OUR TEAM

Bettina Tioseco
HEAD OF SCHOOLS

Ms Bettina is the dynamic Head of Westside Montessori Schools and is the visionary responsible for the expansion of the school to include the Elementary and Infant Toddler Programs. Bettina has the distinction of being one of the few Montessorians who is a certified Montessori Guide and Childhood Educator for children from birth through to age twelve. She was part of the original cohort in Washington, DC to complete Tim Seldin’s, Running a World Class Montessori School for Montessori Leaders. Bettina has over twenty-five years of Montessori teaching experience and expertise in both the Casa and Elementary levels and holds her Independent School Teaching Certificate with the BC Ministry of Education. She is committed to developing confident, independent, resilient students with a love of school and a joy for learning while leading our team of teachers. Read her feature in Montessorium.

Victoria Wedgbury
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL & HEAD TEACHER

Ms Victoria is a warm, passionate and talented Montessori Elementary Guide with over 20 years of teaching experience. She recently completed her Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Vancouver Island University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degrees in English and in History, from McMaster University. Ms Victoria is an Elementary 6-12 trained Montessori Guide from the Toronto Montessori Teacher Training Institute. A highly qualified Montessori Elementary Leader, Ms Victoria provides a strong education and captivating learning environment for her students and creates a sense of community. She also teaches our youngest students during the Spring and Summer Infant + Toddler sessions. ​

Portia Geczi
CASA MONTESSORI TEACHER

Ms Portia has a long history with Montessori beginning her journey at the age of three as a Montessori student herself. Ms Portia's first role at WMS was as an Educational Assistant in 2008 - 2009. After spending a year inside the classroom she was inspired to take the Montessori Casa Training Program for ages 3-6 offered by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Training Centre here in BC. Ms Portia began working as a fully qualified Montessori Teacher and Early Childhood Educator in 2010 and co-teaches the Friday Junior Kindergarten Program. In addition to her role in the classroom, Ms Portia is also the coordinator for both local and international practicum students at WMS.

Garland Lam Turner
​CASA MONTESSORI TEACHER

Ms Garland is a talented and engaging Montessori Teacher who has been part of the WMS Team since 2011. Based on her own expertise as an artist and her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Manitoba. She is a certified Early Childhood Educator and Montessori Teacher for children ages 3 - 6. Ms Garland holds her Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Montessori Assistant Certificate from the Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia and her American Montessori Society (AMS) Elementary I diploma (for ages 6 - 9). She holds her Independent School Teaching Certificate with the Ministry of Education.

Mischa Taylor
CASA MONTESSORI TEACHER

Ms Mischa has been part of the Westside family for almost two decades. Three of her own children started their education at WMS and she is delighted to pass the gift of Montessori to other young children. Ms Mischa joined the WMS Team as a Montessori Guide in 2015. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Education degree from UBC as well as her teaching certification from BC Ministry of Education. Ms Mischa is also certified in Early Childhood Education for children ages 3 - 6 and is also one of our Lead Guides in the Spring and Summer Infant Toddler parent participation programs.

Paola Tioseco
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR

Ms Paola is instrumental in her role as our school administrator. With over a decade of experience as an elementary school teacher and two years as preschool educator Ms Paola brings a wealth of experience to WMS. Aside from ensuring that our day-to-day program runs seamlessly, her passion for teaching brings a cohesion and a clear vision to the team. Ms Paola holds a current teaching certificate with the BC College of Teachers, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Family Studies, a Bachelor of Education Degree from UBC, a Graduate Diploma in Advanced Professional Studies from SFU, an Early Childhood Education Assistant Certificate and an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Montessori Assistant Certificate from the Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia. She has been part of the WMS Team since 2015.

Akane Inoue
CASA MONTESSORI TEACHER

Ms Akane has been a part of Westside Montessori School since 2019. She began as a practicum student and was quickly hired on to become a permanent member of our Team. Akane holds her American Montessori Society (AMS) Primary Teaching Diploma and ECE Certification. She brings a lovely calm and peaceful demeanour into the classroom and shares her love for origami with her students.

Ashley Speed
​ELEMENTARY MONTESSORI TEACHER

Ms Ashley is a celebrated Montessorian whose educational passions focus on social justice and equitable and inclusive classrooms. She holds her Montessori 3-6 Diploma from the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Training Centre in BC and has been teaching continuously since 2011. She is currently completing her Lower and Upper Elementary Training with the American Montessori Society (AMS) and her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Ms Ashley’s daughter, graduated from the Casa Foundation Program at WMS and they both joined our Elementary in 2022. With over ten years experience, Ashley demonstrates a keen ability to form strong connections with her students. She enjoys sharing her love for the arts with highlights including handcrafts such as embroidery, cross-stitch and beadwork. 
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Flora Marckert
ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT & FRENCH TEACHER

Ms Flora is a native French speaker with a love for sharing French language and culture with her students. She worked in a Montessori Casa environment for two years before making the transition to Elementary in 2022. Ms Flora holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine in France, an Early Childhood Educator Assistant Certificate through Northern Lights College and her AMI Elementary Assistant Guide certification through the AMI Institute in Sydney, Australia.

Leslie Pashby
CASA FRENCH TEACHER

Ms Leslie has been part of the WMS family since her own children attended in 2011. She officially joined the Team in 2015 as a French teacher at our Casa location. Ms Leslie holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Western Ontario. She brings with her years of varied teaching experience and expertise to give students an exposure to the French language through games, stories and song. Ms Leslie's classes are full of enthusiasm and energy resulting in many children remarking that French class is their favourite.

Ivory Stanton
​CASA MONTESSORI ASSISTANT TEACHER

Ms Ivory joined WMS in 2018 alongside her daughter who was embarking on the first year of her Montessori Foundation Program. Ivory holds her AMI Montessori Assistant Certificate and ECE Assistant Certificate. She brings her many passions to the classroom including felting, crystals, cooking and science to name just a few. Ivory also leads afternoon outdoor play activities for our Extended Day students.

Chloé Hurst
ORFF MUSIC TEACHER

Ms Chloé teaches the Orff Music Program for our Casa and Elementary classes. She uses an elemental approach using basic forms of movement, speech, body percussion and singing. Orff, like Montessori, is essentially “learning by doing”. 
Ms Chloé's extensive musical experiences include piano mastery, opera singing worldwide and music theory. She holds both a Bachelor and a Masters of Music degree from UBC. Ms Chloé is also a BC Ministry of Education educator and Head of Early Music Education at the Vancouver Academy of Music. She has been teaching at WMS since 2010, gracing our weekly classes with her incredible soprano voice.