Dear Canterbury Woods Elementary School community,

The Region 5 Leadership Team is pleased to announce that Ms. Leslie Malkowski has been named the new principal of Canterbury Woods Elementary School effective July 1, 2022.

Ms. Malkowski holds a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation and Master of Science in Special Education from Old Dominion University, and an Administration and Supervision Endorsement from the University of Virginia. Ms. Malkowski has over 17 years of experience in elementary and middle school education. She started her career with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) as a Special Education Teacher in 2005 serving at Marshall Road Elementary School, Lake Braddock Secondary School, and as Special Education Department Chair at Holmes Middle School.  Ms. Malkowski brings 10 years of school administration experience having served as an assistant principal at Holmes Middle School and most recently, as assistant principal at North Springfield Elementary School. 

Ms. Malkowski brings a wealth of experiences as an instructional leader and a deep passion of meeting each student by name and by need.  Her teaching and leadership experiences tightly match the wonderfully diverse community of learners at Canterbury Woods and makes her poised to work alongside teachers and staff to continue to improve instruction and academic outcomes for students. 

Ms. Malkowski firmly believes that relationships and building trust with students, staff, parents, and community members is an important component of leading a school.  She is passionate about providing an equitable, rigorous, and inclusive education for all students.  Ms. Malkowski believes in the importance of a welcoming and culturally responsive school environment for students, staff, and families.  She is a transparent, visible, and highly communicative leader who looks forward to collaborating with staff and parents to nurture the academic and social-emotional well-being of students. 

Ms. Malkowski is honored to serve as the principal of Canterbury Woods Elementary School.  She looks forward to meeting and working with the school faculty and staff this summer to prepare for a strong start to the 2022-23 school year.  In her free time, Ms. Malkowski enjoys spending time outdoors, especially at the beach, with her husband and two daughters.  

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Leslie Malkowski as the new principal of Canterbury Woods Elementary School. 

Sincerely,
Rebecca Baenig
Region 5 Assistant Superintendent