Art, Music, Physical Education, and GCP-Global Citizenship Project
The Ashlawn Art, Music, and Physical Education team would like to welcome you to Ashlawn Elementary School.
Art Team
Ms. Leslie Argueta
leslie.argueta@apsva.us
Hello Ashlawn Families! I began teaching at Ashlawn in the 2008- 2009 school year, and I have loved watching this community grow. I graduated from The Maryland Institute College of Art, where I received my undergraduate degree in Ceramics, and Master of Arts in Teaching. In my free time I love to cook and work in my garden, and travel with my husband and two children. My all-time favorite book is “Beautiful Oops” by Barney Saltzberg, to sum up the book in a quote from its’ text, “When you think you have made a MISTAKE, think of it as an opportunity to make something BEAUTIFUL”. My favorite part of teaching at Ashlawn is watching the artists grow from year to year as artists.
Ms. Emily Wilborn
emily.lingenfelter@apsva.us
Hello Ashlawn friends! I LIVE what I LOVE and can’t wait to share it all with YOU! Let’s CREATE!
For more information on APS Arts program please visit the Visual Arts district site.
Music – General Music & Eagle Ensemble
Ms. Jessica Harmon
jessica.harmon@apsva.us
Hello! This is my eleventh year teaching and first year at APS. I received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Seton Hill University, in Greensburg, PA. The clarinet was the first instrument that I learned to play, and I am an active performer in the area. My favorite part of teaching Music is getting to see my students grow up, from Pre-k to 5th grade, and beyond. I enjoy traveling to different countries and learning about cultures, painting, running, and spending time with my dog, Milo. I am looking forward to joining the Ashlawn community, and making music with the talented Ashlawn musicians!
Music – General Music
Mr. Readshaw
joshua.readshaw@apsva.us
Josh Readshaw is entering his eighth year of teaching and his first in Arlington. He holds a B.S. in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. While at IUP, Josh had the pleasure of performing under the baton of Jack Stamp, a world renowned wind band conductor and composer, as well as learning music pedagogy from some of the finest professors in the state. Josh is an active musician in the DC area and has performed with Benny Benack III, Nicholas Peyton, Joe Eckert and others. He has performed at the 2009 International Trumpet Guild Convention, The 2011 National Trumpet Competition and the American Musicological Society’s national conference. Mr. Readshaw has also served as the assistant conductor of the NOVA Alexandria Community Band. He is very excited to join the Ashlawn family for the 2020/2021 school year!
Mr. Erik Kamenski
erik.kamenski@apsva.us
Hello I am Erik Kamenski and I am excited to be your new band director! This is my 5th year as an APS instrumental music teacher. I am also an active chamber and orchestral clarinetist and woodwind clinician regularly conduct masters classes throughout the east coast. I received Bachelor and Master Degrees in both Music Education and Clarinet performance, as well as a diploma in instrumental conducting attending Temple University, the Ohio State University and Peabody Conservatory. I loved reading the Goosebumps books as a child. When I am not teaching or performing music I love to paint!
For more information on APS Vocal Music program please visit the Vocal Music district site. For more information on APS Instrumental Music program please the Instrumental Music district site.
Physical Education
Mr. Paul Pavelich
paul.pavelich@apsva.us
I was born and raised in Michigan where I graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.S. in Health and Physical Education and a minor in School Health. I also have a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington. In my free time I enjoy exercising, playing with my kids and traveling. Right now my favorite Children’s book is Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney, my son loves to have it read to him. I became a teacher for many different reasons, but the main reason was so that I could become a long-lasting positive influence on students. I strive to foster a positive learning environment by building unique relationships with each of my students.
Mr. Jason Mastaler
jason.mastaler@apsva.us
I grew up in Western Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, PA and have been in the Northern Virginia area teaching elementary Physical Education for 11 years now. This will be my 5th year teaching PE at Ashlawn and I spent my first 7 years teaching in Mclean, VA. I completed my B.S. focused on K-12 Health and Physical Education at the Indiana University of PA, my M.S. on Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention at the California University of PA and am currently working my +30 by taking more graduate level courses through Greenville University (IL). I enjoy being a lifelong learner and love having the opportunity to share my passion for learning, fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle to my students. I also enjoy exercise, all sports and spending time with my newborn son Noah. Some of our favorite books we read together include The Little Blue Truck, That’s Not My Puppy and Good Night Pittsburgh. Our goal in PE is to provide a safe, positive and fun learning environment where all students can actively learn through a variety of movements and adopt a healthy active lifestyle.
For more information about Health and Physical Education program please visit the Health and PE district site.
GCP – Global Citizenship Project
Ellen Hemstreet
ellen.hemstreet@apsva.us
One of the greatest joys of being a teacher is seeing the world through the eyes of a child. I love to teach children and watch that light bulb go on! In my classroom, I strive to foster a respectful and caring community with the goal of teaching children to be kind, be curious, be creative, be respectful, be fair, be honest and be yourself. My favorite children’s book is My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Styles Gannett. The book is full of adventure and creativity. The main character has so many admirable traits; he is brave, kind, friendly, imaginative, resourceful and smart. I am entering my 28th year of teaching. This is my 8th year at Ashlawn, and my first year as the GCP teacher. The Global Citizenship Project is a very special part of the Ashlawn community and I am so excited to get to teach our students how to be good citizens! I have a BA in Elementary Education from Boston College and a Masters in the Social Foundations of Education from UVA. My favorite activities include spending time with my family and friends, biking, hiking, cooking, reading, and traveling.
