Colleague References

Sam Cook, Head of School

North Jakarta International School

28 August 2009

     It is my pleasure to write this letter of reference for Mr. Timothy Duncan. From January 2007 to the present, I have served as the Head of School and Tim’s direct supervisor at North Jakarta International School in Jakarta, Indonesia. The NJIS campus serves approximately 300 students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 10 using an American based curriculum with English as the language of instruction. Tim began his career at NJIS in August 2002 and is currently in his eighth year of employment at NJIS where he has taught self-contained classes in Grades 1 through 3 with an average class size of 18 students.

     For the past two school years, Tim has served on the administrative team as the Lower School Liaison. Along with a full time teaching load, the Lower School Liaison is responsible for facilitating Lower School meetings, serving as a WASC team leader, preparing the faculty duty roster, guiding Lower School teachers through collaborative school improvement discussions, organizing Lower School Assemblies, assisting with student discipline, and other leadership responsibilities as needed. This past school year, Tim worked with the faculty to streamline our assessment routine for greater efficiency, and he also created a new “FOCUS Reading Log” that is used school-wide during our FOCUS reading blocks. In each situation, Tim has conducted himself in a professional manner, carrying out his tasks efficiently and to the best of his ability.

     Tim has proven himself to be a meaningful addition to the educational environment at NJIS fulfilling his teaching, administrative, and extra curricular responsibilities with a positive attitude. He displayed flexibility and versatility in moving up to Grade 3 after spending his first three years at NJIS in Grade 2. In January of 2008, he was asked to move down to take over a Grade 1 class when a teacher left mid-year. The transition was smooth and the students progressed beautifully. He then returned to Grade 3 for the past two school years. In each of these settings, Tim did a fantastic job, crafting lesson plans that reflect the curriculum objectives, delivering quality instruction to his classes, and challenging his students to achieve high standards. Tim is well respected by the parent community and establishes positive and cooperative relationships with his students’ parents every year.

     Tim is a dedicated and well organized professional who commits himself to guiding students toward their personal best. He has a thorough understanding of the Lower School curriculum and encourages his students to dig deep into the study of the core subjects of Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies so that they will gain a greater appreciation of the world around them. His classes are always well planned and well disciplined and students respect his knowledge and expertise.

     It is evident that Tim believes that his educational vision continues beyond the classroom. He has been highly involved in the life of the school through activities and social events. He has served as the Student Council Advisor for Grades 1-5 and a coach for the Lower School Basketball and Soccer teams. He has also played active roles in organizing School-wide House Events and Community Service projects. He can often be found attending the NJIS Community Night Soccer or Basketball games, and he has been a consistent member of the NJIS Summer School program. In each setting Tim challenges the students to perform at high levels and sets quality standards that students work hard to achieve.

     Tim is also committed to his own professional growth, taking on various responsibilities each year to learn and grow. He recently completed his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University, which included a 12-week internship that Tim served at NJIS under my direct supervision. In addition, Tim has served as a WASC Focus Group Leader during our Accreditation process over the past two years and has also served on the school Social Committee to help bring the staff together for positive events. Tim is a teacher leader and mentor to younger staff members and works hard to improve the grade level curriculum each year.

     With his knowledge and expertise in dealing with students with special needs, Tim has also been a valuable resource at our Multidisciplinary Team Meetings regarding student case studies. He is a team player that has invested time, talents, and energy to ensure that the NJIS curricular and co-curricular programs remain a high priority at the school. Tim is a respected employee and a valuable member of the NJIS faculty.

     I believe that Timothy Duncan would be a fine addition to any educational environment and would offer leadership and guidance in many areas. He also has a promising future as a school administrator. I would gladly rehire Tim if given the opportunity. I strongly recommend him for a teaching or administrative position in your institution. Please feel free to contact me if further reference is needed.

Anna Rangkuti, Director of Student Services & Chairman of Board of Governors

North Jakarta International School

14 August 2009

     I am very happy to provide a letter of recommendation for Timothy Duncan.  I have known Timothy since August 2002, when he started his employment at North Jakarta International School as a Lower School teacher.  As I am not his direct supervisor, I do not have the privilege of observing his classroom in a formal teacher-evaluation setting.  Since this is a small school, however, I have the opportunity to work with him and observe him in his interactions with students both in and out of the classroom setting on many occasions.

     During his time at NJIS, Timothy taught students from Grade 1 to Grade 3.  Currently, he is teaching a Grade 3 class.  Timothy has shown to be an excellent educator.  He provides a positive and productive environment where you will find students engaged in their learning, and where the rules and routines are well established and followed by the students.  He sets his standards high, and his students work hard to meet these expectations.  The welfare of his students is always his priority, and Timothy is committed to knowing his students, building relationships with students, and treating each individual with respect.

     Timothy has an enormous amount of energy.  He is hard working, highly organized, friendly, personable, responsible, and compassionate.  He is extremely well organized, thorough in his planning, and follows through on necessary tasks.  Timothy loves teaching.  He has an excellent understanding of the developmental and instructional needs of all students.  He structures his classroom so that students understand the expectations.  He is flexible and enthusiastic and always willing to do what is needed for the good of the school.  Timothy spends many hours planning his instruction.  He is collaborative, planning with colleagues, and always differentiates to meet the needs of all students.

     Timothy has also been observed to respect the difference of cultures and age.  He contributes and actively participates in organizing a wide variety of activities and events at NJIS, and this has made him an invaluable contributor to the entire learning communities.  He also took on the responsibilities of organizing and supporting after school events, projects, and festivals, which adds life and vitality to our program throughout the year.

     Outside of his own self-contained classroom, Timothy has been involved in every aspect of school life.  He contributes a great deal of time on several committees and served as a team leader on our WASC accreditation committee.  For the past two years, Timothy has assumed the added responsibility of Lower School Liaison, a diverse and demanding job.  He shows his consistent and unselfish leadership in accomplishing tasks in a timely and effective manner. He schedules yard duties, organizes Lower School assemblies, helps teachers solve problem issues, chairs divisional meetings, and collaborates well to accomplish objectives such as simplifying the assessment routine and format used by the school and in instituting the new focus reading log.

     He is dedicated to ongoing professional growth, and attends workshops we offer on the NJIS campus every year.  Timothy completed his Master of Education/Education Administration degree from Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona.  Timothy took online courses towards a Master’s in Educational Administration.

     During the past five years, Timothy also taught academic enrichment to students in Grades 1-3 during our Summer School program, mid-June to mid-July.  I am the Summer School Coordinator.  He proved to be a meaningful addition to the educational environment of Summer School.  He consistently was able to craft and deliver strong, content bases lessons that encourage a high level of student engagement.  He addressed all instructions with patience, professionalism, and eagerness.  There were some students with a wide range of academic and behavioral needs, and Timothy was able to develop a comprehensive and strong program to meet the particular needs of these students, and his teaching style supported their language acquisition and made the students feel comfortable throughout the lessons.

     Mr. Duncan has a friendly and courteous disposition.  He is a dedicated professional and committed to the education of students.  His successful and productive experiences working here at North Jakarta International School, with faculty and students from around the world, demonstrate his ability and desire to work in an international setting.  His ability to adapt and function in any setting is good, and he has adjusted well to life overseas and, in particular, Jakarta.  Timothy fosters a strong and consistent home-school relationship, and the parents of his students are so pleased with his teaching and communication that he has been one of the most requested teachers at our school.  His teaching, coaching, leadership, and wide range of expertise would be an asset to any educational institution.  I strongly recommend Timothy Duncan without reservation to any school for a teaching or an administrative position.

Francois Taljaard, Athletics and Activities Coordinator

North Jakarta International School

11 February 2008

     It is my pleasure to write this letter of reference for Mr. Timothy Duncan. For the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years, I served as the Athletics and Activities Coordinator and Physical Education Teacher at North Jakarta International School. While in this position, I had the opportunity of working with Tim in planning all-school house competitions and observing him as he went about his teaching and extra-curricular activities.

     As a classroom teacher, Tim has mastered the art of making educational experiences for students both valuable and entertaining. Through his consistent efforts in integrating technology into the classroom, implementation of ESL friendly instructional practices, use of rubrics and a variety of learning experiences, and emphasis on independence, Tim’s students are engrossed in meaningful and relevant learning situations and approach these situations with a goal-oriented mindset. The quality character education that Tim implements in his classroom is evidenced by the superb behavior and desire to learn and perform that his students display throughout the school day.

     While working closely with Tim in planning all-school House Competitions, I was very impressed with his ability to optimistically and creatively collaborate with people in order to bring about positive changes to the culture of the school. His highly organized and detailed planning made for highly successful events in which everyone fully participated without loss of instructional or planning time for the teachers and students. The enjoyment of the staff and students alike during these events evidenced Tim’s ability to plan inclusively so that all populations within the school feel that sense of belongingness so vital for a healthy school community.

     In being a true leader and team player, Tim has taken on many extracurricular duties. He sponsors Lower School Student Council, in which students from Grade 1 to Grade 5 participate and focus on developing their leadership skills. He coaches lower school basketball, serves on the Social Committee, assists with community service initiatives, and is involved with WASC accreditation activities for the school. Tim is definitely a leader in the school; his actions speak for him in modeling professionalism at all times. I wholeheartedly recommend him for a position within your institution. With him, you are assured of a solid addition to your team.

Derek Markey, Teaching Partner

North Jakarta International School

26 June 2007

     It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Time Duncan. Tim has been working as an elementary grade teacher at North Jakarta International School for the last five years. During that time, we have been teaching colleagues, and for the 2004-2005 and 2006-2007 school years we have been teaching partners for the Grade 3 level. I have great respect for him as a fellow teacher, especially for the strong qualities he brings to his class and to the school.

     As a classroom teacher, Tim is extremely organized and goal-oriented. He puts a lot of time and effort into planning and creating class curriculum, often meeting with grade-level colleagues or conferring with the curriculum coordinator to help produce team-created plans. He sets very high standards for his class and helps his students to achieve their very best. Routines such as displaying overviews of each lesson for the students, organizing group activities that require students to learn and then teach class material to their fellow classmates, and fostering independent learning are just some of the excellent methods Tim consistently employs in his daily lessons.

     As well as his close rapport with his teaching team, Tim also provides strong collegial support to his fellow staff during whole school events. He actively participates in whole school activities from sports to fine arts performances, and he volunteers to help with large group activities. Events that Tim has personally coordinated for the whole school are activities such as the lip sync performance and a whole-school house competition. As part of his studies for his Masters in Administration, he also organized the teacher timetable for both Upper and Lower School. Tim is a great believer in effective communication, and he ensures that faculty, paraprofessionals, and other school team members are always well informed of pertinent details he relays during discussions and event plans.

     For the last four years, Tim has also been the Teacher Representative for the Lower School Student Council. Under his guidance, the Lower School Student Council has coordinated activities such as recycling awareness, school recreational events, and community service fund-raising drives.

I have enjoyed the professional and personal opportunity of working alongside Tim the past few years. He is a solid performer whose multi-leveled communication skills allow him to work cohesively with parents, teachers, students, and larger community alike. Attributes such as punctuality, being highly organized, flexibility, and his leadership qualities make him an outstanding person on staff. Tim Duncan would be a tremendous asset to any school, and I feel confident he could easily adapt his skills for any employment he so chooses. I wish Tim the very best in whatever occupation he may seek in the future.

Lucas Labaw, Athletics and Activities Coordinator

North Jakarta International School

5 June 2006

     It is with great pleasure and sincere wholeheartedness that I give this recommendation to Timothy Duncan. As an excellent teacher and fully deserving applicant, he would be a welcome addition to any school. As the school’s Athletics Director, Activities Coordinator, and Physical Education teacher, I have worked closely with Tim for the past two years on many levels of curricular and extra curricular activities at North Jakarta International School. Tim has surpassed all expectations given to him by putting his full dedication and enthusiasm into everything that he’s involved with. Tim is a very responsible, organized, creative and most importantly, an extremely caring person.

     Tim’s diversity, within the many different facets of curriculum that he has taught and coached, has allowed him to become a confident professional as well as a versatile educator. Tim is always willing to take on new challenges and responsibilities for the betterment of his students. He also played a vital role in coaching lower school sports, by coaching both basketball and soccer when the coaching staff at NJIS was shorthanded. Not only did Tim help the Athletics Department by filling some much-needed coaching roles, but he also was very successful with both programs. The student athletes that Tim coached made incredible strides in fundamental skill progression, which is vital for advancement in both of these sports, but more importantly they enjoyed themselves immensely.

     Among the many other important and time-consuming leadership roles that Tim already holds outside of the classroom, he will also be assuming the position of lower school student council director next year. This reiterates Tim’s well roundedness and commitment to being part of a team of educators. Tim’s professional relationships with his colleagues are both constructive and supportive.

Through the integration of professionalism and humor, Tim’s rapport with his students has been impeccable and was displayed every time his students arrived to my class. I also paid frequent visits to his classroom, where students were always on-task and engaged in positive learning situations.

     Tim is a highly organized individual who recognizes and accepts the commitment to be successful in anything that he does. He possesses the ability and dedication to undertake challenges and responsibilities, and most significantly, he truly cares about others. I cannot think of a person more deserving of position within your school.

Allan R. Forslund, Headmaster

North Jakarta International School

16 September 2004

     As the Headmaster at North Jakarta International School I write this letter of reference on behalf of Timothy Duncan. I have formally and informally observed and evaluated Timothy’s work as a Grade 2 and Grade 3 teacher the past three years.

     Mr. Duncan is a knowledgeable educator who has a solid understanding of the developmental and instructional needs of all students. He came to NJIS with a background in special education so his understanding and commitment to both the academic and affective domains critical in a primary years learning environment is clearly evident in his work with students. He is highly organized and experienced, yet is willing to learn and investigate new ideas in order to be successful.

     As part of the primary year’s team he has been involved in the development of the curriculum and instructional practices currently being used at the different Lower School grade levels. Mr. Duncan uses a highly organized teaching approach. The instructional material and assessments are usually centered around booklets or packets of resources that ensures an efficient and effective learning environment for his students. The students are immediately held accountable for the instructional material, and the curricular information that goes home becomes a direct communication link between the parents and the teacher. The learning objectives, gorals, and expectations are clearly defined with this method of instruction.

     Even though Grade 3 is Mr. Duncan’s present instructional commitment, he has been willing to take on responsibilities associated with Lower School sports activities and the supervision required during the Community Nights sponsored by the school.

     Mr. Duncan is a dependable and loyal member of the NJIS faculty. Timothy is a confident communicator and has no difficulty approaching parents or the administration when necessary. He is a dedicated educator who ensures his commitment to the students and his teaching responsibilities remains a personal priority.