FRANK BLACK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Paolo Castagnoli
Principal
Houston Independent School District
1575 Chantilly Lane, Houston, TX 77018
Phone: 713-613-2505 Fax: 713-613-2533
www.frankblackmiddleschool.org
A VANGUARD MAGNET CAMPUS

March 31, 2017

To Whom It May Concern,

It is with great pleasure that I am writing this letter of support on behalf of our 2016-2017 FBMS
Instructional Excellence Coach, Mackenzie Sandoval. Over the course of the year, I have
worked with Mrs. Sandoval in a variety of roles including Instructional Excellence Coach,
English Department Chair, and National Junior Honor Society Advisor. In each of these
positions, she has devoted countless hours to planning and preparing enriching opportunities for
both faculty and students in addition to the time she gives as a full-time classroom teacher.

Along with being a talented English teacher, Mrs. Sandoval has worked on a variety of campus
initiatives this year. She is a member of the schools AVID site team, the FBMS Culture
Steering committee, a proponent of the Teach Like a Champion (TLAC) strategies for best
instructional practices, and has served as a mentor to new teachers at the school.

On a personal note, I have enjoyed watching her grow as a campus teacher-leader. This year,
she has spear-headed ELA department meetings, planned and delivered professional
development for the entire faculty, and organized a very successful ELA Night enjoyed by
students and parents. Most noteworthy is her commitment to making our schools NJHS
chapter excel. Through this organization, she helps 7th and 8th grade students develop personal
leadership skills while giving back to the community.

Mrs. Sandovals commitment to being a positive influence in the academic lives of her students
and professional lives of her colleagues makes her a highly effective teacher and an outstanding
Instructional Excellence Coach. She has left an incredible impact on the campus and her work
will continue to positively impact instruction in the future. In short, she is my teacher of the
year!

Warmest regards,
Shelene Livas
6th Grade Assistant Principal, ELA Dean