
Elementary Teachers' Photos

Aneesah Blount - Kindergarten Teacher
Aneesah Blount will begin her 8th year at Van Ness and 12th year teaching this school year. At Van Ness, Aneesah has been featured in several videos that highlight best teaching practices. She has also co-facilitated professional developments and coached kindergarten teachers in Literacy. Previously she worked at Appletree Early Learning Public Charter School in Washington, DC. She worked as both a PK3 and PK4 teacher. During her 4 years at AppleTree she led and mentored several teaching fellows through their fellowship year. In this role she led professional development workshops, monitored teacher effectiveness and worked with her colleagues to help them interpret classroom data. She holds a B.S. in Family Science from the University of Maryland and a M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership from the University of Delaware and a Doctorate of Education in Education Policy and Leadership.

Michelle Johnson - Kindergarten Teacher
Michelle Johnson has taught Kindergarten through 5th grade over the course of her teaching career. Prior to coming to Van Ness ES, she taught 2nd grade at Seaton Elementary School, where she was awarded the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Before coming to DC Public Schools, Michelle worked as an elementary educator in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Prince George’s County, MD. Michelle participated in the DCPS Common Core Reading Corps, developing a literacy curriculum that is used district-wide. She served as a Capital Commitment Fellow for DCPS and trains fellow teachers on the Whole Brain Teaching strategies she successfully uses in her own classroom. Michelle’s highly effective teaching has been featured in three DCPS Essential Practices teaching videos for fellow educators. Her innovative maker approach has also been featured in Transcend and Edutopia videos and articles. Michelle graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Political Science from the University of Tennessee and has a MPS degree in Political Management from George Washington University.

Rae'Nita Holt (Ms. H) - Kindergarten Teacher
My name is Ms. H, and I am an enthusiastic and energetic teacher with over two years of experience. I am excited to continue growing here at Van Ness Elementary School. My motto is, “Children are like sponges, and I am here to ensure they soak up the right information.” There is nothing more rewarding to me than helping children learn and grow.
In addition to my teaching experience, my education supports my ability to be an effective teacher. I earned my bachelor's degree in social work from Wilberforce University, the nation's first private HBCU.

Maggie Lombardo - First Grade Teacher
Maggie Lombardo has been a proud DCPS teacher for six years. Originally from North Carolina—where she earned her degree in Education at UNC Chapel Hill—Maggie relocated to DC in 2016 to work as a 5th grade teacher at John Eaton ES. She taught there as a 4th and 5th grade educator in an all-content as well as a departmentalized model. There, she found her passion for social-emotional learning and teaching the whole child. She trained through Breathe for Change and Responsive Classroom to better her practice and became the SEL Co-Lead at her previous school. She is excited to join the Van Ness Team in the wonderful work they are already doing! After school, you can find Maggie studying—she’s completing her Masters in High Incidence Disabilities at the University of Kansas—or recharging in nature.

Mili Cattan - First Grade Teacher
Mili Cattan graduated from George Washington University with a Masters in Elementary Education. Her undergraduate degree is in Interior Architecture. Mili has worked with kids in various settings including Sunday school and summer camp. This is Mili’s second year as a classroom teacher!

Kristi Kay - First Grade Teacher
Kristi Kay joined Van Ness in 2024 after teaching at Tubman Elementary for seven years. She holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from LSU and recently earned a Masters in Reading Science from Mount St Joseph University. Kristi is a certified reading specialist and is passionate about teaching literacy. Outside of school, Kristi enjoys trying new restaurants around DC, organizing, reading, and watching football.

Delicia Williams - 1st Grade Teacher
Bio coming soon!

Steven Berry - 2nd Grade Teacher
Mr. Berry has served as a Partner Teacher at Van Ness for the past seven years. Before joining Van Ness, his passion for service inspired twenty years of teaching or leading community-based workforce development initiatives. With a BA in English and Communication from UMGC, Mr. Berry values lifelong learning and agrees wholeheartedly with the sentiment of W.E.B. Du Bois that education must not simply teach work; it must teach life. With this guiding principle, he strives to make learning a delightful and engaging experience. Mr. Berry revels in the exploration of creativity by finding joy in making and design. Lego, books, and fine art are all close to his heart.

Malcolm Brent - 2nd Grade Teacher
Bio coming soon!

Crystal Sadrzadeh - Second Grade Teacher
Crystal Sadrzadeh will begin her sixth year of teaching this school year. She has been both a lead and partner teacher, working with Kindergarten and 1st grade when she first started at Van Ness in 2017 and went on to work with 2nd grade. She also taught Pre-K and Kindergarten at a dual-language Charter in DC. For over a decade now, Crystal has been serving as a volunteer teacher and mentor as part of community-building activities that empower young people to become active agents of change in their communities. She continues this work with children and youth ages 3-19 within the District. Crystal holds a B.A. in Sociology and Elementary Education from The College of William and Mary. Crystal is a lover of interior design and decorating, plants, travel, and trying out new recipes!

Maya Young - 3rd Grade Teacher
Ms. Young is originally from South Carolina and currently in her 6th year of teaching. After relocating to Virginia, she graduated from Hampton University with a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies: Elementary Education. She has spent the past 5 years teaching 2nd and 3rd grade. Throughout her career, she has taught in both military installation schools and Title 1 schools, gaining valuable experience in diverse educational settings.
In addition to her teaching experience, Ms. Young has held leadership roles such as PBIS Lead, where she supported school-wide practices to promote a safe and positive learning environment for all students, addressing their social, behavioral, instructional, and emotional needs. She also served as Youth Development Lead, focusing on designing and implementing programs aimed at developing students' social, emotional, and leadership skills.
Having recently moved to Maryland to be closer to family, Ms. Young enjoys spending time with her dog, Diamond, exploring new food spots, and cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles!

Raquel Sarvis - Third Grade Teacher
Raquel Sarvis has been a lead and partner teacher at Van Ness for the past six years, working with PK4, first grade, and second grade. She completed her year of practicum teaching in second grade at a DCPS school prior to joining Van Ness. Ms. Sarvis was an early childhood teacher at a child development center in NW Washington, DC. She holds a BA in Early Childhood Education from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and a M.Ed from Trinity Washington University. For 2 years, Ms. Sarvis supported students after school by providing additional intervention and this past year was a member of the Local School Advisory Team (LSAT).

Elizabeth Ward - Third Grade Teacher (ELA/Humanities)
Elizabeth Ward joined Van Ness in the 2017-18 school year as a first grade teacher, and is excited to take on her fourth year at Van Ness in second grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Prior to Van Ness, she worked as a Pre-Kindergarten school readiness teacher in her hometown of Stamford, Connecticut. Elizabeth is passionate about making learning engaging for all students and educating the whole child. At Van Ness, Elizabeth has participated in and led afterschool programs including: DC Scores (soccer coach) and BOKS. During her undergraduate studies Elizabeth worked in a variety of educational settings including Concord Hill School, Sacred Heart Bilingual Catholic School, and Murch Elementary School. Over the course of her studies, Elizabeth was exposed to several teaching and volunteer opportunities working with a diverse group of students including Washington Yu-Ying’s REEF program, Girls on the Run, and DC Reads. Elizabeth also served as a global education volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Elizabeth holds a B.A in Early Childhood Education from Catholic University of America (Washington, DC) and will be finished with her Masters in Literacy/Reading Intervention through Concordia University’s graduate program in the fall.

Fidji-Ruth Endene (Ms. E) - 4th grade Teacher
Fidji-Ruth Endene will begin her seventh year of teaching this school year. She has been both a lead and partner teacher in 2nd and 5th grade. Fidji holds a B.S in Biology from Bowie State University and an M.S in Elementary Education from Johns Hopkins University.

Lewis Choice - 4th Grade Teacher
S.Y. 2024-25 will be my 28th year In the educational field. This will be my 9th year teaching with DCPS. I am a D.C. native and proud graduate of Calvin Coolidge Sr. High School. I have spent my educational career serving the DMV area in many different capacities. I have acted as. Team Lead, Reading Specialist, Testing Coordinator, Title I Coordinator and Assistant Principal to name a few of my roles over the years in DCPS, PGCPS, and ACPS. I have spent my last 6 years at Thompson Elementary as a 4th grade classroom teacher. I am also a proud father of two beautiful daughters, who are, and will be successful graduates of DCPS (with my oldest as an alum of Duke Ellington School of the Performing Arts). In my spare time, you can find me in a couple of different settings. 1- on a golf course trying to perfect my game; 2- cycling across the DMV; 3- Officiating basketball around the area; 4- taking in a good play or concert; 5- traveling the country looking for my next experience. I look forward to building a great relationship with the Otter community, to share and receive experiences that will contribute to my growth, as well as enhance the lives of the students, parents/families, and co-workers.

Anna Melchionni - 4th Grade Teacher (Math)
Anna Melchionni is a first-year teacher and a recent graduate of Catholic University, where she earned a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology. She has been at Van Ness as a 4th grade student teacher and as a substitute teacher. Her other experiences include interning at Stuart-Hobson Middle School and Elsie-Whitlow Stokes Public Charter School, along with working as a phonics tutor. Outside of the classroom, Anna has played basketball for most of her life and now enjoys running.

Maya Butler-Hall - 5th Grade Teacher
Maya Butler-Hall is a dedicated educator with six years of experience fostering curiosity and academic growth in young learners. Passionate about innovative teaching, Maya has participated in professional development through the International Baccalaureate Program and continues to work with Quantum is Elementary at George Mason University, enriching her approach to science education. She is committed to creating engaging, inquiry-driven learning environments that inspire students to think critically and globally.

Anjali Miller - 5th Grade ELA
Ms. Miller is excited to join the Van Ness Elementary School community as a first-year teacher. She graduated from Hampton University in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a concentration in Elementary Education. She also holds a Virginia Collegiate Teaching License. During her time at Hampton, Ms. Miller completed student teaching placements in both first and fifth grade, where she developed a strong passion for fostering growth, curiosity, and confidence in young learners. A proud native of Prince George’s County, Maryland, Ms. Miller began her own educational journey at a DC Public Charter School before continuing her middle and high school years in PG County. Her diverse educational background helps her connect with students and families from all walks of life, and she is eager to contribute to the vibrant Van Ness community.

Davon Barnett (Mr. B), 5th Grade
Davon Barnett joined Van Ness in 2024 from Leckie ES where he recently completed his 20th year in education. He holds BA from Duquesne University and MA degree from Carnegie Mellon University in public policy.


















