April 23, 2018

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter of reference for Ms. Kali Santino as she applies for a teaching position. Kali will
graduate from Keene State College in May 2018 with her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood
Education and a minor in Communication Studies. Upon graduation Ms. Santino will be eligible for a
classroom teaching credential for infants/toddlers and preschoolers, from the NH Child Development
Bureau. The KSC Early Childhood Education program is fully approved by the State of NH and
nationally recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for
excellence in educator preparation. In my role as Professor of Early Childhood Education at Keene State
College, I supervised Ms. Santino during her practicum placement in a multi-age preschool classroom at
the Keene Head Start from January – May 2017. I also reviewed her learning experience plans and written
reflections, and provided feedback on her classroom teaching. Therefore my comments are based on my
actual observations and interactions with Ms. Santino.

During her practicum experience, Ms. Santino was professional in her interactions with children,
colleagues, families, and supervisors. Head Start serves children from low income backgrounds and
includes children with special needs in every classroom. Her placement classroom had a particularly
challenging group, both in terms of both behavior and family background. Ms. Santino’s classroom
management skills were strong at the outset, but she gained more confidence with large groups and with
those children exhibiting challenging behaviors. She became the ‘special teacher’ for several students
who were experiencing difficult family situations, providing support and reassurance when needed. Her
planned learning experiences were creative and designed with individual children’s learning needs in
mind. She also contributed to the assessments required in Head Start and was a strong member of the
classroom teaching team. She was successful in all aspects of teaching during this practicum experience.

Ms. Santino has had additional supervised teaching experiences, including placements in two special
education settings and a full-semester leadership teaching experience in the Keene State College Child
Development Center’s Toddler Room, where she supported family engagement and took responsibility
for curriculum and assessment, health and safety, classroom management and child guidance. In addition
to her academic and practicum work, Ms. Santino played varsity women’s soccer all four years of college,
and worked as a counselor and assistant coach for children and youth enrolled in the KSC Summer Soccer
Camps. This experience taught her to focus, persevere, challenge herself, and to trust her teammates. Her
experiences both on and off the field will carry over into her classroom and staff relationships.

Ms. Santino is energetic and enthusiastic and relates well with children, families, and colleagues. She will
be a positive asset to your program, and I encourage you to consider her application carefully. Please
contact me via email if you desire additional information about Ms. Santino.

Sincerely,

Dottie Bauer

Dottie Bauer, EdD

Professor Emerita, Early Childhood Education
Keene State College
dbauer@keene.edu