Secondary

John TURNER

Born and raised just outside of Portsmouth, on the south coast of the UK, I have always been drawn towards waterside living. Following a degree in physics from Imperial College in London and a PGCE at Oxford University, I spent a few years working in the city, as a Chartered Accountant. However, my real calling has always been as a science educator. I have been teaching physics and general science for over 20 years, in a range of high performing schools in the UK and Switzerland, most recently as Head of Science at Aiglon College. My approach is always to seek to go far beyond the knowledge-based curriculum, so that students develop skills, dispositions, and a love of learning that will stay with them forever. Beyond the classroom, I have made significant contributions toward policy development and improving practice. In the last decade, I set up and led international service projects to Thailand and Cambodia, organised a weeklong residential educational conference and have taken students on educational visits to top scientific research observatories and laboratories across the world. In any free time, I love drumming, reading, thinking, and silliness.

Robert MCCORMACK

I have spent the past 15 years teaching Design in Ireland, South Korea, China, Singapore and now Hong Kong. I have been fortunate enough to have gained a lot of experience in various fields in Design, working with multiple designers whilst teaching. I am passionate about project based learning, allowing students to gain real life experiences in project work. My passions outside the classroom are travelling, trying local cuisine, football and outdoor activities such as hiking. I love discovering new cultures and understanding the history of them.

Maricar MONTANO

I was born in the Philippines but spent most of my time growing up in Japan and California. I have nearly 20 years of teaching mathematics under my belt with prior experiences in New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Berlin. I went into education with a social justice lens, working to combat systemic issues of inequity.  I always consider myself a work in progress. I am here with my husband and three young children. Outside of the classroom, you might find me running, traveling, hip hop dancing, eating and then eating some more.

Michaela BYRNE

I am originally from the United States, living and working all over the country as a counsellor and professor of school counselling. My postgraduate research focused on developing culturally responsive counselling practices in Bhutan. I enjoy working with students, honouring their authenticity and helping them cultivate their strengths. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, spending time at the beach, and being outdoors.

Candice CHEN

I was born and raised in Guangxi province, which is close to Hong Kong. I have been teaching Chinese as a first and second language after I graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2012. I love being a Chinese teacher and I really enjoy exploring the beauty of Chinese language and culture with my students. In my spare time, I like reading fiction, watching movies and travelling.

Andrew CLENDINNING

I am from Canada and have been living abroad for many years. I have taught in Canada, South Korea, and Mainland China before coming to Hong Kong. I am very passionate about teaching and learning. You can often find me reading the news about business and economics. I am interested in outdoor activities such as hiking, running, and tennis. I also really enjoy travelling and learning about the world. 

Kirsty JONES

I am from the UK, which is where I obtained my BA in English Literature and Creative Writing and completed my Secondary English PGCE. I spent four years living and working in Dubai before moving to Hong Kong in 2015. My two children were born here and I love being part of the international community, working closely with students & colleagues alike who are passionate about education. I love travel and photography and create journals of all my adventures.

Akina LAM

Hello, I’m Akina and I was born and raised in Hong Kong. My fondness of children’s literature has taken me to different places in the world and I love visiting different libraries and bookshops. Outside of work, I enjoy playing the guitar, watching films and reading.

Annette GARNETT

I am a founding staff member at Discovery; joining the team in 2006-2007 teaching in the PYP and now the MYP programme (specialising in Language and Literature). Over this time, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the students mature and become more independent in their thoughts and actions. In addition to my school work, I love reading young adult fiction novels to recommend to my students. 

Steve BOLTON

My background is primarily in international teaching. I have worked at schools in the UK, Peru, India and Venezuela. I have been associated with the International Baccalaureate in various roles for over 20 years and have taught English and English Literature for as long as I can remember. I am a keen guitarist, surfer, photographer and scuba diver. I’m also a dad who tells bad jokes – as all dads should!

Linda YU

Alison YANG

I come from a country that used to be called Formosa. I have been an IB educator since 2003 and have experienced teaching in the PYP, MYP, and DP. I like collaborating with teachers, students, and parents, and I enjoy participating in various learning communities. I love travelling with my family and have been to close to  30 countries. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, spending time with my friends and family, and exercising.

Elaine LEUNG

I hail from Hong Kong and have always had a passion for life and the desire to explore the world. Before I started teaching I worked as a journalist and translator, which tied in well with my great interest in global issues and media. I also lived in Mexico for several years where I was a lecturer at the University of ITESM. My research interests are in critical thinking and languages – both of which I’ve published various books on. I have taught Humanities, Liberal Studies and TOK, and have been teaching Chinese for more than eight years now. I really enjoy watching movies, doing taekwondo, and dancing Flamenco and Tango. I believe we should all dare to dream and discover in our lifetimes. I hope to inspire students through teaching in order to make our world a better place.

Sarah BARNETT

I grew up on the west coast of the United States in both quiet and rural Oregon as well as busy and sunny San Diego, California.  My teaching experience has been at public high schools and middle schools in southern California.  As an English Language Arts teacher, my focus is on working with and supporting English Learners and students with special learning needs.  In my time away from the classroom, I enjoy camping, hiking, reading all sorts of fiction, gardening, and spending time with my family and pets.  

Natalie FONG

Bula Vinaka! I am from the beautiful islands of Fiji. I have been involved in education at secondary and tertiary levels and also worked in the pharmaceutical industry and the field of Analytical Chemistry. Having done supply teaching at Discovery College the last couple of years, I am thrilled to be joining the Mathematics and Science Department and look forward to an exciting year. My interests include badminton, running, skiing and traveling to exotic places.

Valerie MAO

My name is Valerie Mao, a China-born Singaporean. I came to Hong Kong with my husband and daughter to settle down here in 2016. Mandarin is my native language and has been my career passion. Prior to joining DC, I taught full time Mandarin for students from Secondary to Pre-University level. I also taught Mandarin HSK, GCE, IBMYP, IBDP, IGCSE and Common Core curricula in China, Singapore and Hong Kong respectively. I am an IBMYP Mandarin Moderator since 2012 and now an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview Tester. In my spare time, I used to be a fan of fashion designing, but now nurturing a young child has occupied my personal life, which is a good balance with my job. I am looking forward to working with DC and settling into the DC community.

Lydia CLOHESY

I am originally from Country Victoria in Australia. Being a true expat at heart, I taught in Dubai for eight years and prior to this was in London for over five years. I take great joy in sharing my genuine lifelong passion for sport and physical activity ensuring students of all abilities are given the opportunity to represent the College whilst cultivating the sporting experiences for our elite athletes. My sporting specialisms range from swimming and water polo to netball. I also enjoy the great outdoors and on my travels I have had many adventures such as camping on the banks of the Zambezi River and trekking in the Himalayas.

Danny SHIH

Having been born in mainland China, I came to Hong Kong when I was in primary school. My educational background is in Chinese language and literature and I am in my twelfth year of teaching. I am familiar with both Lang A and Lang B courses in the IB DP Programme. Out of school I enjoy cycling, practicing Karate, reading and playing with my two little daughters. My favourite motto is “Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.”

Toni GREENE

I was born, raised and educated in central Texas and earned my Master of Science in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry before becoming an educator in 2009. My goal is to inspire students to love science as much as I do and to bring their inner scientist to the surface. While biology is my passion, I am also a women in STEM advocate and have built robotics programs in previous schools where females made up half of the team.

I’m an avid traveler and love being outdoors. I try to hike to the tops of mountains and scuba dive in the deep sea as often as possible. My desire to explore and experience the various cultures and regions of the world has led me to the international teaching community since 2017.

Susie BLOMFIELD

I’m originally from the UK but having spent the last 12 years in Hong Kong and several years in Beijing before that, I am very happy to see Hong Kong as my home. I have extensive experience in counselling international students on an increasingly competitive and complex range of university options, which makes me very aware of just how daunting and overwhelming the whole process can be. I’m excited to be here at Discovery College together with my two sons in the primary school, and enjoy guiding students towards finding their best university match.