CORNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
4371 Cornell Road, Okemos, Michigan 48864
(517) 706-5323
March 9,2021
To Whom It May Concern,
It is with great pleasure that I recommend Claire Hesseltine for a teaching position in the Okemos Public Schools. Claire
spent the last seven months as an intern in my kindergarten classroom at Cornell and unlike any other year, due to the
pandemic, this has been a true partnership. Claire and I worked together to teach twenty kindergarteners with a range
of abilities remotely through Zoom. Throughout this experience Claire remains flexible, dedicated, and always portrays a
positive attitude. I truly could not deliver the same curriculum to our students this year without Claire alongside me.
Claire possesses many teaching strengths which help her function well beyond the usual level of beginning teachers.
Claire constantly sets high goals for her students while integrating the curriculum, so learning is meaningful and exciting
for students. She addresses multiple learning styles by incorporating visual, auditory and kinesthetic activities into her
lessons. Claire regularly uses Anita Archer engagement strategies where students are presented with hand-on lessons
that are differentiated, well thought out, and considerate of students’ academic and social strengths and challenges. She
regularly incorporates YouTube videos and Bitmoji classrooms to teach lessons as she connects her students’ learning to
the world around them.
Claire has an enthusiasm and genuine concern for all of her students. Despite teaching virtually, she builds relationships
with her students which serve as a foundation for a strong learning community. Claire’s energy is evident as she
organized an optional “lunch bunch” for students to interact weekly for a half hour on Zoom during lunch. The students
looked forward to this social opportunity because they could connect on a personal level and talk on Zoom. Claire
tapped into this opportunity to learn more about her students since they could share toys, pets, food, and family
members unlike during a typical school year. Ms. Hesseltine’s confident nature allows her to teach while knowing she is
on stage for both students and their parents. Under a constant spotlight, Claire addresses student’s inappropriate
behaviors on Zoom in order to teach effective lessons to all of the students. She knows when to correct student behavior
and when to let it go in order to maintain the student’s integrity. Claire doesn’t hesitate to take a student into a
breakout room to help a student who is upset.
Keeping the school expectations of responsible, respectful, and safe in mind, Claire creates a safe and nurturing
environment by establishing specific routines while constantly assessing student behavior to ensure her students are
actively engaged in learning. She works in a systematic and professional way with students who have IEP’s and modified
learning plans. Claire always has our student who is hearing impaired in mind as she works to include ASL into her videos
and choice board selections whenever possible. Ms. Hesseltine video records books and asynchronous lessons and sends
them to an interpreter so our student who is deaf can access all of our lessons. This takes extra planning and preparation
as the lessons need to be prepared close to a week in advance. Claire is to be commended for the modifications she
makes to the curriculum to meet our autisitc student who has selective mutism.
During her time at Cornell, Claire has made an everlasting positive impact on students, parents and colleagues. She is an
integral part of our kindergarten team who plans lessons together as a grade level. Claire is very competent with
technology and sought out information for our hearing impaired student to spotlight his interpreter beside the teacher
on Zoom. I really appreciate and depend on Claire for her technical expertise whenever a parent or I have computer
problems.
After nearly twenty-nine years of teaching, I find Claire Hesseltine to demonstrate exceptional abilities to help children
achieve both academic and social growth. She is committed to the teaching profession and to the children whom she
works with.
I highly recommend Claire Hesseltine for a teaching position within Okemos Schools. I welcome the opportunity to talk
with you if you have any questions about Claire’s qualifications.
Sincerely,
Kris Schoen
Kindergarten Teacher
Cornell Elementary School
kris.schoen@okemosk12.net
517 706 5323
