Christine Robinson, Interim Principal and Teacher
After 13 years of teaching across several grades at Linnaea School,
Christine stepped into the role of Teacher/Interim Principal in January 2010. She is dividing her time between teaching our Coho and Starfish children (grades 1 and 2), and dealing with the myriad administrative tasks needed to keep the school running smoothly. Christine has a natural instinct for organization, strong nurturing instincts and a passionate commitment to the values represented in the school’s mission statement

Christine believes that trust, relationships, self-esteem, meaningful learning and fun are essential to the learning environment. She believes that connecting children's learning and lives to nature, and developing children's responsibility for serious stewardship of the natural world is more critical now than ever. She loves to kayak and explore the outdoors with children, and to share her love of stories and good literature.

Christine was initially drawn to Linnaea School as a parent because of the interweaving of the farm and nature into daily learning, the multi-age friendships, the encouragement of youth leadership on global issues, and the strong community of teachers, parents, and children. During her time at Linnaea Christine has worked variously as a cleaner, office helper, and teaching assistant. However, “teaching was always my professional goal. The values of stewardship, nature, & community at Linnaea School; the beauty of farm, lake and forest; the relationships between teachers and students were the inspiration for me to return to UBC in 1994 to complete a professional teaching certificate.”

Christine obtained her BA in History/English/Children's Lit from UBC and her B of Education at UBC, Integrated Early Primary.


Dayna Davis, Teacher
Dayna teaches the Kindergarten and Grade One students. She is in her 14th year of teaching at Linnaea School. She has a passion for the arts and believes that music, movement, story and art are essential in the unfolding of intelligence; they are the heart of education of the child.


Over the years, Dayna has taught music and art to all ages. Her classroom is guided by the beliefs that ecology begins with direct and meaningful contact with the natural world, that peace begins with an honoring of the highest in each child and that excellence is a by-product of enthusiasm and curiosity.


Dayna holds a bachelor of education from The University of Alberta. She received training in Waldorf education in Edmonton Parkallen School and at Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento California. She is a life-long learner and observer of children and the mother of two young adults.


Conrad Dombrowski, Teacher
After six years of teaching Math and Science to our senior students, this year Conrad has chosen to focus some of his energies elsewhere but is excited to be teaching an Outdoor Education class across all the school's grades.

Growing up at the Lester B Pearson United World College where his parents taught influenced his focus on international cooperation and his desire to live in community.


Conrad enjoys the challenges and rewards that come with teaching at Linnaea School, where the staff truly tries to walk their talk. He particularly enjoys teaching within the strong school community. He and his family live as part of a small community of four families who share land in Whaletown with a focus on sustainable living and a push towards being able to feed themselves from their land.


At Trent University, Conrad designed his own major in "Cosmologies of Nature," an interdisciplinary look at how people view our relationship with the natural world. After graduating with honours, he attended the Outdoor and Experiential Education B.Ed. programme at Queen's University, focusing on Native Studies and Biology.


Norleen Lillico, Teacher
Norleen has taught at Linnaea School for the last 4 years. She currently teaches our Coho and Starfish children (grades 1 and 2). She loves her job, which includes telling stories, taking children on nature walks and nurturing their developing interest in reading, writing and math. She uses yoga and storytelling to explore with her students the many ways our bodies can move. She came to Linnaea School as a single parent seeking community, drawn to the School by its dedication to recognizing the individual in each student and the focus on encouraging kind and respectful attitudes through experiential environmental education. She is inspired by the natural world and children's awe in that world.

Norleen graduated with a BEd. in biology and geography from the University of Saskatchewan. She taught gymnastics in BC, Alberta, Australia and New Zealand.


Béene Savage, Teacher
Béene has taught at Linnaea for the past four years, in a variety of subjects. Currently she is teaching Art to the students in grades 1 through 8, as well as working with the senior class, teaching English Language Arts subjects.
Béene believes in giving students the space and tools they need to express themselves creatively.

In Art class Béene honours her students' creative process and seeeks to foster in her students the self-confidence needed to try new techniques and styles.

Béene earned her Bachelor of Ed. At Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, through the Outdoor, Experiential Education program


Chris Kalnay, Teacher
Chris teaches Math, Science and Social Studies to our Grades 6,7 and 8 class as well as teaching P.E. school wide.

Chris likes to live his life “in harmony with nature” and living on Cortes and teaching at Linnaea School was an opportunity for him to fulfill his wish to teach in a remote place where there is still a meaningful connection with nature.

Chris believes that every student has the capability to learn as they grow in a safe and nurturing environment. “Our job as educators is to identify and provide the stimuli required for the optimal learning environment. Utilizing as many learning modalities as practically possible, with each unique group of students, provides a variety of learning experiences for all”.

Chris is currently building a house and developing a small acreage on Cortes, with a focus on minimal environmental impact and sustainability.

Chris obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and his Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa.


Eric Fine, Teacher
Eric Fine teaches our Grades 3-5 class. Before entering the field of education, Eric was an organic farmer with a special interest in food
security issues. He has also been a commercial fisherman on a family-run troller. His eclectic teaching skills include Environmental Science, physical education, and music. Eric recently moved to Cortes with his wife and three year old son and is enthusiastic about being involved
in community life at Linnaea and on Cortes.

Eric believes that to be a teacher "is to commit to the future of humankind by making a difference in the present through interactive involvement with children. My teaching beliefs address this theme of commitment to the future through an exploration of how to teach children to be responsible citizens, both in their local communities and in the world."

Eric obtained both his BA in Environmental Studies and Anthropology and his Bachelor of Education from The University of Victoria.


Melissa Rickey, TA
Melissa is in her fifth year at Linnaea School, with two children in the school. She works in the French class, teaches Health and Career education to all grades, and has facilitated the Roots of Empathy programme for three years. She came to Linnaea School for its politically progressive environment, to work with inspiring people, and to be near her children. She appreciates her children are learning in an environment with awareness of earth stewardship, feminism and global issues, and that the teachers are thoughtful about character development in children. One of her passions as a Health and Career educator is teaching media awareness. She believes good, attached relationships brings out the best in children. She strives to incorporate children's individual learning styles and personal interests.


Melissa is three years into a BA degree course in Child and Youth Care at the University of Victoria. She has taken time off to continue working at Linnaea.


Andrew Smyth, Financial Administrator
Andrew is in his second year at Linnaea School. He worked as a solicitor in London before moving to Vancouver where he worked in a law firm and then as the in-house lawyer/administrator for a software consulting business. He became a stay at home parent after the adoption of his baby daughter.


Andrew's family was drawn to the Linnaea farm and school communities, recognizing that they reflected many of his family's values around environmental responsibility and community. He was thrilled to become a part of the School Community when the Financial Administrator position opened up.


Andrew took a BA in modern languages at Sheffield University, and then
studied law at the College of Law London.


Zoe Miles, Secretarial Administration
Zoe grew up on Cortes Island. She first came to Linnaea as a Grade 2 student in the school's third year. After years of seeking off-island adventures, she has returned to this incredible community, and now spends time at Linnaea as the school secretary.