BURNS PARK SCHOOL

ANN ARBOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

1414 WELLS STREET

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48104
TELEPHONE 994-1919
VIRGINIA BELL, EdD
PRINCIPAL

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN

April 11, 2016

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in support of Stephanie Mackey for a teaching position in your school district. Stephanie served
as a student intern in my fourth grade classroom during the 2015-16 school year. During this time, she
excelled in planning and preparation, instruction, assessment and evaluation, fostering of a supportive learning
climate, and professional conduct.
As Stephanie planned and prepared for lessons throughout the semester, she recognized the value of
understanding students skills and knowledge to plan lessons that varied the grouping and activities to
engage all of the students. She always considered our district curricular goals and was mindful of the
correlating Common Core Standards. In fact, she prepared and led the students through an exciting science
and writing research unit exploring water issues, which also offered technology instruction opportunities,
demonstrating her solid understanding of the excessive curricular demands and pressing time constraints that
are often associated with teaching.
Stephanie had frequent conversations with me to anticipate students misconceptions and guided instruction
to overcome those misconceptions. She utilized a variety of instructional resources both within and beyond
the classroom in her preparation for teaching, including making connections to art, literature and media, to
bring learning to life. Through her teaching of curriculum, Stephanie worked with other teachers and student
teachers in our building to plan and prepare, demonstrating her strong commitment to fostering a
collaborative, collegial atmosphere in the building. Overall, she demonstrated thoroughness in planning her
unit and lessons, and, at the same time, demonstrated great flexibility, always quickly adapting to our
frequently changing class schedule.
When teaching, Stephanie utilized whole grouping, small grouping and pairs in her engagement of students in
activities and was thoughtful about these groupings, always ensuring that they were well balanced. She used
an appropriate selection of learning experiences, including worksheets, hands-on activities and authentic
assessments, that engaged and enhanced the intellectual, social and personal development of the students. She
worked to provide directions and procedures that were clear and always utilized appropriate vocabulary. She
fostered higher order thinking through appropriate methods of inquiry and provided adequate time for student
response when appropriate. Stephanie also engaged the students in discussions of meaningful ideas and
important concepts. This was particularly evident during literature circles, when she ensured that all students
participated in discussions and always pushed their thinking a bit further than previously demonstrated.
Finally, Stephanie generally had an accurate impression of a lessons effectiveness and typically offered
suggestions for alternative approaches.
Stephanie played an active role in assessing and evaluating the students progress. She regularly carried with
her my own spreadsheets of the curricular goals and objectives and recorded notes on individual students
mastery of these goals. She understood the importance of providing timely feedback to students and regularly
reviewed assessments to be returned and shared during the following class period. When possible, she
assessed student performance and monitored individual students strengths and goals to better inform her
decisions about lesson planning. She always designed and utilized a variety of assessments that were
developmentally appropriate and selected both formal and informal assessments coinciding with the objectives
of the lesson.

Throughout the semester, Stephanie worked hard to foster a supportive learning climate in our classroom and
the school at large. She frequently led our classroom morning and afternoon circles. She always demonstrated
appropriate interactions with the students. Both through these interactions and in her selection of materials for
the classroom, she demonstrated a high level of appreciation for diversity and displayed fairness and equity in
her demeanor and consideration towards all students. Stephanie always conveyed enthusiasm for her
instruction in the classroom and was always positive with the students. She fostered smooth transitions and
had clear routines for handling materials and supplies. She established reasonable standards of conduct,
monitored student behavior and responded to misbehavior appropriately. During her lead teaching, she
maintained a classroom that was safe and orderly at all times. She managed the classroom through good
organizational skills, time management, even under the most pressing of time constraints, and interaction with
students.
At staff meetings and other school-wide functions, Stephanie interacted with colleagues in a highly supportive
and professional manner. She participated in professional activities, including staff meetings and professional
development workshops, that enhanced and extended her knowledge. She actively sought resources and
opportunities for students and staff that connected and extended learning. She regularly interacted with
parents, including serving as a tutor for one family, to provide feedback on their childs strengths and needs in
the classroom. She demonstrated appreciation for and adherence to school policies and procedures. Overall,
Stephanie reliably handled classroom administrative tasks, even frequently arriving early, staying late, or
working through lunch, and always displayed punctuality, preparedness, integrity, respect and reliability.
Without hesitation or reservation, I highly recommend Stephanie Mackey for the teaching position that she is
seeking. I would not hesitate to have my own child in her classroom. Any district, and school, would be
fortunate to have her. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at 734-6465664 or at chester@aaps.k12.mi.us.
Very Truly,

Carrie A. Chester
Grade 4, Burns Park Elementary
chester@aaps.k12.mi.us
734-646-5664 (cell phone)