Team

A lifelong learner, Mr. Heckstall hails from Middletown, Conn. and attended Trinity College in Hartford, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in Neuroscience. While completing his Master of Education from Lesley University, Mr. Heckstall became a Teach For America corps member and worked as a science and special education teacher at what is now the Dearborn STEM Academy. Mr. Heckstall remained working in schools as a teacher, a Dean of Students and finally his most recent school-based role as Co-Principal of the 9th Grade Academy of Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Mass.

Ms. Allen began her teaching career as a Special Education Paraprofessional at Somerville Public Schools. She joined DSNCS in 2013 as a K1 Teacher Assistant and over the years she has taught K1, K1/K2 and K2 grade levels. She earned a Master's in Special Education Moderate Disabilities PreK-8 from UMass Boston, and also earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Florida A&M University. Ms. Allen is a native of Dorchester, MA and her goal is to combine her range of experience with her ability to be a compassionate and enthusiastic teacher.

My name is Ms. Arroyo and I am a Kindergarten Teacher. I am a graduate of BPS, I have 3 daughters who have all gone to or are still at a BPS school, and I have been a teacher in BPS for 12 years. I believe that learning should be an adventure created by my student's curiosity. My goal to teach each student in a way that they are able to learn giving them the opportunity to access what they need to be successful moving forward in their education while making sure that they have fun learning!

Talya Auger (she/her) completed her undergraduate degree in Women's and Gender Studies, and graduated from Boston Teacher Residency in 2019. Talya loves working as an ESL teacher at DSNCS, and this will be her third year in this role. She enjoys doing art and crafts with her students, and makes jewelry at home!

Jenae Barrett-Sequeira comes to Dudley Street School after teaching 1st grade at the Higginson Lewis K-8 school for the past 3 years. She received her Master of Science in early childhood education from Wheelock College through the Wheelock Teach Boston program. Mrs. Sequeira is a lifelong resident of Boston, growing up in the Roxbury/Dorchester neighborhoods. Her passion is building relationships with families and the community. She enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with her family.

My first experience teaching was on the island of Fogo, Cape Verde. I taught English to 6th and 7th graders. I have been teaching PE for a few years now and can't wait to get back in the building and meet my new students at a new school just a block from home!

Ms. Briggs is thrilled to join the DSNCS community! She completed her Master's in Teaching at UMass Boston through the Boston Teacher Residency (BTR) in 2014 and has loved teaching in Boston since then. She grew up in Pownal, Maine, and enjoys spending time with her family, being outside, and word puzzles.

Ms. Brown grew up in Vermont and earned her M.Ed in Elementary Education at the University of New Hampshire. She has experience working as a teacher in grades 1-5. She loves being a part of the DSNCS community and getting to know scholars and their families.

I am a BPS graduate, and I am happy to be back in the district as a teacher. I got my undergrad degree in psychology with a minor in elementary education, and I then completed my master's degree in elementary education.

A dedicated and passionate educator with extensive experience in elementary education, instructional coaching, and curriculum development. I aim to enhance student engagement, promote equitable participation, and lead educational transformations. I received my Master's of Education with Boston Teacher Residency in 2014 and am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Development and Learning to further contribute to advancing
educational practices and research.

Saundra Coaxum is a native of John’s Island, South Carolina. She received her Masters of Education in Middle and Secondary English Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education and her Bachelor of Arts in English from Benedict College. She has taught on both the middle and high school levels. Ms. Coaxum has taught high school in both the Sequoia Union High School District in California and with the Atlanta Public School System. She has been teaching in Boston Public Schools since 2000. While teaching in BPS, she has mentored a number of Boston Teacher Residents, Boston College Graduate Students and pre-practicum students. She has also been a part-time New Teacher Developer. Ms. Coaxum has been an active member of the Instructional Leadership Team at Thomas Edison Middle School for nine years. Ms. Coaxum enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. You can catch her hanging out in the Sweet Carolinas on any extended break. Though Ms. Coaxum has been teaching for a while, her curriculum and pedagogy is continuously evolving.

Miss Deminico is one of our K-1 Teachers. She grew up on the South Shore and attended Rhode Island College. She is very excited to be teaching the newest scholars at DSNCS!

Alicia was born and raised in Maine and graduated from McGill University and Bank Street College of Education. She has been teaching since 2007. When not teaching, she can be found making pottery, gardening, and traveling. She lives in Roxbury with her two pets, a parrot and a rescue dog.

Miss Fleck comes to the Dudley Street School after teaching elementary students for the past three years. She received her Master's degree at Clark University in Worcester, MA in 2012. She was born and raised in St. Louis, MO and moved to MA for college, and has not since been able to leave. Caitlin is excited to continue her work bringing joy to learning math with the Dudley Street community.

Julia was born and raised in Boston and graduated from Boston Arts Academy and Boston University. She is a passionate educator and second grade is her favorite grade! When Julia isn't at school you can find her reading in the sun, paddle boarding or going for walks with her dog.

I have been an educator since 2005. This will be my 7th year at DSNCS. I have a Bachelors degree from Lesley University. I am the mother of two boys ages 19 & 12. Fun fact about me is that I was born in Canada.

Mr. Houston was raised in Alabama, Chicago, and Boston. Graduated from Brookline High School. Received his graduate degree from The University of Massachusetts Boston. He enjoys working with students and spending time with family.

Ms. Hurley is thrilled to be a part of the Dudley Street School community as the 4th Grade ELA teacher! After graduating from Skidmore College with a BA in Sociology, Ms. Hurley began her teaching career in New York City, where she served as a City Year Americorps Member. Here, she found a love for working in a school community and earned her Masters of Arts in Elementary Teaching and Special Education.

I am a Boston native and a product of BPS. Our scholars deserve the best, and it is my passion to develop myself as an educator so that I can center students in our work. I am a proud pet parent to my cat, Eli, and my tortoise, Matt.

My name is Mrs. Johnson.I am a BTR graduate and have been a part of the BPS community for the past fourteen years. I am very excited to continue my work as a K2 teacher, bringing joy to learning and supporting our young scholars in their educational journey. I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, and taking my dogs for walks.

Alexa Kinney comes to Boston from NYC and Binghamton, NY. After 7 years teaching in NYC, she is excited to begin her 4th year at DSNCS. She loves to instill the joy of learning in 1st graders and provide a solid foundation for future success. Outside of school, Ms. Kinney loves to be outside and exploring New England!

Briana has been the school nurse here at Dudley Street since 2018. She loves getting to know all of the students and watching them learn and grow over the years. She attended Curry College and is a Nationally Certified School Nurse. Briana loves spending time with friends and family, especially her dogs Henry and Louie.

Ada Okun comes to Dudley Street School having taught upper elementary grades for five years in Central Falls, Rhode Island. She has also developed social studies curriculum and just completed a doctorate in mathematics education. Ada has degrees from Swarthmore College, Brown University, and Boston University. She loves to spend time outdoors hiking, swimming, and biking.

Hello! My name is Genesis Peguero, I am returning as the school counselor here at Dudley Street. My undergraduate education is in psychology is from Framingham State University and my masters is from Boston University School of Social Work. As a licensed social worker, I have a passion for helping children and families thrive by providing tools and resources they need. I am looking forward to supporting the DSNCS community!

Chelsea has been teaching multilingual learners at DSNCS since 2021. In 2016 Chelsea went to Lesley University to pursue a degree in education with the hope of eventually teaching in Boston Public Schools. They are so grateful they now get to work with BPS students every day! They have a corgi named Maestro and in their spare time they love to read, play video games, garden, and try new things.

Ms. Thompson has been a Choreographer and Dance instructor in the New England area for over 20 years, blessed to have choreographed for Harmonix & Xbox Dance Central video gaming franchise, teaching Dance at various organizations: Berklee College of Music, Boston Public Health Commission, Davis Leadership Academy, Belmont Day, TCP, Dance Complex, and the after school program at Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter. I believe dance is a universal expression that everyone needs, and I love dancing with all ages!

I am originally from New York, but have lived in Boston for the last 8 years. In 2015, I was a resident at DSNCS, and have taught 3rd grade in BPS ever since. This year, I will be a Math Specialist at DSCNCS. I’m excited to learn from and contribute to the community of mathematicians from Kindergarten to 5th grade!

My name is Keisha Williams, and I was born and raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts. I graduated from Boston Public Schools and hold a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. I have extensive experience working with young people and families. A fun fact about me is that I love cooking and trying new recipes.

Ms. Wise began her teaching journey in college, where she taught ESL to adults. From 2009-2012, Ms. Wise served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia, where she taught 5th and 6th grade at a rural elementary school. She has an M.Ed in elementary education from Boston University and is currently pursuing her Ed.S. in reading at Gordon College. Outside of school, Ms. Wise enjoys reading, watching TV, and spending time with her family and friends.

Abby recently graduated from Simmons University with a BA in Psychology. She loves to travel, read, and tend to her plants. Mostly she is looking forward to fostering positive relationships with students and staff this school year!