Meet our Staff
Teachers at Joan of Arc Academy are instrumental in helping the girls achieve their highest academic performance. Our teachers are qualified and passionate about their careers. In addition to providing an excellent bilingual education to our girls, they encourage polite and respectful behaviour from the students. These teachings help to foster a considerate and caring community at school.

Head of School

Brian Lamb
Mr. Lamb has been in the wonderful, ever-evolving world of Education for over 25 years, having previously worked in an all-girls school and in a faith-based school. He was also a founding member of the first International Baccalaureate school in the Capital Region. As a previous Mathematics and Science teacher, Mr. Lamb strongly believes that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is the basis of a great education.
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Grades 6-8, Visual Art & Band

Connie Springfield
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Director of Admissions

Ambika Aggarwal
When Ambika is not at school, she loves to soak in new cultures and challenge herself through adventurous sports. She has been skydiving in Portugual, white water rafting in Whistler, and glacier trekking in Alaska. Ambika has also spent time working and volunteering in countries like Ecuador and Spain.
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613-728-6364 ext.102

Finance Manager

Rhonda Levis
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Grades 6-8

Dr Julia Morris
Dr. Morris teaches in French and concentrates on writing, strategic communication, grammar and style. She also has expertise in francophone contemporary literature. She likes to draw on female-centric themes and female-authored narratives in the classroom.
Dr. Morris’ interests include spending as much time with her two kids as possible, running in Gatineau Park with her collie dog, working on her vegetable gardens for as long as the season permits and helping her husband with craft and furniture projects.
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Grades 2, 6-8

Martha Whitlock
While she enjoys teaching a variety of subjects, Mrs. Whitlock’s biggest passion is teaching mathematics. She truly loves guiding children to develop a positive attitude toward learning mathematics, to be confident in their math ability and to strive to be the best mathematicians they can be.
When Mrs. Whitlock is not teaching, she loves spending time with her two daughters, husband and two cats. Some of her favourite pastimes include cooking, travelling, downhill skiing, running, cycling and swimming.
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Grades 5-8

Erin Elliott
She started her career at Joan of Arc Academy filling in as the English Grade One and Two teacher. In 2009 she taught her first Grade Five class and knew that was where she belonged. Erin is also an intermediate science teacher. She particularly appreciates that the curriculum allows her to discuss environmental issues and concerns with her students and hopes that together they can make an impact.
When she is not at school, Erin can be found at the arena cheering on her son’s hockey team, practicing piano with her daughter, or walking her Springer Spaniel, Piper.
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Grade 6 & Librarian

Elaine Bartlett
She has taught a variety of subjects including language arts, mathematics, science and religion and has taught students in kindergarten, grade 4 and grade 6 as well as being a tutor for all grades. She currently teaches grade 6 for language arts and religion and is the school librarian. She has been a member of the staff now for almost eighteen years and her passion for teaching has delayed her retirement for several years.
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Grades 4 & 5

Melissa Wedge
Lorsque Mme Melissa n'est pas avec ses élèves elle pense encore à eux et elle aime préparer des leçons originales. Autrement, elle est passionnée par la littérature, les beaux-arts, la musique, la cinématographie et aime beaucoup passer du temps en nature.
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Grade 4 and physical education

Kelly Bougie
As a teacher who has worked within the Board of Education and the private industry for more than 18 years, she believes in the values of creating strength and opportunities for young students and empowering them with values to help them succeed. In her free time, she loves to run, ski, kickbox, bike but mostly hike with her kids. She is excited to bring her knowledge, energy and enthusiasm to Joan of Arc.
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Grade 3

Sabine Neubert
The best part of Sabine Neubert’s day is her interaction with the students. Helping them learn is her passion, especially guiding them to grasp new concepts and broaden their horizons. Born and raised in Germany, Sabine Neubert obtained her Master’s Degree in Education from Humboldt University, Germany, and taught English and Russian at a middle and secondary school in Burg, Germany. She completed an intensive linguistics course in Moscow, Russia, and worked for a year at a Comprehensive school in Wales, UK. She has explored the cultures of many countries in Europe, North Africa, Latin, and North America.
After extensive travel in Canada, she decided to relocate 20 years ago and has called Ottawa home ever since. Sabine Neubert has been at Joan of Arc Academy since 2002. The small group and individualized learning environment allow her optimally to share her experience and passion for learning with her students, so they can be inspired, grow and become open-minded and confident girls who will one day take up leading roles in our society. Sabine Neubert likes the outdoors. She loves camping, hiking, skiing, canoeing, and kayaking.
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Grades 1 & 2

Donna Jones
When she is not at school, Donna likes spending time with her family, reading, and journaling. She is always searching for interesting books to spark her students’ love of reading.
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Senior Kindergarten

Rita Kouakou
Before joining the Academy, Mrs. Rita worked for two years in Saskatchewan as a teacher of francization and then two years in Claudel as a kindergarten teacher. Mrs. Rita is committed and passionate. Her personal model is: do it with love or do not do it at all. Teaching is her passion and she gives her very best every day.
Mrs. Rita is married and the happy mother of 4 girls. She is an aspiring writer and an excellent storyteller. Her dream is to build an orphanage for children.
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Junior Kindergarten

Carolle Bahi
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Jr & Sr Kindergarten

Sholpan Belgibayeva
Mme Sholpan is married and has three children. She likes to travel with her family and learn about new cultures. She spends her spare time reading, cooking, and crafting. She likes outdoor activities, such as walking and biking. She also likes to swim and take yoga classes.
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Performing Arts

Vivian Burns
Vivian has a special relationship with the Joan of Arc Academy, as she graduated from the school herself, long ago when the teachers were primarily still nuns. Vivian has been an educator for over twenty years specializing in performing arts. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education and studied theatre arts at the Randolph Academy of the Arts in Toronto.
Vivian a travaillé avec les élèves âgés de 3 ans à adulte, et elle réussit toujours à développer un rapport très chaleureux avec ses élèves. Elle croit que l’on peut toujours atteindre nos rêves si on le veut, avec de la passion et de la persévérance. Vivian is passionate about singing, theatre, yoga, cooking, and long walks in nature.
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Physical Education

Nicole Lalonde
She constantly wanted to instill in students a taste for practicing different sports and to ensure that the importance of physical activity is known in everyday life. The values that relate to physical activity, such as the adoption of healthy behavior, sportsmanship, honesty, respect, self-transcendence and many others, are values that have been constantly conveyed to students of all ages.
Nicole lives in Embrun along the Castor River with her husband Daniel and her cat Coco. She enjoys traveling in Europe and going to Mont Tremblant for skiing and biking.
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Professional Development & Substitute Teacher

Martina Baker-Sohn
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After School Program

Mary Fatima Safarzadeh
Outside of the Academy, she loves nature, animals, writing, poetry, philosophy, people, and culture. All of which inspired her to write and publish two books, one in poetry and the other about her own life journey. She hopes to one day write a children’s book.
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Administrative Receptionist

Francine Després
Mme. Francine loves helping people and serving the students, parents, and teachers of the Joan of Arc community! She always makes sure to give the best service possible to every person that she encounters. Even after 14 years, it is still a joy for her to finish her day and go home knowing that she has given to others. When she eventually retires, her dream is to volunteer in a hospital serving patients as her mother did for decades. She loves to travel, take dance lessons, and go on dance cruises with her husband. She just discovered a new passion for horses. She also loves dogs.
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Custodian

Serge Fauvelle
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Personal Visit
Joan of Arc Academy’s doors are open to you. If you are interested in learning more about the Academy, or are considering enrolling your daughter, please contact us at 613-728-6364, by email or click the button below to fill out a form.