Elementary Teachers' Photos

Aneesah Blount will begin her 7th year at Van Ness and 11th year teaching this school year. At Van Ness, Aneesah has been featured in several videos that highlight best teaching practices. She has also co-facilitated professional developments and coached kindergarten teachers in Literacy. Previously she worked at Appletree Early Learning Public Charter School in Washington, DC. She worked as both a PK3 and PK4 teacher. During her 4 years at AppleTree she led and mentored several teaching fellows through their fellowship year. In this role she led professional development workshops, monitored teacher effectiveness and worked with her colleagues to help them interpret classroom data. She holds a B.S. in Family Science from the University of Maryland and a M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership from the University of Delaware.

Michelle Johnson has taught Kindergarten through 5th grade over the course of her teaching career. Prior to coming to Van Ness ES, she taught 2nd grade at Seaton Elementary School, where she was awarded the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Before coming to DC Public Schools, Michelle worked as an elementary educator in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Prince George’s County, MD. Michelle participated in the DCPS Common Core Reading Corps, developing a literacy curriculum that is used district-wide. She served as a Capital Commitment Fellow for DCPS and trains fellow teachers on the Whole Brain Teaching strategies she successfully uses in her own classroom. Michelle’s highly effective teaching has been featured in three DCPS Essential Practices teaching videos for fellow educators. Her innovative maker approach has also been featured in Transcend and Edutopia videos and articles. Michelle graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Political Science from the University of Tennessee and has a MPS degree in Political Management from George Washington University.

Bio coming soon!

Greetings! My name is Stephanie Annette McMichael, and I am delighted to announce that I am re-entering the teaching profession in DCPS after enjoying a fulfilling 33-year career as an educator. Throughout my journey, I had the privilege of teaching in three different states: New York, South Carolina, and Georgia. Now, I eagerly look forward to bringing my wealth of experience and passion for education to the Van Ness families.

Over the course of my career, I had the pleasure of effectively teaching several grades, ranging from Pre-K to 6th grade. In addition to being an educator, I also held various roles, including that of a grade level coach, cooperating teacher for three student teachers, classroom practice coach, GO TIP Induction Advisor, and professional learning facilitator. These diverse roles have enriched my understanding of effective teaching practices and the importance of fostering a supportive and nurturing learning environment for all students.

Education is not just my profession; it's my life's calling. I am a firm believer that all students are unique and deserve a personalized approach to address their academic needs. Understanding and catering to their individuality empowers students to flourish in their learning journey.

Maggie Lombardo has been a proud DCPS teacher for six years. Originally from North Carolina—where she earned her degree in Education at UNC Chapel Hill—Maggie relocated to DC in 2016 to work as a 5th grade teacher at John Eaton ES. She taught there as a 4th and 5th grade educator in an all-content as well as a departmentalized model. There, she found her passion for social-emotional learning and teaching the whole child. She trained through Breathe for Change and Responsive Classroom to better her practice and became the SEL Co-Lead at her previous school. She is excited to join the Van Ness Team in the wonderful work they are already doing! After school, you can find Maggie studying—she’s completing her Masters in High Incidence Disabilities at the University of Kansas—or recharging in nature.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Mr. Berry has served as a Partner Teacher at Van Ness for the past seven years. Before joining Van Ness, his passion for service inspired twenty years of teaching or leading community-based workforce development initiatives. With a BA in English and Communication from UMGC, Mr. Berry values lifelong learning and agrees wholeheartedly with the sentiment of W.E.B. Du Bois that education must not simply teach work; it must teach life. With this guiding principle, he strives to make learning a delightful and engaging experience. Mr. Berry revels in the exploration of creativity by finding joy in making and design. Lego, books, and fine art are all close to his heart.

Bio coming soon!

Crystal Sadrzadeh will begin her sixth year of teaching this school year. She has been both a lead and partner teacher, working with Kindergarten and 1st grade when she first started at Van Ness in 2017 and went on to work with 2nd grade. She also taught Pre-K and Kindergarten at a dual-language Charter in DC. For over a decade now, Crystal has been serving as a volunteer teacher and mentor as part of community-building activities that empower young people to become active agents of change in their communities. She continues this work with children and youth ages 3-19 within the District. Crystal holds a B.A. in Sociology and Elementary Education from The College of William and Mary. Crystal is a lover of interior design and decorating, plants, travel, and trying out new recipes!

Bio Coming Soon

Raquel Sarvis has been a lead and partner teacher at Van Ness for the past six years, working with PK4, first grade, and second grade. She completed her year of practicum teaching in second grade at a DCPS school prior to joining Van Ness. Ms. Sarvis was an early childhood teacher at a child development center in NW Washington, DC. She holds a BA in Early Childhood Education from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and a M.Ed from Trinity Washington University. For 2 years, Ms. Sarvis supported students after school by providing additional intervention and this past year was a member of the Local School Advisory Team (LSAT).

Elizabeth Ward joined Van Ness in the 2017-18 school year as a first grade teacher, and is excited to take on her fourth year at Van Ness in second grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Prior to Van Ness, she worked as a Pre-Kindergarten school readiness teacher in her hometown of Stamford, Connecticut. Elizabeth is passionate about making learning engaging for all students and educating the whole child. At Van Ness, Elizabeth has participated in and led afterschool programs including: DC Scores (soccer coach) and BOKS. During her undergraduate studies Elizabeth worked in a variety of educational settings including Concord Hill School, Sacred Heart Bilingual Catholic School, and Murch Elementary School. Over the course of her studies, Elizabeth was exposed to several teaching and volunteer opportunities working with a diverse group of students including Washington Yu-Ying’s REEF program, Girls on the Run, and DC Reads. Elizabeth also served as a global education volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Elizabeth holds a B.A in Early Childhood Education from Catholic University of America (Washington, DC) and will be finished with her Masters in Literacy/Reading Intervention through Concordia University’s graduate program in the fall.

Bio Coming Soon!

Jennifer Krystopowicz has taught for 14 years, 13 of which have been in the District of Columbia Public Schools, where she was placed as a 2007 Teach for America Corp member. Jennifer is dual certified in general and special education, received certification in the Wilson Reading System, has achieved National Board Certification, and was awarded the Rubenstein Award for Highly Effective Teaching. Jennifer strives to empower students to take on the role as a maker where they design, tinker, build, and craft, while developing transferable skills that will improve learning across all disciplines. She holds a BA in Communication from George Washington University and MA in Special Education from George Mason University.

Maya Baum has been teaching in DC for 8 years. She spent the past 6 years teaching 4th grade at Thomson ES in DCPS. She’s so excited to be joining the fifth grade team at Van Ness this coming school year. Maya moved to the DC area (Silver Spring) from Davis, California at the age of 10. She got her masters in teaching from Clark University in Massachusetts but the cold was too much so she moved back home to D.C and has been here ever since! In her spare time Maya loves to read, puzzle, box, explore new places, walk around the city, and dance! She believes in the power of community building and helping to empower her students in becoming life long learners. She’s so excited to join the Van Ness community!

S.Y. 2023-24 will be my 27th year In the educational field. This will be my 8th year teaching with DCPS. I am a D.C. native and proud graduate of Calvin Coolidge Sr. High School. I have spent my educational career serving the DMV area in many different capacities. I have acted as. Team Lead, Reading Specialist, Testing Coordinator, Title I Coordinator and Assistant Principal to name a few of my roles over the years in DCPS, PGCPS, and ACPS. I am thrilled to join the Van Ness Elementary School Community as a 5th grade support/Co-teacher this year. I have spent my last 6 years at Thompson Elementary as a 4th grade classroom teacher. I am also a proud father of two beautiful daughters, who are, and will be successful graduates of DCPS (with my oldest as an alum of Duke Ellington School of the Performing Arts). In my spare time, you can find me in a couple of different settings. 1- on a golf course trying to perfect my game; 2- cycling across the DMV; 3- Officiating basketball around the area; 4- taking in a good play or concert; 5- traveling the country looking for my next experience. I look forward to building a great relationship with the Otter community, to share and receive experiences that will contribute to my growth, as well as enhance the lives of the students, parents/families, and co-workers.

Bio coming soon!