February 2, 2016

To Whom It May Concern,

I had the opportunity to work with Victoria Abbondanza during the Higher Achievement Summer Academy and Afterschool
Program. She is a dedicated teacher and true asset to the Higher Achievement program.
Higher Academy is an academic and mentor focused Afterschool and Summer program that serves middle school scholars
from high need communities, including Homewood, the Hill District, East Liberty, Garfield, and Wilkinsburg. Victoria served
as a summer teacher for the program, as well as a mentor.
During Summer Academy, our scholars participate in a six week program that includes classes in ELA, Math, Science, and
Social Studies. Victoria taught 8th Grade ELA and Social Studies, and was responsible for managing the classroom,
reviewing the curriculum, preparing and delivering lessons, and supervising students during non-academic activities. During
our Afterschool Academy, our scholars participate in a twenty-five week program. Mentors work with small groups of
scholars in reading, math, or an area of choice. Since October, Victoria has supported our scholars as a reading mentor.
I am truly impressed with Victorias ability to manage and teach classes, as well as interact effectively with scholars. I
evaluated her on the Danielson Framework. In terms of the Danielson Model:

Planning & Preparation For the summer program, Victoria received training on Understanding by Design (UbD).
She demonstrated a strong understanding of the content and curriculum. She planned weekly lessons that
incorporated UbD and included clear and measurable instructional goals. For our afterschool program, she
received training on our mentor curriculum. She plans lessons based on the curriculum, plus scholar need and
interest.
Classroom Environment Victoria created an environment of respect and rapport with scholars for both our
summer and afterschool program. She created a culture for learning that emphasized high expectations. Victoria
effectively managed student behavior. Plus, our scholars feel that she truly cares.
Instruction Victoria received training on effective instructional practices including learning centers, problembased learning, higher-order thinking, and active learning. She engaged students through the use of a selfdesigned website, cooperative learning groups, and problem-based learning.
Professional Responsibilities Victoria demonstrated professionalism on a routine basis. She participated in
group and individual sessions that required teachers to reflect on their practices. In addition, Victoria was a strong
member of the team who was willing to help and support the program.

Our scholars are participating in an academic summer and afterschool program that mimics school. Needless to say,
keeping scholars engaged and enthusiastic can be a challenge! Victoria met that challenge. As a former Principal and
Chief Academic officer, I have worked with and trained many teachers. If I was hiring for teachers, I will eagerly hire Victoria
in fact, I have invited her to teach in our summer program again. I would highly recommend Victoria as teacher she
would be an asset to any school. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 412-370-6506 or via
email at dconner@higherachievement.org.
Sincerely,

Dr. Danelle M. Conner, Director of Programs