MAPLE BEAR CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE | The best of Canadian education for a global future.

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Maple Bear is the largest and fastest-growing educational network worldwide, headquartered in North Vancouver, Canada. With over 460 schools currently operating and 209 more in development, Maple Bear serves more than 65,000 students across 39 countries and 5 continents.

Our schools offer a complete Canadian curriculum for preschool, elementary, and high school, developed by Canadian education experts. We deliver programs that blend proven methodologies with innovative practices, ensuring excellence in academics and holistic development.

Quality is our top priority. Rigorous standards and continuous oversight ensure every Maple Bear school embodies the very best of Canadian education.

*According to ISC Research 2023.

Join the Maple Bear family – where global education meets local values!

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The Story of Maple Bear

Maple Bear was conceived through the efforts of the Canadian Education Centre Network (CECN), a non-profit organization supported by the Government of Canada and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. The initial goal of the CECN was to promote Canadian education internationally and attract foreign students to Canada.

In 2004, CECN managers identified a growing domestic demand for high-quality bilingual Canadian education, particularly from middle-class parents in emerging markets, many of whom had studied abroad, including in Canada. This realization led to the birth of Maple Bear Canadian Schools.

The first Maple Bear school opened in Indirapuram (New Delhi), India, in 2005. By 2007, Maple Bear transitioned into a privately owned company, with schools already established in Korea, Brazil, and India. The success of its bilingual immersion programs quickly gained traction, driven by parents observing remarkable improvements in their children’s language skills, learning, and behavior.

Since then, Maple Bear has become synonymous with excellence in Canadian education, expanding globally and shaping future-ready students.

Founders

Rodney Briggs

Co-Founder & Board Member

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Gerald Macleod

Co-Founder

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Maple Bear Global Team

José Henrique del Castillo Melo

CEO

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Martine Lewis

Chief Academic Officer

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Sunil Sudhakar

Chief Operations Officer

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Justine O Grady

Director of Curriculum

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Patti Rodger

Director of Training and Quality Assurance

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Tammy-Lynne Peel

Director of Academic Projects

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Renan Avanci

Director of Finance

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Rebecca Manning

Director of Operations

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Raissa de Freitas Calvette

Legal Manager

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Maple Bear CEE Team

Yann Bidan

Maple Bear CEE General Manager

Pavel Lekov

CFO

Irena Korbabicz-Putko

Academic Director

Denis Bonningue

Development Director

Denitsa Getova

Financial Manager

Nadya Kostova

Procurement and Office Manager

Shawna
Gates

VAD MB GS

Mateo
Cuadras

Franchise Expansion
Director

Andreea Necsulea

Operations Director

Virginia Momtchilova

Director of Communications

Beata
Pankowska

Project Manager

Mariya-Viktoriya
Veleva

Project Manager

Ralitsa
Petrova

Marketing Manager

Maple Bear Faculty

The Maple Bear Faculty consists of a distinguished team of expert Canadian educators dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the high standards of Maple Bear schools worldwide. They are responsible for developing the proprietary, specially designed curriculum, ensuring it reflects the latest research and advancements in Canadian educational practices.

To uphold these standards, faculty members conduct annual visits to Maple Bear schools globally, providing hands-on training to teachers to deliver the program effectively. They also serve as Quality Assurance evaluators, ensuring each school meets Maple Bear’s rigorous benchmarks, fostering consistency and excellence in education across the network.

Full List of Faculty Members

Global Connection for Sustainability

Maple Bear schools foster global collaboration through the Global Connections for Sustainability program, which unites students worldwide to engage in meaningful learning about global sustainability issues. This initiative is inspired by the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established in 2015 to promote global peace, prosperity, and solutions to challenges like climate change, education, and poverty.

By leveraging a digital platform, Maple Bear students participate in collaborative projects that explore these critical topics. They gain insights into caring for the planet while developing cross-cultural connections, empowering them to be globally minded citizens from an early age. This program embodies Maple Bear’s commitment to creating a positive impact through education and sustainability.

Giving Back

At Maple Bear, we prepare students to become responsible global citizens by instilling the value of giving back to their communities. We believe quality Canadian education fosters critical thinkers with a strong sense of social justice and global awareness.

Our commitment extends beyond the classroom through charitable contributions and community initiatives. Globally, we proudly support the Terry Fox Foundation, uniting in the fight against cancer, and partner with UNICEF to champion children’s rights. Locally, Maple Bear schools prioritize projects that enhance education within their own communities, making a direct impact.

Community service is also woven into the curriculum, introducing students to age-appropriate, hands-on activities that nurture social responsibility. By fostering the joy of giving back, we aim to inspire a generation of compassionate leaders ready to make a difference in the world.

Crete, collaborate, celebrate: highlights from the 1st Global Maple Bear Conference

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The Maple Bear mission is to deliver a student-focused learning system in a safe, secure and stimulating environment that prepares students for success at the post secondary level and that instills a passion for life-long learning.

Contact Us

Interested to find out more about Maple Bear in Central and Eastern Europe, visit our regional website.

Interested in owning a school?
Please visit our school ownership website.

For all other enquiries, please fill out our contact form.

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© 2025 Maple Bear Global Schools Ltd.

Rodney Briggs

Co-Founder & Board Member

A graduate of the University of Manitoba with an MA in Political Science, Rodney served as a Canadian diplomat from 1981 to 1996 with postings to Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the Kingdom of Thailand, the People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea. He also served as President of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers.

In 1996, he joined the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada as the Vice-President responsible for the Canadian Education Centre Network project and in 1997 became the first President of the newly-formed non-profit company, the Canadian Education Centre Network. In this capacity he was responsible for building the network from three centres in the Asia-Pacific region into an entity with a presence in 17 countries spanning the globe. While with the CEC Network, Rodney conceived and developed the Maple Bear education system. In March 2007, he purchased Maple Bear from the CEC Network.

As President of Maple Bear Global Schools he traveled extensively, expanding Maple Bear’s global footprint to over twenty countries.

In March 2021, Rodney retired from his operating role as President & CEO of Maple Bear Global Schools. He remains active as Board Chair and a shareholder in the company.

Gerald Macleod

Co-Founder

Gerald Macleod held both a B.A. and B.Ed from the University of Saskatchewan, a Masters degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, and a Masters of Education (second language and immersion specialization) from the University of Manitoba. In addition he held a Diplôme d’études françaises from the Université de Poitiers, and a Diplôme d’études internationales et du développement from the Université de Toulouse, France. He also received numerous academic awards, including the Government of France scholarship for Graduate Study in France.

His education credentials were extensive, beginning as a teacher in Montreal, Saskatoon and Winnipeg; as Vice-Principal and Principal at all levels of the Winnipeg school system and as a university professor of Education Administration at the Collège universitaire de Saint Boniface, Manitoba.

Gerald served as School District Director of International Education in Winnipeg; Director of International Education in the Department of Advanced Education for the Province of Manitoba, and as a consultant in international education globally. He frequently presented on international education topics to teachers, principals and school boards.

Gerald passed away in early 2021.

José Henrique del Castillo Melo

CEO

José has invaluable experience in the education sector that spans over three decades. With a proven track record of excellence and achievement, Jose’s career encompasses a comprehensive history in education, from classroom teaching to holding various senior management positions in renowned organizations, in countries like Brazil, Canada and Spain, where he played a pivotal role in expanding global presence and establishing companies as prominent players in the industry.

Martine Lewis

Chief Academic Officer

Martine is an accomplished leader with over 30 years’ experience in education, curriculum implementation, change management and strategic operations. She holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and has worked as a teacher, Principal and most recently as a Superintendent of Schools for a large public school board. As an educational leader, she is committed to building trust, developing relationships and fostering a culture of collaboration while upholding equitable and inclusive values.

Sunil Sudhakar

Chief Operations Officer

With a remarkable track record spanning over 25 years, Sunil brings extensive expertise working with globally recognized brands, achieving substantial growth on a global scale, and in various locations, such as Dubai, US and most recently in Vancouver and Toronto.
His strategic thinking consistently delivered outstanding results in various areas such as sales, profit, people development and customer satisfaction. He understands the intricate dynamics of managing both multi-unit operations and pan-regional scopes encompassing both business management and development.

Justine O Grady

Director of Curriculum
Justine holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Charles Sturt University and a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Science from St. Francis Xavier University. She has over 34 years of experience in education, as a science/biology/chemistry teacher and a school administrator. Justine also has training in conflict management, equity, and anti-racism, including a certificate in Conflict Management and Mediation from Conrad Grebel University and a Certificate in Instructional Rounds practices from Harvard University. A seasoned educational leader with extensive experience in school administration, curriculum development, and school improvement planning, Justine excels in fostering positive work environments and driving organizational improvements. Her key strengths lie in team building, conflict management, and strategic thinking, which have enabled her to mentor staff effectively, enhance instructional practices, and improve student outcomes. Justine has a deep commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to creating school environments that foster student well-being and success.

Patti Rodger

Director of Training and Quality Assurance

Patti Rodger, B.Ed., M. Ed., spent 30 years as an educator and administrator in the Saskatchewan education system. She was a classroom teacher, a special educator and finally a principal for over 19 years.

Tammy-Lynne Peel

Director of Training and Professional Development
Tammy-Lynne Peel is a leader and educator with over 30 years of experience in Ontario schools. She earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University with a focus on mentoring and training, and holds certificates from Harvard University’s Creating Cultures of Thinking program, and from John Hattie’s Visible Learning Institute. Tammy-Lynne has led professional development initiatives in classroom management, literacy instruction, mathematics, and equitable education. As a Superintendent of Education, she directed professional learning communities focused on Teaching and Learning Critical Pathways and chaired system-level improvement teams. Her responsibilities included developing mentoring and professional development opportunities for educators and leaders and establishing performance appraisal criteria.

Renan Avanci

Director of Finance

Renan has over 15 years of experience in key areas such as FP&A, Controllership and Business Finance, specializing in the education and technology sectors. He has a degree in Accounting and two MBAs in Controllership, Finance and Business Management. His background includes finance projects, business planning (Budget, Forecast, 5YP), automation, finance transformation, M&A, Plug and Play, and the implementation and integration of systems. He has contributed to Grupo SEB as FP&A Manager for 12 years and recently worked as Global Business Finance Manager at Hotmart.

Rebecca Manning

Director of Operations

Rebecca’s career in education has spanned 15 years and included experience as an English Language Trainer, Academic Coordinator, Academic Manager, and National Service Manager. She has lived and worked in South Korea, Hungary, Japan, Russia, and Brazil. In 2017, she opened the Canadian office of Maple Bear Latin America in the city of Toronto, where she now works as Operations Director for Maple Bear Global Schools.

Rebecca holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Guelph, with a minor in Mathematical Science. She completed her Human Resources Management Certificate with the Sprott School of Business and holds the designations of Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) in the province of Ontario and Certified Talent Management Practitioner (CTMP) with the Canadian HR Academy. Additionally, Rebecca has a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA). She is currently an Executive MBA candidate with Kellogg-Schulich.

Rebecca speaks English and Portuguese.

Raissa de Freitas Calvette

Legal Manager

With over 11 years of extensive experience in corporate law, specifically in franchises, retail, and the service industry, Raissa brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will undoubtedly benefit our organization. Her background and skills make her a valuable addition to our team, and we are excited to have her on board.