Hi Ya’ll! I am a reading specialist here at Barrett Elementary and work primarily with Kindergarten during Reading and Writing Workshop, as well as Phonics. I’m also an interventionist for first grade by providing Reading Recovery. I have been at Barrett since 2007. Prior to that, I worked in Loudoun County Public Schools as a second grade teacher for eight years. In 2018, I received my National Board Teaching Certificate in Literacy / Reading – Language Arts for Early and Middle Childhood.

I was born and raised in Nashville, TN, home to the Grand Ole Opry, Goo Goo Clusters, and Vanderbilt Basketball. I graduated from James Madison University and then received a Masters in Reading from the University of Virginia. I love living in the Washington DC area and having access to all that it provides: paddle boating around the Jefferson Memorial, walking through the American Art Museum, or trying out a new restaurant from the Washingtonian’s 100 Best Restaurants.

I am a mother of two: Kate and Thomas. My kids share a love of reading with me and are always up for a new adventure.  Kate loves to sing and dance while Thomas wants to share the cooking responsibilities with Daddy.

My goals at Barrett are to foster a love of learning as well as increase overall reading and writing engagement and stamina. One way I have done this is through opening the Barrett Elementary Library during the summer for library checkout and book chats. We had 50 students come for book checkout, read alouds, and estimating to win free books.