Feynman School is a unique educational environment that brings together academically gifted children with a talented group of faculty and staff. The school’s personnel are passionately committed to their work. They come from varied educational backgrounds with outstanding training and experience in gifted education. These factors come together to provide Feynman teachers a diverse and stimulating environment to build a successful career in gifted education.
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Early Childhood TeacherAshley Jousse started at Feynman School during the 2015-2016 school year as the early childhood aftercare teacher. The following school year she moved into the Preschool room full-time as the Preschool assistant, as well as continuing to lead aftercare. She studied early elementary education at the University of Maryland and has been working in child care with young children for 13 years. She has chosen to work with young children as her career over any other because of the indescribable joy she gets from watching each unique child grow, learn, and discover new things, in their own way, about themselves and about the world around them.Early Childhood TeacherMs. Krzysztofik graduated with a BA in Early Childhood Education from Towson University and has worked with young children through childcare centers, public schools, and homeschools since 2005. She has participated in Feynman community events and competitions since 2015 and began teaching here in 2019. Her top priorities as an educator are to support every child’s vast curiosity in a safe and caring environment as well as to help build a child's capacity for love and understanding for the environment, for others, and for themselves. She is constantly inspired by the little innovators, philanthropists, and problem-solvers that begin to blossom in her classroom and is determined to provide meaningful experiences in a fun and energetic atmosphere. With mindfulness and support, she believes children can develop a growth mindset at an early age to help them overcome any obstacle in their future and keep their love of learning strong throughout their years. Ms. Krzysztofik’s interests include creating or experiencing art in every form, traveling with friends or family, and exploring the great outdoors.Kindergarten TeacherAngela Ha received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA in 2015. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Educational Technology at Johns Hopkins University. She was born and raised in South Korea and later moved to Pennsylvania. She started off her career as an academic coordinator in a private school in South Korea and worked as a 3rd-grade teacher in Virginia. She really fell in love with teaching younger children and watching them learn and grow. She is looking forward to starting her new chapter in life at Feynman!First Grade TeacherErika Berg attended St. John’s College in Annapolis Maryland where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts. St. John’s has a Great Books curriculum, so she was fortunate enough to be able to read about and study a wide range of topics in the fields of math, science, music, literature, and philosophy. Erika went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education with an Emphasis on Literacy from the College of William & Mary. She has worked with students as a tutor, camp counselor substitute teacher, park interpreter, and most recently as a First Grade teacher in Prince William County Virginia.Second Grade TeacherMy name is Lucas Manuel Williams. I am delighted to begin my work as a second-grade lead teacher for Feynman School! I have over four years in the education sector. Prior to arriving at Feynman, I taught 3rd and 4th grade at a private school in Queens, and later worked as the assistant director of the South Bronx Educational Foundation.I received my undergraduate education at the University of Chicago, where I majored in Philosophy. At UChicago, I studied such courses as Apes and Human Evolution, Number Theory, and Classical Greek Metaphysics. Aristotle says that "all nature is related," and therefore true knowledge of a certain subject would necessarily entail knowledge in other aspects of reality. I firmly believe in the unity of knowledge that reflects the unity of existence. As Feynman himself would probably agree, the lover of knowledge and inquiry has to assume that the universe is intelligible, indeed that there is something to find (otherwise why bother looking?).Bringing this personal background, I am committed to being the best teacher for your child. With a gifted child comes the need for gifted education. I, therefore, believe that our gifted children's intellect should grow hand in hand with their personal, social-emotional development, an educational philosophy that resonates at Feynman School.Third Grade TeacherIn 2013, Ms. Welch received her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Baltimore, where she worked as a writing consultant and adjunct faculty member for five years. She went on to receive her Masters in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts in 2016. Ms. Welch loves any opportunity to foster curiosity and creativity in young learners. She believes that is the most direct way for students to grow academically, emotionally, and socially. In the classroom, she creates a safe learning space for students to delve deep and take risks. With her diverse background in the arts and education, Ms. Welch is a unique asset to the third-grade classroom.Fourth Grade TeacherMr. Koenig is passionate about learning and education, and believes strongly that everyone can train their brain to grow using a Growth Mindset. The only things we don’t know are those we haven’t learned YET! He has a diverse background in the engineering and architecture, legal, and manufacturing fields, and has been an educator for the past five years. Before starting at Feynman, Mr. Koenig worked as an educator at a public charter school in the Harlem Park neighborhood of Baltimore. There, Tom learned that an education is the primary driver for an equitable and just future, and that all young people can achieve with high expectations. Setting achievable goals and helping young people build strategies to attain their goals is a real blessing of Mr. Koenig’s life. Mr. Koenig graduated with a BA in literature from the University of Baltimore and is working towards his MAT from Western Governor’s University. He lives in Frederick with Jessica and three feisty cats.Middle School TeacherMs. George believes in building strong readers and writers who leverage critical thinking and creativity to communicate with compassion and confidence. With extensive experience in college admissions, Ms. George aims to prepare students to thrive far beyond their time at Feynman. She holds a B.A. in English and Spanish from Duke University and earned her M.A. in English from Georgetown University, where she has served as a Lannan Fellow for creative writing as well as the Assistant Academic Director for Georgetown's Creative Writing Academy. Ms. George has lived in Turkey, Spain, and Thailand, teaching creative and critical writing to students from all over the world.Middle School TeacherJP is a recent graduate from Dartmouth College with a masters degree in Earth Sciences. At Dartmouth she worked on an cosmochemistry project funded by NASA, where she developed a method to measure Osmium in Solar wind obtained by NASA's GENESIS mission. Originally from India, she has a background in geology and experience working with artificial neural networks, climate data and remote sensing. Her passion for teaching rose from teaching assistant-ship at college, volunteering with a Teach for India fellow and exposures to effective science communication at Dartmouth. She is fascinated by problems in earth sciences that are always interdisciplinary and hopes to convey that intriguing interconnected-ness of sciences to students at Feynman.History TeacherMrs. Martin loves history and it shows in the way she delivers her lessons. She loves interacting with her students. She teaches Ancient History, World History, and US History. Mrs. Martin was a real estate and finance lawyer for Marriott for 16 years. Then, she taught US History at the Eastern Middle School Magnet Program for 18 years. This is her third year at Feynman School. She likes the small class size and how it lends itself to great discussions and projects. Mrs. Martin is a great believer in cooperative learning and she uses its strategies to help students learn deeply and broadly about the causes and effects of historical events and figures. Mrs. Martin gives students lessons in analytical writing, an important skill that will last them a lifetime. Students also present their thinking and writing with their classmates. Mrs. Martin's husband is also a teacher. She has 3 children, two of whom are still in college, and 3 grandchildren.Computer Science TeacherWill earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering and has over eight years of experience as a hardware systems design engineer with Intel and DirecTV. He also has over 13 years of experience creating and implementing innovative youth STEM education programs with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, YWCA, City Year DC, and more. When Will isn’t working with kids, he’s busy trading stock options, flying drones, and making beats in his home recording studio.Math SpecialistLucy has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Education, a Masters degree in Mathematics, and more than 20 years of experience teaching math and working as a department head at the elementary and high school levels. Lucy's teaching style is based on her belief that learning math can be both fun and challenging. In her spare time, Lucy enjoys cooking for her husband, cultivating her flower garden, and indoor skydiving.Physical Education Teacher
Coach Emmett is a fan favorite at The Feynman School. Before arriving at The Feynman School, Coach Emmett has taught several youth sport enrichment programs in DC, MD, and VA for several companies such as Xcel Youth Fitness, i9 Sports, Hooped, and KSS programs. Coach Emmett formerly served as a Track and Field assistant coach at Edmund Burke School and Walt Whitman High School. Coach Emmett has been a certified personal trainer since 2011 and earned his bachelor degree in kinesiology from Penn State University in 2011
Specialties: Flag football, Football, personal training, basketball, sport-specific training, baseball, soccer, strength and conditioning, shot put, discus, sprinting, mid-distance sprinting, long-distance running, performance, and corrective exercise.
Spanish TeacherIt is with excitement that I introduce myself as the new Spanish Teacher for Feynman School.
Feynman has an excellent reputation and I am truly blessed to be part of this school community.
I began my journey in Education 15 years ago at Universidad Mayor in Chile, where I received my bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Middle Education in English as a Second Language. I studied the Japanese language as well and lived in Japan for a total of 3 years. I also lived in Mexico for 4 years where I have taught Spanish to adults and children. Focusing on my passion for Early Education, I attended the Howard Community College for a Certification in Early Education. Currently, I am working on my master’s degree in Human Development. I am pleased to start this new chapter in my career at Feynman School.
I am excited to support your children’s growth, wellness, and academic achievement. My core values of collaboration, strong relationships, community, and equity will guide my work as we navigate through this 20-21 school year.