About Our Instructors

Darby Thompson is the computer science teacher in the Upper School. In 2010, her first year at sidwell, Darby started the first US robotics team, which went on to win the Northern Virginia regional FTC competition and become division finalists in the Virginia state competition.

Sam Francis has been the Lower School science teacher since 2003. Sam is a co-coach of the LS robotics team.

Jennifer Voorhees is the director of technology in the lower school, and serves as co-coach of the LS team with Sam Francis.

Ms. Voorhees was the first coach of a Sidwell robotics team in 2003, and has since brought the LS team to annual First Lego League competitions.