philippines. He has a Bachelor of Secondary Education degree with a major in English from the University of the East, a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of the Philippines, and a Master’s degree in Education with a major in Measurement and Evaluation from Miriam College.

Gelo has ten years of international school teaching experience in the Philippines as a teacher and school leader. He is knowledgeable and adept with both IB and Cambridge curricula. In addition, Gelo has taught subjects like Language A, History, Geography, Business Studies and Theory of Knowledge.

Gelo believes that it’s the job of educators to expose learners to actual circumstances and challenging topics. Beyond academic mastery, this helps prepare students for the future. Therefore, he’s committed to ensuring that his students learn and develop a variety of abilities that will strengthen their tenacity.

Gelo came to OWIS because he wanted the opportunity to learn from OWIS and Singapore’s diverse community. The culture and practices of both define what international-mindedness is all about.

In his spare time, he enjoys learning to cook a variety of cuisines. He also enjoys biking.

Shweta Agarwal

Primary ICT Teacher

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Simon Walker

IB DP University Guidance Counsellor

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Semeli Siouti-Petmeza

Primary ICT Teacher

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Anitha Eddula

Laboratory Assistant

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Primary ICT Teacher

Shweta Agarwal

IB DP University Guidance Counsellor

Simon Walker

Primary ICT Teacher

Semeli Siouti-Petmeza

Laboratory Assistant

Anitha Eddula

Library Assistant

Nur Shaella Binte Abdul Ghapar

Primary School Cover Teacher

Rashmi Pradhan

Early Childhood and Primary School Cover Teacher

Tereza Raska

EAL Teacher

Sneha D’souza

Head of Additional Needs

Preeti Bhati

Preeti joins OWIS as the Head of Additional Needs. Originally from India and residing in Singapore for over 10 years now, Preeti has spent many years in the Special needs domain. She has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Special Education from the Spastics Society of India, a double Masters degree in Guidance and Counselling and Education from James Cook University, Australia (Singapore campus).

Preeti has over 16 years of experience as a teacher, remedial tutor, educational therapist and educational consultant. She has extensive experience as an early intervention and learning support specialist in various schools in India, Singapore and Bali.

EAL Teacher

Harbans Kaur

Since graduating with a Bachelor in Special Education and a Masters in English As An Additional Language,Harbans has been teaching for over 30 years now. Her roles have been diverse and they have helped her to be a flexible practitioner. She has been a class teacher, learning support teacher as well as a special needs teacher, currently specialising in EAL.

Harbans has taught at many levels from junior to secondary. Prior to joining OWIS, Harbans spent twelve years in Singapore working at an international school. She was able to pursue her love of Phonics teaching and Phonemic awareness there. Her favourite part of her work as an educator is when Harbans sees her students’ succeed and realise their potential.

At home, Harbans loves to cook and get involved with community activities.

Learning Support Teacher

Shruti Nadig

Learning Support Teacher

Beth Burnham

EAL Teacher

Janine Klop

Admissions Manager

Sherry Albergaria

Assistant Admissions Manager

Yvonne ​Khor

Hailing from Singapore, Yvonne has been with OWIS since the school’s very first 200 students. Some of the things Yvonne loves the most is meeting people from all walks of life and seeing children from every corner of the world proudly showcase their national flags on International Day.

Admissions Executive

Jessamy Herrera

Digital Marketing Manager

Himesh Sharma

Parent Liaison Officer

Delia Homan

Senior Marketing Executive

Hanisha Motwani

Manager, Business Development

Michelle Alejandrino

Communications Executive

Arati Rao

Admissions Executive

Harumi Seto

Communications Executive

Goldie Isselstein

Admissions Executive

Viola Aslaner

Admissions Executive

Malinda Vuu

Operations Executive

Lilie Imatong

Front Office Executive

Jenthy Naidu

Finance Manager

Anupam Konhar

Senior Operations Manager

Daryl Singh

Front Office Executive

Miriam Brownlie

Finance Executive

Archana Gowda

Executive, Operations Management

Neetha Prasad

Senior HR Executive

Alona Cruz

Audio Visual Executive

Parameswaran Swaminathan

Transport Liaison Officer

Jeffrey Seah

School Nurse

Annuja Dharmalingam

School Nurse

Zainab Binte Bakadool

Admin Executive

Balambika Padmanabhan

Operations Executive

Othuman Bin Abdul Kather

Executive Assistant to the Head of School

Mavis Ho

Senior Finance Executive

Anjali Srivastava