Centennial High School

55 Sun Valley Boulevard S.E., Calgary AB T2X 3W7 | Grades 10-12 t | 403-256-8140 e | CentennialHigh@cbe.ab.ca

Friday January 10, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, Last year I was Catherine Simoneaus partner teacher for three weeks at Centennial High School. During this time she worked with English 30-1 students, English 20-1 students, and English 10-4 students. We had many conversations regarding these groups and Catherine worked with students in all three classes. She volunteered her time in our school after her practicum concluded. Catherines enthusiasm for teaching English Language Arts is evident. She shared stories of her English degree and we discussed her thoughts about this school as well as her other experiences in classrooms. Catherine is committed and professional. She arrives early every day and presents herself as a professional. The students respond well to her demeanour, ask her questions, and seek her opinions. She is friendly and outgoing with the students but she is also aware of professional boundaries. I believe students see Catherine as an active participant in the classroom. Catherine was very much at ease in her interactions with students. She is respectful of all students and is quick to engage them in conversations of all sorts: what they are reading, clarifying instructions for assignments, suggesting strategies for success. A discussion about the content of a book can turn into a conversation about ethics. The students appreciate her sincerity and enjoy her presence in the classroom. Catherine did not shy away from situations where she needed to present herself as an authority figure. Some of our students tested boundaries. She made these boundaries very clear. I enjoyed working with Catherine. I am pleased to hear that she continues to enjoy her teaching time as she expands her skill set. I have every expectation that Catherine will be a credit to the teaching profession. Sincerely, Gord Dickson