Our Community

Ms. Nichola Montaigne

nmontaigne@romerikeis.no

Head of Primary

British, born in Saudi Arabia and brought up in Portugal, I have had the rewarding opportunity of pursuing my passion which is to empower all learners to believe in themselves. My international experience, working and living in the Philippines, the UK, Portugal, China and Brazil has been a rich and rewarding experience.

My higher education in Design, Sociology, a BSc in Psychology, Post Graduate Certificate in Education and a Masters in International Education and Leadership, has supported my role as an educator (PreK-G5), as a teacher in the classroom, in student support and as a leader in IB Schools. I cannot wait to join the Romerike International School and be a part of the community with my husband and three children.

Anne Maarud

amaarud@romerikeis.no

Inclusion Coordinator

I am a Norwegian educational-psychological counsellor with a Bachelor- and Masters degree from the University of Oslo. I have had the privilege to work in a range of educational contexts in Norway over the past 18 years, e.g. as an Inclusion Coordinator, school-counsellor, teacher, and counsellor for PPT.

My main passion when it comes to education is supporting students in their development, helping them overcome obstacles and reach their individual potential. I am looking forward to contributing to a positive, healthy and safe environment for our students at Romerike International School

Connie Pedraza

cpedraza@romerikeis.no

Grade 1

I am a Colombian teacher with a bachelor degree in early childhood
education. I had the opportunity to work in the USA and China where I
had students from different cultures and languages. As a preschool
and elementary teacher, I am enthusiastic and caring. Along with all
the different and creative initiatives in the classroom, I love to create
mini museums and indoor gardens with my students. I believe in
creating a learning environment where students have a voice and can
pursuit their learning through following their interests and passions.

I look forward to being part of this community. Along with my husband
and two children, I am sure we will continue to learn from others and
have the rewarding opportunity to share our experience.

Daniel Butters

dbutters@romerikeis.no

Grade 3

I graduated from the University of Portsmouth, UK, with a degree in International Relations and History in 2005. In 2012, I then continued my studies at the University of Winchester and completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Primary Education. I taught for four years in the South of England where I taught in a range of year groups from Year 3- 6. I then held the position of Primary Leader in Denmark at the International School Ikast-Brande where I also worked as a Year 6 teacher. Currently, I teach in Penang, Malaysia, and I am very excited to return to Europe, specifically Norway and join the Romerike community. Outside of teaching, I have a keen interest in travelling and I enjoy a range of sporting activities such as football, swimming, cycling and golf.

Alison Bull

abull@romerikeis.no

Grade 5

In 2011 I graduated from the University of Exeter, England, with a degree in Economics. I then continued my studies at Exeter University and completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Primary Education with Mathematics Specialism.

Since becoming a qualified teacher, I have taught in both the South of England and then in Aarhus Denmark and held positions of responsibility in the Maths departments of both my previous schools.

I currently teach in Malaysia and am incredibly excited about returning to Scandinavia and teaching the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in Romerike, Norway. Out of the classroom, I enjoy windsurfing, yoga, running, and baking.

Dave Purcell

dpurcell@romerikeis.no

MYP English

I am originally from the city of Durham in the Northeast of England, but have lived for a number of years in Indonesia. As an MYP Language and Literature teacher, I aim to create a classroom environment in which students use critical thinking approaches to deepen their knowledge base and understand the different perspectives of others.

My completion of a Masters in International Education has strengthened my conviction that education really is the most powerful tool we possess to create a fairer, kinder and more sustainable global society and I’m very excited to be part of the start of Romerike International School’s journey. Away from the classroom, I love getting out into nature, writing children’s poetry and telling anyone who will listen why Sunderland AFC are the true sleeping giants of English football.

Ericson Gutierrez

egutierrez@romerikeis.no

MYP Science

Originally from the Philippines, I am fortunate to gain vast experience teaching Science in various international schools in the Philippines, Kazakhstan, and Singapore. I started teaching in 2005 and it includes delivering IB MYP, IB DP, and IGCSE curricula and framework.

Mr. Henrique Caetano

hcaetano@romerikeis.no

Middle Years Programme Design

I have had 28 years of experience working in the design field in a global context with prestigious organisations such as National Geographic. I transitioned into the world of education motivated to make a difference in the world and encourage all learners to use the lens of sustainability when seeking solutions to problems as global citizens.

My career and passion for design blended with education have led me to work in international schools in China and Brazil. I now look forward to joining the Romerike International School, collaborating with the whole community to develop a design thinking mindset within and beyond our school community. Living in Norway, exploring its nature and heritage is something I look forward to doing with my wife and three children.

Susanna Andreassen

sandreassen@romerikeis.no

Individuals and Societies

I am originally from Norway, but have lived in Hong Kong for the past fourteen years, and prior to that I lived and studied in Denmark and Thailand.  I have a MSc in Business Administration, but my passion for learning and working with people brought me into the world of education. I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and have been working in secondary and tertiary education in Hong Kong, of which the past nine years have been in IB World Schools. My main subject is Individuals and Societies, and I love how students get the opportunity to discuss current affairs and use critical thinking in my lessons. I’m really excited about being part of creating an international learning community at Romerike.

Benjamin Ensrud

bensrud@romerikeis.no

Norwegian

I am Norwegian, born in Sweden. My Master’s degree is in Nordic language education, and my main subject is Norwegian. For the past five years I’ve taught students in the Norwegian school system. Language mastery is very important to me, and I strive to help students unlock the wealth of knowledge and wisdom available behind the door of literacy. It takes time and patience to become a good reader, writer, thinker, and orator. Yet, these are essential skills in today’s world, especially for my students, who will go on to change the world. I look forward to help building the learning community at Romerike International School.

Adam Atour

aatour@romerikeis.no

Grade 4

Born and raised in London, parents from Morocco; graduated with a BSc in Business Economics followed by the completion of the Graduate Teacher Programme. I worked at an inner London Academy for almost 8 years as a teacher, Head of Year and became a Director of Key Stage as part of the Senior Leadership Team.

As I have always lived and worked in heavily diverse communities, I believe education should embody an openness and awareness to all others, particularly those who look and sound different.

I moved to Norway in 2019 and worked at Tesla for 2 years, contributing towards the world’s acceleration to sustainable energy. I have lived in Nes Kommune since 2020 with my wife and daughter. I love spending time outdoors ‘på tur’, playing/following competitive sports and generally spending time with my family.

Madeleine Dolby

mdolby@romerikeis.no

Art Drama & Norwegian

I’m a Norwegian theatre-instructor, drama-pedagog, actress, artist and entrepreneur. My upbringing is very international, as I lived and grew up in Norway, Denmark, Wales, Scotland and Canada.

At RIS I will be teaching the arts and Norwegian B, and I’m really looking forward to it!

My true passion is theatre and everything that surrounds it: ensemble work, music, lights, make-up, the making of scenography, props, and costumes. A bigger part of my education is in comedy, physical theatre, clowning and hospital clowning, tools of which I will be using with my students at RIS.

I have been teaching in the arts since 2009 for children and young people. I have taught at cultural institutions, amateur theatres, private schools, public schools and folk high schools in the subject’s art, theatre, improve theatre, musical and new circus. Working creatively with children and young people is the best! I’m convinced that drama is one of the most important subjects for students’ social development, but also a great arena for the blossoming artists of tomorrow.

Reading Dog

My name is Billie the Dog, but you can call me Billie. My birthday is 9th October, and I am a very happy dog who loves spending time with children. I love a good cuddle and I always appreciate being read for or just get some smiles and attention. I am also a very good listener and I do my best to cheer you up and support you when needed. I am pleased to say that I am a hypoallergenic dog that has had training to be a Reading Dog. I will be working 40%.

Vilde Kaunatjike Synnestvedt

vsynnestvedt@romerikeis.no

Norwegian

Having graduated from the Norwegian School of Sport Science in 2010 with a bachelor degree in sport science, I then kickstarted my teaching career in South Africa, alongside Sport, Culture and Development studies at the University of Western Cape. Both living and working in S.A. has so far been one of the greatest experiences in my life!

In addition, I have higher education in English from Østfold University College and Norwegian from Oslo Metropolitan University.

I have been employed at Neskollen primary school since 2012, where I taught in a range of year groups from grade 4 – 7. When I teach, I want my students to learn discipline, structure, creativity and collaboration. I am a big fan of peer leadership, and I try to use teaching methods that emphasize learning, how to become independent and motivated, as well as taking ownership.

Suzanne Rochette

sandreassen@romerikeis.no

SFO Leader

I’m a French and sports teacher, basketball player and coach. I grew up in Toulouse, graduated with a Masters in Sport Sciences and Education and had the opportunity to work in different schools before moving abroad.

For the last 6 years, I’ve been living in Denmark teaching Primary School students (PK-G5) in Copenhagen International School and coaching basketball, volleyball and football (U12-U15).

As SFO Leader, I wish to create a welcoming environment for all students, by bringing my positive attitude, demonstrating kindness towards others and keeping an open heart. Away from school, I enjoy being active, writing stories, poetry but also performing stand up sets, doing impro theater or clowning.

Wilhelm Daniel Valderrama

dvalderrama@romerikeis.no

Head of Middle Years Programe

With a bachelor’s degree in Teaching English and Spanish, I started my career as an educator in my native Bogotá, Colombia back in 1998. After 10 years working in language schools, I made the move into school classroom teaching in public schools in North Carolina, USA, where I was for 4 years. There, I completed my master’s degree in TESOL from Greensboro College, and in 2012, I moved to China, where I started my experience with IB schools. There, not only did I continue to develop my teaching experience, this time with an international curriculum, but I also started to build on my leadership skills as a department leader and a curriculum coordinator. My passion for a holistic education that develops the student as an integral human being made me join the International Baccalaureate Educator Network (IBEN), which has brought me the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience about an IB education in schools around the world as a workshop leader and visiting team member.

I am married to a wonderful woman who shares my passion for education and have two wonderful children. As a family, we believe in the power of sustainable living and respect for the global community. I am very excited about the opportunity to contribute to the growth and improvement of a new school community here in Norway