= » ST. VERONICA SCHOOL Jamary 16,2023 Dear Selection Committee, tis my honour to provide this letter of support for Melissa Walker's nomination forthe Prime Minister's Award. Melissa has been a teacher at St. Veronica School since we opened the school in September 2019. From the beginning, Melissa has been an integral part of the high standard of | teaching set in our building. Melissa has demonstrated commitment and leadership in the school community as well asthe city of Aitdri, where she has been a teacher for the last 7 years. Her success in teaching isin large part due to the warm and welcoming classroom environment that she creates. The strong relationships that she builds with students create lifelong bonds. Melissa has many students from previous teaching positions that seek her out to volunteer in er classoom, just to have that additional time with ber. ‘Within the School environment, Melissa shows her commitment and leadership in consistent and ‘quiet ways that impact ona large scale. She checks in frequently with staff especialy if she knows they are experiencing difficulties in their life. Her genuine caing often gives strength to those around her. In a more formal capacity, Melissa has helped to lead and plana grade 6 Leadership Day and commits to a monthly meeting of the School Council as staff representative. ‘Supporting student success and skills development is another area where Melissa excels. She has recreated her math and science curriculum this year to meet the needs of a blind student in her classroom. This means that all aspects ofthe curriculum need to be something thatthe blind ‘student can feel and touch to best understand a process. Melissa includes the use of many math ‘manipulatives and often must draw on her own creativity to mest this student's need. During a recent unit on flight in science, while most of her students created a parachute to drop and ‘observe from the top ofa fight of stars, she needed an alternative for er bln student. So, she hhad the student build a specially designed parachute she could feel and, while she held it, Melissa described all the aspects of the design. Then, the student stood to catch the textured parachute ‘within the classroom, rather than observe a drop fiom the stairs. In addition to supporting success for students with diverse needs such as blindness, Melissa also ‘makes the curiculum engaging and accessible forall the students inher classroom using digital and creative literacy. She creates interactive science labs done with Gizmos and eross-curricular projects with real world connections such as a Christmas shopping budget projector learning out the stock market by eating a mock stock market, To introduce the scientific method in . Ey cazcanrcarwouie scHoot oisrnicPreparation for junior high science, Melissa did a growing plants interactive lab using technology. This allowed students to observe the scientific method of growing plants whic a ‘compressed tne frame, ‘Finally, Melissa is heavily involved in the community through various activities. She helps to ‘maintain a strong and positive staff culture by organizing activites lke a hockey pool and group ‘themed Halloveen costumes. Every year she nominates a student from our school forthe “Airdrie Awesome Kid” in the Airdrie Life magazine. She also successfully leads and orgasizes ‘Science Fur, school yearbook, sacramental celebrations while coaching the school dance team and volunteering for basketball tournaments (Overall, Melissa consistently demonstrates excellence and innovation. She is reflective and committed to improving student engagement and learning forall students. Ths letter provices an overview of some ofthe most curent and relevant examples in Melissa's teaching that contibute to the rationale for her nomination. [wish her the best of luck in this nomination, ‘Sincerely, A TN. fick Guinn “Andrea Gamat Principal (at Melissas school) Vice Prinipal, t. Géronica choot St. Veronica School andrea cumatz@cssdab ca tmiriskawinn@ssdab.ca ‘Call #403 608 3334 ‘Cell #403 990 1923