5th Grade ICT
Name: Ms. Melissa Lopez
Position: Teacher, 5th Grade Team, Special Ed.
Hometown: I was born and raised in the Bronx. I now live in the Lower East Side within the STAR Academy neighborhood!
Education: Bachelor's degree in Childhood and Special Education from New York University. Master's degree in Educational Leadership: School Building Leader, also from NYU.
Years as an educator: 15
Why are you an educator? I want to help my students become active lifelong learners. We all have room to grow and there are always opportunities to become experts at any given topic. I encourage my students to ask questions and explore the world around them. This is what excites me most about teaching.
What are STAR Academy’s best qualities? I admire that the STAR Academy community works together to meet the needs of students. We aim to provide students with a well-rounded education.
Life outside school: I love spending time with my family! My husband and I enjoy staying active by exploring the city, working on martial arts training (still early in the process), and taking strolls around the neighborhood with our dog, Roxy.
Name: Ms. Amy Parker
Position: Teacher, 5th Grade Team, General Ed.
Hometown: I grew up in the suburbs of New York City, and now I live in Brooklyn.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Justice Studies from Pitzer College, graduated with Honors. Master’s Degree in Childhood Education from Relay Graduate School of Education, graduated with Distinction.
Years as an educator: 12
Why are you an educator? We need to work and hope for a more just world, and for that world to develop we need the next generation to be critically thinking individuals that contribute to our communities. I am an educator to collaborate with young people and their families to foster a community where we can all learn and grow individually and together to fulfill that hope.
What are STAR Academy’s best qualities? STAR Academy emphasizes that students and teachers actively engage in their education and in their community. The commitment to collaborate and to work from everyone’s strengths helps build this strong community.
Life outside school: Besides growing as an educator, I also love to read, cook, and spend time with friends and family.