BPS STEM / Meet the STEM Team

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A Boston resident since 2003, Kareen Wilkinson grew up in Seattle, WA and attended Pomona College in Claremont, CA where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. Her move to Boston was to serve 2 years as a Corps Member in City Year Boston. She stayed on 2 more years as a Program Manager with City Year. There she developed her love for working with middle school students through the Young Heroes Program, a service learning program modeled after the City Year experience for middle school students on Saturdays. In her final year at City Year, her team was nationally recognized as the Best Young Heroes Program in the Nation at the annual City Year Convention. In 2007, Kareen became Program Director for Science Club for Girls in Cambridge. With that organization she provided high quality after school science experiences for girls. Kareen recruited and trained the volunteer women in science who ran the clubs, wrote the curriculum and provided materials for a smooth experience. In 2009, SCFG was awarded Non-Profit of the Year Award in Cambridge. Filled with a strong desire to be a classroom teacher and have a direct impact on the science learning for students, Kareen completed her Master’s in Education at the Harvard Graduate School for Education in 2011. There she was awarded the Distinguished Intellectual Contribution Award for the insightful thinking and value she added to her program. As a classroom teacher at the Frederick Pilot Middle School (2011-2020) Kareen felt at home and immediately connected with her students by engaging them in hands on science and constant questioning. She pushed her students to not be afraid of science or think of it as something that is nerdy. She also started the Robotics Club at the school and led the team to 1st place wins 3 years in a row. She became the Science Content Team Facilitator, member of the Instructional Leadership Team, a member of the LGF Board and was seen as a leader in the school. She is excited to share her love of science and teaching in her new role as a Science Instructional Coach for BPS. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Her hobbies include cooking new dishes and playing the viola.
Chardas has worked in the Boston Public Schools District for over ten years as a lead science teacher, substitute teacher, and as a volunteer. Currently a volunteer for the Explorations in Science Program and Reflections in Action – building healthy communities Program at Harvard Medical School. Chardas possesses a Bachelor in Biology, Masters in Education, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Administration. She is currently a doctoral research student at Northeastern University College of Professional Studies.
Elizabeth Milewski has worked in the Boston Public Schools for the past 17 years and teaching science for 15 years. Mrs. Milewski has a BS in Biology and an M.ED in Curriculum & Instruction, both from Northeastern University. She began her career as a classroom teacher, teaching high school Biology, & AP Biology. She went through the Principal Residency Network (PRN) in 2011, obtaining her Principal’s Certification, and began her work as the Director of Curriculum & Programming. In that position, she focused on Science, Math, Advanced Placement, and Advanced CTE pathways. Over the past 16 years, Elizabeth has focused her time and learning on providing BPS students with the opportunities, content, and skills required for the STEM Professions. She is dedicated to equitable opportunities for BPS's most marginalized students and our black and brown students. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys being outside and cooking with her daughter Josephine and husband David.
Evelyn Larose is a well rounded educator and curriculum designer, with experience in public charter and private international school systems. She has a BS Biology from SUNY Empire and a M. Ed. Curriculum and Instruction: Leadership from Liberty University. Her commitment to educational equity drew her joint the 2016 Teach for America corp and a passion for STEM to being a 2018/2019 GIFT fellow. She taught Chemistry/Forensic Science in Atlanta, along with 6-8 middle school sciences, in Haiti. In her free time, Ms. Larose loves to read, crochet, and write poetry/short stories.
I have eighteen years of classroom experience in both elementary and secondary science education and have devoted my entire career in education to working with urban students. I received my master's in education from Boston College as a Science in Urban Schools (SEUS) fellow and Donovan Urban Teaching Scholar. This social justice education program affirms teaching with a focus on equity and culturally responsive practices. As a Boston resident for most of my life, a graduate and parent of children who also attend Boston Public School, I am passionate about de-settling inequitable systems, routines, and assumptions that exists in education and particularly in science. Making sure that all students have access to high quality curriculum and instruction is an important factor in building equity in our system. As an experienced educator, I am aware that best practices continue to evolve, therefore I embrace the idea of educators as life-long learners, in developing practices for implementing rigorous standards-based instruction. In my prior roles as Peer Teacher Trainer, Experiential Education Curriculum Coordinator, BTR Collaborating Mentor Teacher, and most recently Science Content Specialist, I have had the privilege of working with both veteran teachers and teacher candidates in developing their growth as educators, by helping them shift their instructional practices towards a more student-centered and equity-based approach. I've supported science teachers and district leaders in building their capacity to evaluate and implement high quality curriculum. I've also facilitated professional development for implementing phenomena-based learning, as well as incorporating equity-based instructional practices and routines into the science curriculum. I am excited to continue the work of Building Excellent Educators in Science as a member of the Boston Public Schools STEM team. I look forward to partnering with schools and teachers in creating high quality science experiences that provide equitable learning opportunities for all students.
Jennie Myers is joining Boston Public Schools from the world of educational publishing, where she researched ways in which higher education learning solutions could better meet the needs of students and educators. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the College of the Holy Cross in central Mass., where she also grew up. After years of volunteering and tutoring in urban schools, she is extremely excited be apart of The BEES Initiative and forward its mission to create accessible and equitable STEM learning opportunities. Outside of work, she loves to read, run outside, play soccer, and travel (frequently to Ireland!).
Kara Buckley has always loved being a student of science. As a young scientist, she crawled around outside searching for insects to put in her bug hut, asked questions about the birds and plants she would see in her neighborhood, and was always so excited to take a trip to the Museum of Science or the New England Aquarium. As she grew up, she studied Environmental Science and Biology at Suffolk University and spent a season as a park ranger at Acadia National Park. The most enjoyable part of that work was teaching kids and adults about the park’s natural resources and that is what led her to want to become a science educator. The following year, she joined cohort 7 of the Boston Teacher Residency and has spent the past decade teaching science to kids in grades 1-8-- both as a middle school teacher and as an elementary specialist. Kara is so excited to be a BEES coach because she believes that strong networks of collaborating educators have a powerful impact on the education of students. She’s passionate about facilitating science education at all levels and from all angles. She loves designing curriculum, mentoring novice educators, discovering and creating resources, and most importantly, the excitement of engaged students! When Kara is not in a classroom, she spends her spare time traveling with her friends, baking or cooking (but mainly eating), taking boxing classes, and enjoying the outdoors.
Kathy Wright has taught in the Boston Public Schools for over 20 years. She began her career teaching in the classroom at the elementary level and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from UMass Boston in Elementary Education and Psychology and a Master’s Degree in School Administration from Grand Canyon University. After implementing several PBL activities in the classroom, Kathy saw the success and engagement of her students in the classroom, especially her second language learners and pursued a STEM certificate from Parametrics Technologies Corporation ( PTC) in Needham. Since that time, Kathy has held the roles of STEM teacher and STEM coach in the District. She is thrilled to be a part of the BEES initiative. In her spare time, Kathy loves to golf, read and bake. Her favorite hobby is making chocolates for family and friends!
Laura Langill is dedicated to improving science education in the classroom through integration, investigative lessons and increasing educator comfort with science. She has a student-centered, anti-racist lens when approaching all aspects of the classroom. Science has been a key part of Laura’s family life since she was a child and she strives to make science accessible to everyone. Laura is coming from Cambridge as an elementary district science coach. Her work there was dedicated to supporting teachers efforts to engage all students in investigative lessons. In addition to coaching, Laura has 15 years of classroom experience, ran a STEM camp for grades K-4, wrote and evaluated curriculum. In her personal life, Laura enjoys walks with her dogs, reading, writing, travel, cooking for friends and building LEGOs.
Michelle began her education career as a teaching fellow with Citizen Schools Boston, working at McCormack Middle School in Dorchester, MA. After serving as a resource teacher in Lesotho, Africa, Michelle taught upper elementary and middle school science in New York City. Prior to joining BPS as a science instructional coach, she worked as a teacher coach and course instructor at the Sposato Graduate School of Education in Boston and as a science professional development provider with the Wade Institute for Science Education in Quincy, MA. She holds a B.A. in Biology and Sociology from Columbia University and a Master’s in Education from Lesley University.
Rubens Dort has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, a Master of Science degree focused on Secondary Education Mathematics and Students with Disabilities, and a Doctoral degree in Education (Ed.D) focused on Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, and Leadership from Northeastern University. In nearly a decade, Dr. Dort has provided Intensive academic support through Boston Public schools grades (9-12 students). He has gained a broad range of experiences as an educational researcher, Math educator, educational advisor, district coordinator and administrator intern through the Umass Boston’s Educational Administration/C.A.G.S Program( Cohort 15). He has used his voice, institutional influence and power to teach and advocate for disadvantaged group of students, especially English language learner students of color. In his spare time, Rubens enjoys being outside with his family, singing and playing soccer.
Valerie Carlson has been a science teacher for Boston Public Schools for the past sixteen years. She is a graduate of Emerson College, where she studied Mass Communication. She received her MEd at UMASS Boston. In recent years, she has taught 7th and 8th grade. She is most proud of bringing human sexuality education to her middle school students. She also served on the Restorative Justice Leadership Team for the past two years. In her former school, Valerie secured a three-year Environmental Science grant, which brought in resources for professional development for teachers, outdoor field trips for the entire school, and a before-school science club, which she led once a week with the help of community volunteers. Valerie's goal is to help bring Science to the forefront of public education, recognizing that science is a content area where ALL students can shine. In her spare time, Valerie enjoys political activism, hiking, kayaking, gardening, and listening to music. She lives in the town of Hull with her two cats, Sunny and Luna.