Kindergarten

Julie Freeman-Moore began teaching in 2011. Her higher educational degrees are from UNCG (human development and family studies) and LIU (counseling education). Her favorite thing about teaching is that when school is a safe, fun, and happy place to be, kids love going for the rest of their lives! Outside of the classroom, Julie enjoys playing basketball and watching her own children do anything. Her favorite food is scallops, favorite book is The Road by John Ehle, and favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice. Julie's undercover super power is her ability to drive long distances.

Anne (Annie) Grippi launched her career in education 2024 after graduating from Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education and Master's in Reading Education. She loves connecting with students and watching them start to love learning! In her free time, she likes to read, go on walks, and eat seafood (especially lobster!).

Liya Hagos started her career in education in 2024 after graduating from George Mason University. She truly enjoys spending time with her students each day and is grateful for the wonderful support from school staff. In her free time, Liya loves reading, watching movies, and playing video games. Her favorite cuisine is Ethiopian food (which she loves almost as much as her cat), and she can speak Amharic and understand Tigrinya as well as English!

Jennifer Rains began teaching in 2024 after graduating from the University of Virginia -- go 'hoos! Her favorite part of teaching is building good rapport with her students and helping them develop a long-lasting love of learning. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys hiking, thrifting, reading, and hanging out with her rescue beagle, Vinny.

Amanda Martin began her journey in education in 2015 after completing a Bachelors of Arts in Humanaties from Eckerd College. She is currently enrolled at Longwood University pursuing a Masters of School Librarianship. Her favorite thing about working in schools is getting to know her students and their families. In her free time Amanda volunteers at Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue. Fun fact: her favorite food is cheese!

Astrid Alvarez Gomez began teaching in Columbia in 2007 and in 2024 in the United States. She graduated from The National Pedagogic University (Bogotá, Colombia) with a degree in Special Education in 2006, earned a Graduate Certificate from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004, and is currently finishing a Master's degree in Special Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her favorite part about teaching is watching the moment when a student finally grasps a challenging concept, because she finds it incredibly rewarding to see their eyes light up with understanding and to witness their confidence grow. Astrid's favorite thing to do outside of school is spend time with her husband and twin daughters. She also loves hiking, reading books, cooking/baking, photography, dancing, and traveling to explore new places.