Sonya S. Verney BAHS Life Science Teacher 98 Waldo Ave. Belfast, Maine 04918 207-838-1790 X101 sverney@rsu71.079 March 15, 2016 To Whom it May Goncem: |lam currenty one of two Life Science teachers at Belfast Area High School working as @ cooperative teacher with Katherine Blodgett, while she completes her 15 weeks of student teaching here with us. Katherine nas been working with me since January 4, 2016, in my general level biology class. This has been Katherine's first experience teaching biology to tenth graders. She comes with a excellent biology background and Ife science Next Generation Science Standards knowledge base, This particular Biology class is a mixture of general level students with about one-third of those, who are Special Education students, who have IEP’s with their targeted leaming needs, goals and eccommodations. ‘While teaching in this class, she has been exposed to the IEP process by attending student's meetings. ‘There is also an SPED Ed. Tech Ill supporting those students in her classroom and as well as 2 one-to-one Ed. Tech Ill who works solely with a highly autistic student. Katherine has worked well with these educators, she has set the tone for what she wants. Katherine has also taken advantage of our RT! program by working with those students who are in need of remediation. Atthis point Katherine has taken over sole teaching responsibilty of this biology class and the students have adjusted well. She has brought in technology and a variety of teaching techniques to her lessons. She is learning how to develop her own classroom management skills and is becoming more comfortable inher role 2s a teacher. Much of this will come together for her, as she gains more experience in the classroom. Katherine is very knowledgeable, dedicated, conscientious, responsible, flexible and enthusiastic, She is ‘more than willing to help out wherever she may be needed. She has willingly filed in as a Sub for us, \when we have been short handed. | believe that Katherine will be an excellent candidate fora life science teacher if given the opportunity. It further information is required, please feel free to contact me at the above information. Singarely, J Sonya SVerney