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Welcome to Fourth Grade
The Ashlawn Fourth Grade team would like to welcome you to Ashlawn Elementary School.
Ms. Katie Avila
I am originally from Long Island New York and decided to move to Virginia to pursue my dream to be a teacher. I got my undergrad in Elementary Education at York College of Pennsylvania and furthered my education with a masters degree in reading from Queens College. One of my all time favorite books is Thank You, Mr. Falker because it reminds me of so many of my teachers that helped me when I was in school. When I’m not teaching I enjoy spending time with friends and family, exercising, traveling and listening to live music. Working at Ashlawn has truly been a dream come true for me. The staff, the parents and the community are so supportive and have become my second family. I am truly thankful to be a part of the Ashlawn staff.
Ms. Brooke Gianni
Hi there! My name is Brooke Gianni and this will be my fourth year teaching 4th grade at Ashlawn. I grew up in Northern Virginia and received my B.S. and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from James Madison University. Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time outside, visiting the beach, traveling with friends, trying new restaurants, and reading novels. A couple of my favorite books are Walk Two Moons and Out of My Mind. I am so incredibly excited for this upcoming school year and to continue my journey with the Ashlawn team and community!
Ms. Michelle Grant
Welcome to 4th Grade! This is my 9th year teaching at Ashlawn and 11th year in the Special Education field. I grew up in Potomac, Maryland, and graduated from The University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) with my undergraduate degrees in Advertising and Consumer Economics. I graduated from American University with my Masters in Special Education. I enjoy spending time with my nieces and nephew, my fiancé, Samey, and my dog Mac. He is half Great Pyrenees, half Husky, and spreads love everywhere he goes. Ashlawn is an incredibly supportive and kind community to be a part of! I most love creating meaningful relationships, building student confidence, celebrating milestones, and supporting parents. I can’t wait for another wonderful year!
Ms. Amy Slavin
Hello, Eagles! I’m from Northern California, on the other side of our country. If you find San Francisco on a map, you’ll be pretty close to where I lived when I was your age. I went to college at the University of California at Davis, and I had an opportunity to live in Washington, DC for a semester. I had an internship (a part-time job for college students) in our nation’s capital. I loved it so much that I moved to DC after graduation and went to work on Capitol Hill, where Congress meets. But eventually I decided to be a teacher… just like my mom and my grandmother. My first job in a school was as a New York City Teaching Fellow… way back in 2001! After two years in Brooklyn, I moved back to Virginia, and I’m so happy that I get to be a teacher here. I started teaching in Arlington in 2003. Now I live in Alexandria (right next door to Arlington) with my husband, our two daughters, and a cat who climbs on everything. We really like checking out places and things to do around our area, particularly the ones that are special in Virginia history. I enjoy gardening and reading… and I love teaching and learning as part of the Ashlawn community!
Ms. Maria White
[email protected]
After growing up in DC, I attended Denison University where I majored in Political Science and minored in French. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer for two years teaching English in Cameroon and, shortly thereafter, I earned my Master’s degree in Education from Boston College. From there I taught second grade French Immersion for six years in Massachusetts as well as third grade in Amman Jordan. In 2008 I moved back to the DC area and began teaching at APS and in 2014 I joined the Ashlawn team. As a child, my favorite author was Shel Silverstein and I adored his books The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends. My favorite part of teaching at Ashlawn is its commitment to community service and the GCP program. Also, I truly enjoy being able to foster a love of reading and writing each day while using books to promote the ideas of tolerance and acceptance in our classroom and school. When I am not teaching, I enjoy cycling, reading and spending time with my husband and two kids. I’m looking forward to another wonderful year at Ashlawn!