Staff

The Discovery Academy teachers are a carefully selected group of people who are dedicated to igniting a passion for learning in their students. Extremely talented, hard-working and committed, our team meet the highest standards of their profession. We provide them with the best resources, facilities and opportunities to meet these standards. By fostering excellence in teaching, we are able to offer our students remarkable opportunities to be all they can be.

Faculty

The pride of Discovery Academy is its closely-knit community which comprises students, parents, past-parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends. Staff are the backbone of our community. This team is highly committed and works extremely hard, both on the front lines and behind the scenes, ensuring that we have efficient administrative systems, engaging classes and friendly environment for the students and parents.

Dr. Marina B.

PHD

Dr. Blumin founded Discovery Academy in 2006. Her main objective was to help students succeed during post-secondary education and become well-rounded individuals. Throughout her life she worked in 3 different Universities in 3 different countries (Canada, Israel, and Russia). The last 2 Universities she conducted research at, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and University of Toronto, are some of the most prominent in the world. Throughout her laboratory research, she has been leading PhD students in the field of Nanotechnology at University of Toronto for the past 15 years. A deep passion for science and mathematics has lead her to develop a new gifted education program designed for regular Preschool and Elementary students in which necessary skills are developed to succeed in our ever-changing technological and economic world. Last but not least, her philanthropic approach to life has lead her to open a Charity organization in 2016 that will be aimed at educating children with mental and physical disabilities.

Kirill S.

Alexander Z.

Mr Alexander Zubkov holds the Master’s Degree in Mathematics (Moscow State University) and successfully completed the Web Development and Python Development courses at the University of Michigan. Mr Zubkov has been working at the Discovery Academy since 2016 teaching math, physics and computer science.  The old Chinese proverb says “teachers can open the door, but you must enter it yourself”. Here at Discovery Academy we’ll deal with the door but you should always keep in mind  the second part of this proverb.

Katya O.

I have been an English teacher for more than 10 years. I began to teach at the college level and discovered many skills and talents to make English come alive. Then I moved into teaching the Elementary school level. With children, for me, teaching the English language is just more than learning how to write, grammar, and vocabulary. It is all about being able to express your thoughts, emotions, and ideas with your environment and many different ways. Being able to teach English has been one of the best experiences I have ever had.

I have also been a Social Studies teacher for a few years. I have taught kids the ability to not only memorize information, but to critically analyze, prediction, the ability to research and report, etc.

My education career has been quite extensive and has helped me earn the skills to teach at an excellence. I have gained a child psychology diploma at college, majoring in Sociology and History at the University of Western Ontario, Teaching English as a Second Language certificate at Seneca College, and currently achieving Autism Behavioural Studies Masters at the University of Western Ontario.

Julia P.

As an educator I seek to support a child’s natural development and needs through various integrated Montessori approaches, methodologies, and educational philosophy.  My goal is also to combine my passion for teaching and languages through various methods to engage learners as well as to foster strong program development in French.

Irina S.

Ms. Shiryaeva has completed her BA at a Linguistic University in Pyatigorsk in 1998. She has obtained a PhD degree in Psychology from the same university in 2005. With 15 years of experience as University professor and lecturer, she was researching the field of psychology. Ms. Shiryaeva is a specialized child and family psychologist. She helps and assists teachers with children’s behaviour and gives recommendations to parents when necessary.

Oksana D.

Mr. Kelvin

I’ve taught mathematics for more than 7 years. The decisive moment that pushed me towards a career in mathematical education happened just after finishing my undergrad years at McMaster University. I pursued studies in actuarial science after attaining a BSc in Mathematics. The field was quite challenging and I burned the midnight oil quite often in order to grasp the new concepts. Throughout the semester, my classmates frequently consulted me on problems they were facing in their own studies.

I was able to assist them with ease which then led me to develop a passion for teaching mathematics and statistics. It was not long afterwards that I decided to advance my role as a tutor and become a teacher. I currently teach Mathematics and Computer Science courses at Discovery Academy. It’s been an absolutely amazing experience and I look forward to working with all of the current and future students at our school.

Mr. Len

Len is super excited to begin his second-year teaching at Discovery Academy.  Len is a graduate of Ryerson University with majors and minors in Theatre Performance and Classical & Contemporary English Literature respectively.  Len has been teaching in private schools for just over 7 years and has a very unique approach to teaching.

Len is both head of Drama and English at Discovery in which he incorporates a very challenging yet rewarding brand of education, one which revolves around responsibility and accountability for one’s actions, a deeper understanding of real-world expectations as well as preparing young adults for their next academic challenge. Len loves to play sports, listen/play music and read books, wear hats and most of all, mentorship.  Len doesn’t like phones in classrooms, laziness and excuses.

Ms. Kayla

Upon receiving my master’s degree from the University of Toronto, I sought out a profession where I knew I would make a positive impact.

Today, the connotation of teaching has transformed into something greater than the literal meaning.
It’s about establishing a classroom in which students are at their best in attitude and character. My goal is to inspire, educate, and motivate using the skills I have obtained throughout my academic career and professional experiences.

Ms. Arya

Arya holds Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Toronto (UofT), St. George Campus, Ontario majoring in Bioethics & Law and minoring in Political Science and Philosophy. She received President’s Scholars of Excellence award at Victoria College, UofT and she was a valedictorian of her high school graduating class.

As Pasteur once said “In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind”. As an academic coach, Arya believes she can prepare students by zeroing in on specific troubling areas and addressing the students’ perceived barriers to success. Her goal is to foster each student’s potential through mentorship and build strategies to help them succeed beyond the classroom. Arya believes every student can be their own success story.