» Our Team • Staff
"No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it." - H.E. Luccock
EBS is served by a dedicated and caring group of education professionals:
Joan Barwin, Teacher - 2/3
Joan spent some years working as an Education Assistant while her three children were young. Later, she returned to school to complete her B.Ed. at the University of Victoria. Since then she has taught in the Nanaimo, Sooke, and Delta school districts. In her spare time, Joan enjoys reading, crafts, camping, and traveling.
Erin Eisenberg, Vice Principal, Teacher - 4/5/6
Our Vice Principal completed her B.A. (2000) and subsequently her B.Ed. (2002) at the University of Victoria. After teaching in a remote community near the Arctic Circle, Erin moved back to southern Canada and joined the EBS staff in the fall of 2004. In her spare time, she enjoys practising yoga, playing field hockey and spending time with her family.
Katherine is originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she earned her B.A. from Mount Saint Vincent University in 1988 with a concentration in child psychology and sociology. Over the past 10 years, she has continued her education, earning certificates in ASL, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, as well as Oral Transliterating from the Clarke School for the Deaf in North Hampton, MA in 2005. She has more than 20 years experience working with children in a variety of settings, such as Nanny, Preschool Teacher in a regular facility as well as a Montessori Preschool. She moved on to work in a group home as a Teaching Parent, a classroom assistant in a resource class for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and an Educational Interpreter in the public school system. Her free time is spent exploring this beautiful island, enjoying time with her family and learning french. She is still fairly new to Victoria and is very excited to join the team at EBS.
Laura grew up in Whitehorse Yukon, leaving there to complete her B.A. in Psychology (in Victoria) in 1985. Since then she has spent time working, volunteering and taking courses in counselling and personal development to help others. This has included completing her Teaching Certificate for Music for Young Children (MYC) and instructing music groups for children; supporting clients for the Crisis and Information Telephone Line; working in Therapeutic Recreation for seniors and coordinating and instructing a Therapeutic Recreation Certificate Program for adults. Laura has been with Elizabeth Buckley school since 2008 and in this time has attained a Certificate from the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders. In her spare time she loves to create music - everything from playing the piano to singing, playing percussion to conducting choirs and accompanying guitarists, cellists and...anyone else! Recently renamed the "Celebration Pianist," she hopes to continue her passion of creating music with and for others.
Roberta earned her B.A. in French Language and Literature from UVic, and completed her teacher training at McGill University in Montreal. She has been working in the education field for the past 19 years: as a classroom teacher in all levels from Montessori preschool to grade 9, as Director of Science Venture at UVic, and as the Community School Coordinator in Sooke. She joined the EBS team in 2009 and loves being back in the classroom part-time. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her family and performing with Chikoro Marimba, a band that plays the happy, danceable music of Zimbabwe.
Kate completed her BA in Sociology and Psychology at the University of Alberta in 2010. She has been working with children in a variety of settings for the past seven years as a swimming instructor, camp leader, preschool instructor, and as an aide for children with autism. She thoroughly enjoys helping children learn, express themselves, and achieve their full potential (while always learning something herself)! In her spare time, Kate enjoys many outdoor activities, making jewelery, photography, spending time with her family and friends, and exploring Victoria.
Amy earned her B.A. in Canadian History and English Literature in 2000 and her B.Ed. in 2002. Prior to starting work at EBS in 2007, Amy taught elementary school in Calgary and the small coastal town of Powell River - her hometown community and location of her favourite vacation destination - her family's farm. When Amy isn't working she enjoys running, reading, and spending time outdoors with her husband and young son.
Leona has worked with children for over 20 years, running a family daycare out of her home for 11 of those. In 2000, she joined the EBS team as an Education Assistant, and really enjoys working with children of all levels of learning challenges. She regularly attends conferences to keep her skills current. Most recently she has been pursuing her interests by working toward a certificate as an Intervenor for Deafblindness through Douglas College and the Provincial Outreach Program for Children with Deafblindness.
Valerie (Patterson) Secord, also known as Keiko (child of grace) Her parents were missionaries to Japan. They met in Toronto and that is where Val was born. When she was three years old, she took her first ocean cruise on a freighter to Japan, a trip that took two weeks. Her education was all in English, and the longest she lived in one home was two years. Japan is a country that loves children and so does Val. She loves working at EBS, and the highlight is watching the children learning and playing together, making treasured memories for their life. Val is the friendly face that greets you in the office Tuesday to Friday mornings. When she is not working at EBS she counsels young people and works as a Japanese interpreter.
Renata has over 14 years experience working and volunteering with adults and children with special needs, and has been an Educational Assistant at Elizabeth Buckley School since September of 2000. Her educational background includes a Community Support Worker/ Teaching Assistant Diploma, as well as many courses in Psychology, Social Work, and American Sign Language. In her spare time she is a singer-songwriter and loves to rehearse with her band and spend time with her family.
