Principal

MScott Berkowitz is the Principal of Peabody/Watkins. Prior to joining the Cluster, he was principal of Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School in Alexandria City Public Schools.  Under his leadership, Jefferson-Houston achieved full state accreditation, a milestone the school had been trying to achieve for ten years.  Prior to this position, MScott was a Mary Jane Patterson Fellow and worked at CW Harris Elementary School and Hardy Middle School.  MScott has lived in DC for over 16 years with his wife and two daughters.  He holds a master's degree and undergraduate degree from Cornell University.

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Email: mscott.berkowitz@k12.dc.gov

Assistant Principal - Peabody

La-Tarsha James is an experienced educator with over 25 years in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Middle School education, spanning multiple districts such as Baltimore City Public Schools, Marietta City Public Schools and Cobb County Public Schools in Georgia. She has taught grades K-8 and has spent the past eight years as an Assistant Principal. La-Tarsha holds a Bachelor’s degree from Morgan State University, a Master’s from Towson University, and post-Master's certifications from Notre Dame of Maryland University and Georgetown University.

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Email: la-tarsha.james@k12.dc.gov

Assistant Principal - Watkins

Ebon McPherson became the Assistant Principal of Watkins Elementary School in July 2025. She brings 15 years of experience as an educator and holds a Master’s degree in K–12 Instructional Leadership from George Washington University. Over the course of her career, she has served in a variety of roles, most recently as the instructional coach for all content areas at Peabody.

Her connection to the Capitol Hill Cluster Schools runs deep, not only professionally but personally, as all four of her children are proud Cluster alumni. She is most excited to continue her work at Watkins by strengthening school culture and advancing excellence in ELA instruction.

Director of Strategy & Logistics

Email: tanisha.montgomery@k12.dc.gov