Head Teachers
Yvon Carrière, Athletic Director
Yvon Carrière has taught a variety of classes at Turnbull School since his arrival in 1999. He earned his B.Ed., specializing in Physical Education, at McGill University in 1995 and has taught Physical Education in all three divisions, as well as French to the junior and senior students. M. Carrière has also been highly involved in other areas, such as coaching many teams and as the Head of School Life from 2011 to 2013.
As Athletic Director, M. Carrière oversees both physical education and athletics. These include the daily physical education classes in all grades, the fitness program and intramural and extra-curricular school teams. He brings a passion for sport and physical activity to this role and to all Turnbull students.
Steve Fini, Co-Head of Community Engagement
Steve Fini has been with Turnbull School since 2003. He has an Honours B.A. from the University of Guelph and Bachelor and Master degrees of Education from the University of Ottawa. Mr. Fini continues to actively seek out professional development opportunities, achieving the Specialist designation in Special Education and attending annual summer conferences at the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing.
Since starting at Turnbull School, Mr. Fini has regularly demonstrated his commitment to the student community through his involvement in coaching, clubs and student council, by organizing student-staff ice hockey games and by establishing a peer tutoring network for additional student support. He is deeply committed to the importance of developing a social conscience, and he has modeled this over the years through his participation in the Pearls for Girls initiative, the organization of our annual hockey pool in support of the United Way, and the emphasis he places on human rights and global issues in his teaching.
Kyla Vogel, Co-Head of Community Engagement
Kyla Vogel has been a teacher at Turnbull School since 2011. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Honours degree from Carleton University, followed by her Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University. She furthered her professional education with additional qualifications in history, mathematics, special education and integrating computer technology in the classroom. She has taught both in Canada and internationally, spending two years teaching in the United Kingdom.
In her time with Turnbull School, Mrs. Vogel has been actively involved in coaching, running clubs and is a co-director and choreographer of the annual school musical. She has been a fixture on many school committees, taking a special interest in giving back to the community, specifically with the United Way and The Ottawa Hospital campaigns. In her role as a Co-Head of Community Engagement, she enthusiastically shares her interest in building stronger community bonds and empowering the students in their efforts to do the same. Mrs. Vogel works to create engaging, meaningful and effective opportunities for giving back to the community through knowledge, activities and fundraising.
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Jenn Whiting, Head of Student Life, Primary School
Jenn Whiting began her teaching career at Turnbull School in 1999 and has been part of the grade two team since 2011. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Ottawa. Mrs. Whiting also completed her Specialist level in both writing and special education, as well as additional qualifications in French, ESL, reading, mathematics and computer studies.
Mrs. Whiting has been involved in many other areas of the school, such as being the lead in organizing our Reading Week events. Additionally, she has been a member of many school committees involving staff, students and parents. As Head of Student Life for the Primary Division, Mrs. Whiting collaborates with the Heads of Student Life for the Junior and Senior Divisions to oversee many aspects of the school’s special events and extra-curricular activities.
Dean Cameron, Head of Student Life, Junior School
Dean Cameron has been teaching Grade 4, Physical Education and Music at Turnbull School since 2021. He earned his Bachelor of Education in Science and Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. This was followed by a Master of Education in Leadership at Charles Sturt University in Australia. Mr. Cameron has been an educator for 20 years and taught in many International Schools including, Prague, Moscow, Hong Kong and Sydney. He is also trained in the International Baccalaureate PYP program.
Mr. Cameron has been highly involved in junior school life since his arrival at Turnbull School. He has provided leadership and coordination for the Junior Student Council and coached various sports. As Head of Life for the Junior School, Mr. Cameron collaborates with the Heads of Student life for the Primary and Senior Divisions. They oversee many aspects of the school’s special and extra-curricular activities and events, including coordinating clubs, and organizing school assemblies.
Derek Gagnon, Head of Student Life, Senior School
Derek Gagnon has been a French teacher at Turnbull School since 2015. He earned his Bachelor of Arts with Specialization and Honours (French Letters) in 2013 and his Bachelor of Education in 2014, both from the University of Ottawa. M. Gagnon has also been involved in extra-curricular activities since arriving at Turnbull. He had enjoyed running clubs, such as the Kids’ Lit Quiz and Writers’ Club, along with coaching teams in both the Junior and Senior divisions.
Prior to commencing his career as an educator, M. Gagnon held the position of Animateur culturel (Language Monitor) where he organized leadership camps, school wide as well as in-class activities and cultural events. As Head of Student Life for the Senior Division, M. Gagnon looks forward to overseeing many similar aspects of the school’s special and extra-curricular events, spearheading the Senior Student Council and organizing special School Spirit Squad activities.