Stacy Birdsell, Senior Director for Culture and Enrichment Stacy Birdsell is originally from Houston, Texas, and a graduate of Tufts University, with a Master's Degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ms. Birdsell is currently completing a second Master's Degree in Library Science at Queen's Collegte (CUNY). After earning her undergraduate degree, she spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar in South Korea, teaching English and learning more about the Korean educational system. She has been an educator for nearly ten years, and is thrilled to be returning to DPCS for her third year.
William Cooke, Campus Director, 7th and 8th Grades William Cooke was born and raised in Northern New Jersey. He attended and graduated college at the University of Massachusetts. After college, he moved to Boston, MA to pursue a teaching career. He had been teaching math at City on a Hill Charter School in Boston for the past 4 years. While at City on a Hill, he developed and ran an athletic program that consisted of boys/girls basketball, track/field, cheerleading, and a baseball/softball team. William also coached the girls' basketball team to the Massachusetts Charter League Championship in 2006. William is thrilled to continue his work with the scholars of DPCS.
Lisa Friscia, Campus Director, 9th Grade Ms. Friscia was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating Stuyvesant High School, she decided to attend Amherst College, in Amherst, Massachusetts. While majoring in American Studies and Economics, she also became a counselor, campus organizer, and (much to her mother's dismay) a rugby player. Upon her graduation, she returned to New York City to become a New York City Teaching Fellow. She completed her master's in Social Studies Education while teaching in Ozone Park, New York. She has been teaching in Ozone Park for the past five years, serving as a lead teacher, Senior Activities coordinator and chair for the School Leadership Team. Last summer, she just completed her Master's in Educational Leadership at Teacher's College. She is incredibly excited to be a part of the Democracy Prep community, and to help our scholars on their journey of learning and growing!
Elizabeth Raji, Campus Director, 6th Grade Ms. Raji was raised in Harlem and attended the Trinity School in New York City through Prep for Prep, before beginning her studies at Kenyon College and Oxford University. She has worked as a sixth grade Reading teacher in a Texas elementary school through Teach For America and has value-added Texas State test scores that are literally off the charts. Elizabeth is thrilled to lead the scholars of 2020 to an incredible future.
Jaime White, Senior Director for Curriculum and Instruction Jaime White comes to Democracy Prep with over fifteen years in urban education. She holds a bachelors degree from the University of Massachusetts in Anthropology and African American Studies, a masters in education from the University of Pennsylvania and is current working on her doctoral degree in education at Columbia Teachers College. In addition, Ms. White is Nationally Board Certified in adolescent education. One of Ms. White's most crowning achievements was her work a founding staff member of Roxbury Prep Charter School, one of the highest performing schools in the country serving predominately low-income students of color. She has helped write numerous charters and worked with various start-up charter schools hoping to replicate the success of Roxbury Prep. She remains deeply committed to urban public education.