Welcome to 1st grade!  I am so excited to be starting my 4th year here at Sully and my 15th year teaching overall!  I am originally from Pennsylvania where I taught for 6 years before my husband's job transferred him down here to Virginia in 2013.  

I graduated from Millersville University in 2007 with Bachelor's Degree in Elementary and Special Education.  I received a Master's Degree in Education where I focused on Early Childhood Literacy in 2011.

My husband and I live close to Harpers Ferry and enjoy hiking and kayaking on the weekends.  We have 1 daughter, Aubrey, who was born in October 2019 so we are also enjoying toddler life and the adventures that she brings to our family!  I love teaching first grade and instilling a love of learning in all children. 

I look forward to working with you to help your child grow!  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me!

@Mackauer1st

Hello! My name is Madison Wallace and I am so excited to be a Sully Hornet this year! This will be my first year teaching and I absolutely cannot wait. I received my Bachelor of

Science in Human Development from Virginia Tech and my Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education from Liberty University. It has been my goal since the third grade to become an elementary school teacher. I am so excited to have your child in class this school year and am looking forward to a year full of learning and fun activities!

I currently live in Leesburg VA. In my free time I love to hang out with my dogs and my family. I absolutely love the beach and any other weekend adventures!

Please feel free to reach out any time. We are going to have a FANTASTIC year in 1st grade! Go Hornets!

Hello Sully families!

I am so excited to be joining Sully Elementary this school year! This will be my third year teaching and my first year in 1st grade! I have spent two years in 3rd grade with Fairfax County and I am looking forward to starting this new chapter in first with you all!

I graduated from George Mason University with both my bachelor's and master's degrees in Elementary Education. I first fell in love with 1st grade as an intern and have been dreaming of teaching 1st grade since then.

My dad was in the Navy for 20 years and so our family moved around a lot. My family retired in Virginia Beach and I go to visit them often.

Our family recently adopted two goldendoodle puppies that are siblings. My puppy is named Tater and he loves treats and toys. My parent's puppy is named Winnie and she loves to climb things and is adventurous.

Outside of school, I love to dance! I love Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba dancing. I have been dancing since 2013 and it is a huge passion of mine. This past year, I began learning ukulele and love playing at school with my students.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have. I look forward to working with you this year. Let's go, Hornets!

Warmly,
Ms. Avants

I am the EL teacher for the first grade.  I earned a BA from JMU and have a MAT as well as an EL teaching endorsement.  I have worked in Title l schools my entire career.  I am drawn to schools and coworkers who want to make a difference and help guide students.  I love the diversity of cultures, languages, and backgrounds of the students at Sully.  They have rich backgrounds, are hard working, and always strive to better themselves every day.  

I am originally from Vermont, but have made Virginia my home for many years.  I like to be outside getting my hands dirty working on the land!  I love to exercies, MTB, climb, run, play guitar, DIY projects, and run machinery.  Most of all, I love spending time with my family and showing my son and daughter the ways of the world through hard work, play, and kindness.

Welcome to Sully!

Sincerely, 

Seth Stahler

Hello! My name is Katherine Bretcko. I am thrilled to cotinue to work at Sully. I am one of the EL teachers that will be working with first grade students this year. This will be my 12^th year of teaching and second year as an EL Teacher. I have previously taught Kindergarten in Fairfax County and Loudoun County. I have a passion for teaching and have wanted to be an educator as long as I can remember.

I am originally from Pittsburgh PA (Let’s Go PENS!), but have made Virginia my home for the last 12 years. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my daughter, family and friends; reading; and exercising/being outside. I attended the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Spanish. I also have completed my certification for EL.

I am very excited to continnue to meet and work with all of the students and families at Sully. I’m looking forward to having a wonderful school year! Feel free to contact me at any time via e-mail or ClassDojo.