March 24, 2016

To Whom it May Concern,

Im honored to write this recommendation on behalf of Saraswoti Shinkle! Swoti was paired up with me for her PDS, or
Professional Development Schooling, through our district as she finalized her coursework to become a licensed secondary
teacher. In the short time I worked with Swoti I saw a woman whose kindness, strong compassion, ethics, and sense of humor
drive her to better the lives of those around her. She will undoubtedly enrich the lives of her future students.
Swoti taught several lessons to my MYP Seminar class last semester, the first being instruction on stage fright and how to speak
in front of the class and maintain eye contact throughout a speech. The students were nervously preparing for their first speech
of the year, about their future careers, and right at the beginning of the lesson Swoti brought in her personal experience with
stage fright and her strategies to overcome her public speaking fears; immediately it was evident the students appreciated this
new teacher being so candid and open with them about something they all struggle with, and it helped them relate to her right
away. She clearly enjoyed the kids and began to form relationships with them from then on. The class responded to her well and
was sad to see her go at the end of her coursework.
Perhaps even more importantly, I want to attest to Swotis strong character. A student confided in her concerning some heavy
issues she was dealing with at home; Swoti knew right away to report it to me and administration, following the appropriate
channels. I was proud that she presented herself in such a way that a student would go to her with a problem, and that she
passed it on in such a graceful and mature way. The students appreciated her and she is well on her way to forming even deeper
relationships with her own future students. She is firm but fair; she knows when to goof around and kid with them and when to
be serious.
I have no doubt that her short time at Poudre High School, her extensive time student teaching at Kindard Core Knowledge
Middle School, and her coursework at Colorado State have paved the way for her success as a teacher in your school. Thank
you for considering Swoti!

Monique Cassidy
Language Arts/International Baccalaureate/FRCC Concurrent Enrollment
moniquec@psdschools.org
720.936.9156