Sheila Dever is the founder and principal of City Academy. A retired public high school principal, she holds a master’s degree in education as well as her supervisory officer’s papers. She also worked with the Ontario Ministry of Education on several occasions and taught the Principals Course (parts 1 and 2) for many years.
In establishing City Academy, Sheila has drawn from her extensive experience in the education system to create a unique school that inspires students to recognize and achieve their academic potential. In addition to being an avid reader and a lifelong believer in personal fitness, Sheila is also a passionate supporter of the arts.
Adam teaches the various technology classes at City Academy. A former chef, Adam studied Electronics Engineering at RCC Institute of Technology in Toronto. In his spare time, he tinkers with coding and electronics projects, along with running a small 3D printing business. Yes, he is a bit of a nerd; Adam enjoys playing Magic the Gathering, hosting / playing in tabletop gaming groups, and hunting aliens in XCOM.
Andrew graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2000. A teacher for the last 15 years; Andrew teaches Classics, History, English (ESL) & Film. He lived abroad in Japan from 2005-2010 where he discovered his passion for teaching. Andrew can speak Japanese and when not working he enjoys travelling, photography, movies and sports.
Calvin studied chemistry at Ryerson University before coming to City Academy. He loves to teach Chemistry, Physics, and any sort of Maths. He is a big fan of proofs and logic and enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi in his spare time. He also appreciates the fine art of juggling.
Franc earned his B.Sc. in Zoology and M.Sc. in biology from the University of Toronto before moving to Texas and obtaining his Ph.D. in behavioural ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Houston, where he was awarded the Provost’s Award of Excellence as a graduate teaching assistant.
Since then he has worked as a field biologist in the Florida Keys, a population and conservation biologist in Austin, Texas, a college lecturer in Washington, D.C. and most recently as a biology, chemistry and math teacher at City Academy back in his hometown of Toronto. He is a huge history buff and wishes he had more time to go scuba diving.
Jon has been with City Academy for over 10 years. He graduated from the University of Ottawa and teaches Politics and Business. Jon has a keen interest in current events and community service. Outside of school he enjoys the cottage, fishing and taking care of his many pets.
Jon is the teacher who is most sought out by students when they return to visit the school. His affable and caring personality makes him one of the school’s prime assets. Students enjoy recounting his “stories”.
Kieran attended OCAD University, where he studied Fine Arts with a specialization in Drawing and Painting. After graduating, Kieran discovered a passion for teaching, and has since instructed at both the secondary and post-secondary levels.
At City Academy, he teaches a range of disciplines pertaining to the visual arts including photography, art history, and drawing and painting. Kieran is also a dedicated artist in his own right. He has participated in numerous exhibitions throughout Toronto and is constantly developing his personal work.
While Kieran divides most of his time between making stuff and helping his students make stuff, he also listens to music, eats food, and walks around.
Meghan completed her last high school credits at City Academy many, many years ago. Since that time she has graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She has been a member of the City Academy team since 2001, managing many of the day-to-day operations and planning ahead for future semesters.
Meghan is an avid student and teacher of yoga. As a prior competitive horseback rider, she loves to spend time outdoors and now enjoys it with her newly adopted doggo, Oakley. Meghan is a lifelong learner and has recently returned to York to further her studies.
Melissa completed a major in mathematics at the University of Toronto and is currently studying Linguistics with a focus on romance languages. When not working on math problems, she enjoys crocheting, travelling, rock climbing and figure skating.
Raisa earned a B.Eng. for Computer Engineering from Ryerson University before working at City Academy full time. She loves to teach Chemistry, Physics and most of all, Math. In her spare time, Raisa is outspoken about animal welfare, reads as many books as possible, and marvels at architecture. As a teacher, Raisa loves to build students’ confidence with materials they find challenging and help answer students’ bizarre, tangential or hypothetical questions.
Reese graduated from Schulich business school with an MBA (Quantitative Analysis and Marketing) following a BA in Mathematics. It runs in the family, as both of his parents are former math professors. He takes a great deal of pride in his ability to make breakthroughs with students that have had difficulties with math in the past. To quote him, ‘I appreciate the range of students’ math backgrounds and customize my teaching strategies for best results.’
Reese is a hockey and baseball fanatic, hosting fantasy pools, and attending sporting events whenever possible. His #1 passion is competitive pinball. He competes in the World Championships annually and is extremely proud of being an Ontario Provincial Champion.
Saxon studied English Literature and Spanish Literature at the University of Waterloo and the University of Guelph, respectively. Her love of reading and learning about literature became such a fundamental element in her life that her transition into teaching was the most natural path forward.
Saxon started teaching for City Academy in 2005 and took a hiatus in 2011 to homeschool her two sons. Teaching her two very different sons to read from scratch gave her the opportunity to appreciate how unique each child's learning style can be. Saxon subsequently returned to teaching at City Academy in 2018, with first hand experience in teaching literacy. She has also come to realize that children learn faster if we accept, appreciate, and celebrate who they are as individuals.
Susy graduated from the University of Toronto and had a long career in the retail industry. She later earned her Bachelor of Education in Buffalo, New York. Her teaching career has spanned over 15 years in both the public and private school systems as a classroom teacher, a learning specialist and guidance and university counsellor. She is an active member of the OCT and has earned the prestigious Premier’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Her focus is always on what serves the students best.
Susy is a foodie that loves to travel, being by the water, International crime shows and her new grandson!
Tony earned his B. Sc. in Physics from São Paulo University, and a Master’s Degree, also in Physics, from Southeastern Massachusetts University. He loves teaching Physics and Mathematics and enjoys helping students. Over the years, he has had, repeatedly, the great satisfaction of eliciting in many student’s enthusiasm for Sciences & Math. He has been teaching successfully in the GTA for more than fifteen years.
Tony also worked as Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant while pursuing his graduate studies. He enjoys great music with emphasis in opera and classical music in general, he also loves history and travelling.
