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Leadership Team

Head of School - Dr. Jason Walter

Dr. Walter joined the DSC family in 1998 as a grade 4 homeroom teacher. Since joining DSC, Dr. Walter has held positions at all levels of leadership including Grade Team Leader, Division Leader, Head Teacher, IT Manager, Director of IT, Deputy Principal, Principal, and Head of School. During this 23-year journey, Dr. Walter has witnessed the development and transformation of DSC into one of the top educational providers in Hong Kong. He can speak to the quality of programming from the lens of an educator and a parent. Dr. Walter's son is an alumnus of DSC and was enrolled in DSC from PG1B to grade 12. His daughter is entering grade 12 in September 2021 with her sites set on post-secondary studies in Canada in 2022.
 
Dr. Walter is committed to lifelong learning, the acquisition of futureproof skills, and maintaining a passion for creativity and innovation. As a true believer and champion of DSC's motto "Canadian Curriculum: Global Pathways", Dr. Walter ensured that even after joining DSC he continued to follow his passion for learning by studying at various universities globally. He holds academic and professional degrees from universities in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. In 2021-22, Dr. Walter will lead the DSC@Harvard Initiative which will see two cohorts of educators from DSC enter Harvard University's "Certificate in School Management and Leadership" program.
 
Dr. Walter's academic background is reflective of 21st-century learning and includes multiple disciplines such as the Arts, Education (teacher training and certification), Information Technology, Business, and Educational Leadership. In his most recent academic works, Dr. Walter has focused his research on leadership, staff retention in international schools, and international school student admissions. In addition to academic qualifications, Dr. Walter is a qualified and registered teacher in Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Hong Kong. He also holds Canadian principal certification and is the School's registered Principal with Hong Kong Education Bureau.
 
Dr. Walter is a firm believer in educating students for the future, where they will live and work. The future work environment will require individuals to have a keen understanding of entrepreneurship and the value of creating, developing, and inventing. This means embracing 22nd Century Learning and ensuring that every student finds their passion for learning and a drive to create, collaborate and contribute. 

Principal (Secondary) - Dr. Allan Morrison 

Dr. Morrison has been a member of the DSC senior leadership team since 2013. During this time, he has been a Sectional Head in both the Elementary and Secondary Divisions providing him with a clear understanding of the educational needs of students from PG1 to Grade 12.

Prior to joining the DSC team, Dr. Morrison was a teacher in Ontario (Canada) then a teacher/Senior Leadership Team member in Tokyo (Japan). An Ontario-certified teacher, he also holds the credentials of a fully qualified Principal from the province of Ontario.

As an educational leader, Dr. Morrison believes firmly in the importance of lifelong learning. In today’s society, we must continue to learn in both formal and informal settings in order to increase our understanding of the complex world in which we function. It is important to stay relevant, stay engaged, and maintain one’s professional growth and development.  Learning never ceases!

As a lifelong learner, Dr. Morrison has, to date, earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Guelph, a Master of Arts (Political Science) from McGill University, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto, a Master of Business Administration from Keele University (UK) with a specialization in Education Leadership and has completed a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

Currently, staying true to the value he places on continuous professional development, Dr. Morrison recently completed his doctorate in International Education Leadership and Policy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. He has also published academic articles on leadership studies in leading peer-reviewed education journals.

On a personal note, Dr. Morrison is from Ottawa, Ontario. He has been married for over 30 years to his wife, Natalia, and has one son, Eric. His son, a DSC alumnus, completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto and a Master’s degree from SOAS, University of London - personal evidence of the power of the OSSD, the benefits of a DSC education, and a passion for learning!

Principal (Elementary) - Ms. Adrianna Mahoney

Ms. Mahoney has worked at DSC International School since 2011. She started her educational career as a teacher at DSC and taught English, Drama and Dance at 5 different grade levels. Ms. Mahoney has engaged with the DSC community as a teacher leader for 10 of her years here. As an OCT certified Dramatic Arts Specialist, Ms Mahoney led DSC’s Secondary Arts Department, and spent an additional 5 years as DSC’s Middle School Team Leader. 

Her leadership at DSC has spanned from PG1 to Grade 12 giving her clear insight into the educational needs of elementary students as they build the foundation for their educational journey through to Grade 12 and beyond. 

Although Ms. Mahoney’s passion for education originated in the classroom, Ms. Mahoney follows in her Grandmother’s footsteps as an Elementary School Principal. Ms. Mahoney is an Ontario certified principal and an advocate for equity and diversity in education. Ms. Mahoney earned her Bachelor of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, holds a Bachelor of Arts (honours) from the University of Windsor, is a Dramatic Arts Specialist and an IB certified educator. She holds a Master of Education (Med) in Leadership and Learning and focused her thesis on diversity in international education. Sharing her passions within the Hong Kong educational leadership network, Ms. Mahoney has spoken at well-known international conferences such as 21st-Century and AISC and at hosted DSC leadership events. 

Ms. Mahoney is a mom to young twins who she hopes will become future DSC students. Ms. Mahoney looks forward to engaging both students and parents into a collaborative educational journey. She believes in fostering an environment of open communication and mutual respect. As an educator and parent, she is dedicated to creating a supportive, inclusive and stimulating learning environment that not only prepares students for academic achievement but also empowers them to become lifelong learn(ers)s and responsible global citizens.

Vice Principal (Secondary) - Dr. Jonathan Comeau

Dr. Comeau has been part of the DSC community for over 14 years as a science teacher, Department Head, and Vice Principal. After obtaining a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from McGill University, he chose to leave a career path in scientific research to pursue his passion for education. Throughout his career, he has learned the importance of education that occurs outside of the formal curriculum. Interpersonal relationships, self-regulation, and responsible decision making all contribute to the critical social emotional learning that will serve students well in any endeavors they wish to pursue. This is the type of learning that occurs in schools like DSC with caring cultures and compassionate students.

Dr. Comeau is currently completing a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto where he studies managing change in schools and diversity in education. He is originally from Nova Scotia, Canada and has two young children who attend DSC. He’s been involved in competitive athletics his entire life and understands the impact that sports and other extracurricular activities can have on the well-rounded growth of students as they mature to become successful adults.  

Vice Principal (Secondary) - Mrs. Rebecca Marans

Throughout her 20 years as an educator, Mrs. Marans has held both teaching and leadership positions, often at the same time. Before joining DSC, she spent 15 years as an elementary school teacher in Toronto, Canada, working with students in grades four through seven. As a Division Head with the Toronto District School Board, she was deeply involved in student leadership and student success initiatives. She began at DSC as a Head Teacher in 2018. She has taught an array of subjects and has held various leadership roles in both elementary and secondary during her time here. She currently holds the role of Vice Principal (Secondary). Mrs. Marans is a strong proponent of inquiry-based and cross-curricular learning and thrives on building positive school culture. Additionally, she is passionate about developing teachers through mentorship and coaching. 

She holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in English and one in Psychology, from McMaster University, Canada. She earned her Bachelor of Education from York University in Toronto and completed her Master of Education at University of Dundee, Scotland. In addition to her degrees, she has a specialist qualification in Media Literacy and holds teaching qualifications in the Primary, Junior and Intermediate grade levels. She has received leadership certification with the International Baccalaureate and is a qualified Ontario Principal. 

Her husband of 20 years is a photojournalist and her son is a senior at DSC. They are an adventurous family who enjoy traveling and, during a year’s sabbatical, visited over twenty countries across three continents together. Mrs. Marans has an interest in fitness and nutrition and enjoys yoga and lifting weights. She also loves hiking the trails and tasting all the cuisine Hong Kong has to offer. She is an advocate of social justice and aims to use her role as parent, teacher, and leader to develop and mentor global citizens who will promote inclusiveness, equity and justice.

Vice Principal (Elementary) - Mrs. Melanie Kirk

An educator for over 25 years, Mrs. Kirk completed her Bachelor of Arts and her Bachelor of Education degree at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her career began in British Columbia, Canada where she taught grade 11 high school. Hong Kong was her next destination. In 2001, Mrs. Kirk relocated to Hong Kong and began teaching grade one at DSC international School. Four years later, she returned to Canada to teach in Calgary, Alberta. Over the next ten years, Mrs. Kirk continued to teach, got married, welcomed her two sons, and completed several master’s level courses in Neuro Science and Inclusive Education. In 2016, she returned to Hong Kong to once again join the DSC family. Mrs. Kirk is passionate about teaching and learning. She believes in setting very high standards for all students and putting supports in place to ensure every child can be successful. Over the course of her career, she has held several leadership positions including teaching team leader, Language Arts specialist, and Vice-Principal.   

Vice Principal (Admissions) - Mrs. Sarah Miles

In 2007, Mrs. Miles joined the DSC community as a grade 6 homeroom teacher. Over the past 17 years, Mrs. Miles has taught and held leadership positions in both the Elementary and the Secondary Section. Mrs. Miles has taught many grades which include Grade 2 & 5 (French), Grade 6 Homeroom, Grade 7 & 8 ESL, Grade 10 Guidance credit course and worked as a member of the IES team. Mrs. Miles has held various leadership positions such as Head of Second Languages, Head Teacher and Vice Principal.

Mrs. Miles is extremely passionate about inclusive learning and ensuring students are supported and encouraged in order to succeed to the best of their ability. Mrs. Miles is a firm believer in lifelong learning.  She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Anthropology from Dalhousie University, followed by a Bachelor of Education from the University of Windsor. She also received a certificate in Urban Education and Specialist in Inclusive Education from the University of Windsor. Mrs. Miles continued her passion for lifelong learning by completing a Master of Education degree in Inclusive Education. Mrs. Miles is half way through completing the SENIA Certified Inclusive Educators Certification. Mrs. Miles is also working towards completing a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. 

Mrs. Miles and her husband, who is also a teacher at DSC, have two children who attend DSC in the Elementary Section. Mrs. Miles absolutely loves welcoming new families to our incredible community where children will be supported, encouraged and motivated to be the best they can be and to make the world a better place.

Director of International Languages and Chinese Studies – Dr. Ruth Wong

Dr. Wong has been working in the education field for almost 30 years. She began her teaching career as an English teacher in DMS, a local school, after completing her Bachelor of Arts Degree at HK Polytechnic University and then was promoted to a leadership role of overseeing Chinese and English departments, student discipline and extra-curricular activities. In 2009, Dr. Wong joined DSC as an academic and administrative staff. She has held different positions over the time working at DSC including a Program Facilitator for the programs of English as a Second Language and International Languages, an Administrative Officer for office management. Currently she is working with the academic teams as a Director of International Languages and Chinese Studies.

Dr. Wong has a strong passion for language acquisition and education. She obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Teaching of English) from HK Baptist University, a Master of Arts Degree in English Language Studies from HK Polytechnic University, a Master of Education Degree from the University of Hong Kong and a Doctor of Education Degree from University of Bristol in UK.  She believes learning languages is a doorway to wisdom and exposure to different cultures. Thus, she continues to enhance her language abilities by learning Putonghua and Korean. She loves to share her language acquisition knowledge and skills with the IL teaching team to boost students’ interest in learning second/third languages.

Director of Athletics and ECA Programs - Ms Dove Noel

Ms. Noel joined the DSC leadership team in 2022.  She has worked in education for nearly 20 years and has a  B.A. in Journalism and a M.A. in International Relations and Diplomacy. Originally from the United States, she has lived and worked everywhere from London, to Paris to New York City and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. She is proud to call Hong Kong home for the last 11 years.  Participating as a student athlete and involvement in school clubs helped foster a love of extracurricular activities. She is excited about creating opportunities for students outside of the classroom. Ms. Noel is a tourist of life who enjoys finding new things to see and do wherever she may be.