VincentBurchard-Smith

533MarionStreet,Denver,CO80218
Tel:303.653.2396Email:v_burchard-smith@dpsk12.net
__________________________________________________________________

March22,2017

DenverPublicSchools
1860LincolnStreet
Denver,CO80231

DearHiringProfessional,

ThisletterandapplicationcomeasaresultofmydesiretoworkandteachwithintheDenverpublicSchoolsdistrict.A
lifelongresidentoftheDenvermetroarea,IwasastudentofDPSschoolsthroughhighschool,andowemanyofthe
opportunitiesthathavearoseinmylifetotheconnectionsImadeinmyexperienceasastudentoftheDenverPublicSchools.
Aswellasbeingastudent,beingacitizenofDenverhasmademeverycommittedtobeingactiveinthecommunityinmultiple
ways,educationbeingthelatestofsuch.DenverPublicSchoolshaveconsistentlyprovidedfortheDenvercommunity,andit
wouldbemyhopetoworkwiththisdistrict,andhelpmaintainthesupportthatthisschooldistrictshareswiththepopulation
ofDenver.

Duringthe2015-2016schoolyearIwasluckyenoughtoreceiveapositionasaparaprofessionalatJoeShoemaker
School,aECE-5ExpeditionaryLearningschoolinSoutheastDenver.Inshort,theexperiencewasamazing.Therelationships
thatIwasabletoformwiththestudentsopenedmyeyestohowmuchmembersofmycommunityneedingeneral,but
specificallyinregardstoeducation.Simultaneously,IbecameawareofhowIwasactuallycapableofprovidingassistanceand
thatIcouldhelpthesestudentsvaluethemselvesandtheireducationthroughtheirschoolexperience.Justasimportant,I
learnedhowmuchIstillneededtounderstandandbetaughtinordertobegintograspthecomplexitiesoftheeducation
system,aswellastheeccentricitiesofindividualsandtheircommunities.Thestudentsthemselvesprovided,andcontinueto
doso,asmuchofaneducationasanyschoolorinstructorhadinthepast.

ThroughthesupportoftheJoeShoemakerstaffIbeganmyroleasastudentteacherthroughtheStanleyTeacher
Prep/BoettcherTeacherResidencyProgramduringthe2016-2017schoolyear.Theprogramprovidedmewithaccessto
guidancefromtwoexperiencedinstructorsandweeklyMastersdegreecoursesineducation,aswellasanopportunityto
workasthementeeofclassroomteachersatJoeShoemakerandbeginlearningtheskillofbeingaleadinstructor.Throughthe
completionoftheresidencyinJune,andtheentireprogrambyDecember2017,IwillhavemyTeachingLicense,aswellas
haveexperiencebothasaleadinstructorandasclassroomsupport,aswellasbeonroutetoearningaMaster'sDegreein
Education,withanendorsementinCulturallyandlinguisticallyDiverseEducation.WhileIamnotaveteranwithmultipleyears
ofexperience,theexperiencethatIhavehadsofarcombinedwithmyinvestmentintoeducationasapathformyfuture,and
mydesiretoassistmembersofmycommunitymakesmeaviablecandidateforateachingpositionwithinthedistrict.

IbelievethatoneofthestrengthsIwillbringanyteachingteamwouldbemyopennesstolearningmore.Iunderstand
howmuchfurtherIhavetogowithinmypersonalskillsineducation,andhavealsospenttimeasafunctioningmemberofan
instructionalteam.Iamforwardandclearinmyopinionswhenworkingwithmypeers,howeverIamstillveryflexibleand
willingtoworkwith,orfollowtheguidanceof,otherinstructorsandstaffmembers.Thisflexibilitymakesmeopento
experimentationandchange,andasIdevelopmyselfasaninstructorIbelievethatthisfluidityandwillingnesstotakeriskswill
bebeneficialtomypeersandstudents.Thissaid,asapersonwhodesiresconstantcommunication,isself-critical,and
supportingofothers,IbelievethatImakeaverystrongteam-memberregardlessofthegoal.Ihandlestressandconflictwell,
andIamnotoftenintimidatedbyanytaskorperson.ThisisnottosaythatIdonotrecognizethechallengeofsituations,buti
haveastrongsenseofconfidenceinmyselfandmyabilitytocompletewhatisneeded.Couplethiswithmyowndesirefor
 VincentBurchard-Smith
533MarionStreet,Denver,CO80218
Tel:303.653.2396Email:v_burchard-smith@dpsk12.net
__________________________________________________________________

furthereducation,andthehopetopassmyknowledgeontoothersfortheirsuccessandIdohonestlybelievethat,with
supportfrommypeersandmystudents,Iwouldgrowintoahighlyeffectiveandcreativeinstructor.

Sincerely

VincentBurchard-Smith