Meet Our Team
Great Teachers Inspire
Our tutors and staff in South Edmonton consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in South Edmonton know how to engage and motivate each child in a personal way—building confidence and smiles, as well as skills and better scores. We selectively choose tutors who know local curriculum and can link Sylvan lessons to what’s being taught in school.
Get to know our tutors and staff in South Edmonton!
Alina Polyvana
Centre Director
Director
Meet Alina, the dedicated Centre Director who orchestrates seamless operations, deliveres impactful Ongoing Conferences for parents, and leads a team of passionate educators. Armed with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, specialized from Delaware State University in 2021, Alina brings a wealth of knowledge to her role.
For Alina, the cornerstone of success lies in recognizing that Education is Everything. Her fervor for guiding students towards their academic aspirations and personal development is unwavering. When she’s not steering educational endeavors, Alina indulges in her passions for travel, tennis, and diving into the pages of captivating reads.
Sheena T'u
Tutor
Sheena has been a tutor at the Sylvan Learning Centre for many years. The first time she realized she had a passion for teaching was when she taught English over in Taiwan. Upon coming back to Canada, she obtained an after degree in Education (her first degree is a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology), and worked as a substitute teacher in Red Deer. Sheena got married in 2012 and moved to Edmonton. She enjoys getting to see students learning and succeeding in their reading, math, writing, and study skills.
Spencer William Ellery
Tutor
Spencer started working for Sylvan last year. He has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Mathematics from the Concordia University of Edmonton. He enjoys teaching math and science at all levels and hopes to share his passion for teaching with his students.
Candace Allan
Tutor
Candace is a Tutor in South Edmonton, who has a gift for working with kids. While Candace has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in math tutoring. She studied Education at the University of Alberta and received her Bachelor of Education degree in 2022. When Candace isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her playing guitar, dancing, or spending time with her loved ones.
Muhammad Farooq Zia
Tutor
Farooq has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Engineering. Before coming to Canada, Farooq was studying at Texas A&M University in Qatar, where he developed a passion for tutoring at the institution’s Academic Success Center. He also taught several students as a private tutor for subjects ranging from math and sciences to language studies and technical writing. At Sylvan, he aims to engage young students in the process of learning various subjects, while supporting them in honing their critical thinking skills. When Farooq isn’t at Sylvan, he likes to read, and spend time with his family.
Elsad Cukali
Tutor
Sureya Sherif
Tutor
Sureya is a dedicated tutor and current Bachelor of Education student at the University of Alberta majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Mathematics. She specializes in tutoring High School Sciences and Math but also enjoys teaching English and working with a wide range of age groups. Beyond academics, Sureya is an enthusiastic badminton player, a committed volunteer, and also enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Start your child on the path to academic success today
Give us a call at (780) 495-9500 or fill out the form to discuss your child’s learning goals.
