Congratulations to the 2025 Team Impact Award winners!

Collaboration and Partnerships Team Impact Award Winners

The winners of this award develop influential partnerships with parents, businesses, and community organizations; foster collaboration across schools, offices, and/or departments; utilize internal and external resources and expertise to bolster student learning and promote the success of students and staff.

Coates Enhanced Autism Classroom Team

Mariam Aboubakr, Grace Dasi, Amel Osman Elameen, Trisha Ferland, Dhana Gaddigopula, Charu Gupta, Pearl Kim, Tiffany Kim, Hye Ja Lee, Marisa I Rivera, Rekha Satish Chandra, and Deanna Sorrell

• The Coates Elementary Enhanced Autism Classroom (EAC) Team is a dynamic and collaborative group. Their motto reflects their dedication and commitment: to ensure every student in their care develops the strong communication skills and independence needed to succeed in our global society. This team consistently demonstrates exceptional support for one another and their students, regardless of individual classroom challenges. On the rare occasion that our families move to new schools outside of the typical promotion cycle, the team continues to mentor them to ensure a smooth transition and continued success.

Edison Safety and Security Team

Justin Dellow, Julian Gaither, Ariel Jaime Rodriguez, Angel Kristine Santee, Eric Toto, and Glenn Wheeler

• The Edison High School Security Team is committed to maintaining a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for all students and staff. They build strong relationships with the school community, ensuring visibility, trust, and a proactive response to safety concerns. The team collaborates closely with administrators, counselors, and local authorities to promote positive behavior and prevent disruptions. Their focus is on prevention, intervention, and fostering a sense of security that enables students to thrive academically and socially. The team's commitment to student well-being is a cornerstone of our school culture.

Woodson Portrait of a Cav: Portrait of a Graduate Presentations of Learning Team

Katrina Cohen, Melinda Conner, Christie Day, Paula Disalvo, Lee Hedrick, Michael Jeffry, Nishi Langhorne, Jeffrey Lonnett, Kathleen M. Marcos, John E. Michals, Sarah Emma Miller, Ann Marie Rodgerson, Katherine Stransky, and Kelsey Treague

• "Portrait of a Cavalier" began as a small pilot that evolved, through intentional design and collaboration, into a cornerstone of the school advisory program. Students now engage in meaningful reflection, assess growth in Portrait of a Graduate (POG) competencies, and connect learning to real-world experiences. With career days, guest speakers, and plans for internships, this initiative empowers every student to embrace their voice, purpose, and future. This Carter G. Woodson team has led the transformation of POG Presentations of Learning into a powerful, schoolwide initiative.

Equity and Cultural Responsiveness Team Impact Award Winners

The winners of this award demonstrates cultural responsiveness in building relationships and leverages impact to address systemic equity challenges; engage in reflection to craft culturally responsive solutions that eliminate barriers; promote equity and inclusivity for those in marginalized or underrepresented groups.

Annandale Terrace Get2Green Sponsors

Michelle Carr-Hogan and Ashley Ireland

• Each day at 2:45 PM, the excited voices of students—“There’s another bin!” or “I got this one!”—fill the halls of Annandale Terrace Elementary, signaling another great day of learning. Educators Ashley Ireland and Michelle Carr-Hogan go above and beyond as sponsors of the Get2Green Club. Their efforts to launch a schoolwide recycling program, with daily collections by fifth grade club members and participation from our enhanced autism class (EAC) students, highlight their commitment to collaboration, inclusion, and providing meaningful, equitable experiences for all students.

Cultural Responsive Pedagogy Team

Jennifer Brown, Jennifer L. Brown, Emily Christopher, Raven Compton, Michelle Cottrell-Williams, Daviana Greenberg Kye, Rob Kerr, Melanie Krotz, Kristin Mandruleanu, Deborah March, Beatrix Preusse-Burr, Mary-Lynn Robosky, Darnessia Semper, Parvinder Kaur Sublok,  and Janice Years

• Formed after the division's adoption of Benchmark Advance, the Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) Team was tasked with creating equitable curriculum resources. To facilitate this transition, the team reviewed over 500 texts within a swift two-month period to determine a common set of core texts. They used their analysis to develop 116 areas of enhancement. The team synthesized these findings into 68 pages of CRP Considerations, created guidance on approaching sensitive topics, and identified where additional resources would enhance the curriculum, particularly in the representation of marginalized groups. Their efforts empower teachers to deliver culturally responsive instruction and validate the diversity of our student population.

Innovation and Improvement Team Impact Award Winners

The winners of this award exhibit a commitment to innovation and transformation; effectively implement new initiatives that have a broad impact on FCPS students, staff, and/or the community.

Common Assessment Dashboards Implementation Team

Sania Ahmad, Abhijeet Ghosal, Ryan Howell, Bettrys Huffman, Stephanie Jerauld, Sammi Karalus, Fawad Khan, Sriram Krishnamurthy, Sara Masluk, Ellen Mukai, Shyama Nimmaturi, Rahul Patel, Luke Tonia, and Gretchen Wagner

• A cross-functional team from Information Technology, Strategy, Planning and Learning, the region offices, Chief Academic and Chief of Schools offices, developed and launched two dashboards for division-wide common assessments. These monitoring tools support alignment between the written, taught, and tested curriculum, ensuring consistent instruction for all students. The dashboards offer real-time data for decision-making, benchmarking, and data broken down by schools and student groups for identifying areas needing attention. Significant interdepartmental collaboration and end-user involvement ensured the dashboards addressed critical division questions and provided a collaborative solution.

Cunningham Park Instructional Council

Allison Hoak, Melissa D. Hughes, Matthew Hupp, Jonathan Kemmerer, Lisa Lujan, Vicki Mansuy, Sydney Miller, and Jenna Murgia

• Imagine a vibrant hub within a school. A dynamic force field radiating positive change. This is the Cunningham Park Instructional Council, a group of passionate educators who act as catalysts for growth and innovation across the entire school. This team intentionally connects colleagues in different departments, grade levels, and support staff. They collaboratively analyze and utilize testing data to inform curriculum teams. The team is responsible for schoolwide multiered systems of support, making sure that no students slip through the cracks who may need extra services. They create a culture that values shared responsibility. 

Early Childhood Inclusion Workgroups Team

Rebecca Bailey, Christie Lynn Corsoro, Trinity Edwards, Jeanine Faust, Katie Scott, Megan Shapiro, Erin Snell, Kiran Talvadkar, Meghan Themak, Leydi Uoy, and Megan Walters

• This cross-departmental partnership joins expertise from the Office of Early Childhood and the Early Childhood Identification and Services teams. The workgroup created initial and ongoing professional development, instructional frameworks, and planning resources for Pre-K and Early Childhood Special Education teaching teams and central office staff. Through strategic planning, logistics, training, and coaching, the workgroup has achieved significant district-wide outcomes. They have established innovative co-teaching inclusion models and expanded single-teacher inclusion classes. These efforts have substantially improved educational accessibility for young learners with diverse needs.

Impact Aid Online Survey Implementation Team

Lin Fetterman, Janett Garcia, Meredith Lydon, Nithya Srikanth, Mariam Suqi, Eric A. Verchot, and Keith Walker

• The Federal Impact Aid Grant Program provides revenue for Fairfax County Public Schools that benefits all students. This money is intended to offset the federal presence in our area. As an alternative to a paper form, this team created an online version of the survey for parents to complete using their ParentVUE account. The implementation was a joint effort between teams within Instructional Technology to develop the technical process, and also to support schools and families to use this new program successfully.

Instructional Services Program Improvement and Data Team

Emmanuel Bonhomme, Ruixue Liu, Michael Mazzarella, and Yubo Zhang

• The Program Improvement and Data Team empowers all instructional services programs with strategic planning and data-driven decision making. The team cultivates a data driven mindset. They give workshops and conduct contextual statistical analysis to examine program efficacy. They provide data coaching and consulting. The team deploys division-wide data reporting tools collectively with cross-department teams to monitor program implementation and outcomes. They communicate program information and effectiveness to all stakeholders. The team is known for its quick turnaround time and willingness to assist with urgent data requests, ensuring that programs have the information they need when they need it. 

K-6 Literacy Institute Team

Nicole M. Ball, Melissa Bosman, Jennifer Brown, Cassandra Jackson, Melanie Krotz, Carrie Leestma, Theresa Lieteau, Kristin Mandruleanu, Gina North, Amanda Rowell, Claire Sefein, Sonia Claire Silva, Jean Sondak, Julia Trieber, and M. Brigid Williams

• During the summer and fall of 2024, the K-6 Literacy Institute team innovated, coordinated and successfully trained over 6200 K-6 classroom, special education, and ESOL teachers in the new English language arts curriculum, Benchmark Advance. Through 23 intensive 3-day summer literacy institutes and 39 fall training sessions, the team equipped staff with strategies for effective instruction in word recognition, language comprehension, and writing instruction. This comprehensive initiative promises a significant and lasting impact, ensuring that every student has access to the highest level of reading instruction.

Parent Digital Consent System Project Team

Mike McKenna, Keith Walker, Chia-En Jane Woo, and Grace Yi

• The dedicated, results-oriented Parent Digital Consent (PDC) System Project Team created a vital digital platform to acquire parental consent for various offices across the division. The PDC system allows the secure collection of consent decisions using personal devices, significantly reducing administrative tasks, improving efficiency, and ensuring timely responses. School staff are now able to receive timely updates because of the direct integration with the Student Information Systems platform. The team is committed to creating an intuitive parent experience while providing essential, reliable data to internal departments. They demonstrate commitment to both user needs and organizational effectiveness. 

West Springfield High Front Office Staff Team

Jessica R. King, Katie Matis, Kristin L. Salvato, Christine Simpson, and Mary Beth Vaughn

• West Springfield High School has innovatively centralized its subschool administrative assistants into one accessible office, a departure from the traditional FCPS model. This structure streamlines processes and improves efficiency for students, families, staff, and visitors. Each sub-school has an assistant principal and two counselors. Housing all five sub-school administrative assistants together enhances communication, coverage, security, substitute management, and resource allocation within the school. The team is known for their helpful and warm demeanor. This twist on the typical organization structure provides unique advantages to West Springfield High

Whitman Attendance Team

Liliana F. Aberger, Colleen M. Hooper, Soria M. Khatib, Ana Elsy Lopez, Lee Maguire, Michael J. McPhatter, Lindsey Miller, Raquel Monterrosa Romero, Tiashia Roberts, Cara Shirley, and Harmony Tahy

• Whitman Middle School’s Attendance Team has made a remarkable impact by reducing chronic absenteeism from 24% to 12%. Through daily outreach, individualized attendance plans, and strong partnerships with families, they address barriers that keep students from school. They exceed expectations by offering academic support and coordinating transportation. The team creates fun, motivational incentives like attendance dances, inflatable races, and donut and ice cream socials. With PTSA support, they hold gift card raffles to reward consistent attendance. Focused on positive reinforcement and student success, this dedicated team has transformed school culture.

Student Achievement and Success Team Impact Award Winners

The winners of this award implement strategies to actively engage students in the learning process; create opportunities of ownership in academic activities and discussions; promote an inclusive and supportive learning environment where all students are valued and supported.

Bryant Project Opportunity Team

Rosaleen Gray, Florence “Pipi” Harrison, Alicia P. Leonard, and Margaret Veenstra

• The Project Opportunity Team at Bryant High is dedicated to empowering pregnant and parenting teens, helping them overcome poverty-related obstacles and achieve academic success. Through vital partnerships with organizations like the DC Diaper Bank and Food for Neighbors, they provide essential resources. While the national graduation rate for teen parents is only 51%, Bryant has proudly witnessed a 15% increase in returning parenting students within just two years. Operating in a non-traditional setting, the team offers personalized post-secondary planning and connects students with crucial support systems. Their compassionate, student-centered approach prepares every learner for a successful future beyond high school.

Chantilly Academy Air Force JROTC

Chief Master Sergeant Al Clemmons and Lieutenant Colonel Michael W. Rue

• Lieutenant Colonel Michael Rue and Chief Master Sergeant Al Clemmons are the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors at Chantilly Governor's STEM Academy. They teach high school cadets with diverse language and learning needs from 14 schools. Last year’s annual assessment put them in the top 1% of all 825 AFJROTC units worldwide. They initiated a Commander's Action Group which involved senior cadets in project management and event execution. Student membership is the highest in unit history, and 100% of their cadets graduate from high school. They have helped cadets earn millions of dollars in college scholarships and admission into the national service academies.

Instructional Services Mathematics Team

Jennifer Allard, Erica Beckett Hart, Lynne Bursch, Heather Crouch, Margot Dickey, Payal Herendeen, Amy Hunter, Spencer Jamieson, Trent Middleton, Kelle Lyn Paige, Erin Sylves, Kelly Rosario Vargas, and Stephanie Willerth

• The Instructional Services Mathematics Team, composed of passionate mathematicians and their collaborators, is dedicated to positively impacting student achievement. The team works tirelessly to design and deliver mathematics education, ensuring rigorous and accessible learning experiences for all students. Their collaborative efforts - adopting basal resources, incorporating engineering principals, revising curriculum, offering targeted support, and building data dashboards - provide every student the opportunity to succeed and build a strong foundation in mathematics. The team understands students' developmental needs and offers innovative solutions that boost achievement and provide opportunities for advanced coursework.