Faculty Selection Committee: 

I am writing to indicate my interest in the academic support faculty position. I feel that I am a qualified candidate for this position as this letter will demonstrate. 

I have been a teacher of English Language Arts for 14 years. I have taught every secondary grade and students both low and high. Currently, I teach 1010 English in conjunction with Utah Valley University. This is a concurrent enrollment class with students earning credit for freshman English. 

In addition to this teaching experience, I also teach online for BYU-Idaho and have done so for about five years. Currently, I teach an English 106L--a class that has students from all over the world. I love teaching language learners.  As mentioned in my resume, I also have an English as a Second Language teaching endorsement.  Teaching online has made me very comfortable with all different types of technology.  

Recently, I was also hired as an English Language Arts specialist in my district.  I am one of only two people with this position.  Some school districts refer to this as a "literacy specialist" or a "literacy director." I do this part time while still teaching part time at my high school. This job is focused on curriculum development and new teacher mentoring. I also serve on a number of committees.  One committee focuses on reading intervention for secondary students.  This position has been a great opportunity to expand my teaching and leadership skills.

I have attached my most recent teaching evaluation from my administrator.  In my school district, there are three categories.  The highest is "highly effective" but administrators are not allowed to give this score in any category without attaching documentation to support it.  In practice, this means they rarely give this score as it requires substantial extra paper work.  However, you'll see that I am rated "highly effective" in some areas including from stakeholders (parents and students).  I am also attaching my BYU-Idaho teaching evaluation.  

Beyond these qualifications, I am passionate about education: I have three degrees in it!  I also love teaching high school. I feel that I am in a great position to apply for new jobs because I am in a good place professionally. However, I feel like it is time to try something new. I would like to advance my career in other areas of education which is why I am applying for this position.   

I am an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I believe in what BYU-Idaho is doing.  I would be excited to be part of its growth.  Thank you for taking the time to consider my qualifications. I hope to hear back from you about an interview. Thanks again for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Celeste Patrick