Education Scientists 2019-2020

Michele is currently the Technology & Digital Media Specialist at Hamilton Park Montessori School in Jersey City, NJ, designing curriculum & learning with students grades 3 through 8. She has had a meandering career path that includes sommelier, filmmaker and startup founder and has a B.A. from NYU’s Gallatin School for Individualized Study.

Michele is also the founder of Human First, empowering students, schools and families create the future, without fear. She spends lots of time cooking, eating, reading & yoga-ing, and she loves sharing a great campfire on a cool night with her husband Francesco, son Ellis and the family dog, Riley.

Damian enjoys the challenge of challenging young minds in learning computer science, technology, and robotics in a meandering career that has brought him coast to coast to coast, teaching middle school and high school-aged students evenly split, until now, in day schools and boarding schools. This summer he has completed the move to Maryland, where he will continue his adventure as the Upper School Computer Science Teacher and Coordinator of the Graw Innovation Center (Makerspace) at the Severn School in Severna Park.

In his spare time, Damian has worked on some extra certifications, which become hobbies, which lead to less spare time! He currently has his EMT certification, and would like to team up with local fire and ambulance company, or even find a search and rescue team where he would like to train with his German Shepherd Dog. He is also a Raspberry Pi Certified Educator, so these clever single board computers find their way into his classrooms, in projects around the house, and into various student robotics projects.

Jennifer Krystopowicz has taught for 12 years, 11 of which have been in the District of Columbia Public Schools, where she was placed as a 2007 Teach for America corps member. Jennifer currently teaches fourth-grade math and science at Van Ness Elementary School in South East DC. Jennifer is dual certified in general and special education, received certification in the Wilson Reading System, has achieved National Board Certification, and was awarded the Rubenstein Award for Highly Effective Teaching.

Jennifer strives to empower students to take on the role as a maker where they build, create, design, and produce while developing transferable skills that will improve learning across all disciplines. She holds a BA in Communication from George Washington University and MA in Special Education from George Mason University. When not teaching Jennifer loves to travel, go to live concerts, and stay active with her family and friends.

Amy Littlefield teaches World History and is the chair of the History Department at Commonwealth Academy in Alexandria, Virginia, where she has been teaching for 5 years. Amy’s original career was in government affairs and communications for nonprofits. She began her 17-year career in education teaching psychology and educational technology. She then began teaching History at both the middle and high school levels and eventually college courses in psychology and education. Amy received her BA from Baylor University in Psychology and her MA from American University in International Affairs. During her education career, she completed her MA in Curriculum and Instruction and her PhD in Educational Psychology from The Catholic University of America. Her dissertation focused on combining reading strategy instruction with the motivator of choice to increase engagement in history and her study was conducted with her own students.

Amy is passionate about the power of visual learning in history and is an avid art lover and traveler. She loves to paint, read historical fiction, and go for long walks with her two dogs. She and her husband live in Bowie, Maryland and have 3 grown children.

Liz began her career as a 5th-7th-grade humanities teacher with Baltimore City Public Schools. In SY15-16, Liz joined D.C. Public Schools to support the Arts, Health and Physical Education, and World Language content teams with establishing performance metrics, and collecting data to capture the narrative and improve outcomes for students.

Liz now serves as a Technology Integration Specialist, serving 30+ DCPS schools with the district-wide 1:1 initiative; intended for grades 3, 6, and 9. In addition to her work, Liz serves as a volunteer English teacher for the Washington English Center.