the abelard school
Preparing thoughtful, inquisitive and motivated students to excel in university since 1997
Our Teachers
Our teachers are dedicated to their work and to our students, and they take pride in fostering academic excellence, creativity, and social conscience. All of our teachers are selected for their expertise in their fields as well as their passion for education.
Click on a photo to see the descriptions of each of our teachers
Mark Young
Michelle Lefolii
Inga Bratchuli
Dr. Michael Kilgour
Alina Rossinsky
Dr. Jennifer Franssen
Brian Blair
Dr. Carol Schwartz
Masha Zorich
Dr. Sarah Simon
Will Bateman-Hemphill
Dr. Alex Thomas
Colin Brandys
Michelle Lefolii
Michelle Lefolii is one of the founding members of the Abelard School. She has studied at the University of Toronto (Honours Bachelor of Arts in English, major in French), at the Sorbonne (French Literature), the École du Louvre (Art History) and at OISE (in the Masters of Teaching English programme). She is a firm believer in the importance of literature to personal experience and as a discipline worthy of rigorous academic study.
Brian Blair
Brian Blair is one of the founding members of the Abelard School. He studied first Chemical Engineering and then Classical Greek and Roman language, literature, history, and philosophy at the University of Toronto. After obtaining his Honours B.A. and M.A., he completed the coursework for his Ph.D. Mr. Blair teaches Classics, Political Science, and Philosophy. If he can pass on his love of learning to his students, he will be a happy man.
Alina Rossinsky
Alina Rossinsky is one of the founding members of the Abelard School. She obtained her B.A. and M.Ed. in French Studies from the Department of Foreign Languages at the Pedagogical University in Moscow, Russia. She has years of experience in French language instruction, journalism, and translation. Ms. Rossinsky currently teaches French, French civilization, and modern languages, and enjoys nothing more than challenging her students to be the best they can be.
Mark Young
Principal Mark Young has a Master’s degree in Classics from the University of Toronto and spent several additional years working towards his Doctorate in Classics. He was Principal of The Abelard School from 2004-2014 and began his second term as Principal in 2020. His most recent publication is Giannozzo Manetti: A Translator's Defence. Mr Young teaches English, Classics, and History with the hope of furthering his students’ zeal to read widely and think deeply.
Inga Bratchuli
Inga Bratchuli holds a Master of Science in Biophysics from Georgia State University in Tbilisi, Georgia. She has been associated with the school in many capacities since 2000: as a teacher; as a parent (her son graduated from Abelard in 2010); as instructor for our after-school yoga club; and as our current Office Manager. If you have any questions about the school, or require any assistance, Ms. Bratchuli is happy to draw upon her wealth of experience to assist you.
Dr. Michael Kilgour
Michael Kilgour holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Chemistry from Queen’s University and in 2019 completed his PhD in Chemical Physics Theory at the University of Toronto. He has been an Abelard School Teacher since 2016, and continues his Theoretical Chemistry research as a postdoctoral fellow at NYU. Every year Michael looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for science with the chemistry students, and his love of music with the Jazz Club.
Dr. Jennifer Franssen Keenan
Jennifer Franssen Keenan holds undergraduate degrees in Biology and Chemistry and English Literature and an M.A. in English. She studied law at the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics, earning the Juris Doctor degree with honours. She spent two years working toward her Ph.D. in Law at the LSE before returning to Canada to article at Stikeman Elliott LLP in Toronto. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2008. Jennifer has taught Law and English literature at Abelard since 2018 and is currently teaching English in our middle school program.
Masha Zorich
Mathematics teacher Masha Zorich holds a Bachelor's in Math from Moscow State University and a Master's in Computer Science from Yale University. Ms. Zorich also did doctoral studies in CS at the University of Toronto and worked in IT before joining Abelard. She loves her students' aha moments and enjoys teaching those inquisitive minds alongside her brilliant and fun colleagues.
Dr. Carol Schwartz
​Dr. Schwartz holds a PhD in Molecular and Medical Genetics from U of T. She carried out postdoctoral research at the University of California at San Francisco and began work as a research associate at the Best Institute in the Faculty of Medicine at U of T in 1997. She has also worked as a research associate in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology. She is the author of numerous scientific publications. Dr. Schwartz has taught courses in the Departments of Zoology, Cell and Systems Biology and Human Biology at U of T.
Dr. Sarah Simon
Sarah Simon holds a PhD in Environmental Science and Atmospheric Chemistry from the University of Toronto and an MSc in Materials Chemistry from the University of British Columbia. Her research focused on the effects of air pollution on plants and the development of innovative solar panels. Before her PhD, Sarah worked as a science facilitator at Science World in Vancouver, leading workshops and performing science shows for large audiences. She joined Abelard in 2024 and is all about making science and math a blast, inspiring students to embrace their curiosity and become fearless question-askers!
Will Bateman-Hemphill
William Bateman-Hemphill holds an M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Toronto and a B.Sc. in Mathematical Physics from the University of Waterloo. After tutoring university students in math and physics for many years, Mr. Bateman-Hemphill began teaching at Abelard in 2024 and immediately fell in love with the community of avid learners our school hosts. He enjoys learning and inspiring students to explore the science in the world around them.
Dr. Alex Thomas
Alex Thomas received a BA in Religious Studies from the University of British Columbia and a PhD from the Department of English at the University of Toronto, where he currently works as a course instructor. He joined The Abelard School in 2025, where he teaches English, Drama, and Canadian History. He has published in English Literary History and Studies in Romanticism and is currently at work on a monograph on ghost belief in the Romantic period.
Colin Brandys
Colin Brandys holds a Bachelor of Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Science from the University of Toronto, both in physics. His research focused on biophysics, with particular emphasis on the evolution of multicellularity and the aging of C elegans. He has a deep passion for learning and emphasizes the importance of developing a well-rounded, multidisciplinary world view. Having taught with Abe;ard since 2024, he takes special pride in empowering students to approach challenging problems with curiousity and confidence.
