June 28, 2019

To Whom It May Concern,

It is with honor that I write this letter in strong support of Alix Rives’ application. I have had the opportunity to cultivate
a relationship with Alix during the Fall 2018 semester as her Professor through the Loyola Marymount University/ Teach
For America Northern California Partnership Program. I have served as Alix’s Professor in her Graduate level course
EDUR 6600: Assessment of Students with Exceptional Needs in fulfillment of the California State Teaching Credential in
Mild to Moderate Disabilities. I highly endorse her application and upon review of the requisite skills, I am very
pleased to recommend Alix to you without reservation.

In addition to serving as Alix’s Professor, I have had the opportunity to witness Alix’s growth as a first year Special
Education Teacher at Reef Sunset Middle School in Avenal, California. Alix taught a Special Day Class (SDC) for 6th-8th
grade student with disabilities, and, throughout her tenue this first year, I have seen her professional growth both in
and outside the classroom. During her first year, Alix learned to overcome the challenges of teaching a self-contained
special education class, along with the many challenges of being a first-year teacher and full time Graduate student.
Inside the classroom, I have seen her develop relationships with students, implement new behavior management
strategies, advocate for access to better resources for her students, shape and reshape instructional strategies and
implement “stations” to improve the outcomes for her students. She also demonstrated proficiency in solving the unique
challenges that arise in a Special Day Class setting such as differentiating instruction for more than fifteen students,
managing a complex caseload, and navigating the interpersonal relationships between the students that have existed
long before she started teaching at Reef Sunset Middle School. At the beginning of the school year, Alix showed a great
desire to know her students and their needs, and she managed to accomplish this and form genuine relationships with
her students, along with a deep understanding of their specific needs and strengths, which she leverages when designing
and implementing lessons. She continually seeks opportunities for improvement and growth, and frequently seeks
feedback to improve her practice. Alix is always open to suggestions and is eagar to learn new strategies and techniques
to not only help improve her practice, but, to ultimately transform the educational experience of her students.

Given Alix’s intense schedule as an Intern teacher and Graduate student, I was also continually impressed with her
dedication to her coursework and program after more than a fifteen-hour workday. She continually sought out
knowledge and feedback to improve her teaching practice and it was evident that her academic investment translated to
tangible outcomes in the classroom, as she was able to change the trajectory of the population of students in which she
served at Reef Sunset Middle School. Alix also invested her limited time to cultivate relationships with Faculty, which
demonstrated her dedication to the program and efforts to establish rapport with Faculty were appreciated and served
as a reminder of her commitment towards professional development and autonomy of learning. Alix approaches her
work with positivity, excitement, and a genuine desire to improve. She has demonstrated perseverance through the
enormous challenge she was faced with each day serving students at a high risk middle school in Avenal, California.

I believe Alix’s intention of developing innovative, relevant, and effective classroom practices and her knowledge in the
field and combined with her impressive background experiences will have a vast and sustainable impact positively affecting
students, teachers, classrooms, schools, and communities. If you have any questions or if I am able to further assist in
support of her application, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Warmly,

Lauren Bechtol, Ed.S; M.A.