Specialized Instruction Teachers' Photos

Magen Barnett joined Van Ness in 2017 as a specialized instruction teacher. Prior to Van Ness, Magen served as a special education teacher at Tyler Elementary School where she worked in both inclusion and self-contained settings. She has expertise in a number of evidence-based reading and math interventions, including Spell Read and Do the Math. Magen holds a BA from Howard University and MA in Elementary Inclusive Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Mikaela will be entering her 13th year of teaching within DCPS and is very excited to join the team at Van Ness this year. She previously taught special education at Barnard and Stanton Elementary Schools as both an inclusion teacher and a lead teacher in Early Learning Support classrooms. She holds a B.S. in Special and Elementary Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Outside of school, Mikaela loves to travel the world and spend time with her family!

Joscary De La Cruz joins us as a special education teacher in the 2021-22 school year. Joscary has taught and supported grades Kindergarten through 4th grade in Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York. During her final year at Excellence Boys Charter school, she was a second grade lead teacher, where their second grade classrooms had the highest math scores in the Uncommon Schools network.

Joscary started her career in education as Jumpstart Corps member in the inner city of Boston. During college, she embarked on service trips to Dominican Republic where she visited and contributed to local schools and an orphanage. Joscary also volunteered as a Peer Health Exchange member teaching health practices to middle school students in Boston local public schools. After college, she joined Breakthrough NYC, a nonprofit that transforms the lives of talented students from low-income backgrounds by providing educational support from middle school through college, where she coached and supported freshmen during their first year in high school. During the summer, Joscary and a few colleagues launched a tutoring organization called Summer Glide, in an effort to prevent summer slide and support local public school families with free tutoring and readiness for the school year.

She grew up in New York City and is excited to become a DC resident. Joscary holds a BA in Communications from Boston College and an MA in Teaching from the Relay Graduate School of Education. During her free time she likes to travel, try new restaurants, and spend time with friends and family.

Bio coming soon!

Fidji-Ruth Endene will begin her sixth year of teaching this school year. She has been both a lead and partner teacher in 2nd and 5th grade. Fidji holds a B.S in Biology from Bowie State University and an M.S in Elementary Education from Johns Hopkins University. She is beyond excited to join the Van Ness family this year!

Ms. Kane is entering her 8th year of teaching. Before joining Van Ness, Ms. Kane taught in Title I school districts outside the Philadelphia area. She taught 4th grade for a year before transitioning into a special education role where she has been for the last 6 years. Throughout her career, she has taught 2nd - 5th grade Special Education Learning Support as well as taught Life Skills classes during the last two summers. She has a dual bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education from West Chester University. In 2022, Ms. Kane graduated from Cabrini University with a Masters degree in Teaching and Learning.