Dear Fourth Grade Families,

Hello! The 2023-2024 school year will be my twenty-fourth year in Loudoun County Public Schools. I’m a native Virginian who has lived entirely in the Piedmont Region. (This is an inside joke to anyone who knows the Virginia Studies topics.) After high school, I attended Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and Lynchburg College.

Although I began my career teaching fifth graders, I love fourth grade because I think the curricula for math and social studies are great. I prefer teaching older elementary school students because my fifth grade teacher, Miss Cunningham, inspired me--and I still geek out when I see her or hear that she's asked about me. In the classroom, I often share life lessons I learned as a student to establish relationships and show my sense of humor.  When not at work, I enjoy reading, sending cards to friends and family, shopping and watching TV (recent favorites: PBS, BBC, C-SPAN's History TV, Abbott Elementary, Gunsmoke).

I have high expectations for students because I want them to be successful in the classroom and in life. Being a respectful, responsible, self-motivated learner is a part of that. At the same time, it is important to have a parent-student-teacher team approach to a child's education. If you have questions/comments about fourth grade, please contact me via vanetta.hicks@lcps.org.

Sincerely,