Kate Ciullo
Librarian

Hello Forestville Family! My name is Kate Ciullo and I am so excited to be the new librarian at Forestville Elementary. I come with 10 years of teaching experience in Fairfax County, as a 1^st grade teacher and then a librarian at Spring Hill Elementary. I attended Penn State University for my undergrad, then worked in Residence Life for 4 years after graduating. Most recently I received my Masters in School Librarianship from Longwood University.

Outside of school, I love being the “fun aunt” to 10 nieces and nephews as well as dog momma to two (slightly spastic) rescue pups. When recording read alouds, you’ll often see my dogs curled up next to me. What can I say? They love a good book as much as I do! I’m also known for putting sunglasses on my head and forgetting they’re there – see my picture for a sneak peek 😊 I am head over heels in love with books and teaching, so the library is the perfect space for me. I’m looking forward to getting to know our community of readers and discovering new books together!

Sharon Crilly
Resource Teacher

My name is Sharon Crilly and I am excited to work at Forestville! I am coming from Dranesville Elementary School.  Prior to teaching Special Education, I was a home-based counselor and a School Counselor for Fairfax County Public Schools. I have worked at the elementary, middle and high-school levels. I have a Master degree in School Counseling and a Master degree in Special Education.

I grew up in the great state of Vermont, but have lived in Northern Virginia since finishing college. For 8 years, I was a Foster Parent for Loudoun County Family Services and adopted one of the foster teens. In my free time, I enjoy working on my house, entertaining and spending time with my pets. This summer, I have watched a lot of Olympics – GO TEAM USA! I am very excited to work at Forestville Elementary School.

Cheryl Harper
Third Grade Teacher

My name is Cheryl Harper, and I am very excited to be joining Forestville as a third grade teacher. Time flies when you are having fun! I have been teaching for over 20 years in Fairfax County Public Schools where I have taught 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. Most recently, I taught 2nd grade at Dranesville Elementary. I am looking forward to an exciting year working with the Forestville staff, students and community!

A little about me--I grew up in Newark Delaware, where my family, including my twin sister still live. An interesting fact is about me is that my twin sister is also an elementary teacher.I attended the University of Delaware where I received my degree in Elementary Education. I also have many credits towards a master’s degree in Reading from the University of Virginia.
I live in Leesburg VA with my husband, 14 year old son, and two persian kitties. My son is excited to be a freshman in high school this year! In my free time, you will find me tending to my English garden, spending time at Bethany Beach, or reading a favorite book. Cheers to a great year ahead!

Ruthie Heims
Kindergarten Teacher

My name is Ruthie Heims, and I am so excited to be joining the Forestville community as a kindergarten teacher. I graduated from Purdue University with a BA in Elementary Education and a concentration in reading. This will be my fourth year teaching, and I have previously taught kindergarten, first, second, and third grade. I'm very passionate about kindergarten education, specifically the importance of literacy development in young students. I am originally from the suburbs of Chicago, but after getting married last year, my husband and I moved to Fort Worth, Texas for his job. We just relocated to Reston in July, and we're so excited to be a part of this community. I look forward to meeting all of you and your students! 

Marquita Lashley
Psychologist

Hello fellow Cardinals!  I am a Michigander born and raised.  However, I have been lured to Virginia for a new adventure and warmer weather!  I graduated from Andrews University with my EdS in School Psychology.  I have previously worked in Michigan and Spotsylvania County.  This will be my second year at FCPS and my first year at Forestville Elementary School.  I am very excited to be working here!  Most of my educational career has been as a school psychologist but I have also worked in family preservation programs as a wraparound worker. 

What I love about being a school psychologist is having the opportunity to support students in a variety of ways.  One of the ways that school psychologists support students is through consultation.  This involves collaborating with families, teachers, counselors, social workers, administrators and community agencies in order to support the academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs of students.  Another way that school psychologists support students is through assessment.  This includes ,but is not limited to, psychological evaluations, interventions, and suicide risk assessments.  Finally, school psychologists can also support students with significant emotional needs through counseling. 

My professional interests center around Mental Health/Wellness, Growth Mindset, Effective Communication Skills and Problem-Solving.  My personal interests center around traveling, visiting historical museums, reading, and watching dramas, sci-fi and comedy.  I am greatly looking forward to working with the staff and students at Forestville Elementary School!

Stefania Reed
Kindergarten Assistant

My name is Stefania Reed and I am very excited to join the Forestville family as a Kindergarten Assistant! It is my first year working for the county but I have three years of experience working with young children. I grew up in Reston, VA and am a Fairfax County Public Schools alumni. In my free time, I love spending time with my 5-year-old dog and painting with him by my side. I am also a huge hockey fan (Go Caps!) and enjoy going to games as well as watching them from the comfort of my home. I am looking forward to meeting everyone at Forestville!

Stephanie Patterson
Music Teacher

My name is Stephanie Patterson and I am so excited to join Forestville! I was born and raised in Southern Maryland where I received Associates’ degrees in both Music and Theatre & Dance at the College of Southern Maryland. I fell in love with teaching while working as an Instructional Assistant in Charles County Public Schools in the Special Education Department and decided to continue my education at Towson University. There, I received my Bachelor of Science in Music Education. I served as the president of the Nu Delta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity, where I received multiple awards for leadership including the Province Collegiate Leadership Award. My passion is to engage ALL learners in meaningful ways through exploring a diverse repertoire guided by student choice. In my free time, I love to snuggle with my pup, Winter, and tend to my ever-growing collection of houseplants! I am so excited to share in new experiences with the Forestville family and can’t wait to see all that we can create together.

Jonelle Shipley

My name is Jonelle Shipley and I am excited to be the new Speech-Language Pathologist at Forestville Elementary!  I come to Forestville with 20 years of experience in the field with 19 of those in VA Public Schools and one in private practice.  For the past 17 years I was the SLP at Oakton Elementary.

My husband, 2 daughters, and I live in the Great Falls section of Loudoun County.  I decided to make the change in schools in order to be closer to home.  My 2 girls (13 and 10.5 years old) are active with dance team, lacrosse, and their social lives.

Professionally, I have a both a BS in Health Sciences and a Masters in Communication Disorders from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.  I am Board Certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and Board Certified by the Virginia Board of Health Professions.  While at Oakton ES I was awarded the “Outstanding Professional” 2 times by parents and staff at the school. 

I am looking forward to meeting everyone at Forestville and working with the students!

Julie Ryan
Second Grade Teacher

Hello, I am Julie Ryan and I’m thrilled to be the newest member of the 2^nd grade team at Forestville.  I have had many roles at Forestville over the last 11 years including being a parent, PTO Treasurer and President and a substitute teacher (including last year’s 2^nd grade long term substitute).  I am so excited to join the staff and continue serving our community in this new capacity!

I am originally from New Jersey but moved to Virginia to attend the University of Richmond and have been here ever since.  I had a successful career in business and organizational consulting before stepping out to raise my children after my third child was born.  I became a “professional volunteer” getting involved in school activities at Forestville and Cooper MS, while also serving on the board of Great Falls Little League for many years.  Working with children enabled me to affirm what I knew from the time I was a little girl – teaching is my passion and it was time to make an official career change. 

My husband, Dan, and I have three children – Emma is a 5^th grader at Forestville, Aidan is an 8^th grader at Cooper Middle School and Connor is a sophomore at Flint Hill School.  While not at work, I enjoy traveling with my family, vacationing on Cape Cod, cheering on the Nationals, and supporting my kids at their many baseball, softball and basketball games.  Please say hello when we see each other around school and in the community and thank you for sharing your kids with me!