June 20th, 2017

Mr. Scott Bain, Principal

Jefferson County Open School
7655 W. 10th Ave, Lakewood, CO

Dear Mr. Bain:

With a philosophy of leadership based on authenticity and a philosophy of education based on whole-child
learning, it is with enthusiasm that I apply to be an Assistant Principal at the Open School. I will complete a
Masters of Educational Leadership program by the summer of 2018. I am currently licensed to teach 6-12
technology in Colorado. My education career spans ten years, seven of which have been in the classroom. Ive
taught for high-performing Title I charter networks in Texas and Colorado, as well as literacy and numeracy in
nature- and mindfulness-based learning communities, instructing children from pre-K through 12. I founded
and operated a STEM enrichment program centered on service-learning and global awareness from
2011-2015. In 2013-2014, I was the Course Team Leader for the middle school technology teachers at nine
campuses. During 2015-2016, I co-authored a grant proposal for the X Q Superschool Challenge with a team
from a democratic school. In 2016-2017, I was the Lead Teacher for a homeschool co-op of children from 5-7
years old based on a farm. Through the wide range of ages Ive taught and the bold directions in which Ive
taken my career, I have developed a unique set of qualifications I want to leverage to support the Open
Schools mission and vision.

In my current role, I guide children ages 3-6 in play-based discovery of self and other. Last year, I designed a
learning plan for ten homeschooled children that included coordinating parents as teachers and integrated
ecology. Previous to that, at a charter network, I implemented a professional development program for
teachers across nine campuses, guiding them throughout the year in curriculum development and marshalling
support from teachers, administrators, and district-level IT leaders to meet previously unmet needs for these
teachers. These roles have improved my communication, my collaboration, my coordination, and, above all,
my leadership, which allows me to guide others in fulfilling your schools goals.

My strengths include starting new programs, designing innovative responses to stubborn problems, investing
my people with trust, active listening, creating activities for multiple voices to be heard during training, and
being responsive. I have used these strengths to create a program that showed a positive vision for what the
world could be; to support members of our school community; and to develop a culture among a team.

My main goal would be to embed self-awareness more deeply in the school culture through mindfulness and
nature-based practices. I would consciously enrich the climate of the school by active listening to help staff
connect their talents, their actions, and their mission to increase student success.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Thomas Davenport
CSU Principal Licensure Candidate 2018
Phone: 972-632-0005
Email: thomas.p.davenport@gmail.com