Specialized  Instruction Team

Amber Patz is the Academic Interventionist for the Virtual Learning Program. She was born in North Carolina and grew up in South Carolina. After completing high school, she began her career as a Cosmetologist. After 5 years of building a cliental of all children, she decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a teacher. She attended college at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with an undergraduate in Special Education. Mrs. Patz began her career as Special Education teacher in Charleston, SC. In June 2017, Mrs. Patz and her husband relocated to Washington, D.C. Mrs. Patz began her career with KIPP: DC at Grow Academy. At Grow Academy, Mrs. Patz spent two years as the Special Education teacher and two years as the school Interventionist. Mrs. Patz is excited to be a part of the Virtual Learning Program and helping reimagine education for each and every student.  Outside of school, Mrs. Patz enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, traveling, creating and designing with her Cricut, and spending time with her husband and little boy Everett. 

Andrea Scott is a Special Education Learning Creator for the VLP.  Although she grew up in New Jersey, she spent most of her adult life living in the DMV.   Andrea attended American University, where she earned a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Policy and Leadership.  She currently holds a DC Special Education Certification for grades PreK-12.   Andrea spent her first year teaching as a special education teacher for students with emotional disturbance at DCPS’ Ferebee Hope Elementary School. (Although the school eventually closed, the building was eventually transformed into what we now know as KIPP DC Legacy College Preparatory.) Andrea served over ten years in DCPS Title I schools, earning a highly effective rating every year.  This is where she met her husband, who served as a science teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal in DCPS.   Together, they work to promote equity in the classroom and advocate for representation in curriculum, helping students see aspects of themselves in the lessons they are being taught.  When she’s not teaching, Andrea enjoys traveling with her husband, toddler, and their two dogs. 

Regan Harris is the ES Special Education Learning Coordinator in the KIPP Virtual Learning Program. She grew up in Alexandria, VA and has spent all of her teaching career in Washington, DC.  After graduating from high school, Regan went to Howard University and studied Business Management.  Although she was studying business, she was still unsure about where she wanted her degree to take her. It wasn’t until her last semester in college when she took a class called Black Education in America and she immediately knew. I need to be a teacher! After graduating, she worked with DC Teaching Fellows in the summer of 2009 in order to start her career. She began teaching at Randle Highlands Elementary School in August 2009 and remained there for the next 12 years.  During that time, in 2011, she received her M. Ed Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Policy and Leadership from American University.  In her experience at Randle Highlands, she taught grades 1 through 5, and was the Special Education Coordinator for 4 years.  She made sure that she immersed herself into the school community as well. She helped plan and organize the Black History Month topics and celebrations for all grades yearly, led a girl’s group that met in the mornings before school, and started an after school cooking class for the students.  One accomplishment that came deep from her heart was starting a Grandparent’s Day celebration. There are so many grandparents that are the primary caregivers for our students. She wanted to have a special celebration just for them where they could eat breakfast, relax after dropping their children off, and listen to some old school jams. In February 2021, she moved to Baltimore and decided that she wanted to continue teaching from home. She was excited to join KIPP and help build the virtual program for the 21-22 school year. She looks forward to what will come next. Outside of school she is an herbalist, and regularly volunteers at community gardens and farms.

Ms. Harding is the VLP Middle School Special Education Math Teacher. She is a Hampton University graduate with a B.A. in Entrepreneurship. She became certified through Prince Georges County Public Schools in MD almost a decade ago. Ms. Harding earned a M.A in Leadership and Teaching with a concentration in Elementary and Special Education and simultaneously studied at Capella University to earn her MBA in Human Resources. She enjoys writing and editing, helping others find employment and everything cosmetology. She is the proud mom of two brilliant and beautiful daughters.  

It is her belief that every child is unique and deserves a caring, inspiring, and engaging atmosphere in which to grow emotionally, intellectually, and socially. As an educator it is her mission to help students meet their maximum potential and become the facilitators of their own learning. She aims to always provide a safe, risk-taking, and collaborative environment. The cardinal principal she holds near and dear is perseverance. If you work hard enough to stick to the course, it will yield promising results. She wants each student to development positive character and leadership traits which are essential in becoming a productive member of society. 

TaKia Evans is a dedicated aide for the VLP. She grew up in Washington DC area as a child and attended school in Maryland. When she graduated high school she went on to becoming a dedicated aide in Prince George’s County Public schools then moved on to being a dedicated aide in Washington dc. She has been working in education for 11 years and believes this is her calling, to help special education students do things they didn’t believe they could do on their own. In 2021 she started the Kipp DC VLP as a dedicated aide to 5th grade. It has been a challenge not being in person to help students and be hands on but the challenge made her want to work in the VLP even more, she believed in herself and her students even more because she knows with the push she gives them they will be and are very successful in the VLP. She has a 4 year old son whom she loves more than anything in the world and teaching him as he progresses in school. Outside of being a mom TaKia has a sneaker collection and loves socks. She is starting her sock line summer 2022, and cooking for her family.