Thao Dien | Australian International School

Thao Dien

Julie Ann Demasuay Estacion

Kindergarten Teacher

Julie Ann Demasuay Estacion

Kindergarten Teacher

Bachelor in Special Education

Julie has been in Vietnam for 24 years, working at several International Kindergartens throughout this time. Julie joined AIS in 2007 to work in the Early Childhood Department, bringing with her 14 years’ experience as a classroom teacher. Prior to joining AIS, Julie was a member of the ‘DYNOTOTS’ preschool which was situated in the Lotus Campus site in 1995.

Outside of school, Julie enjoys spending time with her friends and family, such as her son who is in his final year of schooling at AIS. She also enjoys cooking, watching movies, playing volleyball and travelling. Julie believes that learning should be fun and interesting. Believing that young learners thrive in a safe and nurturing environment.

Julie believes that providing young learners with a learning space where they feel secure and also encourages exploration, sparks curiosity and motivates resourcefulness and creativity has always been one of her primary goals.

Julie envisions that by providing students with this environment encourages them to become enthusiastic in their learning, leading them to become inquirers and communicators as well as enhancing their social prowess by becoming caring and empathetic towards their peers.

Maria Elizabeth Sheehan

Kindergarten Teacher

Maria Elizabeth Sheehan

Kindergarten Teacher - JKG

Bachelor of Education
Early Childhood Education

Nationality: Australian

Maria has 25 years of teaching experience from Pre-Kindergarten to year 6. Maria has taught students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and students presenting with complex needs. She has also worked as a specialist Italian teacher in primary schools and has run private Art workshops for children from her home studio. She believes in creating safe, happy and creative learning environments where children are free to enquire, make mistakes and attain success.
Maria comes from Coolum Beach in Queensland Australia and has two young adult children, one studying at university in Australia and the other working in London. She enjoys walking/trekking, art, Italian culture, traveling to far flung places, cooking and socialising with family and friends.

Kerin Michelle Dodunski

Primary Teacher

Kerin Michelle Dodunski

Primary Teacher

Bachelor of Teaching and Learning (BTchLn) – The University of Canterbury, New Zealand (2009)

Kerin has 10 years of experience working in primary and special needs schools in New Zealand. She previously taught at AIS and is excited to return to international teaching. Kerin is passionate about Literacy and Language in the junior school. She prides herself on providing students with a positive, safe classroom environment which nurtures a holistic approach to learning and teaching. Kerin values undertaking professional learning of recent pedagogy and research to ensure her students receive personalised, engaging and effective learning opportunities. Kerin has two adult children in New Zealand and she will be joined in Vietnam by her husband. She enjoys travel, crafts, baking, yoga and is planning to learn scuba diving in Vietnam

Oonagh Groves

Primary Teacher

Oonagh Groves

Primary Teacher

Bachelor of Education

Rebecca Suzanne Debrincat

Primary Teacher

Rebecca Suzanne Debrincat

Primary Teacher

Bachelor of Arts; Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary)

Fifteen years of teaching and leadership experience has seen Rebecca provide enriching educational experiences to children across the globe. Rebecca has had the opportunity to work across schools in Melbourne, London and São Paulo. She has worked with a vast number of teams, pedagogical models and mastered her classroom teaching strategies. Leading the numeracy and the creative curriculum at her school in Brazil, Rebecca is passionate about developing the whole child particularly in encouraging 21st century skills and inspiring girls in STEAM education. Rebecca loves snowboarding, travelling, cooking and soccer as just a few of her hobbies

Yasmeen Russul Saib

Primary Teacher

Yasmeen Russul Saib

Primary Teacher

• Bachelor of Arts (Primary Education)

Yasmeen has most recently been working as a Middle Years Humanities Teacher, Year 6 Teacher and KS2 English Leader. Yasmeen is a qualified Primary Teacher, who specialised in Early Years and has 9 years’ experience. Beginning her teaching career, she taught in Manchester, England as an SEN Transition Teacher. Yasmeen has held a range of teaching and leadership positions in Primary and Secondary Schools in Myanmar, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Yasmeen loves keeping fit through Kickboxing, Muay Thai, HIIT and is a Zumba Instructor.

Jordan Leigh Goulding

Primary Teacher

Jordan Leigh Goulding

Primary Teacher

Master of Education
Bachelor of Communication
Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning

Jordan is a primary school teacher from Australia who has many years of experience working with amazing students in Thailand, England, Spain and his homeland. He has a Master of Education from the University of Melbourne and studied hard to receive a B2 Level Diploma of Spanish during his time there. Jordan takes pride in getting to know every student in his class as an individual, including their hobbies and how they learn.

Chantale Daniel

Primary Teacher

Chantale Daniel

Primary Teacher

Master of Education

Chantale is passionate about early years education. She is excited to be working alongside a team of educators who are committed to supporting the holistic development of young children through purposeful play-based learning experiences. This is Chantale’s third year working with AIS. She has worked previously as a teacher in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and in China where she also worked as an early year’s coordinator. Chantale has two children who attend AIS primary and together they enjoy exploring beautiful Vietnam. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, reading, and photography.

Cindy Patricia Armstrong

Primary Teacher

Cindy Patricia Armstrong

Primary Teacher

Bachelor of Education

Cindy is excited to be back with us after leaving 2 1/2 years ago and is looking forward to catching up with old friends and making new ones. Cindy has over 20 years of experience working in primary schools in Australia. She is passionate about teaching and is looking forward to teaching students from diverse cultural backgrounds again. Cindy believes in building strong relationships with students who are engaged in their learning, ensuring all learning is focused on students’ strengths and needs. Cindy has two adult children back home in Australia and is hoping they will pop over for a visit as well as other family and friends. Her passions include following the Richmond Football Club and spending time at the beach.

Francesco Zulueta

Primary PE Teacher

Francesco Zulueta

Primary PE Teacher

Bachelor of Arts

Francesco, or Coach Cesco, is in his first year of teaching P.E. and Sport to students in Kindergarten and Secondary at AIS. Prior to joining AIS, Coach Cesco has taught sports, swimming, and coached basketball at various International Schools in Ho Chi Minh City. He has experience coaching basketball at the primary, secondary, amateur, and professional level both in Vietnam and abroad; and hopes to share his knowledge and love of sports with AIS students. Outside of school, Coach Cesco enjoys training and playing basketball as well as learning more about cryptocurrency and NFT’s.

Nicholas John Heidenreich

Primary PE Teacher

Nicholas John Heidenreich

Primary PE Teacher

Bachelor of Human Movement - University of Tasmania
Community Bronze Surf Life Saving Certification
Mountain Bike Level 0 Instructors Certification

Nick has 12 years experience teaching in the field of Health and Physical Education from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 10. While teaching in Tasmania, Australia, he successfully designed and implemented a gross motor program for children from birth to Year 6. Nick has also coached and mentored various sporting teams. He loves supporting young people to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle.Nick is happiest when he is in the outdoors.

He has a passion for sports and recreational activities. These interests include; camping, cricket, mountain bike riding, home DIY projects, travel and spending time with his family.

Aoife Marie Brandon

Primary Music Teacher

Aoife Marie Brandon

Primary Music Teacher

Bachelor of Education

Aoife has 6 years of teaching experience, working in Ireland as a Primary Teacher. She achieved a 2:1 Bachelor of Education degree from Dublin City University in 2018.

Aoife has a passion for music and plays a variety of instruments, including, piano, guitar, ukulele, tin whistle and recorder as well as experience of running a choir and providing music for school events. She likes to busk in her free time and plays music at gigs and weddings on a regular basis. Aoife is passionate about developing creativity and confidence in children through the medium of music. Aoife loves Music, travel, playing sport, running, walking on the beach and spending time with family and friends.

Karla Villarosa Francisco

Swimming Teacher

Karla Villarosa Francisco

Swimming Teacher

Bachelor of Science in Biology
Aquatic Lifesaver Certification
FINA Certificate

Karla has been with AIS for 4 years teaching swimming from Kindergarten to Primary students in all campuses. Before joining AIS, Karla has been teaching swimming and coaching competitive swimmers in the Philippines. She was a competitive swimmer since 9-years old. She had represented some national competitions in the Philippines. Since then, she wants to share her knowledge, experiences and teach younger kids to learn how to swim and try to become a competitive swimmer some day because for her swimming is a life skill.

Phạm Thị Kim Nguyên

VNS Teacher - Primary & Kindergarten

Phạm Thị Kim Nguyên

VNS Teacher - Primary & Kindergarten

BA - Preschool Pedagogy
BA - Primary Education

Lê Thị Hoài Phương

VNS Teacher - Primary

Lê Thị Hoài Phương

VNS Teacher - Primary

BA - Arts (English Linguistics and Literature)
BA - Primary Education

Đặng Trần Ngọc Mỹ

Art Teacher - Primary

Đặng Trần Ngọc Mỹ

Art Teacher - Primary

BA - Teaching English

My is qualified in teaching Vietnamese language. She is passionate in teaching children how to use the language fluently. She is also fascinated in holistic education in which students learn to reflect on their actions and how they impact the global and local community, as well as how to learn from the community around them. My enjoys gardening, painting, travelling and playing piano in her free time.