Meet The Admin Team
Dr. Crystal Cooper, Principal
Dr. Crystal Cooper is the proud principal and instructional leader of Starling Elementary School, bringing 29 years of dedicated service to education. Her career spans roles across the country, supporting teachers, students, and school leaders in various capacities to foster academic excellence and positive school cultures. Dr. Cooper firmly believes that every child can thrive when provided with a strong foundation in literacy, a supportive community, and an environment that celebrates who they are.
Prior to joining Starling, Dr. Cooper served as the principal of Sycamore Elementary School for a decade from 2012 to 2022, as well as a literacy specialist and assistant principal at Bethesda Elementary. She spent her foundational years in education as a literacy coach and elementary classroom teacher for grades 1 through 4 in Paterson, New Jersey. Throughout her career, she has developed deep expertise in Social Emotional Learning, Literacy, Professional Learning, and Culturally Responsive Teaching, remaining passionately committed to advancing student success, staff development, and whole-child growth.
A lifelong learner, Dr. Cooper holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from William Paterson University, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Georgia, an Education Specialist degree from the University of West Georgia, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Georgia. Outside of her leadership work at school, Dr. Cooper enjoys shopping, listening to music, and spending quality time with her husband, parents, family, and friends. She is honored to lead the Starling Elementary community and looks forward to partnering with families and staff to ensure a successful school year.
Jessica Dunn, Assistant Principal: Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd
Jessica Dunn is the kindergarten, first, and second grade assistant principal. She also serves as the K-5 testing coordinator for Starling. Mrs. Dunn graduated from the University of West Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Her master’s degree is in Early Childhood Education with a specialization in reading and literacy from Walden University. Mrs. Dunn has been an assistant principal at Starling since 2019 and was previously a first grade and second grade teacher for ten years. Mrs. Dunn is a Teachers as Leaders graduate, previous PBIS coach, and a former local school teacher of the year. She enjoys learning, reading, running, and spending time with her husband, two sons, and dog.
Aimee Jividen, Assistant Principal: Special Education
Aimee Jividen is the special education assistant principal. Mrs. Jividen is a proud graduate of Gwinnett County Public Schools, where she attended Kindergarten through 12th grade. She then attended Kennesaw State University and graduated with her bachelor's degree in early childhood education. Recently, she has completed her master's degree in Reading and Mathematics from Walden University. Mrs. Jividen has previously served as a kindergarten teacher, a fourth-grade teacher, a PBIS coach, and an instructional coach at both the district and school level. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her family and watching The Ohio State University Buckeyes. From a very young age, she knew she wanted to be an educator and throughout her years in education, that passion has never faded. She believes in the education of the whole child and that this is achieved by providing students with the best opportunities to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. She looks forward to working alongside students, staff, and the families within the Starling community.
Will Lewis, Assistant Principal: 3rd, 4th, and 5th
Will Lewis is the Assistant Principal of grades 3-5 at Starling Elementary School. He completed his bachelor’s degree in elementary education and educational leadership certification from the University of South Alabama. In addition, Will Lewis also attended the University of West Alabama and University of Alabama completing his master’s degree in elementary education and educational specialist degree in instructional leadership. In his spare time, Will provides professional development in classroom management and response to intervention. Will Lewis has also served as a 4th grade teacher, Title I facilitator, math intervention teacher, elementary, middle, and high school assistant principal, and a high school interim principal. Furthermore, Will Lewis has had an opportunity to work in urban, rural, and magnet schools giving him a variety of experiences of working with students from different socio-economic backgrounds. During his time in education, he has placed a heavy emphasis on learning how to build relationships with students, parents, community members, and mentoring. He currently resides in Gwinnett County, GA with his wife and three children.