Henrietta Lacks Elementary
March 2024
Community feedback continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the vision and values of Henrietta Lacks Elementary as it prepares to open its doors. The input from parents, students, and community members has been instrumental in defining the school’s core principles. One recurring theme that has emerged is the importance of creating a fun and engaging atmosphere within the school.
This theme aligns perfectly with one of the developing core values for the school: to foster a vibrant school culture and environment where both students and staff eagerly anticipate each day. At Henrietta Lacks Elementary, we believe that learning should be an adventure. We’re not just building a school; we’re cultivating a love for learning! As the staff recruitment process progresses at Henrietta Lacks Elementary, we continue to be committed to recruiting individuals who embody the themes of passion, vibrancy, and engagement as essential characteristics.
Few things compare to the joy of hearing a child's laughter daily and witnessing their eager, smiling faces as they arrive at the school and actively participate in learning. We eagerly anticipate August 22, 2024, when we can walk through the hallways and witness the joy of learning resonating from our students and staff alike!
Mark you calendar, upcoming events!
April 1st - LCPS Special Permission window opens at 10:00am
April 11th - PTA Meeting, 6:00pm @ Hovatter Elementary School
April 21st - Principal at the Playground Event at 4:00pm
Henrietta Lacks Elementary Logo Reveal!
We are excited to announce that the logo for Henrietta Lacks Elementary has been developed! You probably notice that it is very similar to the Hovatter Elementary's logo and you are correct! Both elementary schools are united as the Honey Bees! However, there are a few subtle differences on the Henrietta Lacks Elementary Honey Bee. The first being the eyeglasses, you will notice they are a different color, in alignment with the Henrietta Lacks Elementary school colors. You will also notice a book titled Heroes of Health. This book was added to the logo to pay tribute to Henrietta Lacks herself, who unknowingly has made significant contributions to many advances in the medical world. If you look carefully, you will also see a small cancer symbol, serving as an additional homage to Henrietta Lacks. The Geometry book in the middle was kept in alignment with Hovatter Elementary School, however the Plants book was added as the plant life cycle is part of the standards taught in kindergarten through grade two. The book also has a flower pattern that matches the very same pattern found on dress Henrietta Lacks is wearing in her portrait located at the National Portrait Gallery. Henrietta Lacks Elementary and Hovatter Elementary are also currently collaborating on designing a joint logo to symbolize the unity of being one school community. Look for the reveal of the joint logo in the months to come!
Meet Our New Henrietta Lacks Elementary Honey Bees!
Ms. Andrea Katz
My name is Andrea Katz and I am so excited to be joining Henrietta Lacks Elementary School in its first year! I am currently teaching 2nd grade, but taught kindergarten for the 11 years prior. I graduated from Western Governor's University with a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Pre-K-8) and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I have three adult children and a 1 year old puppy! In my free time, I love to travel, spend time with friends, read, and do yoga.
I am looking forward to helping our youngest learners grow into amazing students and leaders!
Ms. Kristin Vercammen
Hello! My name is Kristin Vercammen and I have been teaching for 18 years. I have a passion for helping every student find success in 2nd grade. I was born and raised in Michigan. I graduated from Central Michigan University with my undergraduate degree and earned my masters from Marygrove College in literacy. I love Detroit sports, especially watching my Detroit Lions. I love reading, shopping, and spending time with my family.
Mrs. Stephanie Cicippio
Hello! My name is Stephanie Cicippio and this will be my 12th year teaching. This is my third year in LCPS and I am looking forward to an amazing year in Kindergarten. I have taught 1st Grade for 9 years and this will be my 3rd year in Kindergarten. I have lived in Virginia my entire life and grew up in Fairfax County. My family and I live in South Riding. I have two boys, Logan 6 and Cole 4. When I am not in the classroom, I am with my boys who play baseball and flag football. I am so excited to be a member of the Henrietta Lacks family and I cannot wait to welcome your student to our classroom!
Ms. Lindsey Devore
Ms. Devore is so excited to be a Henrietta Lacks Honeybee! This is her 14th year in Kindergarten and she cannot wait to share her love of learning with her new students! Ms. Devore graduated from Christopher Newport University and earned her Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is currently working on becoming certified as a reading specialist. When not at school, Ms. Devore loves spending time with her family, playing with her dogs, reading, and being outside (especially at the beach!).
Mrs. Ellen Lee
Hello, my name is Ellen Lee and I am so excited to be a Henrietta Lacks Honeybee! I graduated James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in English/Early Childhood Education. I taught for two years straight out of college before taking a break and being a stay-at-home mom to my three wonderful children. I then re-entered the profession teaching overseas at a private school for six years. Most recently, I have enjoyed teaching at LCPS as a kindergarten teacher! I have been married for 26 years and love to spend time with my family and friends. When I'm not working, I can be found on the beach, playing Continental or Catan, watching movies, or cuddling with my two miniature poodles.
Mrs. Kimmi Tomaseski
My name is Kimmi Tomaseski. I am beyond excited and proud to be a part of the Henrietta Lacks’ staff! I have been teaching for eleven years, and have a Master’s degree in Early Childhood education. I live in Aldie with my husband and two sons. My oldest son attends Hovatter, and my youngest will be joining me at HEN next year. I am passionate about bringing our school community together, and making learning as fun as possible for our youngest learners!
Ms. Alina Khan
I am a LCPS graduate and graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a BS in psychology and a MS in elementary education. I love to travel, read, and spend time with family and friends.
Dr. Julia Forman
My name is Dr. Julia Forman, and I am a new school counselor at Henrietta Lacks Elementary. I am so excited to have the opportunity to grow here! A little about me: I have a PhD in Education with a Counseling concentration and a MA in Community Counseling. I have worked in community agencies and taught at universities, but most recently I interned next door at Hovatter Elementary as part of my switch to school counseling! For fun, I love hanging out with my family and my two dogs, Millie and Maggie! I’m also involved in the theatre as an actor and producer, and I enjoy running and jigsaw puzzles. I can't wait to kick things off at Henrietta Lacks, and I look forward to meeting everyone!
Ms. Brooke Tye
Hello! My name is Brooke Tye, I currently teach first grade at Hovatter Elementary school, and I am thrilled to be a part of the first K-2 school to open for the 2024-2025 school year in LCPS! In 2018 I was honored to be one of two teachers to start full time Head Start in Sterling, VA, and feel Early Childhood Education is my passion and purpose! I went to college at Mount Ida in Newton, MA where I dual majored in liberal arts and education. I graduated college in 2002 earning a bachelors in Liberal Arts and teacher certification in Early Childhood in MA and VA. I have taught in several states in both private and public schools. My husband and I have three wonderful children who are 20, 19 and 13. Our oldest two are LCPS graduates, and our youngest will graduate from LCPS in 2028. We are a family in performing arts, with our oldest in school for acting, our second child is a singer and songwriter and our youngest is a violinist! When I am not teaching I enjoy spending time with my family and our pets, going for walks, gardening and visiting the beach. I enjoy live music, spending time with friends and laughing! I look forward to meeting you, working with you, and making Henrietta Lacks the best school!!
Ms. Shelby Reingruber
Hi Everyone! My name is Shelby Reingruber and I am so excited to be apart of the inaugural staff of HEN! This will be my third year teaching and also my third year teaching 1st grade! I graduated Shepherd University with a degree in psychology. Through many years of experience in teaching through other outlets, I realized my passion for education and went back to school to earn my masters degree in elementary education through Liberty University. I am passionate about creating a positive learning environment for her students and developing long lasting relationships with her students and their families. I am currently living in Broadlands Virginia and when I am not at school you can find me reading, cooking, and traveling whenever I get the chance.
Ms. Carlyn Hanzel
I am excited to be joining the First Grade team at Henrietta Lacks Elementary! This will be my 9th year of teaching fabulous first graders. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from Cedarville University and a Masters in Literacy Leadership in Diverse School from George Mason University. I am a native of Northern Virginia, grew up in Sterling, and graduated from Potomac Falls High School. I love spending time with family and friends, my fur babies Callie and Penny, playing the ukulele, and cooking. I look forward to being a part of the Honeybee family and helping your child experience the joy of learning and growing. This will “bee” a great year!
Mrs. Kelly Miller
My name is Kelly Miller. I have been in education for 23 years, with the past three years serving as an itinerant Reading Specialist. I have taught for LCPS for the past 18 years and the first five years of my teaching career were in Baltimore County Public Schools. Prior to being a Reading Specialist, I taught Kindergarten for a total of 15 years and first grade for 5 years. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Towson University in 2001, and completed my student teaching in Baltimore County. I received my Master’s Degree in Reading Education from Shenandoah University in 2015. I have two children, a son and a daughter, that both attend LCPS schools. My son is a senior and will head off to Virginia Tech this fall. My daughter is currently a freshman and plays on the high school soccer team. Our family keeps busy with attending soccer games, regattas for crew, hiking, biking, running, boating, going to the beach, and reading.
Mrs. Courtney Allen
My name is Courtney Allen and this will be my 20th year teaching! I spent the last 19 years teaching 2nd grade at Pinebrook. I'm very eager to start another year teaching 2nd grade at Henrietta Lacks. I'm originally from Rochester, NY. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband Matt, and our kids Ella and Parker. Ella will be a third grader at Hovatter and Parker will be a first grader at Henrietta Lacks. I also enjoy playing/running with my Vizsla pups, Avery and Remi. My family and I love to go to the beach, ski, play sports, and spend time outdoors. I am a trainer at Burn Bootcamp and love to workout. You can find me at the gym at 5am every morning. I'm looking forward to becoming a Honey Bee!
Mrs. Katy Peet
My name is Katy Peet. I have taught 2nd grade for 14 years at Pinebrook Elementary School. Before moving here, I also taught in New Jersey for 4 years. I went to St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia for my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I graduated with a dual certification in Elementary Education and Special Education. My master’s degree is in Elementary Education. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family. My son Leo is 2 1/2! I enjoy being outdoors, working out, and going to the beach in New Jersey to visit my family. I am very excited to be starting this new journey at Henrietta Lacks and cannot wait to start another year of 2nd grade!
Mrs. Sarah Scanlon
I am excited to join Henrietta Lacks Elementary! Next year will be my tenth year as a kindergarten teacher. I have taught in Loudoun County for the past three years. I graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Human Development and received my Master's in Elementary Education from George Mason. I live in Ashburn with my husband. We enjoy traveling, playing golf, and spending time with our families.
Principal at the Playground Event
Meet and Greet Presentations
Thank you to everyone, families, staff, students, and PTA who participated in the community meet and greet event and presentations. It was a night filled with relationship building, connecting, voicing input, and learning. I look forward to future events with the Henrietta Lacks Elementary community! We had many requests for the presentations and access to resources to be able to reference in the future, so we wanted to make sure to provide them! Also, I recognize that life is busy and wanted to ensure that those families who were unable to attend had access to what was presented as well. Below is a recording of the main presentation and access to the breakout session presentations as well.
If you were able to attend, we would truly appreciate your feedback on the evening. Please take a moment to complete the feedback survey (2 questions) to help guide the development of future events! Also, if you still have questions, please feel free to reach out directly or submit them via the question form. A staff member will reach out directly if it is a specific question pertaining to a personal matter for your family or add the question and answer to the FAQ document (coming soon) if it meets the needs of the greater community.
Main Presentation
Please view a video recording of the main presentation.
Student Social and Emotional Wellness
Kindergarten Readiness
Reading Practices in LCPS
The Nuts and Bolts of Executive Functioning and Behavior
Kindergarten and New Student Registration
Please visit the webpage for specific details regarding registration to LCPS. If your child already attends an LCPS school in grades Kindergarten - 12 you do not need to complete registration, your child will automatically be enrolled at Henrietta Lacks Elementary for the 2024-2025 school year if it is your child's zoned school.
You do need to complete the registration process if:
- You have a child who is new to LCPS in grades Kindergarten through 12
- You have a child currently attending an LCPS Pre-kindergarten program entering kindergarten
- You have a child who was formerly enrolled and may be returning to LCPS
Our Financial Technician, May Auguste will be overseeing new student registration. She will be in contact with families who have completed the pre-registration process to review next steps. Please see the Henrietta Lacks Elementary Registration Checklist below. If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact Leigh Boyd via email at leigh.boyd@lcps.org or Ms. May via email at gaymay.auguste@lcps.org.
Hovatter and Henrietta Lacks Elementary PTA
We are excited to announce the community decision to move forward with a single, combined Henrietta Lacks & Hovatter PTA! The combined PTA will support students and families at both schools leveraging the strong foundation of the existing PTA combined with fresh ideas and members from the larger community.
The Hovatter & Henrietta Lacks PTA Nominating Committee is looking for leaders to help make amazing memories for our students next year!
No experience is necessary, just a heart for helping our kids!!!
Click here to fill out the interest form - we'd love to answer any questions you have, and chat more about all of the awesome opportunities available to make a difference!
http://tinyurl.com/HovHenPTALeader
Additionally, we welcome all Henrietta Lacks Elementary families to attend future meetings. Our next meetings will be April 11th and May 23rd at 6 p.m. in the Hovatter Elementary School Library.
Please visit our current website and Facebook page for additional information about the PTA and upcoming events:
PTA Website: https://hovatterpta.memberhub.com/
PTA Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HovatterElementaryPTA
Reverse Inclusion Program 2024-2025
Preschool Programs
Business Partnership Opportunities
Do you or does anyone you know have a business that might be interested in partnering with Henrietta Lacks Elementary? If so, please check out the flyer below, which outlines a variety of opportunities to involve your business at Henrietta Lacks Elementary. We look forward to making connections with local companies and working together to support the school!
Exploring Schoolinks for Elementary
Upcoming Solar Eclipse
The National Science Teaching Association has a variety of free resources for teachers, administrators, and families for the upcoming solar eclipse. The resources are designed to make learning about solar eclipses both engaging and safe. The next solar eclipse will occur on April 8, 2024, between about 2-4:30 p.m. Virginia will experience a partial eclipse between about 80-90% totality, depending on which part of the state you live.
Construction Update
I am thrilled to announce that construction is progressing well. In our most recent visit in early March it was exciting to see paint on the walls, walls being tiled, and everything was closed in and dry! We look forward to seeing the continued progress in the coming months.
Parent Coaching and Resources
Loudoun County Public Schools is offering new resources for all staff and parents/guardians to use to support students through www.parentguidance.org. You can learn more about this initiative by clicking here.
These resources include easily accessible video-based courses on difficult parenting topics, individualized parent coaching for any LCPS parent/guardian, on their schedule in their home, and weekly interactive webinars to let parents know the mental health needs of our students are a critical concern of Loudoun County Public Schools. Your unified mental health team members are ready to assist parents in accessing the support. You can watch this video about the services available.
Community Input Survey
Please consider taking a some time to complete the community input survey, if you have not already. The input gathered so far has been crucial in supporting the process to establish the vision and core values for Henrietta Lacks Elementary. Again, we sincerely appreciate your proactive involvement, the time invested, and your dedication as we work together to create an exceptional learning environment for your child.