Butler County

Success

May 6, 2015
To whom it may concern:
I am a School Community Liaison with the Butler County Educational Service Centers Success Program.
Michelle Pallaza interned with our program at Fairfield Central and Intermediate school within Fairfield
City School District as part of her Family Studies and Social Work minor from February 7, 2014 until
May 9, 2014. I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for her.
During Michelles internship, she assisted me in many of my daily job responsibilities. She helped to
supervise high school students at Rethreads, our community clothing outreach. She accompanied me
when I needed to transport clients to food pantries, and medical, dental and vision appointments. She also
visited clients homes with me to meet with parents for regular home visits as well as for a Wraparound
meeting at a home with other professionals. The students at my buildings that are part of the Butler
County Success Program are enrolled in the Shared Harvest Backpack program which provides mini food
pantry bags. Michelle helped distribute these bags to our students every Friday.
The Butler County Success program is evaluated every year by the Family Studies and Social Work
Department at Miami University. As part of this evaluation, a sample of our students are administered the
Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement. The parents of these students are also given a Parent Survey
to gauge how effective the Butler County Success Program is in improving families access to resources.
Michelle administered the WJIII to the majority of my students as well as calling parents to give the
Parent Survey to their parents.
Michelle was also able to attend several professional development trainings with me, including one on the
topic of, Addressing Disruptive Behavior and Social Skill difficulties in School. With the increase in
behavioral issues in the schools, a teacher who truly understands how to provide interventions to students
in her classroom will be invaluable.
Michelle has numerous strengths that will make her an asset to any teaching team. She is patient,
dependable, able to work independently, organized, thoughtful and has a passion for working with
children. Above all, she is able to relate well to all types of children and families. Families and children
in poverty are often judged and stigmatized, but Michelle is able to bring understanding in working with
them. I know that she will not only be able to educate her students well, but through her knowledge of
social work and through her exposures during her internship, she will be able to assist their parents to find
the community support that they need to help their children overcome non-cognitive barriers to learning
to make them even more effective in the classroom.
Sincerely,
Rosina Philpot
School Community Liaison
Butler County Education Service Center
Success Program

400 N. Erie Blvd., Suite A | Hamilton, OH 45011 | 513.887.3710 p |

513.887.3709 f | www.bcesc.org

400 N. Erie Blvd., Suite A | Hamilton, OH 45011 | 513.887.3710 p |

513.887.3709 f | www.bcesc.org