37 First Street

Troy, NY 12180
518-331-9881
smithk33@sage.edu
________________________________________
April 22, 2021

To Whom It May Concern,

It is my great pleasure to personally recommend Kerry McKeown for an elementary teaching
position. Kerry was a student at Russell Sage College in the Esteves School of Education and
stood out from her classmates in her overall performance, maturity, and commitment to learning.
During her time at Russell Sage College she continually exceeded my expectations, particularly
during her student teaching. Her student teaching experience was complicated by the
unprecedented and necessary shifts in our educational settings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kerry confidently and effectively shifted to a hybrid model of teaching and learning. In fact,
she set the bar for other students in this area.
While supervising Kerry in her placements, I was able to offer feedback and strategies that she
implemented flawlessly. In my past career, one of my primary responsibilities was to evaluate
new teachers. Kerry’s poise and confidence in the classroom aligned with that of a more
experienced educator. She was responsive in her teaching approaches and was intuitively able to
adjust instruction and approaches as necessary. As an Assistant Professor at Russell Sage
College, I can assure you that Kerry is an outstanding beginning teacher who will quickly
become an integral member of your school’s community.
I am confident that Kerry will be a dedicated and transformative educator and that she will
produce outstanding academic results, contribute to the formation of dynamic professional
relationships, and create a culture of caring, compassion, and high expectations for her students.
I have no reservations giving Kerry McKeown my highest recommendation for a teaching
position. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding her character or
teaching abilities.

Sincerely,
Kelly Smith
Kelly Smith
Assistant Professor, Russell Sage College