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Letter of Reference
for Mr. Jeffrey Riley
Arlington Science Focus School
Kindergarten September 2004 – June 2005
I vividly remember Kindergarten Orientation Day when Mr. Jeffrey Riley
rolled out the red carpet for the VIP’s and greeted each child by
name. As I watched Mr. Riley interact and connect with each child I immediately
knew that the year would be a great success. I had the opportunity to
volunteer as a room parent and spent many hours observing, watching and
learning from Mr. Riley. In every action it was clear that he loves his
work and the students and he is motivated by each and every success and
energized by the growth he sees each student achieve.
The classroom environment reflects Mr. Riley’s personal style. It
was child friendly yet stimulating for learning. The bright overhead lights
were replaced with table and floor lamps and plants and flowers were arranged
in the classroom providing a warm and comfortable feel for the students.
With classical music playing in the background, children were busy completing
their work. There were computers in the classroom available to the students.
Technology was introduced and embraced to capture the events of the year.
Every day was an opportunity to explore, read, write and sing in Mr. Riley’s
classroom. His goals are simple, being safe, fair and kind. The children
know clearly what he expects and they are focused on following directions,
respecting others and producing quality work. At the end of the day children
are celebrated with stickers for being safe, fair and kind all day. Mr.
Riley is a believer that positive reinforcement is the most effective
way to reach the children. His expectations are high for each child and
with his love and support it was remarkable to see their achievement throughout
the year. My daughter went from being able to write her name in capital
letters to writing, illustrating and publishing her own books and sharing
in the Author’s chair. She continues to enjoy reading books independently
and has a passion for learning new things.
Arlington Science Focus School is designed to develop extensive understanding
of science content through inquiry-based learning. There is a rigorous
curriculum with science content used to develop students' thinking skills
for analyzing, reflecting, problem solving, and hypothesizing. Mr. Riley
was able to take all his enthusiasm for learning and blend it with the
school curriculum and objectives.
As a parent I felt that I was connected with the events of the classroom
because Mr. Riley created his own classroom BLOG. He encouraged parents
to read the entries together at night with their child, asking questions
and having conversation about the events of the day. The BLOG highlighted
the lessons learned and served as a journal for the classroom activities.
When we'd email our comments in the BLOG, Mr. Riley used it as another
'teachable moment' with his class showing forms of communication within
the community. Our class BLOG had family and friends reading and writing
to the class.
When Mr. Riley was away from his classroom, he often brought back a small
treasured gift to share with children and create another learning experience
with the world around them. There was always a special story for the children
about the people he met on his journey.
When the class finished the read-aloud Because of Winn Dixie, he took
the children to the Saturday matinee. The children were so excited to
be with Mr. Riley outside of the school environment and to share the fun
afternoon. What a treat!
On both a professional and a personal level, it has been a privilege to
observe and watch Mr. Riley and his students on their journey and quest
for knowledge. He has set a foundation built on love; respect, trust and
caring for one another that will help each student on their individual
life’s journey. Teaching the children to read and write while fostering
a love for school was his greatest achievement.
He is a highly dedicated professional who knows how to motivate his young
charges to strive for excellence. Under Mr. Riley’s tutelage the
children were motivated to strive for and achieve exceptionally high standards.
Jeffrey has taught and encouraged the children to meet challenges that
I had never before thought possible. It is a rare individual that chooses
to devote their lives to educate our children and it is a treasure when
someone as gifted as Mr. Riley influences the lives of our children. I
am truly grateful to have had my daughter’s introduction to formal
education with such a talented and gifted teacher.
Sincerely,
Doris A. Smith |