Dear Ms. Cline,

As the school year is wrapping up, we wanted to express our gratitude for inviting Mrs. Bellagamba back to Tatem as a long-term substitute this year. As parents, we appreciate her experience as an educator and her personal dedication to our children. Therefore, we are writing to express our enthusiasm and support that she will be a permanent part of the Tatem community next year.

Mrs. Bellagamba is a valuable resource and her experience aligns directly with Haddonfield School District's recently adopted Strategic Goals including: Socio-Emotional Learning, Cultural Competency and Contemporary Teaching and Learning.

As an example, she addresses socio-emotional learning by teaching her students resilience and compassion throughout the year. She has incorporated reading selections that reflect themes including good citizenship, persistence, inclusion and those that honor diversity. She includes these lessons organically and incorporates them daily into the classroom.

Additionally, she addressed cultural competency within her reading selections, intentionally highlighting books that featured diverse communities and characters who have faced adversity. This led to thoughtful classroom discussions which students have carried home. This aligns directly with the work of the Community Partners for Equitable and Inclusive Education which has been meeting throughout the school year.

As to her experience within Contemporary Teaching and Learning, Mrs. Bellagamba implements a balanced literacy framework and she uses Lucy Calkins units of study to supplement other materials used in class.

As parents of children at Tatem, we are stakeholders in the quality of teachers our children have and in the positive experiences our children have in the classroom.

Retaining quality, experienced educators such as Mrs. Bellagamba, is in the best interest of our children, especially when their teaching philosophy is in line with the District's Goals. We are concerned with Tatem’s history of high teacher turnover and the recent data, per the Board of Education, that has demonstrated that Tatem test scores are significantly lower than the other elementary schools in town. We see Mrs. Bellagamba as a step toward changing the narrative for Tatem and look forward to seeing her in school next year.

Sincerely,