CAPS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Admissions and Student Finance Coordinator
Andy Wilson works at CAPS as the high school social studies teacher. Coming from England, Andy used to work as an engineer in the Royal Air Force and later as a project engineering manager in the oil and gas industry. Andy has always been involved in mentoring and training others as part of his previous roles. After moving to Curacao with his wife and daughter in 2013, he decided his passion lay with teaching and became a full-time teacher at CAPS in 2015. In his time at CAPS, Andy has taught project management, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade homeroom, and now social studies to our upper school students. In his spare time, Andy loves reading historical fiction, playing mandolin, mountain biking and rock climbing.
Job Titles:
- Elementary & Middle School Principal
Angela works at CAPS as the Elementary-Middle School Principal. She comes to us from the U.S.A., after working as the Chief Academic Officer in a Michigan school district. Angela brings a wealth of experience working with youth and families in the United States and at an international fine arts school in the P.R. of China. She served as a school principal in Kansas City, Detroit, Nashville, and Shenzhen. As a recipient of a Gates Foundation Next Generation learning Grant, Angela has been at the forefront of accelerating student learning through the integration of technology, STEM and personalized learning. In addition, she has coached and provided training for school district leaders and teachers across America with an emphasis on 21 st century skills which link student engagement to personalized, project-based learning. Her focus as an educator and leader has been on outcomes-driven programming, assessment, and data analysis, as well as leading a variety of community development and English Language Learner efforts that support academic rigor and school improvement.
Brooke Snyder works at CAPS as our Kinder teacher after years of experience with preschool and kindergarten classrooms. She is a recent graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Educational Studies and is well-informed on current best practices for advancing the academic goals of early elementary education. As a resident of Curaçao and assistant in the international school system for over four years, Brooke is acquainted with the island and its culture, as well as the challenges and benefits for multicultural students. Brooke enjoys reading, gaming, diving, cooking and dragons. Brooke aspires to lead a classroom centered around growth mindset, independence and positive social interactions.
Christine will be in her 10th year as an English teacher. She is most passionate about helping her students understand the historical and social context of the books, stories and poems they read. In her free time she is an avid reader, a creative writer of short stories and novels, and enjoys getting outside to run, hike, and swim.
Ghislaine was born in The Netherlands and completed her internship here in Curacao and loved it very much and decided to stay! Ghislaine loves working with children because she helps them with their individual growth and needs. She believes that the greatest thing you can give a child is an opportunity and a smile, and that a teacher takes a hand, opens a mind and touches a heart. Her hobbies are fitness training, outdoor activities, singing, learning new languages and spending a lot of time with family and friends.
Although Inga has been a part of CAPS since they first opened in August 1994, most recently she joined the faculty again in 2015 after moving back to Curacao from the UK. With her MPhil in Psychology and Education from the University of Cambridge, Inga works on the leadership team as the CEO of CAPS. Inga also serves as a member of the CAPS Foundation Board and is actively involved in the planning and execution of many of the extracurricular events and activities that take place. Having experienced CAPS as a student, a teacher, an administrator and now also as a parent with her own daughter attending CAPS, she is deeply invested in promoting academic rigor and cultivating a positive school experience for all members of the CAPS community.
Job Titles:
- Head of School & High School Principal
James is originally from South Africa and has over 20 years of experience in education and school leadership gathered in elementary and secondary international schools in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Myanmar. James did his postgraduate work in education at The College of New Jersey and Harvard. Before being an educator, he worked in publishing and finance and appreciates being able to apply the skills gained in these environments in the world of education. James strongly believes in inclusive classrooms and recognizing and supporting students' individual needs in a collaborative classroom environment. He greatly values psychological safety and taking positive risks toward growth and innovation.
Justine Carter is from New Mexico in the southwestern part of the United States. She received her Master's Degree in education with a TESOL endorsement from the University of Phoenix. She has taught for 14 years, mostly students who are English language learners. She strives to help students develop their English language while advancing them in their core studies. Throughout Justine's teaching career, she taught in the United States and internationally in Egypt and Algeria. Justine likes working at CAPS because of its multicultural community and shares its values of promoting learning through engagement and building classroom communities. She looks forward to making each day count in her students' growth and enjoyment of school. In addition to teaching, Justine enjoys photography, snorkeling, hiking and traveling with her husband.
Kuan-Ying Lin is from Taiwan and has more than 10 years of teaching experience as an ELL teacher, an Elementary teacher, and a K-12 Mandarin teacher in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Kuan received his Master's Degree in Elementary Education from The College of New Jersey. Prior to being an educator, he worked as a public relations assistant in NYC, and the personal assistant to the Minister of Sports Affairs in Taiwan. With his varied work experiences, he believes that it is important to foster an inclusive classroom in which students would share their diverse perspectives and background freely. He strives to build a safe, trusting, stable, and supportive learning environment for his students. Outside of school, Kuan likes to listen to podcasts while cooking and baking, learn new languages, and travel.
Laura Mitchell is a passionate Visual Arts Teacher, who works to engage and equip all students in a broad range of visual art materials, skills and techniques. After ten years of experience teaching Art in Melbourne, Australia, she is now excited to be living in Curacao and working at CAPS. Laura takes pride in encouraging all students to enhance their self-confidence and joy for creating and making no matter their skill level. Striving to teach creativity and not just how to imitate but how we can manipulate the elements and principles of art and design by employing various materials, art equipment, and technologies. When Laura is not teaching in the art room she is running, swimming, sewing or cooking up a storm!!
Lauren is from the Midwestern part of the USA and has been living in Seattle, USA for the past six years. Her Bachelor of Science degree is in TESOL and a minor in Applied Linguistics, with a focus on second language acquisition. While in undergrad, she studied abroad in Seville, Spain and volunteered twice weekly in an ESL classroom near her homestay. Lauren taught in one of the most diverse school districts in the United States. As an ELL teacher, she integrates her knowledge of differentiation and culturally responsive practice into her work. The languages, dialects, and cultural practices of students are assets that must be used in the classroom to provide a more equitable, humane, and inclusive space for students. In Lauren's free time, she plays in a co-ed adult soccer league two to four times a week, is a fan of Seattle Sounders FC, takes Spanish classes, and is a foster parent for kittens waiting to be adopted. As an ELL teacher and a linguist, she is looking forward to living in the linguistically diverse country of Curacao, taking Papiamentu classes, and working with the students, families, and staff at CAPS.
Maddie grew up in the Chicago area of the USA but always dreamed of seeing the world. She studied English and Education at Wheaton College in Illinois. In the last 6 years, Maddie has taught in the Dominican Republic, Spain, Czechia, and China. In her spare time, she loves hiking, camping, trying new foods, practicing Spanish, and (of course) reading! Most recently, she completed a 500-mile hike across Spain with her family. As a teacher, Maddie loves helping her students grow in confidence and ability as readers, writers, and thinkers. The most exciting part of her job is helping students realize how much their unique voices matter
Miss Mariana is from Argentina and it's where she studied Education. She is a mom of a 21 year old boy who studies Mechanical Engineering in Delft, Nederland. Miss Mariana has been working in CAPS for many years. Across the years she has taught K3-K4, Gr.1, ESL , Art and Spanish. She loves our school, especially because it is a multicultural community. Miss Mariana is very passionate about her job. She loves to spend time with her students and do fun learning activities .
Job Titles:
- Office Administrator and FLVS Facilitator
Ronald Flores has been teaching at CAPS since 2014. He has been teaching, Spanish, Music and ELL. He graduated from Universidad De Los Andes in Merida, Venezuela. He also has a M.Ed. from The College of New Jersey. At CAPS he has had the opportunity to continue teaching in a multicultural environment he had found in the previous international schools he had taught. He lives with his wife Deyis and his daughter Jo-Anne. He has two sons, Juan Ignacio and Juan Sebastian who are studying and working in Canada and the US. The favorite activities that Ronald likes to do are: playing the guitar, learning new languages, swimming, and composing music.
Scott Carter joined CAPS in 2021. He is a highly experienced teacher with a Master's Degree from the University of New Mexico. He has taught internationally as well as in the United States. Some of the things that he likes most about CAPS are the student-oriented approach to learning, its commitment to fostering critical thinking skills in students, and its emphasis on global awareness. Outside of school, he likes to play the guitar, read, hike, snorkel, and travel. He looks forward to helping his students grow, while participating in Curaçao's culture, and exploring its natural beauty, events, and celebrations.
Stephanie is originally from Louisiana but has also lived in North Carolina and most recently in Guangzhou, China. She has a BA in History and an MA in Intercultural Studies along with her teaching certification in Social Sciences for middle school and high school. Before coming to CAPS, Stephanie has been teaching middle school Social Studies in China. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys gardening, cooking and baking, and experiencing new cultures through travel. She also has an awesome cat that she loves talking about. Stephanie's favorite thing about teaching is helping students extend their learning outside the classroom and make connections between education and the real world.
Steve was born near Chicago and lived there until he graduated from Arlington High School. He chose to attend the University of Wyoming, where he was awarded a degree in Wildlife Management. While attending the University of South Florida Steve began teaching High School Science. He taught Biology in The Netherlands before coming back to Curacao, first as the 8th grade teacher at CAPS and for the last four years teaching all of the High School Science courses. Steve enjoys the family atmosphere at CAPS, it is unique to be able to teach the students science for five years as they grow up. Outside of CAPS, Steve has been with Heleen Visser for 20 years, and they have two children attending CAPS, Tom and Rose. In his free time Steve scuba dives, conducts scientific research and plays golf and rugby.
Suzie is from a small peninsula in England, called the Wirral, though she chose to study in the city of Manchester. Originally an Art historian, she made the decision to pursue a career in teaching math and has spent the past 10 years doing that, adding science to mix several years ago. She was inspired to help others through teaching and began her career in secure units teaching vulnerable and disadvantaged learners. At CAPS Suzie teaches high school math. Suzie was drawn to CAPS because of the community spirit that radiates through the school.