Ms. Blanton is going into her 6th year of teaching, all in 5th grade. She graduated from Georgia State University where she taught for 2 years before moving to Holly Springs, NC and began teaching at HCES! Ms. Blanton values classroom community, and celebrates all students and their success. She has a strong passion for teaching math and enjoys learning alongside her students as they delve into the Positivity Project. In her spare time, Ms. Blanton enjoys spending quality time with her husband and her Pit Bull, Jackson. She enjoys being outdoors, playing sports, cooking and baking. Her top 5 character traits are: kindness, social intelligence, teamwork, honesty, and judgment.

Mrs. Hilliard is excited about her return to Hortons Creek! She is beginning her 17th year teaching 5th grade and is passionate about cultivating lifelong learners. She has taught throughout the state, from the mountains to the coast, but thoroughly enjoys living in the Raleigh area. When Mrs. Hilliard isn't teaching, you can find her reading, traveling and spending time with her family. She's looking forward to meeting the new 5th grade scholars who will be flying in fifth!

Ms. Marland has been teaching for eleven years in both elementary and middle school. While she enjoys all subjects, she particularly enjoys teaching math and social studies. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, baking, and spending lots of time with her adorable daughter.

Hello, Hawks! Mrs. Rondon, previously known as Ms. Rodriguez is thrilled to be teaching 5th grade again at HCES for the second year. However, this is her ninth year of teaching. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. She received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Lander University in 2011. She is a lifelong learner with a passion for teaching students kindness and confidence!

Kendell Washofsky graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). While at NC State, she was a member of the marching band and loves college football. Go Pack! This will be her eighth year teaching in WCPSS, and her fourth year here at Hortons Creek. Ms. Washofsky believes in building strong relationships within the classroom using the Positivity Project and through recognizing the individuality of each student. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with her family! Ms. Washofsky has a cat named Finley, and her family lives close by in Raleigh. She has a sister, Spencer, who just graduated from UNC Chapel-Hill (again, go pack!). Ms. Washofsky is excited about another awesome school year at Hortons Creek and cannot wait to begin building new relationships and growing together!

Mrs Zazi is excited about joining the staff at Hortons Creek Elementary School this year. She comes from Brunswick County Schools where she taught elementary and middle school. Additionally, Mrs. Zazi spent time as a Digital Learning Specialist working with staff, teachers and students developing and implementing technology-enhanced lessons. She is excited about returning to the classroom this year. As a classroom teacher, Mrs. Zazi, believes that developing relationships with students is the first step in creating a classroom community where the focus is on creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking. During her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family!