By Debbie Adams
Herman L. Horn Elementary School in Vinton has welcomed several new faculty and staff
members for the 2024-2025 school year.
Cristiane Barcellos is teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to students in K-5. She is
originally from Brazil. She graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor of Science in
Interdisciplinary Studies and a VDOE ESL Endorsement for grades K-12. She has been teaching
for “19 great years.”
Barcellos chose to be an ESL educator because “bridging culture and language in our
multicultural society by educating, inspiring, and fostering Ells English education proficiency is
my mission. Creating a welcoming environment for English language learners (ELLs) is crucial
for their success. When ELLs feel welcome in the classroom, and there’s a home-school bond,
we are on a path to accomplishing several important goals for students’ success.”
She loves traveling – "summer is my favorite season and going to the beach is my preferred
travel destination – it reminds me of home! I love spending time with friends and family.”
As for Vinton, she loves the “small town vibe, great family restaurants – close to home!”
Alyssa Barranco is a new Special Education teacher at HLH. She is originally from “the land of
laughter – the Philippines” and moved here three years ago to be with her husband who was
serving in the military at that time.
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education (overseas) and right now is three classes
away from earning her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty University.
This is her fifth year working in the field of education.
As for why she decided to work as a special educator, “It all started with a dream. I asked God
what is the best way to get a ticket to Heaven and He answered by showing me that I am
teaching children with special needs. The moment I woke up from that dream I told myself that I
will do my best to fulfill my calling and that’s why I am here.”
She was referred to the job at HLH by her friend Lizeth Roldan. She lives in Hollins so the only
people from Vinton she was acquainted with were co-workers.
“I usually come by to get Filipino stuff from the first Filipino store in Vinton (Pinoy Store).
“I am British/Filipina. My first language is Tagalog. I used to volunteer in a private group in the
Philippines in helping individuals with special needs and their family. I am looking forward to
being involved in a community by extending my hand to the children who need me the most.”
Vera Chitwood is tutoring at Herman L. Horn. She is originally from Roanoke and graduated
from Northside High School, “so Vinton has always been on my radar.” She earned her
undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech and her Master’s in Teaching from Hollins University.
Her oldest daughter attends William Byrd Middle School.
“I worked as an admissions counselor at a local college for several years before having and
staying home with my daughters; I worked at a local preschool for three years prior to starting at
Horn this fall.”
As for her spare time, “I enjoy spending time with my husband, two daughters, and our Labrador
retriever. We spend most of our time at the soccer field or tennis courts with our kids, but if I
have some free time, I enjoy listening to live music, reading a good book or relaxing.”
Sarah Crawford is a new Kindergarten teacher at HLH. She has lived in Roanoke her whole life
and has close friends in Vinton. She is a graduate of Franklin County High School. She earned
her BS in Elementary Education with a SPED Endorsement from Ferrum College in May. This is
her first year in teaching.
“I have a passion for working in schools,” Crawford says. “I have a big heart and feel called to
show kids how fun learning can be. Being there for students when they might not have anyone is
one of the many things that keep me going. I felt a strong pull to Roanoke County. My professors
at Ferrum helped me make connections with the right people to support this pull.
“I love to make people smile, but I love to craft, Specifically crochet, knit, and sew. Glitter
makes everything better and if it’s pink, it’s beautiful!”
Jane Dellinger is an Instructional Assistant at Herman L. Horn. She is from Richmond where
she graduated from Midlothian High School. She studied at the University of Richmond and
Virginia Commonwealth University. This is her 15 th year in education.
“I love working with students and helping them reach their full potential.”
She is married and the mother of three. She loves to read and “be at the beach.”
Camden Dippel is a preschool instructional assistant at HLH. She has lived in Vinton her whole
life and is a graduate of William Byrd High School. She earned her Associate’s Degree in Social
Sciences from Virginia Western Community College. This is her first year in education.
“I have always wanted to be a teacher,” says Camden. Her mother works at Horn and informed
her of the open position.
In her spare time, Dippel said she loves “spending time with my family, friends, and my dog
Sammi!”
Kaytlyn Dolan is teaching Preschool Four. She is originally from Salem and graduated from
Glenvar High School. She earned her Master’s in Elementary Education from Liberty University
and her Master’s in Special Education from Lynchburg College. She has been teaching for five
years.
“I really enjoy working with younger kids,” says Dolan. “I was interested in working in
elementary education in Vinton.” Her children participate in sports in Vinton.
She and her husband recently celebrated their 12-year anniversary. They have two children, 9
and 7.
Priscilla Dolan is a new member of the janitorial staff at HLH this year.
Daniel Evory is the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support) coach for grades
PreK-5 at Herman L. Horn this year.
According to Evory, “My wife, Ann, and I have three sons who have graduated from college and
now live in Columbus, Ohio, and Las Vegas. Ann and I moved to Virginia from Ohio to take
care of her dad. Ann grew up in Roanoke, and I grew up in Westchester County, N.Y. We met at
Elon University where I majored in history and foreign languages.
“After my boys graduated from college, I wanted to serve my community by helping kids in the
local school. I love being a safe place for kids who are having a hard time. Vinton, a smaller,
caring community, is very much like the Waverly, Ohio, community from where we moved. I
love walking my dogs, Luna and Oreo, and doing puzzles.”
Kim Filer is the gifted resource specialist at Herman L. Horn, W.E. Cundiff, Mount Pleasant,
and Glenvar Elementary Schools. She is originally from Maryland and moved to the Roanoke
area in 2000. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Maryland, her
Master’s from Johns Hopkins, and her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. She has been an educator for
29 years.
“I am returning to Roanoke County Public Schools after many years in higher education,” Filer
says. “I worked as a middle school teacher previously. I taught at William Byrd Middle School
in the early 2000s.
“I enjoy being a designer of learning and lifting students up to become life-long learners,” Filer
said.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and puzzles.
Josie Flinchum will be the occupational therapist working at Herman L. Horn and Glenvar. She
has been an occupational therapist for over 10 years in the Roanoke Valley. This will be her first
year in education.
“My husband and I have a 4-year-old, and an 8-year-old. I graduated from Craig County High
School. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree from Milligan College in Johnson City, Tenn., and then
earned my Master’s in OT from Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke.”
Melissa Harron is the speech language pathologist at Herman L. Horn.
“I grew up in the Bonsack area and attended Bonsack Elementary School, William Byrd Middle
School and William Byrd High School, where I met my now husband.”
She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Radford University.
As for her spare time, “As a family we love walking the greenway here in Vinton and spend time
outside as often as we can.
April Henderson is a new member of the janitorial staff this year at Herman L. Horn.
Jessica Hunt is an instructional assistant in the Title I program in first grade. She graduated
from Franklin County High School and has been involved in the field of education for three
years.
Stephanie Johnson is teaching fifth grade Special Education at HLH. She worked in Roanoke
City for the past two years, so this is her third year in education. She earned her Master’s Degree
in Elementary Education and her Master’s in Special Education from Radford University.
Her favorite past-times are “reading, taking care of my plants, playing trivia, and spending time
with friends and family. I have a dog and two cats that keep me entertained.”
Harlee Martin is teaching Special Education at Herman L. Horn. She is from Bedford and a
graduate of Staunton River High School and Liberty University. This is her first year in teaching,
but she has spent two years as a paraprofessional in Bedford County.
As for why she chose to be a Special Educator, “I love getting to work with students with various
learning needs and working together to achieve skills they will use for the rest of their life.”
In her spare time, Martin enjoys spending time with family, and “I couldn’t imagine being where
I am today without the love and support from my family!”
Jenn Pineo is teaching second grade at HLH. She just moved here from Oklahoma, but says,
“Maine will always be my home.” She studied at the University of Oklahoma, a “Boomer
Sooner!” This is her eighth year in education.
“I moved here from Oklahoma in 2023. After working for one year at Roanoke City, I made my
way to HLH. I’m so excited to be here and I’m looking forward to all the new families I get to
meet. I am passionate about helping students fall in love with books and reading.”
“My husband is a retired Army veteran. We have three grown sons who all live in Maine. I am
an avid reader averaging 100 books a year.”
Mackenzie Tolliver is a school psychologist intern at HLH. She is originally from Front Royal,
Va., where she graduated from Skyline High School. She earned her BS in Psychology from the
University of Alabama, her MS in Psychology from Radford University, and, once she completes
her internship, will have her Ed.S. in School Psychology, also from Radford. The final step in
the psychology graduate program is an internship, which she is completing with Roanoke County
Public Schools.
“I work with students, teachers, and families to help support students’ learning, behavior, and
mental health through psychological evaluations, academic and behavioral interventions, and
counseling,” Tolliver explains. “My goal is to help all students succeed in school, as well as
helping teachers and families.
“I worked in Warren County, Va., with the child study team as well as the preschool program for
over a year. During the 2023-24 school year I worked alongside the school psychologist at
Burlington Elementary a few days a week.
“I have always wanted to work in education and grew a love for psychology in college. Working
as a school psychologist combined both of these, and I enjoy being able to do so many different
things from day to day and work with so many different people.”
As for her special interests, “I love dogs, I have a Beagle and a German shepherd mix.”
Kori Webb is teaching fifth grade math at Herman L. Horn. She was born in Roanoke, then
moved to Richmond in middle school and graduated from Mills E. Godwin High School in
Henrico County. She earned her Bachelor in Early Childhood Education Degree and her
Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech.
“This will be my 15th year of full-time teaching,” Webb says. “I worked at W.E. Cundiff for two
years at the beginning of my teaching career and then worked at Glen Cove for 12 years. For the
past six years I have been working part-time at Glen Cove and then Horn as a math remediation
teacher.
“I have known since I was in elementary school that I wanted to be a teacher. I have always
loved working with children and had some wonderful teachers myself that sparked my love of
education. I love teaching math. I actually struggled in math when I was in middle and high
school. I think that struggle helps me to be more sensitive to the fact that children respond best to
multiple teaching methods and rich experiences with numbers and problem solving in order to be
successful in math.
“I started doing math remediation at Horn in 2021. I worked mainly in fourth and fifth grades. I
found out last year that the fifth grade math teaching position would be open for the 2024-2025
school year, and it was an easy decision to make when the position was offered to me. I have
loved doing math remediation at Horn and am thrilled to now be working at such a great school
full time.
“I have lived in Bonsack for the past 17 years. My husband and I have four children, two boys
and two girls. Two have graduated from Byrd and are both currently at VT. We also have a
sophomore at Byrd and a seventh grader.
“I am the president of the PTSO at WBHS and you can find me working concessions at all the
home varsity football games. I also love to read and spend time with my family.”
Lauren Weyer is the 504 Coordinator working at William Byrd High School, and Glen Cove,
Bonsack, Herman L. Horn, and W.E. Cundiff Elementary Schools.
She is originally from Fincastle and a graduate of Lord Botetourt High School. She graduated
from Radford University and has been involved in the field of education for 16 years.
“I have a love for history and helping students see various perspectives throughout history to
ensure they make informed and sound decisions in today’s world.
“I have spent the past decade teaching in an alternative behavioral setting. I have seen numerous
students not meet their full academic potential due to various barriers. Some are often
unidentified with disabilities until reaching alternative education. I am excited to begin a new
endeavor in education to ensure students with disabilities have the best chance to be successful in
the classroom and their future goals.
“My husband and I are raising a sassy toddler. We enjoy local family outings, travel, board
games, and attend trivia nights as much as possible.”
Melissa Yates will be serving as a remediation teacher at Herman L. Horn this year.
Julie Sandzimier continues as principal at Herman L. Horn Elementary this year with Teresa
Kabath as assistant principal.
