Greetings students, parents, and guardians! My name is Natalia Fursova and I am a first grade teacher at CDS! I have been teaching lower primary students for the last seven years, six of which I have been in first grade, and it has truly been an exciting and inspiring experience.

I grew up near Toronto, Ontario but I was born in Sochi, Russia. Growing up surrounded by two cultures and two languages and being a bit of a book nerd, I was always interested in traveling to see the world and experience different cultures. Since then, I have had an amazing opportunity to study in Scotland, work in Korea, and travel to many different countries in Europe and South East Asia. I always love to bring my experiences and things I learned in different countries into my classroom.

In my free time I love to read and play with my son, go for walks and hikes with my family, and try new foods.

Our class is going to have many adventures together, be creative, have fun, and find exciting new opportunities for learning. This year will undoubtedly be a memorable one and we will have a great time learning safely. I can't wait to see everyone soon!

Hello everyone! My name is Dia Stewart, and I'm a first-grade teacher in the First Program at CDS. As a child, I moved around a lot within the US, but I spent most of my life in South Carolina, where I received my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and my Master's degree in Literacy Education. I taught 1st grade at a public school in South Carolina for 5 years, taught high school English in Thailand for a summer, and taught 2nd grade English in Seoul for 2 years. This is my 3rd year at CDS. My mother is originally from South Korea, which is what initially led me here.

Ever since I was 13 years old, I dreamed of being a teacher. Working with children has always been a passion of mine. I love that children are eager to learn and excited to show off their accomplishments. My goal is to create a fun, safe, and caring learning environment that allows every child to thrive academically while building strong relationships within our community.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my daughter and husband. I look forward to getting to know everyone this year!