Primary School Teachers Team
Zhang Youxia
Head of Chinese, Primary School
She graduated from Shandong Normal University with a Bachelor’s Degree and is our Chinese instructor at the Primary School. Ms. Zhang has many years of teaching experience at public schools, with tenures at Shanghai Qibao Foreign Language Primary School and SVKS. Ms. Zhang has had a long and decorated career, having won numerous academic awards, including the Municipal Outstanding Teacher’s Award, Municipal Outstanding Treatise Award, First and Second prizes, District Teaching Competition Second Prize, and DTD Excellent Teacher’s Awards. “I shall become a ray of sunshine, beaming light and warmth to students, and a wisp of spring breeze, carrying with it affection and fragrance.” This has been Ms. Zhang’s motto, guiding her every step of the way throughout the 23 years of a distinguished and dedicated teaching career. To her, teaching and learning are part of a never-ending process, and there is still a long way to go.
Sarah Cai
Chinese Subject Supervisor, Head of Mathematics, Primary School
Graduated from the University of Turku with a master’s degree, Cai Manhua has been engaged in first-line teaching of mathematics for 21 years and currently teaches third-grade mathematics. Her class is lovely, interesting and rational, which means encouraging every student to know how the math knowledge comes, to feel the interest of learning math and to gain a sense of achievement, so that they will fall in love with math and study.
STEPHEN MICHAEL CHAMP
Homeroom teacher
Graduated from Trent University with a bachelor’s degree in English and Cultural Studies. He has been worked in 4 countries for more than 12 years. He joined our school in 2021 and is currently serving as a primary homeroom teacher.
Gan Tingting
G1 Grade Leader，Primary School
Joined VKBS in November 2020 as a Grade One homeroom teacher. Prior to that, she was a homeroom teacher in the USA. She is a certified teacher. After she completed a Master in Education at The University of Bristol in the UK, she gained K-8 Standard Professional Elementary Teacher and 6-12 Subject Matter Standard Teaching (English) certification in the USA. Her secret to build an orderly, dynamic, and safe learning environment is to make sure every child knows the importance of discipline while feeling loved.
Sarah Shan
G2 Curriculum Coordinator
Graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a master degree in education and have been practicing and exploring teaching in cross-cultural environments for a long time. So far, she has been engaged in bilingual education for five years. At present, she is an EAL teacher in primary school and a coordinator of English courses in Grade Two. During the time when she stays with the students, it has always been her top priority to respect their nature and personality, focus on their all-round development, and cultivate their sense of responsibility and self-confidence.
Vivian Shi
G3 Curriculum Coordinator
Graduated from University of Delaware in MA TESOL and published lesson plans in the United States during her master’s program. She has been an EAL teacher at primary and middle school for 7 years. In the past, she worked at schools that implement IB and commoncore standards. At VKBS, she works closely with teams, and integrates different standards into VKBS own curriculum. As a teacher, she was titled as Senior Teacher many times in her teaching career. Ms. Shi’s motto is Every child is so unique that a teacher must be dedicated to inspring his or her unlimited potential. She is always close to her students and try to create a safe and comfortable learning environment for them. To see them grow happily is the motivation for her to be a teacher.
Penny Shen
Grade Leader of High Grades, Primary School
Graduated from Ningxia University with a master’s degree in pedagogy. As the primary school group leader of high grades, she is responsible for the homeroom management of Chinese and foreign teachers. At the same time, she is also a homeroom teacher of the fourth grade. In moral education, she has always been adhering to love, patience and responsibility to students. At present, she has 7 years of experience in mathematics teaching. She is full of enthusiasm and skills in teaching. She can better grasp the classroom learning resources of students, fully respect and trust students, and realize efficient classroom teaching.
Miao Miao
Vice Director of Curriculum Center
Graduated from Shanghai Normal University with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in Chinese Language and Literature. She is a senior Chinese teacher in primary school who is currently the vice director of the curriculum center. During her 36-year career as a teacher, she spared no effort to teach students and enrich herself. She has won the love of students, the recognition of parents and the praise of colleagues due to her solid professional knowledge, noble moral cultivation and silent dedication.
Clara Xu
Chinese Core Teacher, Primary School，Supervisor of Teaching and Research Office
Graduated from Tongji University with a bachelor’s degree. As a primary school Chinese core teacher and first-grade teacher, she has 11 years of teaching experience in public and private schools. She has participated in recording Shanghai’s classroom in the air, and the lessons she taught were selected as national K-12 education excellent courses. She has won the first prize in the young and middle-aged Chinese classroom teaching evaluation at the district level and the honorary titles of “famous teacher” and “excellent head teacher” of the district.
DANIEL MILLER
Homeroom teacher
Graduated from Heriot-Watt University with a master’s degree in Energy science. He joined the school in 2020 and is currently serving as a primary homeroom teacher.
JOSETTA MARIE SHIPPS
Homeroom teacher
Graduated from Harris-Stowe State University with a bachelor’s degree and National Louis University with a master’s degree, both majoring in education. At least 5 years OF experience in music and spoken language teaching in American public schools. She joined the school in 2017 and is currently serving as a primary homeroom teacher.
Larry Miller
Homeroom teacher
Graduated from University of Edinburgh with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a TEFL qualification holder. He graduated from University of Nottingham with a master’s degree in Education. He joined our school in 2021 and is currently serving as a primary homeroom teacher.
ANTHONY RINCON
Homeroom teacher
Graduated from the University of San Diego with a master’s degree in education. He joined the school in 2019 and is currently serving as a primary homeroom teacher.
Sue Wang
Homeroom teacher
She graduated from the State University of Creonta, majoring in Children Education. Dedicated and engaging with strong leadership and communication skills, Ms. Wang is an “All-Star” instructor in the eyes of her students. She has been with our school since inception, and is currently serving as a primary homeroom teacher.
Sean D. Freston
Homeroom teacher
He graduated from the University of West Florida with a Master’s Degree in Education, and holds the US Teaching Certification and the International English Teaching Certification. Mr. Freston has over 10 years of teaching experience in both Chicago and Shanghai. He has been with VKBS since its establishment and is the Elementary-Higher Grades Coordinator and G5 Team Leader.
Middle School Teachers Team
Lv Junli
Head of Chinese, Middle School
She has been engaged in Chinese teaching in Shanghai for more than ten years. She is a core Chinese teacher in middle school and has many years of teaching experience in graduating class. She has her own unique views and methods on Chinese teaching, and is good at inspiring students and teaching students in accordance with their aptitude, which is recognized by students and parents. At the same time, she is committed to integrating traditional Chinese teaching with bilingual teaching, extending students’ knowledge boundary, cultivating students’ learning ability, stimulating students’ learning interest, so that diversified and happy Chinese language learning help students become Chinese talents.
He Chunli
Head of Mathematics, Middle School
Majoring in mathematics and applied mathematics, she is a middle school mathematics teacher who has engaged in first-line teaching for more than ten years. Mathematics is a rigorous basic subject. In order to make mathematics class interesting and vivid, she always uses humorous language in class and pays attention to the combination of mathematics and life, so that students can feel the essence of mathematics originating from life and serving life. She teaches students in accordance with their aptitudes, enlightens their minds, and shows her goodwill to them. She thinks that every student is a treasure, and teachers need to use love and wisdom to tap their unlimited potential.
Janney Zhang
Grade Leader, Middle School
Graduated from the Qinghai Nationalities University with a bachelor’s degree, Zhang Jie has been teaching in the first line for 12 years and accumulated rich experience in teaching and management. She is a Chinese teacher and homeroom teacher. Her teaching style is simple but profound, hummus and interesting; her way of managing class combines emotion and reason. It is helpful for the growth of students!
Lucy Wang
Head of Science, Middle School
Joined VKBS in 2018 and is now the head of the science group of the middle school. She has been engaged in the teaching of Chinese science and bilingual physics since she entered the school, adhering to the student-centered educational concept and actively advocating interdisciplinary inquiry learning. She has gradually formed a lively and humorous teaching style suitable for bilingual school students. She has rich experience in subject research and tutoring students’ essay writing. She has won the DTD Group “Star Teacher in moral education”, “Advanced Teachers in professional ethics”, school-level “Excellent Teachers” and other honorary titles.
Sally Li
Assistant Director, CCE coordinator, Middle school
Graduated from Normal University with a bachelor’s degree, and now she is a middle school history teacher. She has been teaching in key middle schools for many years, and has won many awards in provincial teaching competitions and thesis competitions as well as the title of provincial excellent head teacher. In the teaching process for many years, she formed her cheerful, humorous, funny, amiable teaching style and classroom atmosphere. Making full use of typical materials is an effective means to carry out students thinking and emotional education, cultivate their historical interests and stimulate their thinking. She has always followed the idea of “interpreting teachers’ responsibilities with love, pursuing ordinary careers with perseverance, and building human souls with conscience” since her teaching.
Shawn M. Fontneau
CCE Teacher, Middle School
Graduated from Anna Maria College with a Master’s Degree in Education and is a holder of the MITL certificate. He has taught English at the elementary school level in various around the world, including Oxford, Seoul, Qatar, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. Mr. Fontneau joined VKBS in 2016, and currently serving as a CCE teacher.
JAYZELL TYLEKE PAYNE
Science Teacher, Middle School
Graduated from Marywood University with a master’s degree in biotechnology. He joined the school in 2019 and is currently serving as a science teacher.
LISA MARTEL CHISHOLM
CCE Teacher , Middle School
Graduated from Lubbok Christian University with a bachelor’s degree and Texas Tech University with a master’s degree, both majoring in history. More than 20 years teaching experience in Shanghai International School and bilingual schools. She joined the school in 2006 and currently serving as a CCE teacher.
Mitchella A. Papish
Literature Teacher, Middle School
He graduated from the University of St Andrews with a Master’s Degree in Literature, and is the holder of multiple teaching certifications including CELTA and Praxis Ⅱ. Mr. Papish has a wealth of experience teaching in both the UK and US. Previously, he was an examiner for IELTS, responsible for the Speaking and Writing sections of the exam. Mr. Papish relocated to Shanghai in 2010, where he served as a lecturer at the Affiliated High School of Fudan University, Shanghai Theatre Academy and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, teaching primarily courses in public speaking, creative writing, and English literature. He is currently serving as a literature teacher of Middle School.
