Our Team

Lionel Sandner – President

Lionel Sandner is currently working on various science education projects in Canada, and around the world. On the resource side, the focus has been providing customized resources with mobile learning opportunities for teachers & students in Chemistry, Physics, and AP Chemistry. Drawing upon his classroom experience, and leadership roles like the lead-anglophone coordinator for the Pan Canadian Science project, he believes in making science an active, engaging and personal experience for all students.

Lionel Sandner – lionel@edvantageinteractive.com

Don Franklin – VP / Director of Marketing

Don Franklin started his career in Educational Publishing in 1994 with Addison Wesley Publishers in Sales as the Saskatchewan Educational Representative. After 3 years in sales in Saskatchewan & British Columbia, Don started a new career in sales management with Pearson Canada, briefly as a District Sales Manager for BC, then for the 10 years, Regional Manager for Western Canada. During the Fall 2009, Don Franklin & Lionel Sandner became partners in a new educational initiative – Edvantage Interactive.

Don Franklin – don@edvantageinteractive.com

MEET THE AUTHORS

Cheri Smith – Yale Secondary, Abbotsford SD                                                                 BC Science Chemistry 11 & 12; Edvantage Science AP Chemistry 1 & 2

Cheri Smith is the Science Department Head at Yale Secondary, where she has been teaching AP Chemistry since 1988.

She has worked as a consultant, AP Reader and Question Leader since 1998. Cheri has assisted in editing and writing of Special Focus materials for the College Board’s AP Chemistry workshops and AP Inquiry-Based Lab Manual and is currently reviewing materials for the upcoming web-based resource, AP Insight. In 2013, she was appointed to the College Board’s Science Academic Advisory Council.

When Cheri isn’t doing workshops around the world, for the past four years she has been writing chemistry materials for Edvantage Interactive. In addition to BC Science Chemistry 11 and 12, Cheri is the Lead Author of the brand new books, AP Chemistry 1 and 2.

Cheri is the recipient of several provincial and national teaching awards, including the 1995 National Award for Teaching in Science presented to her by then Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien.

Gary Davidson – Clarence Fulton Secondary, Vernon SD – BC Science Chemistry 11&12; Edvantage Science AP Chemistry 1 & 2

Gary taught junior science and senior chemistry for 33 years in B.C., the last 26 years at Clarence Fulton Secondary in Vernon.  In 2000 he completed an M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) degree at the University of Victoria. His thesis included a lengthy review of the academic literature on science textbooks.

Gary has presented many workshops on “Teaching and Textbooks” which examine the history, importance and exemplary use of textbooks in the classroom as well as the pressures and problems associated with textbook use. Gary continues to work on his two pet projects –   a literacy program that is integrated with the regular curriculum and distributed across the content areas in grades 8-10, and a quick and easy ‘snapshot’ assessment of a school’s literacy ‘health’.

Chris Toth – St Thomas More Collegiate, Burnaby BC – BC Science Chemistry 11&12, Edvantage Science AP Chemistry 1&2.

Chris has taught Junior Science and Senior Chemistry for 32 years and serves as Science Dept. Head at St. Thomas More Collegiate (his alma mater) in Burnaby.

Chris was the driving force behind and Co-Chair for ChemEd 2005 held at UBC in Vancouver. The largest high school chemistry conference in North America (and most successful ChemEd ever) brought approximately 1000 teachers and their families from around the world to the UBC campus. ChemEd 2005 established permanent bursaries for deserving chemistry students at both UBC and BCIT.

Chris has performed many “signature demos” at several BC Science Institutes and Catalyst Conferences over the years. He routinely attends major conferences across North America such as ChemEd and NSTA National and Area Conferences to stay abreast of the latest content and methods associated with science instruction.

Chris served on the Advisory Team for the development of the McGraw Hill publications: BC Science 8, BC Science 9, and BC Science 10 textbook series currently in use in many BC high schools. Chris is one of very few teachers in BC to have been recognized 5 times by the UBC Chemistry Dept. for teaching excellence.

 Megan Ryan – Walnut Grove Secondary, Langley SD 35 – BC Science Chemistry 11&12, Edvantage Science AP Chemistry 1&2

Megan has been a grade 8-12 classroom teacher, science department head and head teacher.

Megan has worked as a Contractor for the Ministry of Education in a variety of positions. She was involved extensively with the Chemistry Provincial Exam Committees as a marker, exam reviewer, and eventually a member of the exam preparation team. She has given workshops on topics such as Authentic Assessment, Reading Comprehension in the Sciences, and Teaching Strategies to Maximize Concept Attainment. She was part of the Review Team for the BC Science 8, 9 and 10 textbooks published by McGraw Hill.

In addition to teaching chemistry, Megan also teaches CPR courses for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She continues to share her enthusiasm for teaching and learning both inside and outside the classroom.

Dr. Gordon Gore – Retired SD 73 and Founder of the Big Little Science Centre – AP Physics 1, BC Science Physics 11 and BC Science Physics 12

Throughout his career, Gordon has taught and worked with students from Kindergarten to Post-Secondary. With a B.Sc. in Physics and Math and a M.Ed. in Science Education with a Physics emphasis Gordon has brought a philosophy of hands-on experiences are the best way to learn science. Regardless of the grade or age of student, you could always count on the students being engaged and busy doing science in Mr. Gore’s class.

While teaching Gordon also took a keen interest in sharing his professional knowledge. With over a hundred books and articles published in journals like AAPT’s Physics Teacher and NSTA’s Science Teacher. Combined with countless workshops and mentoring of younger teachers, Gordon was a cornerstone of Science Education in British Columbia during his career. And his efforts we acknowledged through an honorary Doctor of Letters from Thompson Rivers University, the Eve Savory Award, a Diamond Jubilee Medal from Queen Elizabeth and the Governor General Meritorious Service Medal.

After retiring from a 32-year career he refocused his efforts on bringing those science experiences to the public with the opening of the Big Little Science Center (BLSC) in 2000. Now in its 17^th year of operation, the BLSC provides hands-on science activities for thousands of children and adults every year in Kamloops, BC.

And somewhere in there he still finds time share his passion of photography through the publication of various self-published books with an emphasis on the birds found in the lower North Thompson river basin.

Stephen Fuerderer – Byrne Creek Community Secondary School SD 41 – AP Physics 1

Stephen  earned his teaching degree from the University of Alberta (Edmonton) in 1985 and he has been teaching senior physics in the Burnaby School District ever since. He has taught college-level introductory physics courses as part of the International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Programs.

Stephen serves as an AP Physics Workshop Consultant and has provided training and support for teachers across North America. He is an AP Physics Exam Reader and has written test items for the Educational Testing Services ETS for inclusion on AP Exams and SAT exams.

Stephen has reviewed several textbooks at the junior and senior science level in British Columbia and has co-authored an AP Physics 1 Worktext.  Stephen brings a wealth of information and experiences to our AP Summer Institute and participants are sure to come away with ideas and resources that will increase learning in their classrooms.

Stephen and family reside in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.