Ms. Jean Barrett grew up in the Detroit area. In 1986, Ms. Barrett graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelors Degree in Studio Art and a certification in teaching K - 12 students. At that time Ms. Barrett relocated to Virginia. Her first teaching assignment was at Glebe and Glencarlyn Elementary schools. She taught at Glencarlyn Elementary for 9 years. Since 1997 Ms. Barrett has taught Art at Barcroft Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Jamestown Elementary and Tuckahoe Elementary. Ms. Barrett is currently working toward her Masters Degree in painting and drawing from Virginia Commonwealth University (in VCU's off-campus graduate program). Ms. Barrett is very happy to be teaching at Patrick Henry Elementary and enjoys the students and staff. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, painting, taking photos, dancing, writing, reading, speaking on the phone with her mother, bike riding and going to art museums, galleries and concerts.
Ms. Bang Art Teacher
Ms. Christine Bang grew up in Fairfax County and received her Bachelor's in Fine Arts with an Emphasis in Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is certified to teach in both Illinois and Virginia. This is her first full year and she feels blessed and honored to be teaching such wonderful students at Patrick Henry. In her free time Ms. Bang loves to make art and find inspiration.
Erin Upton was born in Washington, DC and raised in Arlington, Virginia. Erin has always known she wanted to work with children and enjoyed babysitting, working as a nanny and a camp counselor in her youth. She graduated from Longwood College with a teaching degree. She has taught in Stafford, Prince William and Arlington County and has 15 years of teaching experience. She received a masters degree in counseling at George Mason University. She is currently living in Falls Church with her husband Peter and her three children Evelyn, Luke and Henry. Erin enjoys spending time with her family, playing softball, cooking, traveling and running.
Ms. Cooper-Porter is new to Patrick Henry this year. She was born and raised in Walton, New York (near Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame—Go Yankees!!). She received her BA in Spanish from Siena College, MS in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) from the College of New Rochelle, and her EdS in Teaching and Learning from Georgia Southern University. She has taught multiple levels of Spanish in various states and also studied in Spain (Seville and Salamanca).
Ms. Cooper-Porter is a proud military spouse and recently relocated to the area with her husband and two children, Rylei and Blake, who will be attending school in Arlington. She has lived in taught in several states and countries to include New York, North Carolina, Hawaii, Georgia, California, South Korea, and Spain. She has enjoyed traveling throughout Europe, Asia, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, learning about new cultures, shopping, sports, music, and cooking. Ms. Cooper-Porter is excited to be at Patrick Henry and looking forward to a super year!!
I am one of the FLES teachers this year at Patrick Henry. I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela and moved to the United States after finishing my first year of college. I graduated from the University of Texas with a BA in Communication and my M.Ed. in Bilingual Education in 2009. I have six years of experience teaching in TX and northern VA. I have taught in transitional bilingual classroom as well as dual language immersion classrooms at different levels of elementary school.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, dancing, and relaxing. I have traveled in Mexico, Costa Rica, Europe, and the United States. I am very excited about being part of the Patrick Henry family and look forward a very successful year!
Library
Ms. Stacy
Library Media Specialist
Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, The Catholic University of America Master’s Degree in Library Science, University of Tennessee National Board Certified Teacher
Ms. Stacy has been an elementary school teacher at Otjikondo Primary School in Namibia and in Alexandria, Virginia. She also worked as a librarian in the Children’s Room at the Central Library in Arlington. She is happy to be at Patrick Henry where she gets to combine both roles: teacher and librarian! When she’s not reading a good book, Ms. Stacy likes to practice photography, walk, bike and stay in touch with her friends in Namibia.
Ms. Snodgrass
Library Assistant
Music
Mrs. Hall
Vocal Music Teacher
Ms. Hall grew up in Richmond, VA and earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education at the University of Georgia. She taught General Music and Chorus for four years in Georgia. She also received Level 1 certification in the Orff method of music education at Georgia State University. She relocated to Arlington in July of 2003.
Mrs. Colosimo
Music Teacher
Mrs. Colosimo is the part-time music teacher at Patrick Henry and works at 2 other schools in Arlington County (Carlin Springs and Campbell). She received her Bachelor’s degree in Music with vocal emphasis from Grove City College in Pennsylvania and took education classes at George Mason University and UVA. Ms. Roberts likes to spend her free time reading, listening to music, running, swimming, and especially spending time with friends and family.
Ms. Roth
Instrumental Music Teacher
Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a performer's certificate from the University of Georgia, Master of Arts in Education from George Mason University Additional coursework in the Suzuki Violin Method at the University of Massachusetts, University of Wisconsin-St. Stephens, Catholic University, and Ogelthorpe University.
Ms. Roth starting teaching Band and Orchestra at Patrick Henry in 1993. She also teaches at Long Branch Elementary School, and directs the Arlington County Jr. Honors Orchestra. Ms. Roth has lived with her husband in the Henry neighborhood for over 25 years. They have three adult children and four cats!
Physical Education
Mr. Haws
Physical Education Teacher
I am originally from Rochelle, Illinois, a small community 80 miles west of Chicago. While growing up, I enjoyed playing a variety of sports, especially baseball, which I played throughout high school and at Kishwaukee College, where I earned an associates degree. I completed my undergraduate degree at Northern Illinois University and moved out to the D.C. area in August 2009. I later added an endorsement from George Mason University to teach Driver's Education in addition to my Health/PE degree. When I am not at school, I enjoy exercising, coaching, and keeping up with my favorite sports teams (Chicago Cubs & Chicago Bears). I currently coach baseball at Potomac High School in Dumfries, VA, and I am a volunteer EMT for the O.W.L. Volunteer Fire Dept. in Woodbridge, where I am on the Rescue squad 2 nights a week. I have been teaching here at Henry since January 2010.
Mr. Humphreys
Physical Education Teacher
My name is Mike Humphreys, and I hail from the frigid state of Minnesota. I will be at Henry on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays this year teaching PE. I am a graduate of both Brown University (undergrad) and Johns Hopkins University (graduate) and have lived in the area for ten years. I am a huge sports fan and especially love the Steelers, Twins and Timberwolves. I am lucky enough to have three healthy and happy children; Miles, Mara and Mae. I am very much looking forward to teaching at Henry this year.
