Professional Documents
Culture Documents
5, 2022
To Whom it May Concern:
This letter is written in commendation of Ms. Mckenzie Jackson. I hired Mckenzie at the start of the 2021‐22 school
year to teach History, English and PE in an independent study, online format at Buena Vista Virtual Academy. She
embraced the role, and has managed to pivot from being a trained in‐person high school instructor to an online middle
school teacher with ease. When I was looking for a teacher late in the summer, I reached out to colleagues and asked
them to recommend their best student teachers or subs. Mckenzie’s name was sent to me by two separate
administrators who I trust and respect. I am so grateful I found and hired Mckenzie this year. She has proven to be an
excellent, student centered teacher. Her hard work this year has reaped benefits for her students and the school’s
program.
I have observed Mckenzie teaching many times, and I am always impressed with the high quality, interactive instruction
she provides our students. She holds students to high standards; she engages them in collaboration and interaction;
and she utilizes culturally responsive pedagogy, which supports all learners. She calls on students and provides
appropriate wait time, puts them in collaborative break‐out groups for monitored discussions, and asks them to use
interactive technology, like Google Slides and Jamboards to communicate their learning. I have watched her grow in
this regard over the course of the year, as she became more comfortable with online teaching and learning techniques.
The engaging EdTech tools she uses are easily transferrable to in‐person instruction and allow her students to access
grade level standards in a distance‐learning format. More importantly, she values her students’ input and what they
bring to the classroom as learners and individuals, a skill that speaks to who she is as a quality person.
We are required to follow independent study Ed Code at BVVA; therefore, our attendance procedures require our
teachers to be meticulous and well organized. Mckenzie proved that she was up for the challenge and our auditor
indicated that her files were in good order. While your school might not need to pass an IS attendance audit, this
skillset also means that her grades are in order, she communicates with parents about student progress and issues, as
appropriate, and you can rely on her to maintain good records.
Lastly, Mckenzie got involved. She only has to monitor independent study PE, but she teaches weekly lessons doing
live workouts with her students, which the kids enjoy. She is a part of our PBIS leadership team, making sure that
middle school is represented. And, she has taken advantage of optional professional learning opportunities offered to
new teachers.
I have been quite impressed with Mckenzie. She embraced the role offered to her with competence, confidence, and
kindness. She is a quality educator and I am fortunate to have found her. I truly wish I could keep her on staff next
year, but my loss is your gain. Your students will benefit from having Mckenzie as a teacher.
Sincerely,
Jamie Jauch
Principal, Buena Vista Virtual Academy