Panel Members

You are welcome to direct your question to an individual or to the panel in general. We can't guarantee that the person you address your question to will be able to answer it, but we'll make every effort to ensure your question does get answered.

Peter Istvanffy

Peter Istvanffy began his career teaching Science and Mathematics to students in grades 7 to 12. After a decade of regular classroom teaching within the public system, he chose to become a remedial reading and mathematics teacher. Peter is currently the Head of School at Calgary Academy and President and CEO of the Center for Educational Research Applications (CERA.) Calgary Academy is a Designated Special Education Private School for children Grades 2 to 12. CERA’s work is focused on teaching teachers how to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Peter’s areas of expertise are Remedial Programming, Professional Development and Organizational Analysis.

Eleonore Woehrle

Eleonore Woehrle has been in the teaching profession for 38 years, and in administration (vice principal and principal) for the past 13 years. Inner city and immigrant students are her passion and have been her focus throughout her career. The academic achievements of her school - St. Lawrence - have been noted, but of equal importance is the success her students are now achieving in secondary and post secondary schooling, as well as in the work force.

Eleonore would be pleased to offer suggestions and share expertise in the following areas: inner city schools, economically disadvantaged students, academic improvement, community partnerships, early literacy, as well as any others that might arise on related topics.

Trudy Desjardines

Trudy Desjardines attended Catholic schools in the Lower Mainland for elementary and high school. She was a charter student at Simon Fraser University, obtaining a Professional Certificate in 1970. Although Trudy was only going to teach a few years in a Catholic school, she enjoyed it so much that she never left. Trudy taught at St. Michael's School from 1970 to 1977 and then moved to Immaculate Conception School in Vancouver where she taught for two years. In 1983 she was named principal of Corpus Christi School in Vancouver. In 1989 she moved to Cloverdale Catholic School where she has been ever since.

Trudy's areas of expertise are in building professional learning communities and achieving positive school climate with lots of parent involvement.

Linda Raasveldt BSc Bed MPA

Linda Raasveldt retired in June 2005 after a 33 year career as a teacher. She was fortunate to work about half of those years with high school science students and the other half as an administrator at both the system and school levels. During the 11 years Linda worked as a high school principal, her focus centered on helping students and staff achieve high expectations in the context of an involved and supportive parent community. She has worked in small schools and large ones; with advantaged and disadvantaged communities; and, with International Baccalaureate and bilingual programs.

Linda's areas of interest include fostering a climate for high achievement in all areas of endeavour, special attention for at-risk learners, effective use of resources including sound staffing practices, and data-driven school development. She is very committed to the ideas of Jeff Howard and Rick Dufour.

Gail Ruddy BEd MA

Gail Ruddy has been an educator for almost forty years. She spent many years in the classroom teaching classes from grade one to grade nine. Gail has been a Vice Principal, Assistant Principal or Principal for the last twenty years of her career. She has worked in schools with students from kindergarten to grade twelve.

Gail has an MA in Gifted Education from the University of Connecticut and has been the site administrator in a segregated environment for gifted students, and has experience in co-ed schools and girls’ schools. She believes students must actively work to construct their own knowledge.

Her areas of experience and interest:

•	Differentiated curriculum
•	Multi-aged groupings
•	Thinking Skills
•	Working with Parents
•	Working with a Board of Governors
•	Administrative Structures

Rick Matheson B.P.E., Dip.Ed., MA

Rick Matheson brings 34 years experience as an educator, with 25 of those years as an administrator in the capacities of Community School/Curriculum Coordinator, Vice Principal and Principal. For the last 9 years Rick has been Principal of a rural K-12 school.

Rick's experience includes working with at-risk high needs students at all grade levels, first nations students, developing and maintaining a positive school climate, effective leadership and management of teachers and support staff, dress code and related issues. He also has considerable experience in the area of working with school councils, and other outside agencies. He believes in involving parents and community volunteers in the operation of a school and has done so extensively.

Linda Melnyk

Linda Melnyk has been the assistant principal of St. Francis of Assisi School for the last five years. She has taught for 35 years, working exclusively in an elementary school. The majority of her experience is in the area of working with the gifted, ESL students, and students who are struggling to read in the regular classroom.

Linda's present position allows her to make use of all of the skills that she has developed over her teaching career. St. Francis of Assisi School is an inner city school with 285 students. 142 students are self identified Aboriginal, 75 are black students from Africa and the rest of her school population is white. She believes that the make-up of her school population has created a unique school in Edmonton.

Areas of Specialty: