Welcome to Second Grade
The Ashlawn Second Grade team would like to welcome you to Ashlawn Elementary School.
Mrs. Suzanne Boothby
I am thrilled to be a second grade teacher at Ashlawn. I feel so lucky to have a career that I love so much and to be at such a wonderful school. After 6 years in first grade, this will be my 2nd year in second grade and my 9th year teaching. Getting to know your children and watching them grow by such leaps and bounds in second grade is an amazing gift. Second grade is a huge year of growth. We will share so many new books and old favorites this year. We will read for pleasure and read to learn. Second graders are a curious and passionate group. When I am not working, I spend summers in my home state of Maine (Go Patriots and Red Sox!) with family and friends boating, biking, spending time at the beach and reading! I also love to ski and teach a fitness class a couple of days a week. My husband Clay and I have 3 children: Will (a recent graduate from UNH), Matthew (a sophomore at William and Mary) and Caroline (a senior at Yorktown High School)
Ms. Amy Fong
amy.fong@apsva.us
I grew up across the continents of Africa, Asia, and North America which developed in me a love for cultures and learning from others. I love working with students from other cultures and places. I have been an EL teacher at Ashlawn for seven years and I have been teaching for a total of 15 years. Prior to working at Ashlawn, I worked as a classroom teacher (various grade levels between 1st-3rd grade) at a private school. I have an MSE degree in early childhood education with an ESOL endorsement from John Brown University and an Med in reading education from the University of Virginia. I love spending time with my husband, 5 year old daughter and 3 year old son, reading, exercising, eating tasty food from all over the world, and exploring new places. My favorite children’s book is “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. I love working at Ashlawn because of the people. It’s such a supportive and inclusive community which I’m so thankful to be a part of.
Ms. Elizabeth Howard
beth.howard@apsva.us
Ashlawn’s Global Citizenship Project is one reason I joined the staff with alacrity in 2013. The school places a premium on children exploring their vast universe through an open-minded, inclusive lens. I feel unbridled joy teaching Ashlawn 2nd graders because they eagerly try new things and experience countless “a-ha” moments as they develop their critical thinking skills. Another draw of Ashlawn is staff collaboration on using the most up-to-date, educational research for high-impact instruction. We also insert the right dose of fun. Comic relief is important in my class, and so many children’s books easily meet that need. Fractured fairy tales and the author Candice Fleming get top billing. Beyond the walls of Ashlawn, I am always on the pursuit of an adventure. I recently reached an altitude above 16,000 feet in the Andes and, before becoming a parent, climbed the Great Wall of China and biked from Seattle to San Francisco. I return home to my native San Diego as often as possible and am never shy in expressing enthusiastic support of my two alma maters – UCLA and Johns Hopkins University – when they appear in the news. Go Ashlawn Eagles!
Mr. Sean Kennedy
sean.kennedy@apsva.us
Hi everybody! I’m excited to be back for my 4th year of teaching at Ashlawn ES. I grew up in a very small town in western Massachusetts. After graduating from UMass Amherst, I taught in the Boston area for several years while earning a M.Ed. and a certification in Special Education K-12. In 2006, I moved to Arlington and spent 13 years teaching Special Education students in the middle school world before moving into elementary education. In my free time, you can find me traveling, swimming, walking, biking, and going on epic hikes with my wife and two young boys (ages 6 and 9). My favorite book from early childhood is Harold and the Purple Crayon. I’m thrilled to again be a part of the Ashlawn family this year!
Mr. Eric Sokolove
eric.sokolove@apsva.us
This is my 21st year as an elementary school teacher. Before coming to Ashlawn, I taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade at Carlin Springs and Glebe in Arlington, as well as Garfield Elementary School in D.C. Public Schools. I was born in Massachusetts (go Red Sox!) and moved to the DC area to attend college at The George Washington University. I earned a Master’s degree in Education at the University of Virginia in 2003 and a certificate in School Administration from George Mason University in 2007. My wife (a school counselor) and I have two children (ages 14 and 16), so we’ve read LOTS of children’s books. My favorite is “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch because it shows the unending love of a parent for a child. My favorite thing about teaching at Ashlawn is being a part of the Global Citizens Project because the whole Ashlawn community (students, teachers, families, and neighbors) all share in the culture of peace and social justice.
