Bonjour! My name is Mme. Collbran-DiCiero (Ms. D for short). As a new teacher at Humberside, I am excited to meet all of you (hopefully soon) in one of my French classes! I became interested in learning French once I was in high school because I realized the importance of being multilingual, especially in a country like Canada which is so diverse. That is why I chose to attend Glendon College (the French campus of York University). I speak English, French, Italian, and a little bit of Dutch. Whether it comes to work, travel, or simply just meeting and talking to new people, speaking multiple languages has opened so many doors for me and I know it will for you too! In my spare time, I play beach volleyball, coach swimming, travel, and go for walks with my two puppies Holly & Gracie.

Preferred method of communication: Email - maria.collbran-diciero@tdsb.on.ca

Bonjour! My name is Mr. Gottlieb, but many students call me Mr. G. I’m a new teacher at Humberside this year and am excited to see many of you in my French and Géographie classes this year. My French journey began quite early in life as a student in the French Immersion program. Studying French has afforded me the opportunity to explore many cultures, to enjoy fantastic films and literature, to travel, to connect and communicate with a diverse range of people and to share my love of the language with you - the next generation! In my spare time I like to play music, cook, play board games, read, travel, and stay active!

Fun facts: I play many instruments (electric bass, guitar, and double bass are my best), and am currently learning piano. I studied for two years at the University of Oregon and began my teaching career in London, England.

Preferred method of communication: fraser.gottlieb@tdsb.on.ca

I grew up in Germany where a lot of value is placed on learning foreign languages in school, especially English and French, to facilitate travel, business and cross cultural communication. From an early age, I loved learning English, French and Latin, loved seeing how my efforts at learning paid off and how I could get to know people from other countries when I traveled in ways I never could have without knowing their language. My most favourite teacher in high school also happened to be my French teacher. Thirty years later, I still keep in touch with her! A few years back, I took a sabbatical year with my husband and we lived in Italy, immersing ourselves in the language and culture. Italian is now my newest passion. Fun fact: regularly read novels in five different languages, recently cycled from Niagara on the Lake to the Quebec border and I love downhill skiing and hiking in the Alps and the Rockies.

Preferred method of communication: email christina.neumann@tdsb.on.ca

https://sites.google.com/tdsb.on.ca/neumann/home

Bonjour! My name is Mlle Ritchie and I am looking forward to meeting you all in my French class in Semester 2. Having been a French Immersion student myself, I understand that learning a language is both an amazing and challenging experience. I hope to help all of my students find joy in their language learning process. I truly fell in love with French when I went to Europe for the first time in high school. I was able to become friends with people from all over the world using the common tongue: French. I still keep in touch with these friends and have made new ones. Since then, French has opened so many doors for me, including meeting so many fabulous, language-loving students! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I answer emails during school hours Monday through Friday.

Email: raina.ritchie@tdsb.on.ca

Salut! My name is Mme Bernknopf but most students call me Mme B. For me, studying French combines some of my favourite things as it is the international language of cooking, theatre and dance. It has deep roots in many of my passions which I hope to share with my students.

Preferred method of communication: email heather.bernknopf@tdsb.on.ca