Duncan Elementary School

Sharon A. Coil, Principal March 21, 2014 RE: Ashley Sack To: School Administration Ashley Sack was an Intern from Michi an State !ni"ersity who worked with #orri $ieleniewski in the #earnin %enter &s'ecial ed(cation) from *an(ary to A'ril, 2014+ The st(dents she worked with were 20 s'ecial ed(cation st(dents who recei"ed s'ecific instr(ction in readin , writin or math+ Their certifications consisted of #earnin ,isa-led, .is(ally Im'aired, S'eech and #an (a e Im'aired, /hysically Im'aired, 0therwise 1ealth Im'aired, Emotionally Im'aired and A(tism S'ectr(m ,isorder+ Some children had e2tensi"e -eha"ior 'lans3 in addition, many children had s'eciali4ed c(rric(l(m in core content areas d(e to their s'ecific disa-ility+ As the semester 5(ickly contin(ed, Ashley was res'onsi-le for: instr(ctin children at their a''ro'riate le"el, 'ro ress monitorin monthly for each oal and o-6ecti"e, meetin with staff and 'arents to disc(ss 'ro ress and strate ies, trackin data and analy4in it accordin ly, (sin standardi4ed assessments s(ch as the Test of Early Readin and the 7oodcock *ohnson Assessment III, writin in de'th IE/s and a''ro'riate standards -ased oals and o-6ecti"es, (sin the Tie8et system to create s'ecial ed(cation doc(ments, and facilitatin meetin s with staff, 'arents and the 'rinci'al+ Also, intense literacy inter"ention was 'ro"ided daily -y Ashley in rades 9:4 to o(r at:risk 'o'(lation+ Their indi"id(al 'ro ress was also tracked -y Ashley and she took an acti"e role in differentiatin their instr(ction and creatin s'ecific data sheets to see deficits and stren ths+ Ashley was "ery familiar with indi"id(ali4ed assi nments and assessments and was a-le to teach all s(-6ects a''ro'riately+ Ashley worked well with the di"erse s'ecial ed(cation 'o'(lation here at ,(ncan+ Many st(dents had emotional and -eha"ioral needs and Ashley was a-le to 'ro"ide strate ies to assist them d(rin their school day+ Ashley en6oyed the st(dents and they had an e2cellent ra''ort with her+ Ashley ke't challen in herself and e2ceeded her own hi h e2'ectations+ Ashley created and mana ed an or ani4ed yet friendly classroom en"ironment and comm(nity+ All children felt safe and comforta-le yet were challen ed academically+ The children re'orted to me that they lo"e workin with Ashley and had f(n learnin from her+ Ashley de"elo'ed into a s'ecial ed(cation teacher who (ses her en"ironment to assist her st(dents in calmin down, makin ood choices and -elie"in in themsel"es+ Ashley has wonderf(l small ro(' and whole ro(' classroom mana ement skills3 she (tili4ed daily -eha"ior 'lans to hel' with tar eted -eha"iors and to doc(ment (ni5(e strate ies and inter"entions+ As the semester contin(ed, Ashley 're'ared creati"e lessons that met the needs of all learners incl(din conce'ts that were also ta( ht in the eneral ed(cation settin &s(ch as Thinkin Ma's, ;(ided 1i hli hts, ;(ided Readin , all %ommon %ore ali ned c(rric(l(m, etc)+

Ashley was a-le to fit into the staff and comm(nity here at ,(ncan+ She esta-lished relationshi's with staff mem-ers and 'arents and was a-le to comm(nicate ideas effecti"ely+ Ashley was "ery 'rofessional and s'oke in a 'rofessional manner at all times+ She hel'ed to create "al(a-le and creati"e lessons ali ned with the %ommon %ore that were indi"id(ali4ed to each st(dent<s chan in needs+ Ashley 'ro ress monitored her s'ecial ed(cation st(dents monthly and de"elo'ed lessons -ased on their s'ecific oals and o-6ecti"es+ In addition, Ashley also assisted with the Medicaid 'rocess for s'ecific s'ecial ed(cation children+ Ashley (tili4ed technolo y thro( h inno"ati"e lessons with I:'ads, la'to's, RA$:9ids and a "ariety of research -ased interacti"e white-oard sites+ Ashley also learned how to administer the 7oodcock *ohnson III, the TERA &Test of Early Readin ), TEMA &Test of Early Mathematics), and a "ariety of other assessments+ In addition, Ashley -ecame "ery 'roficient with the 87EA testin standards &8orthwest Ed(cation Assessment) and the other indi"id(ali4ed classroom -ased assessments+ Ashley took an acti"e role in leadin the after school 1omework %l(- for rades 1:= and facilitatin all decisions in st(dent instr(ction, 'arent iss(es and st(dent concerns+ She "ol(nteered her time three days a week after school3 the children worked on homework, worked on indi"id(ali4ed technolo y or had folders made with s'ecific tasks in them that hel'ed to stren then their weak academic areas+ Also, Ashley led an after school Readin %l(- for ei ht weeks that tar eted second rade st(dents foc(sin on com'rehension strate ies+ In addition, Ashley acti"ely 'artici'ated in the Michi an Readin Association conference held in ;rand Ra'ids this year+ In s(mmary, Ashley was a wonderf(l st(dent intern who was an a-sol(te 'leas(re to work with and colla-orate with on a daily -asis+ Ashley tr(ly was one of the finest st(dent interns I had e"er had here at ,(ncan Elementary+ 1er willin ness to -e fle2i-le, to -e inde'endent, to dedicate herself to her st(dents and their ed(cation, and her desire to -rin o(t their 'ersonal -est 'ro"es that she will -e an asset to any academic 'ro ram+ I wo(ld stron ly recommend Ashley Sack+ Sincerely,

#orri $ieleniewski >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> S'ecial Ed(cation ,(ncan Elementary &?@=) ABA:4=0@C4=00

date

Shelby Township, MI

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