First-Class Awards
An annual celebration of individuals who support, design, and implement inclusion activities that result in positive outcomes for students.
First-Class Awards are presented each year t o recognize and celebrate the efforts of educators, administrators, support staff, and students who demonstrate excellence in all facets of education related to disability.
2026 Winners
Category
Winners
Elementary School Teacher 2 Awards
-
Colleen O’Carroll
Special Education Teacher
Rolling Valley Elementary School -
Liz Smith
Special Education Teacher
Aldrin Elementary School
Elementary Support Staff
Aura Ortiz
Custodian
Bonnie Brae Elementary School
Elementary School Administrator
Christine Berry
Assistant Principal
Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School
Middle/High School Teacher
Katie Shaw
Special Education Teacher
Annandale High School
Middle/High School Administrator
Montell Brown
Assistant Principal
Centreville High School
Central Office
Melissa Muse
Administrative Assistant
Special Education Instruction
Specialists
Dr. Sheila Moore-Neff
Audiologist
Vision & Hearing Services
Specialty Program Staff
2 Awards
-
Meredith Renard
Special Education Teacher
Davis Career Center -
Julieta Luna Lopez
Public Health Training Assistant
Davis Career Center
Community Partner
Marissa E King, PE Systems Inc
Student 2 Awards
-
Kairo-Aicha Boyd
-
Madison Roegner
Team Awarded to a Team of 15
Franklin Sherman Elementary Inclusion Team:
-
Katy Allen Special Education Teacher
-
Robyn Carter Special Education Teacher
-
Sophia Chavez Special Education Teacher
-
Carol Clark Elementary Special Education Department Chair
-
Emily Clausen Kindergarten Teacher
-
Sara Eichmeier Grades 4-6 Teacher
-
Anna Elston Grades 4-6 Teacher
-
Marie Fletcher Special Education Teacher
-
Whitney Graves Special Education Teacher
-
Rebecca Kaufman Speech Language Pathologist
-
Sarah Mantel Grades 1-3 Teacher
-
Evelyn Pahis-Mastakas Grades 1-3 Teacher
-
Savannah Simmons Grades 1-3 Teacher
-
Lynda Singletary Special Education Teacher
-
Romona Wright Grades 4-6 Teacher
Winners from Previous Years
Category
Winners
Elementary School Teacher 2 Awards
-
Mandy Walter
Special Education Teacher
Poplar Tree Elementary School -
Kimberly O’Hara
Teacher Trainee
Coates Elementary School
Elementary Support Staff
Melissa Richardson
Instructional Assistant
Forestdale Elementary School
Elementary School Administrator
Melissa Johnson
Assistant Principal
Bonnie Brae Elementary School
Middle/High School Teacher
Elizabeth Frostick
Special Education Teacher
Chantilly High School
Middle/High School Administrator
Angela Perez
Special Education Department Chair
Whitman Middle School
Central Office
Brad Weiner
Educational Specialist
Adapted Physical Education
Specialists 2 Awards
-
Kannan Cangro
Librarian
Clermont Elementary School -
Sarah Espanol
Speech Language Pathologist
Marshall High School
Specialty Program Staff
Theresa Piccolo
Special Education Teacher
Davis Career Center
Community Partner
Fairfax City Ace Hardware
Student
Joel Silveira
Team Awarded to a Team of 5
Rolling Valley Elementary School Team:
-
Laura Summitt Special Education Teacher
-
Madeline Wood Speech Language Pathologist
-
Elizabeth Rinderle Speech Language Pathologist
-
Sylvia Yepez-Yanez Public Health Training Assistant
-
Christina Winkler
Assistive Technology Coach
Assistive Technology Services
| Category |
Winners |
|---|---|
| Elementary School Teacher |
Annisa Chesnut |
| Elementary School Administrator |
Emily Cope |
| Middle/High School Teacher 2 Awards |
Jessica Magarelli Todd Utter |
| Middle/High School Administrators 4 Awards |
Amy Brown Shannon Matheny Betsy Fawsett John Basta |
| Middle/High School Support Staff |
Lisa DeCandia |
| Central Office |
Christian Lanzaro |
| Specialty Program Staff |
Chad Clayton |
| Community Contributor |
Food Bank & Hypothermia Center Rising Hope Mission Church |
| Students |
Olivia Bradley West Springfield Elementary School |
| Category | Winners |
|---|---|
| Elementary School Teacher | Melissa DeStefano
Special Education Teacher Silverbrook Elementary |
| Elementary School Administrator | Sharyn Prindle
Principal Wakefield Forest Elementary |
| Elementary Support Staff | Shawna Peterson
Instructional Assistant Rolling Valley Elementary |
| Middle/High School Teacher | Jae Lee
Special Education Teacher Annandale High School |
| Middle/High School Administrator | Briana Kodadek
Special Education Department Chair James Madison High School |
| Central Office | Mary Beth Harrison-Cunningham
Manager Family Resource Center |
| Specialty Program Staff
(Two Awards) |
Ann Smith
Emily Kaltenmark
|
| Specialists
(Two Awards) |
Leslie Leisey
Ashley Kiley
|
| Community Contributor | Unlimited Potential (“UP”)
Springfield South County Youth Club |
| Students | Culinary Arts Program
Davis Career Center |
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Secondary Administrator | Dr. Ellen Reilly McLean High School Principal |
| Elementary Administrator | Scott Reeder Canterbury Woods Elementary School Assistant Principal |
| Central Office | Mike Bloom Central Office Department of Special Services Director of Special Education Instruction |
| Elementary School Support Staff | Katie Lacroix Special Education Instructional Assistant |
| Secondary School Support Staff | Alma Ortiz-Tellez McLean High School Instructional Assistant |
| Elementary Student | Jackson Allen |
| Secondary Student | Lila Jones |
| Secondary Student Club | Assistive Technology Club, TJHSST |
| Elementary Teacher | Amy LaCrosse Rolling Valley Elementary Enhanced Autism teacher/Lead Special Education Teacher |
| Elementary Teacher | Kenzie Bergh Bush Hill ES Multiple Disabilities Teacher |
| Secondary Teacher | Victoria Robinson Oakton High School Multiple Disabilities Teacher |
- Michael Chierichella, 5th Grade Teacher, Coates Elementary School
- Keely Norris, Special Education Teacher, Glasgow Middle School
- Julie Tiss, Special Education Teacher, Rocky Run Middle School
- Allie Ojjeh, Special Education Teacher, Herndon Middle School
- Mark Thompson, Special Education Teacher, McLean High School
- Deb Opalesky, Speech and Language Pathologist, McLean High School
- Anna Southworth, Career and Transition Teacher, McLean High School
- Mary Beth and Eric Fleming, Assistive Technology Resource Teachers, Assistive Technology Services
- Kerry Peerman, Principal, Halley Elementary School
- Sarah Chawki, Student, Bush Hill Elementary School
- Jordan Bristol, Kindergarten Teacher, Canterbury Woods Elementary School
- Nancy Lucas-Heck, Multiple Disabilities Teacher, Lake Braddock Secondary School
- Debra Opalesky, Speech-Language Pathologist, McLean High School
2026 Special Education Family Conference
Thank you for attending the Special Education Family Conference with inclusion advocate and engaging speaker, Dr. Shelley Moore!
Special Education Instruction
Our Special Education Instruction program is designed to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities, ensuring they receive the support and resources necessary to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
