APS Announces 2025 Employees of the Year

Katherine is an English Learner teacher at Arlington Community High School. Katherine’s dynamic teaching style and passion for education inspire her students to strive for excellence. She excels in meeting the unique needs of each student, identifying their strengths and addressing their challenges. Katherine is the cornerstone of the ACHS community, fostering strong relationships with colleagues, students and families. Katherine exemplifies what it means to be a culturally responsive educator. She designs lessons that are both rigorous and engaging, consistently challenging students to promote critical thinking.

See below for the complete list of the Teachers of the Year for each school.

Ellen is the first principal of Dorothy Hamm Middle School and has over 30 years of experience as an educator in Arlington Public Schools. She consistently goes above and beyond in creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment for students and staff. One of the most remarkable aspects of Ellen’s leadership is her unwavering support for teachers. She encourages professional development, fosters collaboration, and empowers teachers to take creative risks in their classrooms. As a result, students are consistently engaged and motivated and the school has seen measurable academic growth. Ellen’s mindset allows her to be a masterful administrator, seamlessly managing the complexities of school operations while keeping the focus on student success and well-being.

Octavia has been a prominent and supportive figure at Kenmore for seven years. Each day, Octavia exudes the school’s vision and mission by promoting the success and well-being of our students and members of the community by fostering a supportive, inclusive, and high-achieving school environment. She plays a key role in articulating and cultivating a positive school culture at Kenmore by modeling the values and behaviors Kenmore seeks to instill in its students. Octavia is an integral part of the administrative team and through her day-to-day actions and work, she prioritizes her responsibility of working in a professional partnership with Principal McBride to develop and implement a shared vision for the school. She knows her students by name, strength and need. Her leadership has led to improved math scores and better outcomes for our students.

Ty’s exemplary leadership skills are on display through his daily work. He has a true passion for supporting students and for asking how students might be impacted by our decisions. He and his team never say no to school requests. He coordinates partnerships that provide direct services to students like the George Mason Early Identification program or the Multicultural Student Achievement Network. Ty chaperones, mentors and attends students’ extracurricular activities. Ty’s commitment to APS, its staff, students and community is unwavering. In his role, he has been a visionary leader, tireless advocate and an inspirational presence, guiding our district through a critical period of growth and change. Ty is a gifted communicator who has a talent for engaging diverse stakeholders in thoughtful dialogue about issues of equity and inclusion. He is a compassionate and empathetic leader who consistently leads by example.

Roxy is the Extended Day Supervisor at Cardinal Elementary School. She is a dynamic and dedicated professional who consistently goes above and beyond. She communicates effectively with both students and parents and fosters a positive and inclusive environment. Roxy is known for her outstanding customer service skills, with a warm and approachable demeanor. With a proactive approach, Roxy consistently identifies areas for improvement and implements innovative solutions to enhance the program. Roxy has been an excellent advocate for the program and is able to engage students in a wide variety of needs.

See below for the complete list of the Support Employees of the Year for each school.