May 5, 2022 ,

To Whom it May Concern,

Ms. Heather Soden has very successfully completed her practicum experience as an itinerant adapted
physical education specialist for Long Beach Unified School District in Long Beach, California. She spent
20 weeks observing, assisting, and teaching a caseload of 40 A.P.E. students at 6 different school sites.
Her caseload was made up of a diverse population of students with a wide variety of disabilities, which
could pose a challenge for even the most experienced teachers. She co-taught for 2 periods each day in
an inclusive physical education class at Stanford Middle School, giving students with disabilities an
opportunity to participate in their least restrictive environment with their general education peers. Ms.
Soden also facilitated specially designed physical education with five elementary autism classes on a
weekly basis, working closely with special day class teachers and paraprofessionals.

Ms. Soden’s warm personality and rapport with students and staff were excellent. Her knowledge of the
subject matter and enthusiasm was noticed by special day class teachers, general education P.E.
teachers, classroom/behavioral aides, and school administrators. Her willingness to take suggestions,
modify and differentiate instruction, and experiment with new strategies demonstrated her motivation and
reflection for teaching and learning.

Heather was able to communicate effectively and she displayed many fine personal and professional
qualities normally attributed to outstanding teachers. She carried out her responsibilities in a responsible
and dependable manner and consistently asked to participate in after-school activities and teacher
events. Heather is well versed in a number of A.PE. assessments and has had the opportunity to
complete the entire process of collecting data, administering assessments, writing reports, creating I.E.P.
goals, and presenting her findings at I.E.P. meetings. Her presentation style and communication skills with
parents has been exemplary.

During the semester, Ms. Soden took on the responsibility of planning and teaching entire units. Because
of her creativity and enthusiasm for the subject, students responded positively to her lessons. Her ability
to manage a daily routine and behavior management techniques have shown tremendous growth. It has
been a pleasure to watch Heather’s teaching style and confidence develop and grow over the course of
this semester.

In my opinion as an adapted physical educator for over 25 years, Ms. Soden will be an excellent
candidate for teaching A.P.E.. She has tremendous initiative, a desire to continue to learn, and a reflective
practitioner outlook. Along with her growing command of the subject area and her effective teaching
strategies with students with disabilities, she is the model of an excellent teacher. I would strongly
encourage you to interview Ms. Soden and give serious consideration to this prospective teacher. She
would be an asset to any school district. Please feel free to contact me for any further information.

Sincerely,
Nancy Levy, M.S.
Adapted Physical Education Specialist
Long Beach Unified School District nlevy4ape@gmail.com