Administrative Staff's Photos

Maquita Alexander is the principal of Van Ness Elementary School. Prior to joining DCPS, Ms. Alexander served as the Executive Director at Washington Yu Ying PCS, the only Chinese Immersion International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program school in Washington DC. Washington Yu Ying is a high performing, inquiry-based school with a highly diverse student body. Yu Ying opened in the fall of 2008. Under Ms. Alexander’s leadership, Yu Ying has become one of the most sought-after schools in the District of Columbia with its standardized test scores in the top 10% citywide year after year.

Ms. Alexander has over twenty-eight years of teaching and administrative experience, including fifteen years in the Fairfax County Public School system, seven of which she served as an elementary school teacher. She has a Master of Arts in Educational Technology Leadership from George Washington University, a Master of Teaching in Elementary Education from Virginia Commonwealth University, and an administrative certification in Curriculum and Administration from George Mason University.

Aly Roberts has been teaching with DCPS for fifteen years and is overjoyed to be moving into the role of Assistant Principal this school year. Prior to this role, Aly taught grades K-3rd at Van Ness and helped develop the Whole Child Model. Aly has served as a Teacher Selection Ambassador, a Consulting Teacher, and was a member of the Chancellor’s Teachers Cabinet, as well as a Fellow Advisor for the DC Teaching Fellows Program. She was a member of the inaugural DC Teach Plus Education Policy Fellowship. Aly is the recipient of a Rubenstein Award for Highly Effective Teaching. She holds a BA in Communication and M.Ed in Elementary Education from the University of New Hampshire. Ms. Aly is also a mom of three boys, two of which are proud Van Ness Otters. She believes in the mission and vision of Van Ness and is looking forward to continuing to nurture creative, compassionate, constant learners across our school community.

Danielle Proctor was born and raised in Washington, DC. Danielle received a BS in Science with a concentration in Biology from Virginia Commonweath University (VCU) and Master of Public Health from Capella University. Danielle has worked with DCPS for about 5 years and is very excited about her new role as the Manager of Strategy & Logistics (MSL). In her spare time, Danielle enjoys hanging out with family/friends, traveling, and singing with her community gospel group, Kevin Terry and Predestined.

Myya Seldon is the Assistant, Strategy & Logistics (ASL) at Van Ness. Prior to officially working for DCPS Myya has been an active part of our school’s community. She also serves as Vice President of the Van Ness PTO board, Chair on the Van Ness LSAT and the Van Ness Girl Scout Troop 44133 SHARE Chair. She is mom to rising third grade Otter (Giselle) and an Otter alum (Paris) at Jefferson Academy Middle School. Her family has proudly been at Van Ness since 2016. Myya holds a BS in Communications and Minor in Business from Virginia Commonwealth University. She also owns a creative marketing agency. During her free time, she loves reading autobiographies, traveling overseas and spending time with her husband and daughters. She believes in the power of being kind and making everyone feel welcomed.

Coach Cara joined Van Ness as a consultant in 2019. She became a full time Otter in 2020 when she was hired as the Van Ness Math Coach. Before joining Van Ness, Cara received her Bachelors in Elementary Education at The University of Dayton. She then moved to San Diego, where she worked as a middle school math and science teacher and math coach in for 15 years. During that time, she received a Masters in Math, Science, and Technology in Education. In 2013, she was recruited by a London based company to journey to England and coach teachers in Project Based Learning. She returned to her childhood home in the DMV in 2018 to be closer to family. When she's not helping Van Ness staff and students embrace and love math education, she can be found exploring local restaurants, traveling, spending time with family, and being a dog mom.