LAMPS

Mrs. April Barlett (Art) is beginning her seventh year teaching art at Greenwood and her 18th year teaching in Henrico County Public Schools! She is a native of Richmond and a proud graduate of Open High School and VCU (go Rams!). She earned bachelor's degrees in Crafts and Art Education as well as a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Ms. Barlett is married to a fellow educator and has two active sons who are 12 and 14. Her family loves traveling, visiting all kinds of museums, going to the movies and hanging out with their giant dog, Julep. Among her favorite destinations are Italy, Iceland and Montreal! Mrs. Barlett's goal as a teacher is to provide engaging learning opportunities for children to create, collaborate and communicate by integrating art with science, technology, history, literature and math. Students will learn about a diverse group of art and artists from all over the world. She has a passion for exploring ways art can positively impact the community, and loves developing projects that inspire students to make the world a better place! Her plan for the 2022-2023 school year is to integrate more contemporary and local artists into the Greenwood art room! If you are interested in sharing your talents with our emerging artists, please let Mrs. Barlett know!

Mrs. Amy Coward (Library), our school librarian, is excited to teach at Greenwood for her 10^th year! Mrs. Coward, a product of Henrico County Public Schools, earned her bachelor’s degree from VCU, and her master’s degree from Longwood University. She worked in school libraries of middle and high schools for over 18 years before coming to Greenwood. Mrs. Coward believes that our library is a place full of magic, where students learn to think critically, research, grow as global citizens, collaborate, engineer, create, and make. She believes that every student deserves to see themselves reflected in the literature that surrounds them, and that they can learn about the world and others through the magic of stories. She wants to help our Gators become lifelong learners who love to read, who ask questions and love to find the answers, and who find magic in each other and the world around them. Mrs. Coward is grateful for her husband and her two sons who attend Longwood University and Roanoke College.

Ms. Melissa Elkins (PE), our Physical Education teacher, is pumped to begin her fifth year teaching, and fourth year as a Greenwood Gator! She is a proud graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University (Go Rams!) with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, and attended Virginia State University for Health and Physical Education PreK-12. Her goal is to create an environment that allows students to understand teamwork, show sportsmanship, gain self-esteem, and experience enjoyment. Ms. Elkins believes in encouraging her students to expose themselves to a wide variety of skills and activities in order to discover their talents and skills. Her plan for this school year is to teach students the importance of movement and health, while encouraging them to lead an active lifestyle. In her spare time, Ms. Elkins enjoys spending time with her family, hanging out with her dog Rokko, and competing in Olympic weightlifting competitions. She believes small gestures can make a difference in someone’s day, never underestimating the power of a fist bump or high five. Let’s make this school year magical, Gators!

Ms. Holly Guelig, our school counselor, is proud to enter her 10th year at Greenwood, which she lovingly refers to as her “second family.” She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counselor Education from Virginia Commonwealth University, with certifications in trauma and crisis management, diversity, equity & inclusion, mental health first aid, and mindfulness. Most recently, Ms. Guelig was selected for the honor of Virginia’s 2022 Elementary School Counselor of the Year. In addition to her work at Greenwood, Ms. Guelig is a member of the Virginia School Counseling Association communications committee, team leader on the Virginia Department of Education Career Exploration Taskforce, a social and emotional learning content developer for her division, co-creator of PRIMETIME RVA, founder of Mindful Minute with Miss Holly, co-host for Edspire Podcast, and has served in various state-wide leadership and speaking roles within her field. She has 15 years of experience working in counseling, crisis support, substance use recovery, grief and loss, and inpatient behavioral and mental health services for children and teens. Ms. Guelig’s vision for Greenwood is to teach our students healthy mindsets and behaviors which include the role of the brain in emotional regulation, helping students develop a strong sense of self-identity, and practicing mindfulness. Most importantly, Ms. Guelig is relentless in her passion for helping our students grow into strong, healthy, thoughtful, life ready learners. It is her mission to be a game-changer for our families and students. When not in school, Ms. Guelig spends time with her family and babydog, Honey, loves CrossFit, and enjoys reading. It’s going to be a *magical* school year!

Mrs. Andrea Hobbs (Library) is excited to begin her tenth year in the Greenwood library. She is a true embodiment of a lifelong reader. Her love of books was first discovered at Claremont Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, where she was a library helper during fourth and fifth grade. Throughout high school, she worked part-time at the Arlington County Public Library. She graduated from Bridgewater College in Virginia with a double major in Business Administration and Economics. Before joining the Greenwood staff, Mrs. Hobbs worked for Read Aloud Virginia, a non-profit that aimed to increase literacy rates in children, while nurturing a love of reading. Mrs. Hobbs still delights in reading in her spare time. She also enjoys being active and being a part of the local CrossFit community. She spends time with her family and two cats. Mrs. Hobbs loves being a part of the Greenwood Library Team and following her passion of encouraging and cultivating the love of reading in young children.

Mrs. Kaitee Melton, our school counselor, is super excited to start her second year counseling at Greenwood! Mrs. Melton is a graduate of Randolph-Macon College with a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Spanish, and a master's degree in Counselor Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. Before coming to Greenwood Elementary School, Mrs. Melton was a School Counselor for two years in Spotsylvania County. While working to become a professional School Counselor, Mrs. Melton worked with children during her time as a camp counselor and Field Hockey Coach for various clubs, schools, and camps in the Richmond area. Mrs. Melton is dedicated to cultivating supportive, stimulating, and inclusive environments to ensure that all students reach their maximum potential. Her vision for Greenwood this year, along with meeting the needs of all students through classroom lessons, small groups, and individual support, is to establish and develop partnerships with staff, families, and community members to ensure all Greenwood students develop the skills, knowledge, and understanding necessary to be successful in our ever-changing society. Outside of school, Mrs. Melton enjoys spending time with her husband, Anthony, and their new baby girl, Mae. She also loves playing and cuddling with her threedogs, Evie, Dazzle, and Dwight. Mrs. Melton can’t wait to create some magic with all of our Greenwood Gators this school year!

Mrs. Maria Murphy (Music) is excited to begin her 33rd year in Henrico County and her 15th year at Greenwood! She is a native of Hampton, VA. Coming from a large musical family, her love of music started at a very young age. Mrs. Murphy attended Virginia Commonwealth University and received her bachelor's degree in Music Education. She is a part-time minister of music at Saint James United Methodist Church in Hampton, VA. Mrs. Murphy released a CD Passionate Rose which consists of classical piano pieces. She believes that every child is valued and can be successful. Her goal is to instill a love of music to her students through creativity, theory, singing and movement. She enjoys spending time with her husband, reading, playing the piano, shopping, and being a wonderful auntie to her nephew and two nieces.