Dear Isabella,
You were three years old when I first met you as a PK-3 teacher of the Blue Fish classroom at KIPP Dream Prep. You were in the class right next to mine with the orange door, the Orange Tigers. I remember how happy you were and your dimples smiling up at everyone as you entered and exited school each day. You were like a ray of sunshine. I also remember that you broke your arm that year, right around the time of our Discover Our Dreams Play and it went perfect with your costume because you were a crab! Everyone thought you were completely adorable! Even then, I knew you were special.
We next crossed paths when I got promoted to Kindergarten and you became my student as a Florida Gator. That year, you came in already reading basic words (on a DRA 6- end of Kindergarten reading level), already surpassing the levels of your peers and I saw such potential! That year, you ended up reading at a DRA 30 (3rd grade level) by the time the year came to an end and I was so proud and amazed by your progress that I shared it with the entire school! During that year and with your help, I was able to launch the "Dream Fluency Folders" for the entire school so we all can see the kind of results that I had seen with the Gators. Did you know that you were part of the reason that the DFFs got started?
Then I had the incredible opportunity to get to know you as your 2nd grade teacher in the Clemson Tiger classroom. The amount of growth that you have made this year is, until now, unheard of by any teacher. In MAP, you came in reading at a 6th grade level and left reading at an 11th grade level (that's 5 grade levels!) and in Istation you went from a 261 (already off the chart as 243 is considered end of 3rd grade) to a 401! No student in the history of Dream has ever gotten to 300, let alone 400! We actually didn't know that you could get that high! Not to mention that you beat the entire school in AR points (ending the year with almost 300 points!). Academically, you have soared this year and some of your potential has been realized. However, socially you have soared as well. You made a ton of friends, tried things that you were too scared to try before (that tire swing!), and even joined choir when you have trouble speaking in front of crowds.
This year, I got to see the maturation of an incredible young lady who I feel honored to have influenced in some way. Remember what I told you about pursuing things in life for the experience and not the win, for failure can oftentimes be a better teacher than success. Continue to question everything, continue to grow and push yourself outside of your comfort zone, and I know you are going to have a phenomenal life!
I will always remember you, and think of you often. I truly hope that we can keep in touch and when you graduate (which I hope you do sooner than you even expect!) I want an invitation! Thank you Isabella for being my student and my inspiration to prove the possible for all students.
Love,
Ms. Christina Leff
You were three years old when I first met you as a PK-3 teacher of the Blue Fish classroom at KIPP Dream Prep. You were in the class right next to mine with the orange door, the Orange Tigers. I remember how happy you were and your dimples smiling up at everyone as you entered and exited school each day. You were like a ray of sunshine. I also remember that you broke your arm that year, right around the time of our Discover Our Dreams Play and it went perfect with your costume because you were a crab! Everyone thought you were completely adorable! Even then, I knew you were special.
We next crossed paths when I got promoted to Kindergarten and you became my student as a Florida Gator. That year, you came in already reading basic words (on a DRA 6- end of Kindergarten reading level), already surpassing the levels of your peers and I saw such potential! That year, you ended up reading at a DRA 30 (3rd grade level) by the time the year came to an end and I was so proud and amazed by your progress that I shared it with the entire school! During that year and with your help, I was able to launch the "Dream Fluency Folders" for the entire school so we all can see the kind of results that I had seen with the Gators. Did you know that you were part of the reason that the DFFs got started?
Then I had the incredible opportunity to get to know you as your 2nd grade teacher in the Clemson Tiger classroom. The amount of growth that you have made this year is, until now, unheard of by any teacher. In MAP, you came in reading at a 6th grade level and left reading at an 11th grade level (that's 5 grade levels!) and in Istation you went from a 261 (already off the chart as 243 is considered end of 3rd grade) to a 401! No student in the history of Dream has ever gotten to 300, let alone 400! We actually didn't know that you could get that high! Not to mention that you beat the entire school in AR points (ending the year with almost 300 points!). Academically, you have soared this year and some of your potential has been realized. However, socially you have soared as well. You made a ton of friends, tried things that you were too scared to try before (that tire swing!), and even joined choir when you have trouble speaking in front of crowds.
This year, I got to see the maturation of an incredible young lady who I feel honored to have influenced in some way. Remember what I told you about pursuing things in life for the experience and not the win, for failure can oftentimes be a better teacher than success. Continue to question everything, continue to grow and push yourself outside of your comfort zone, and I know you are going to have a phenomenal life!
I will always remember you, and think of you often. I truly hope that we can keep in touch and when you graduate (which I hope you do sooner than you even expect!) I want an invitation! Thank you Isabella for being my student and my inspiration to prove the possible for all students.
Love,
Ms. Christina Leff
