Andrew Georgiou has been teaching Design for 11 years, 5 of which have been leading and implementing the Product Design course within the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Andrew was Head of House at Dwight School Dubai for academic year 2021-22. 

Andrew completed his undergraduate degree in Virtual Product Design at Brunel University, UK. Part of his degree saw Andrew spend a year working alongside psychologists and senior designers within a unique research facility which focused on the cognitive development of human interaction; heavily focusing on the human factors and ergonomics which dictate design. He then studied for his Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at Canterbury Christchurch University, England. Prior to being an educator in the UAE, Andrew worked in London. 

Andrew’s inquisitive nature and desire to learn more about the world has led him to embark on many different school expeditions. These expeditions challenged students to develop their own sense of determination whilst exposing them to new cultures, traditions, and communities. Such  expeditions have taken Andrew and his students white-water rafting in Nepal, volunteering at schools in Malaysia, and mountain climbing in Borneo. 

Colm O’Neill has been teaching Design / Technology for 7 years since graduating with a B.Ed Honours Degree in Materials and Architectural Technology from the University of Limerick, Ireland. 
Since graduating Colm has been teaching and leading a design department in Ireland and more recently worked in Dubai at an IB school. Colm has a strong belief in developing life skills in students, both academically and through extra-curricular activities. He has a passion for woodcraft and the design process. 
Outside of the classroom Colm enjoys many sports such as football, running, cycling, swimming and his national sport of hurling. 
 

Originally from Texas, Melanie Holmes has been teaching Drama, Dance and Performing Arts for over 15 years, with her career taking her all around the world.She has experience teaching K-12 in the USA, UK, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, teaching under a wide range of curricula, including IB, National Core and The English National Curriculum. She is certified to teach the IB curriculum through Category 1 & 2 training and is an examiner of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Theatre. 

Melanie earned her Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas specialising in Theatre and Dance, with a concentration in Acting and a certification in Theatre Education. She is passionate about the power of Drama to enhance a child’s communication and confidence and knows that creative teaching is essential to engaging students in the classroom. Melanie believes that Drama is a tool to help students become better at public speaking, expressing themselves and building self-esteem - all of which are transferable skills for any career path! 

Melanie is also our Dean of Student Affairs for Grades 9-12 and endeavours to build positive connections and relationships with each student. She is dedicated to our students’ pastoral care and understands that sometimes growing up comes with challenges. Melanie offers well-being, academic and behaviour support to all students. 

Outside of school, Melanie enjoys reading, trying out a new recipe, and going to see live theatre at every opportunity. 
 

David Turner has been involved in education since 1990 where he started teaching third and fifth grades in his hometown of San Diego, California, USA. In 1994, he relocated to South Korea whilst working on his Masters Degree in Education. There he taught at university for six years. 

In 2000 he and his wife, a South Korean national, moved to the United Arab Emirates where he taught for the UAE Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi. In 2006, David and his wife started their own educational business. With more than two-decades in Dubai, David continues to be engaged in education, consulting and college counselling -- working with university admissions officers from across the globe and alongside university counsellors in the region. David is an active member of a 200+ college counsellors’ network. 

In his free time, David enjoys regular exercise and, more recently, has begun working as a content creator, recording Podcasts for the educational community. Quickly approaching the three decade mark, David has made in service of education a life’s mission. 

Frank Ayim received a Bachelor's Degree in Science Education (Biology Major and Chemistry Minor) and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Frank has since achieved a Postgraduate Certificate in International Baccalaureate Education from Bethel University, Minnesota, USA. His belief in lifelong Education has sent him back to Bethel University again to pursue his Doctoral Studies in Education. 

With 16 years of combined teaching experience from three IB world schools (Lincoln Community School, Accra, Ghana, the World Academy of Tirana, Albania, and Dwight School Dubai), Frank has a breadth of MYP Science and DP Biology experience. Frank has also been a certified examiner for MYP Biology and Personal Project for six years and enjoys being the MYP5 Personal Project Coordinator. He believes in the constructivist teaching approach where active learning and collaboration is central to his philosophy of education. Frank has a passion for teaching science at all levels helping each child progress in all areas of their learning. 

Frank is a joint founder of a PreK charitable school in Tema, Ghana, where quality PreK education is given to less privileged children.
 

Libi Kuriakose has 20 years experience in international teaching. Having completed her graduate degree in Zoology at the Mahatma Gandhi University, India, she pursued her Masters in Environmental Science at Bharathiar University, India. Libi has also completed a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Mahatma Gandhi University, India. 

Libi brings with her a wealth of experience gained from teaching both Cambridge IGCSE and the IB curriculum. As an IB educator at an IB World School in Jakarta, She was also part of the team that led the school successfully through its PYP authorisation. Libi has attended numerous IB and IGCSE workshops, having sound familiarity with teaching standards and assessment styles of the international curriculum. She is also an examiner for DP ESS. 

Libi has a strong passion for Science and nature. Her teaching strength emphasises connecting classroom science with the real world through hands-on activities and practical experiences. She is keen about initiating programmes related to the environment. 

In her leisure time, Ms. Kuriakose likes to travel or spend time tending to plants 

Sarah Siddiqi holds a Master’s degree in Physics from the University of Minnesota, Mpls., USA, and is an experienced educator. She has been teaching Cambridge and International Baccalaureate Physics for many years.

Sarah started her international teaching career with Wesgreen International School, in Sharjah, before moving on to China, Mexico, Turkey and back to the UAE. 
Sarah has an interest in travelling, architecture, culture and art. 

Ryan Mc Mahon has 8 years of teaching experience covering GCSE, IGCSE, IB MYP and IB DP. For the past 5 years, he has been teaching the IB programme in the UAE and has successfully led two cohorts through the old and new DP course. 

Ryan completed his undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Geography at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland, before moving to Liverpool in the UK. During his time in Liverpool, he studied for his Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at Edge Hill University and went on to gain a Masters in Education – where the aim of his study was to examine the different teaching pedagogies that can be observed in a classroom and explore how they link with students’ preferred learning styles. 

Ryan brings with him a wealth of experience, teaching students from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds in different countries across the world. With such experience, Ryan wants to help students develop their analytical skills through investigation activities, expose them to the practicalities of mathematics in everyday life and, in turn, encourage them to grow holistically. 

Aside from teaching, Ryan has experience leading extra-curricular activities, with particular success in the UK Mathematics Challenge Club – fun-based learning sessions accessible for students of all abilities. And as a proud Irish man, who enjoys promoting his own culture through his love for Irish Gaelic football, he has arranged opportunities for students who are interested in learning a new sport. 

Outside of work, Ryan likes to travel and explore new places; he takes part in a wide variety of sports such as football, swimming, golf and, in the UAE, other outdoor activities with friends and family. 
 

Takaingofa (Taka) Pasai has 15 years experience teaching Science. Taka graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry from the University of Zimbabwe, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, majoring in Chemistry Education for High School. Taka is also certified by Converse College, SC, USA, as a teacher of Gifted and Talented students. 
Taka began his teaching in South Africa and has taught in schools in the State of South Carolina, USA, Kuwait and the Sultanate of Oman. 

Taka knows that successful students become successful adults, and he endeavours to nurture a strong work ethic for his students. Outside the classroom, he enjoys meeting new people from different cultures as well as playing musical drums. 
 

Dr. Hareem Navaid, is an experienced IB Mathematics and Business Management teacher with expertise in digital learning, curriculum development and conceptual and contextual teaching. Dr. Navaid has been actively engaged through all stages of authorisation, implementation, and development of the IB Diploma Programme in an IB world school. She is an IB examiner and content contributor for DP Mathematics. 

Dr. Hareem received her Master of Business Administration from McMaster University, Canada, in 2006. In 2019, she continued her path in education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, towards the OISE Certificate in International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Mathematics from the School of Mathematics and Statistics in the UK. 

She believes in providing students with the opportunities to explore and experiment so that students can find their passion and develop a lifelong love for learning. In her spare time, Dr. Navaid enjoys gardening and exploring nature. 
 

Jacques Kilian has 22 years teaching experience in South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. 

Jacques holds a Higher Diploma of Education (Senior Primary) which he attained at the Boland College of Education in Wellington, South Africa. As of January 2021 he has been enrolled at Murdoch University, Dubai, undertaking a Masters in Education, with International Education as his major. He will be graduating in July after which he plans to complete a graduate certificate in Instructional Leadership. By the end of this academic year Jacques will have also attained the Advanced IB Certificate.
 
An experienced MYP English teacher, there is a strong focus in Jacques classes on student-centred learning, where the student has the space and opportunity to construct their own knowledge. All English lessons are designed to challenge each student and give them the opportunity to meet higher level requirements. 

Jacques is currently the Dean of Student Affairs (Grades 6 to 8) and is passionate about his pastoral role and enjoys engaging with the students in his care. He takes their wellbeing very seriously and attempts to meet with each student regularly to discuss their school experiences.
 

Michelle Francis is an experienced teacher of 12 years; six of which have been at an international school in Abu Dhabi where she was the Grade 11 Team Leader for five years. Michelle completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Johannesburg, before gaining a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of South Africa. 

Michelle has been teaching DP Psychology for the past four years and has been an Extended Essay supervisor to eight students during this time. She has completed Category 1 IB training and plans to become an IB examiner during the next academic year.

Michelle has led and developed numerous successful after-school activities including a community outreach programme, mock trials, girl’s hockey, and film club. Her passion for her students extends beyond the classroom and she can always be found supporting her students at school events and productions. 

When not at work Michelle enjoys spending time with her friends, travelling and off-roading in the desert. Her passion for life-long learning and languages has led her to embark on a journey of teaching herself Arabic. 

Misha Batool is an experienced IB educator who graduated with a degree in Communications and Humanities from Jacksonville University, USA and a graduate degree in International Relations from Middlesex University, England. She also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in International Education from the University of Nottingham, England and has completed numerios IB workshops.

Misha has also completed Frontier Teacher Training in Innovative Education, an ATL Workshop with Lance King, and Level 2 ECIS Certificate in Child Protection, she is also an IB Examiner for DP Global Politics. Misha will be coordinating the Upper School’s Global Issues Network Club and often leads on environmental / sustainability initiatives for the school. 

Outside of school, Misha is an avid reader, expressive dancer and abstract painter. She enjoys the natural landscapes of places and often spends part of her summer vacation hiking up different mountain trails. She is keen on staying active, exploring and learning about different cultures and considers herself an amateur anthropologist. Misha is also certified in meditative practices and techniques. 
 

Paraskevi (Viviana) Kontogeorgou is an experienced Inclusion teacher with more than 20 years of teaching experience in various British and IB schools in the UK, Dubai and Greece. 
Viviana holds QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) from the UK and Greece. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. After working as a Greek Language and Literature teacher in Athens, she moved to the UK to do her Master's degree in Special Educational Needs from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. After graduating, Viviana started working as an Inclusion teacher in the UK. To expand her knowledge and skills in the field of inclusive education, she completed her PGCE in Professional studies-SENCo from the University of Birmingham while at the same time she was working as an Assistant SENCo. 
In 2011 she moved with her family to Dubai where she continued her international teaching journey. Before joining Dwight School Dubai, she held teaching positions as an Inclusion teacher at one well-reputed International curriculum IB school and at one of the most prestigious government schools in Dubai following the UK curriculum.
Viviana brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of inclusive education. She has been constantly commented by her senior managers and KHDA inspectors on her outstanding teaching and learning practices, on her excellent relationship with her students and on her committed efforts in promoting their academic, social, emotional and physical development and wellbeing. Over the years, Viviana has run various extracurricular activities and literacy intervention clubs fostering her students’ critical thinking, problem solving, leadership and social skills. 

Quest Learning Support Assistant Gracien Fomeche, who has a Diploma in Education from the Government Teacher Training College in Cameroon, has 4 years experience in teaching primary years in Cameroon and 4 years as a Learning Support Assistant in Dubai. 

Gracien specialises in providing skills building, phonics and fine motor skill support for kindergarten and English language support for primary years. She has also attended training workshops and obtained professional development certificates from the Conference for Learning Support Assistants (Dubai Inclusion Network) and a certificate of completion for the UAE Professional Development Module. Gracien’s loves travelling in her free time. 
 

Safeera Aslam has 13 years experience working as an IB Librarian and regularly attends professional workshops for the Librarians. Safeera was born and raised in Doha, Qatar, and has been living in Dubai for the past 15 years. 

Safeera completed a Bachelor's Degree in Education, and a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science, whilst working as a Science teacher. Safeera has completed PYP CAT 1, 2 and 3 IB training and also completed the DP Librarians training. 

Safeera is passionate about supporting students and providing them with the best possible resources and skills, so that they are empowered to become the leaders of the future. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading and trying out new recipes. 

Rajakrishnan (Raja) Kalaichelvan joined the school in 2018, bringing with him more than 10 years teaching different art forms like painting, sculpture, photography, and ceramics. 
Raja completed his undergraduate (B.F.A) and postgraduate degree (M.F.A.) in Fine Arts at the Govt. College of Fine Arts, Chennai, affiliated with the prestigious “Madras University” in India. He has developed teaching experience with IB MYP, DP and GCSE. Raja has completed MYP category 1 and 3 and DP category 1 training, and teaches both MYP and DP Visual Arts. 

Raja is a practising artist who has completed several art exhibitions. He is an active member of the contemporary art community and has completed art-related projects in collaboration with international artists. This included being selected and exhibiting in the 11th Oita Asian Sculpture Award. 
Raja is also an active photographer. Outside of work, he likes to get away to nature, mountains and spend time exploring and hiking the trails, doing video logs. He loves cycling and leading the after-school (ASA) badminton club for the senior students. 

He is a native of India and speak English, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam and a little French.

Lía Margarita Turtulici was raised in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Her passion for languages started at an early age, as she was always surrounded by family speaking different languages and dialects which led to her becoming fluent in various languages.

Lia attended La Universidad del Zulia and achieved a Bachelor Degree in Education with a Major in Modern Languages (English and French). She also holds a Master’s Degree in Education in International Teaching from Framingham State University in Massachusetts, USA. Lia has extensive experience in the Advanced Placement Program and the IB Diploma Programme. This is her twelfth year teaching the DP Programme and her third year teaching MYP Spanish. She has been appointed IB examiner for the past 6 years and has gained expertise assessing the oral components of the DP Programme in Language ab initio. She was also an examiner for the Personal Project in MYP before joining Dwight and is now an Oral Component examiner for the Diploma Programme. 
As she is passionate about languages and teaching, Lia is also passionate about learning about new cultures and sharing her own culture with her students and people around her. She will be thrilled to teach after school activities such as latin rhythms dancing or just help students practice their conversation skills in the beautiful language of spanish. She is a true believer that the study of foreign languages is a good stimulus that can ignite a passion for learning and that by exposing students to various types of second language learning approaches they have the opportunity to engage with various concepts and ideas that translate into other disciplines and throughout life. She has witnessed that students can and will learn if they are giving the right support and encouragement. 
 

Robert Mathews is a UK qualified teacher and is entering his second academic year at Dwight School Dubai. Robert has a BA Honours degree in Football Studies from Southampton Solent University, as well as English Football Association coaching and sports specialism licences, and an MSc degree in Performance Coaching from St Mary’s University, Twickenham, UK. 

Robert’s previous roles include leading BTEC Sport programmes and teaching academy football players in the UK. He also held an international role at Chelsea FC, based at a renowned IB International School in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as spending time coaching in Singapore, Japan, and Australia. 

Robert has great passion for the MYP IB programme and is looking forward to delivering an exciting and inclusive PHE curriculum next year which expands opportunities for Dwight teams and athletes to compete across the UAE and showcase the sporting talent at the school, whilst enjoying incredible new facilities at the sports city campus. 

Outside of school, Robert enjoys everything Dubai has to offer, and an active lifestyle, as well as being an avid Liverpool FC supporter. 
 

Harpinder Kaur completed her Masters and M.Phil. degrees in History and Political Science from Delhi University, before staying at the university to teach. She obtained an English as Second Language (ESL) Diploma in Canada and was involved in teaching ESL to adults for many years. Harpinder has been an IB educator for over 25 years, having taught History, Global Politics, Theory of Knowledge and Global Perspectives in international schools in Dubai. 

Harpinder has supervised DP Extended Essays in History, Politics, Peace and Conflict and World Studies and has been an Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge Coordinator. An DP external examiner for History and TOK as also the History Team Leader for Internal Assessment, she also initiated the Model United Nations in Dubai and will be part of the MUN team in our school. 

The subject areas of Individuals and Societies mean a lot to Harpinder as she feels that it is important to understand the relationship between Individuals and Societies for happy individuals and a peaceful world. 

Harpinder is married with two grown up children, a doctor daughter and an engineer son, who both live in the USA. 
 

Caroline Wangire has been teaching the International Baccalaureate Programme at the Aga Khan Academy Schools, in Kenya, for 10 years. Caroline finished her undergraduate studies at Kenyatta University, Kenya, in the field of Special Needs Education and has expertise in Geography and Biology. Caroline has mentored IB intern teachers in her teaching career and is an IB DP ESS (Environmental, Systems and Societies) examiner. Caroline has also mentored and supervised students as they work on their MYP Personal Projects, CAS and DP Extended Essays, as well as service-learning projects. 
Caroline is a mother of two kids and, in her free time, she enjoys swimming and hiking with her family. 
 

Shalini Sharma will be joining Dwight Dubai this August from Dwight Shanghai. Shalini has 21 years of experience as a teacher, 14 of which have been dedicated to teaching the IB programmes. She has worked in India, Indonesia, and China. 
Shalini is an IB Educator and has run workshops to train teachers for the IB. 
Shalini is a mother of two daughters, both of whom have studied the IB curriculum, and this has given her some insight into the expectations that parents have and the role they can play in supporting students during their IB journey. In her free time, Shalini loves to watch Cricket and read books. 
 

Genna Hellier-Debnam is an experienced educator with over 15 years’ experience within the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. She has taught in the UAE, Switzerland, Japan and the UK, with her subject specialisms being English and Drama. 

Genna completed her Bachelor and Masters degrees at the University of Portsmouth, England, before embarking on a career in account management and digital marketing. She completed her PGCE at the University of Nottingham, England and has subsequently been a key figure in the Council of International Schools (CIS) and IB accreditation process in three schools. Genna is focused on developing a positive culture within her classroom that allows students to grow and learn in a supportive, safe and structured environment. She enjoys nurturing student motivation by providing academic content that encourages engagement with texts at a high level, thus raising standards and maximising progress and achievement. 

In her spare time Genna enjoys spending time playing sports and learning the ukulele with her two young daughters. 
 

Jayanti Ghosh is an experienced Mathematics and Business Studies Teacher who has spent the last 8 years teaching in the UK, with her subject specialisms being Economics, Applied Statistics and Business Management.
 
Jayanti completed her undergraduate degree in Economics and Applied Statistics at the University of Pune, India. She has also completed her master’s degree in Business Administration from University of Pune, India, before going on to work in multinational companies both in India and the UK. As a teacher, Jayanti believes that along with theoretical knowledge it is very important to make Maths real for students. In her classroom practice, experiments and investigations are carried out to understand the reason behind the theory and how theoretical concepts are relevant in real life. 

Outside of work Jayanti is very passionate about cooking. She is also an avid traveller and has done many cross-continental road trips with her family exploring the culture and heritage of different countries. 
 

Veronica Ho is the new Makerspace Teacher at Dwight School Dubai. She has been in the teaching profession for 9 years but has been in Dubai for over 29 years. Veronica completed her MSc in IT from Heriot Watt University in Dubai. She has earlier worked as the E-Learning Coordinator and as an ICT Teacher at private schools in Dubai. 
Veronica is also a certified Zumba instructor and BollyX trainer. She enjoys having a good dance to shake off the blues during her free time. Veronica also loves reading, dramatics and is a huge fan of Bollywood films.
 

Saïla Aumeerally is a native French speaker, raised and educated in the multicultural and multilingual culture of Mauritius. She became passionate about languages at a very young age and has always had a great affinity for French. Saïla became an avid reader of French books, a interest that pushed her to pursue her studies in French Literature and Philosophy. She developed a passion for teaching French language and literature and has taught both for the last twenty years, in highly reputable International Schools following the IB curriculum both in Europe and in Dubai. Saïla has been graded as an outstanding teacher by the KHDA. 

Saïla has a wealth of knowledge regarding the IB curriculum, she is an IB examiner and has a proven track record in achieving excellent academic results. She attends IB workshops regularly and has up to date skills for Language A and B. Saïla has experience developing curriculum and resources in language departments and has coordinated the language A and B programmes as part of her previous roles. She has also been training new teachers, helping them understand and develop their skills. 

Outside of work, Saïla is passionate about discovering new languages and has been learning Italian, she also has a passion for painting both in watercolour and acrylic. Saïla strongly believes that languages and arts help to define our identity and permeate our feelings through our words and our creativity. 
 

Roula Masri has 20 years of experience teaching Arabic A (native) and B (non-native) in the UAE, and studied Arabic Literature at Damascus University. A certified Arabic teacher she has a passion for teaching young minds the beauty of her language through integrating the IB concepts into the Arabic curriculum and turning her classroom into a modern learning environment, where kids learn and enjoy simultaneously. In pursuit of her personal development and growth, Roulas recently became a certified trainer for teachers and trainers. 

Roula is a mother of 3 children, her two daughters are happily married, while her younger son has recently graduated from school and is studying at a university in Istanbul, Turkey. 
 

Ahmed Abdelhady completed his bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Education, Department of Arabic Language and Islamic Studies, at Ain Shams University. Ahmed is a highly qualified Arabic teacher, proofreader, and story writer, he brings with him 8 years of experience in teaching Arabic language in American and IB curriculum schools. Ahmed started his journey in Egypt, then travelled and lived in UAE, where he has taught Arabic at all levels, from primary to high school, in a well-known IB school in Dubai. 
Ahmed is passionate about creativity in the classroom and always seeks to explore and develop the skills and the capabilities of his students and to teach the Arabic language in accordance with the IB framework, through global contexts. He is keen to implement the IB standards by producing a generation of leaders who are aware of global issues, accept differences, and are prepared for the labour market through learning by experience, exploration, and epistemology. 
Outside of work, Ahmed’s hobbies are writing stories, poetry, and football. His favourite player is Zinedine Zidane and he supports Real Madrid. 
 

Ahmed Ghanem completed his Bachelor degree in the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Department of Islamic Studies in English, at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. 
A dedicated teacher with 5 years experience teaching the Islamic curriculum of the UAE, Ahmed has held training and coaching positions in schools and teaching centres in the UAE and Egypt, with his subject specialism being Islamic Studies in English. He is passionate about teaching the Islamic Curriculum, in accordance with the core of the IB programme and works to apply, link and integrate the IB learner profile, key concepts, global context, research, and theory of knowledge, in all of his classes. 
Ghanem is willing to lead Qur'an, Tajweed, and Hadith club as an ECA; to improve the attainment and the skills of the students in reciting and memorising the Holy Qur'an while applying the rules of Tajweed. 
Outside of work, Ghanem likes sports, recently participating in the Dubai schools’ games. Some of his favourite sports include football, table tennis and horse riding. 
 

Abdullah Yehia gained his bachelor’s in Arts, in the Department of Islamic Studies at Al-Azhar University. He then obtained a Special Diploma in Islamic Education in 2016 and has six years of experience in IB schools in Dubai. 
Through his teaching Abdullah highlights the values of Islam and Arab culture with his students. He believes that being a teacher is more than just a transfer of knowledge and should instead be viewed as nurturing children's minds to reach their maximum potential. Every child deserves a first-class education that pushes him/her to become a future pioneer and a leader in his community.  Abdullah believes that teaching in accordance with the International Baccalaureate standards and promoting learning in a global context, that is based on research, perspectives and promoting the learner profile, can be linked to Islamic values and principles, which combine in order to create a better world and greater skills. 
Abdullah loves reading, working out and travelling. He recently visited Arab and Islamic countries with the aim of exchanging religious and life cultures and is looking forward to sharing these cultures with his students. 
 

Ana Rimbu was born and raised in Romania and discovered her love for sports after being selected to be one of the first members of the new girls’ ice hockey team in her town. She enjoyed being the pioneer in a male dominant sport and continued to establish an 8-year career in the sport obtaining a silver medal in the International Ice Hockey World Cup 2008, division IV. 
Ana has 12 years’ experience of teaching physical education in the United Kingdom and Romania, working with students aged 6 to 18. She has completed her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sports at the ‘Dunarea de Jos’ University, Galati Romania. 

Passionate, determined, and student-centred, Miss Rimbu believes her role as an educator is to support all students in their personal journey in school and to contribute to the social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development. Ana spearheaded a campaign to create equality in sporting opportunity across the London Borough of Harrow, creating opportunities for young girls to participate and thrive in netball, cricket, football, badminton and table tennis. Miss Rimbu is looking forward to developing a similar program at Dwight.  
 

Katherine Filkins is an experienced educator with 13 years teaching in International Schools. She has held several leadership positions in schools in the UK, Vietnam, Mexico and the Caribbean, with her subject specialisms being General Science and Biology. She has previously held the position of Head of Science in a London school for 4 years, as well as holding a position as MYP Coordinator.

Katherine completed her undergraduate degree in Science (B.ScH) and Education (B.Ed) at Queen’s University, in Canada, before completing her Masters in International Education at the University of Bath, England. During her time at the University of Bath, Katherine received the International Baccalaureate (IB) Teacher Award for her emphasis on the IB during her studies. 

Katherine has taught many different curricula (Ontario, American, British and IB) and has set up programmes to help students transition into the IB, having come from different schools around the world. She has taken several leadership courses with the IB and the Council for International Schools, and she also has pastoral (guidance), SEN and EAL teaching experience. 

Outside of work Katherine enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, dancing and cooking. 
 

Prabha Krishnakumar Raman will be joining us as a whole school counsellor. A passionate mental health professional, she has lived in UAE for 21 years and has witnessed attitudes towards mental health change, observing an increase in the understanding of the importance of mental health in the region over the last few years. She has 22 years of work experience and has spent the last 9 years working in International schools in Dubai as a school counsellor and psychology teacher. 
Prabha is a CDA licensed psychologist, with a Master’s degree in Psychology, and Post Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling from India. She is a qualified psychometrician, NLP master practitioner, emotional intelligence, and wellness coach and has an Advanced Diploma in Hypnotherapy. Prabha holds a graduate membership with the British Psychological Society, associate membership with the American Psychological Association and professional membership with the Canadian Psychological Association. 
Prabha was a speaker and a member of the organising committee at the “World Depression congress 2019” (UAE), and a speaker at KHDA’s “What Works” 2019. She was a panellist for the School and Nursery show 2021 held in Dubai. 
Prabha is a mother to two boys of 18 and 10 years old who she describes as TCKs (Third Culture Kids). She has closely watched the strengths and struggles of TCKs and strongly believes in bringing a difference in society by positively influencing the young minds. She aims to work with the school community to empower and support students to optimise their potential and to grow up to be emotionally intelligent, empathetic and global citizens. 
 

Marie Joyce holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with a major in MAPEH (Music, Arts, P.E and Health) and is a licensed professional teacher in the Philippines. 

Marie Joyce worked as a MAPEH teacher in the Philippines for 3 years, until she made the move to the UAE to working as a LSA (Learning Support Assistant) at another school in Dubai, before moving to Dwight. At Dwight School Dubai we recognise Marie-Joyce as the “heartbeat of the school” 
due to her incredible versatility, work ethic and the vibrant art / design displays and exhibitions she creates across the school. 

Marie Joyce is also a member of the Filipino badminton team in the UAE, she is passionate about playing badminton and competing with other teams. 
 

Rochel Rellosa has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with her major in Biological Science. She is a licensed professional teacher in the Philippines. Rochel has several years experience working in Science labs and has previously worked in the Philippines as a College and Senior High School Instructor. Rochel has also worked in customer service and at a local radio station. 
In her spare time, Rochel likes to discover new things and fun places with her favourite people. 
 

Benjamin Baldogo, also called “Mr.B” by our students, has been at the school since 2018 working as a Learning Support Assistant. 
As well as holding a Degree in Science, Benjamin is a talented musician who is always keen to support our performing arts activities and school events. The next school year will see him take on the role of Performing Arts Technician. 

Outside of school hours Benjamin loves to spend time with his family, and to practice and play with bands, and record his own music. 
 

Originally from Spain, Gema Rodríguez is a dedicated and globally experienced international educator. She has a Master Degree in Teaching Spanish as Second Language, a Bachelor Degree in Spanish Language and Literature, and is certified as a PYP and DP Spanish teacher. 

Gema started teaching Spanish Literature and Language to natives in Spain, before she realised how different it is to teach Spanish as Second language and she decided to join both of her passions, teaching and travelling. Gema has been teaching abroad in Ecuador, Singapore, Vietnam, India before moving to Dubai in 2021. A passionate education, Gema loves seeing how her students can learn and develop their language skills, and how their interests and readiness can increase the speed at which they progress. 

Gema defines herself as a caring communicator, an open-minded thinker and a principled risk-taker living in this world with educational inquiry. Outside of the school, she loves to dance and does yoga every day. 
 

Samar Khalil is an accomplished Arabic teacher, with experience in the development and delivery of language programmes to a wide variety of students with diverse backgrounds, from beginners to advanced language learners. 
Samar worked in Syria as a teacher of the Arabic Language for preparatory and high school for 7 years. She moved to Dubai in 2017 and has been teaching Arabic for native speakers ever since.  
Samar has a diploma in education and a bachelor degree in Arabic Language and Literature, from Syria, she is also a certified Apple Teacher. She has attended many courses that contribute to the development of her teaching skills in accordance with the requirements of the United Arab Emirates and the International Baccalaureate curriculum, including PYP and IB training. 
Outside of school, Samar loves cooking, especially cooking Arabic food and making delicious oriental sweets. She loves nature to a great extent and enjoys reading a book under the shade of a tree and listening to birds' sounds. Samar often takes students outside the classroom to enjoy reading Arabic stories in the sunshine or on the green grass by the playground. 
 

PYP Arabic B Teacher Hebatalla Mohamed graduated from the Faculty of Arts, in 2007, and has spent 12 years teaching in different British and International Primary schools in Dubai where she has held several teaching roles, teaching children in grades 1 to 6. 

Hebatalla is the single mother of one child who is currently in grade 4. Outside the school, Hebatalla likes listening to music, horse-riding, travelling and watching TV with her family. 
 

Lara Jubran completed her undergraduate degree in Modern Foreign Languages (French and German) at Yarmouk University, Jordan, where she started her teaching career as a French language teacher for first year university students. Lara has also worked as a French language teacher for 6 years in schools in Dubai. 

Lara completed her Masters degree in Special and Inclusive Education at the British University in Dubai and has worked for 2 years as an inclusion teacher. Most recently Lara has held the position of Head of Inclusion and been a member of the Senior Leadership Team at a British curriculum school in Dubai. Her work is focused on creating an inclusive school, where all students are supported to reach their full potential in all aspects of school life. 

Outside of work Lara likes to travel with her family, and also enjoys cooking and creating new fusion recipes. 
 

Samrah Hamid is an experienced Inclusion school teacher with 10 years of teaching the International Baccalaureate Continuum (PYP, MYP and DP) at Dubai schools. She brings a wealth of IB experience through her work as an IB Inclusion teacher and has facilitated learning support for a large number of students with different needs, while also developing and improving learning strategies and guiding frameworks. 
Samrah completed her Bachelors of Science in Home Economics and a Bachelors of Education, followed by an M-Ed in Inclusion and Learner Support from the University of Dundee, Scotland. She has also received an IB certificate in Leadership, including Reflection upon leadership, Leadership Change and Organisational Development. Samrah is also a licensed registered behaviour therapist (RBT). 
Samrah has been living in Dubai for the last 15 years and is the mother of two grown up children, with the youngest one being a law student in the UK. Outside of work, Samrah likes gardening and fostering stray animals. She also likes to take part in a variety of outdoor activities with her family.