About us
LS Administration and Support Staff
Julie Hunt, LS Principal
Our Lower School Principal, Julie Hunt, was born and raised near London, Canada. She was really into sports as a kid and all the way through university as a competitive swimmer. For many years now she has been doing yoga, and loves cycling and hiking. When she was in university, she spent a summer in the West Indies working at a special school for kids with physical disabilities, and another summer she lived in Canada’s North where she built a pool above the permafrost and taught children to swim. Although she went to Queen’s University thinking she would go on to become a lawyer, after those two jobs, she knew she loved teaching. Her first degree is in Political Science and History; her second one is in Education. She also has a Master’s of Education and a specialization in International School Leadership. Her first teaching job was at Colegio Nueva Granada in Bogota, Colombia, where she was a grade 4 teacher for three years. She REALLY liked it but she went back to Canada, to Toronto, to study more and taught grades 4, 5 and 8. She was also a K-8 Counselor. In 1999, she returned to Colombia, but this time went to the Columbus School, where she was the Elementary Principal. She came to EARJ to be the Lower School Principal in 2005 and she loves our students, school and life in Rio.
Suely Pecanha, Assistant Principal/Preschool-Kinder Coordinator
Ms. Suely has been at our school for many, many years! She knows everybody and everything! Although she spent part of her childhood in the U.S.A, she graduated from EARJ and then became a teacher here. She helped open our early childhood education center, and has been the Assistant Principal and Coordinator of our Preschool and Kindergarten programs for many years. Ms. Suely is a really talented piano player who likes to do charity work and enjoy her home on weekends. She has two grown up children who also went to EARJ and she just became a grandmother last year!
Patricia Carmo, Preschool-Kinder/Barra Counselor
Ms. Patricia was born in Rio but as a child lived in England. Her first degree was in teaching, and then she did specializations in Special Education, Family Therapy and completed a Master’s of Education with Framingham University. She has a daughter in our Upper School and a daughter in University. She has worked at EARJ for 20 years as a preschool and Kindergarten teacher as well as a LS Counselor. In her free time, Ms. Patricia likes to spend time with her family as well as read, dance and play the guitar.
Ms. Rossana Manso, 1st-5th grade Counselor Gavea
Ms. Rossana was born in Uruguay but raised in Rio de Janeiro. She is an EARJ graduate who has earned many degrees including psychology and a Master’s of Education, as well as specializations in English Language Acquisition, Family Therapy and Special Education. She has worked in the Lower School as a Learning Specialist and Counselor for the past 11 years. She is the proud mom of two grown children and loves her work at EARJ. She is very active, likes to travel and plays a lot of tennis in her free time!
Cristiane Gomes, LS Secretary Gavea
Ms. Cris is another EARJ graduate who has worked at our school for many years as a secretary, since graduation! She is a really big help to all of us. She has a daughter in 5th grade that is nice and calm, just like Ms. Cris! In her free time, Ms. Cris likes to be with her family, listen to music, sing Karaoke, and watch movies.
Valeria Nepomuceno, LS Secretary Barra
Ms. Valeria also studied at EARJ many years ago and her dad and sister work here too! She has been a Lower School secretary in Gavea and Barra and has two children who also study at EARJ. Before becoming a secretary, she was a Flight Attendant with Varig for 7 years but then decided to get married and have kids. She is a very bubbly person who helps everyone at our Barra campus. Ms. Valeria says she is super busy raising her kids but likes the beach and walking.
Links to our wonderful LS Faculty and Staff, coming soon! :-)
PTA monthly meeting Gavea
