Our School Structure
Leadership Team
Dr Michelle Kleiss
Head of School
Dr Kleiss has been at OSC since 2019. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, she started her career at international schools in 1994. She brings 31 years of experience in serving and leading accredited international schools across eight countries: the USA, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Germany, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, and now Sri Lanka. Her research interests focus on how culture influences communication styles across the international school landscape, and she strongly believes in parent engagement in schools, system thinking, inclusive education, strategic planning, and building a strong ethos for continuous improvement. She volunteers her time to chair accreditation visits worldwide for MSA and CIS. Dr Kleiss lives and breathes the motto “Unity in Diversity” and values integrative thinking and distributed leadership. She is a proud mom with a Gecko attending OSC.
Mr Jason Grandbois
Primary Principal
Mr Grandbois has been a proud OSC Gecko since 2011. Born and raised in Kenora, ON, Canada, Mr Grandbois has a passion for the outdoors, and he loves to explore and learn about new cultures. He began his teaching career in Canada and then moved into international education in Egypt, Peru, Tanzania, and then Sri Lanka. He is joined by his wife, Kelly, and his three children, one of whom graduated from OSC and is now attending the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada.
Dr Mechum Purnell
Secondary Principal
Dr Purnell joined OSC as Secondary Principal in 2022. Originally from the United States, he started his career in international schools in 2000 and has worked in Thailand, Bolivia, South Korea, the USA, and India. Professionally, he is interested in adolescent social-emotional development, inclusive education, experiential and inquiry-oriented pedagogy, creative assessment practices, group facilitation, and adult learning. Outside of school, he is passionate about music, travel, food, motorcycles, and jiu jitsu. Dr Purnell has a strong focus on community and believes that we all learn and work best when we feel valued, supported, and respected.
Ms Samantha Wood
Primary Assistant Principal/PYP Coordinator
Ms Wood began working at OSC in 2019. While she is originally from Colorado, USA, she has spent the last ten years overseas working in international schools in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Ms Wood specialises in social and emotional learning and conceptually based elementary curricula. Her passion lies in helping learners to inquire and take action on the issues that matter the most to them. In her free time, she enjoys travelling with her husband, reading fiction books, and exercising outdoors.
Mr Jake Eagle
Secondary Assistant Principal/MYP Coordinator
Mr Eagle joined OSC in August 2021 as the MYP Coordinator and Secondary Assistant Principal. He has been working in IB schools around the world for the last 18 years before arriving at the beautiful island of Sri Lanka. Originally an English Language and Literature teacher, he has taught in both Hong Kong and Germany as a curriculum coordinator, projects coordinator, and department leader. He is passionate about building a school culture in which students learn the skills, knowledge, and dispositions which will allow them to face challenges that come their way. He joins the OSC community with his wife, an amazing art teacher, his son, and his daughter who attend Secondary and Primary school respectively.
Ms Vidya Niyangoda
Head of Administrative Operations
Ms Niyangoda has been at OSC since 2013. She brings 27 years of experience in managing and leading operations in the areas of Financial Services, Business Analysis, and General Management. She holds a master’s in business administration and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Ms Niyangoda has previously worked in the for-profit sector in leading local and international companies such as the John Keells Group, Richard Pieris Group, and Aviva Global Services.
Mr Crishan Fernando
Head of Facilities and Maintenance
Mr Fernando has been at OSC since 2017 as Head of Facilities and Maintenance. He brings 19 years of engineering experience in mechanical engineering, project management, and operations. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Peradeniya, followed by a master’s in business administration from the University of Colombo. He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Engineers of Sri Lanka. Mr Fernando has previously worked for multinational companies in the sustainable energy sector, and in the apparel sector in leading local and international companies such as Kramski and Brandix.
Mr Ajith Nathaniels
Head of Security and Transport
Mr Nathaniels has served at OSC since 2019. He served in the Sri Lankan Air Force for 23 years. He holds a master’s degree in management. Mr Nathaniels has previously worked as the Head of Security for the National Development Bank (NDB) for 10 years and before that as an Administration Manager of Janashakthi Insurance for nearly two years.
Ms Kanchana de Silva
Director of Admissions
Ms de Silva joined OSC as Director of Admissions in 2021. She possesses 26 years of experience serving higher education institutions and foreign missions. Originally from Sri Lanka, she has lived in the USA, UK, Italy, and India. She enjoys listening to music and reading in her spare time.