Community

Damascus School
in 1957
Founded

Dama3cus Communlty Echool

" A LearningCommunityin PursuitofExcellence"
::{:-""
D G S
December11.2006

To Whom It May Concern:

for Dana wells. .For.thepastfour.years,I
It is with genuinepleasurethat I write this letter of recommendation
while Dana
haveworked with Dana at DamascusCommunitySchool;shehas beenboth colleagueand friend.
to be both
works with relatively few of my secondarystudents,I have found her learning supportservices
professionalandstudentcentered.
studentswith
ln many yearsof teaching,I don't think I've met many teacherswho serveas better advocatesof
signs
disabilitiesasDana. Sheias the ability to find the strengthsin everyoneandto patientlylook for the smallest
andimprovementto reinfotcea strdent's progress. Sfirdentsare in
motirzated her classbecause they are
of,sr,iccess
has an
established environment that is safe, and
successfuMn my visits to her tiny classroom,I havefound Dana
to encourage learning.
supportivewith avariety of visible indicatorsthat sheusesmultiple strategiesandtechniques
with the few
Despiteworking with a greatdeal more elementarystudentsthan secondary,the activitiesshedoes
in
middle and high schooTstudentsassignedto her are developmentallyappropriate,fun, and developed
collaborationwith their subjectteachers.
that
That ability to collaboratewith colleaguesis anotherof Dana'sgreatstrengthsas_aneducator.Sherecognizes
capacity the
in her role as a learningsupportteacher,it is her challengeto be flexible and servein whatever
pull out
classroomteacherpr"f.ti. Tiri, ..urr. that shehasto co-teachwith somegradelevels,push-inwith some,
with others. Danais equallyadeptat all of these models. As mentioned, Dana has a limited caseload of secondary
and high
students. However,one continuedbenefit I?ve enjoyedis her expertisewith studenttesting. Middle
school systems have learning gaps
schoolteachersoftenfind that studentsffansitioninginto our programfrom other
that are difficult to diagnoseand remediate. Thiy are noi learningdisabilities, per se, but merely curriculum
alignment issuesthat are hard to address. Dana is knowledgeable about a variety of diagnostic-as.sessment
teclhniques, andonceshe'sadministered the appropriate batteryof tests,Dana compiles for me a list of skills that a
studentis lacking. This enablesus to iaeniii, ihe learning needs of these students who then work with their
"fill the gaps".
classroomteacher(or their parentsat home)to
Her
ln addition to her classroomduties,Danahasalsobeeninvolved in a numberof secondaryschoolactivities.
the middle schooladvisory team; sheis a HouseTeam
rapportwith studentshasmadeher an excellentmemberof
t"ao", whose spiritedsupportis alwaysappreciatedduring houseactivities;and sheoften lendsa handorganizing
eventssuchasdances,EarthDay, andcommunityserviceprojects'
Dana
on a perso'ai note,i havsbeengreatlyapprcciativeof the effortsDanarnakesto iosterpositivestaffmoraie.
itbe dinnerto celebratesomeone'sbirthday,or atrip for
will often organizeeventsatta o-utingsfoistaff, whether
in that capacitywhen she leaves us next year.
16 to India lor Christmasbreak. She will be sadly missed
asset
DanaWells hasgivenhertime andhertalentto the faculty and studentsat DCS for five years. Shewill be an
as a
to any schoolcommunitythat is fortunateto hire her next. It is my pleasureto give her my full endorsement
professionaleducatorof very strongmerit.

Sh6enaNabholz
SecondaryPrincipal