I feel particularly adequate to the task of commenting on Ms. Owen's expertise within the context of her time at Coleman Alternative Education Center, for Ms. Owen was an integral part of my own experience at Coleman. Throughout the two years that I worked as a reading teacher there, Ms. Owen acted as a consistent source of assistance and support, certainly for me personally, but also for the other teachers, students, and parents at Coleman Alternative School. Perhaps above all, her dedication to the students was most remarkable, as she responded to their various needs with urgency, patience, and an exceeding generosity. Ms. Owen was literally the first person to greet me each morning because as secretary, her office was located at the front entrance of the school. But this frontal location speaks to the importance of her position, for she was often one of the first staff members expected to respond to any number of happenings at Coleman as they occurred throughout the day. In so far as it relates to the ease of my own experience at Coleman, Ms. Owen addressed any logistical issues that I required assistance with, whether a larger task such as ensuring that an adequate substitute was assigned and prepared for teaching in the event of my absence, or securing all necessary signatures for a forthcoming field trip. But she also was diligent with even the smallest of tasks, such as ensuring that every child had a pencil in hand before class. While she was occupied with many of the quotidian tasks of the middle school such as forms and faxes, her position was a unique and difficult one because she was one of the first to deal with knottier situations that arose from time to time. Talking to parents before they met with the principal or with teachers like me was one of her main tasks and one she handled with grace and calm. She was able to delicately address the needs of the parent in order to prepare them for their meetings with teachers and ensure that these interactions proceeded smoothly. Such interactions proved her to be comforting, professional, and dedicated. Above all, though, Ms. Owen s dedication to students is perhaps most notable. I will personally never forget her involvement with the cheerleading team, as she volunteered to help assist me with coaching the incipient squad after school hours on her own time. In her capacity as school secretary, she proved herself a generous and kind leader.

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