Administration

Portrait of principal

Joel Eberts, Principal

I am thrilled to be a member of the Ram team in the role of Principal. I have been an educator in Chesterfield County for the past 22 years. I taught at Falling Creek and Woolridge Elementary and have most recently served as assistant principal at Spring Run and Jacobs Road Elementary Schools.  I attended Wilkes University and earned Bachelor degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education. I received my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education.

I have twin thirteen-year-old boys with my amazing wife, Jen, who is also a Chesterfield teacher. We spend most of our time together outdoors camping, playing sports, and traveling. When I am not busy with my family I can be found coaching, golfing, hunting, or most likely, on the water fishing.

My passion for elementary education allows me to live by the motto “Work hard…Play hard.” I appreciate the opportunity to be part of this school culture. I bring a strong moral compass that is rooted in doing what is best for students. My goal is to support this community in getting the most out of each and every child.

Open and honest communication is a valuable part of public education, so let me know if I may ever be of assistance.

Joel_Eberts@ccpsnet.net

Portrait of Associate Principal

Suzanna Thomas, Associate Principal

It is my great honor to serve as the Associate Principal of Reams Elementary. I am passionate about education and feel truly blessed to have spent 31 years in a career I absolutely love. I am so excited to join a community that also shares this passion.

Prior to this position, I was the Assistant Principal of Robious Elementary and also spent many years at  J.G. Hening Elementary School as a classroom teacher in many different grade levels, a reading teacher, and an administrator. My teaching career began in San Antonio, Texas.  These assignments and experiences have helped prepare me to transition into the role of Associate Principal.

I am a proud daughter and sister to career Army Veterans and spent much of my childhood moving in, around, and out of the country. I’ve lived in Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Germany. I graduated from Missouri State University  with an Elementary Education degree and later received my Masters in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.

When I’m not working, I like to spend time with my family at the beach, on hiking trails, and listening to live music.

Please feel free to reach out to mewith any questions, ideas, or concerns you may have. Together, we will continue to make Reams a place where every child feels valued and inspired. 

Suzanna_Thomas@ccpsnet.net

Portrait of Matthew Seidita

Matthew Seidita, Dean of Students

I am happy to be returning to Reams Elementary this year. I am excited to see all our students' smiling faces and how much they have grown over the summer. For those who do not know me, Education has been my passion since I was a little boy, and this year marks my ninth year in education. I previously worked at the middle and high school levels in Henrico County and Petersburg City Public Schools. In 2020, I won Teacher of the Year and was a finalist at the county level.

I am a strong advocate for lifelong learning, which is reflected in my educational background. I graduated from VCU with a bachelor’s in history and a minor in math. I attended Mary Baldwin College for my teaching license. Through inspiration from my school leaders, I went back to school for a master’s in educational leadership at the University of Richmond, graduating in 2019. I am currently enrolled back at VCU in their doctorate program in educational leadership.

When I am not at school or doing homework, I enjoy training in martial arts. I hold rank in Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and a second-degree Black belt in Judo, and I coach VCU’s judo team. I love cooking for my friends and family and trying new restaurants around town. I watch a bunch of movies and tv shows; Star Wars is my all-time favorite. One Punch Man or Kakashi is my anime spirit character.

Our role as educators is to inspire students through our experiences, and to create lifelong learners; every success and failure is part of our journey of education. As B.B. King said, “The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.” I am excited to meet our students, families and for the new school year and celebrate our journey of education this year!

Matthew_Seidita@ccpsnet.net