2135 Mountain View Road Stafford, VA 22556 Phone: 540-658-6840 FAX: 540 - 658-6855
Dr. Jim Stemple, Jr. Principal Melissa Hilderbrand Assistant Principal Greg Margheim Assistant Principal Tammy Houk Assistant Principal Mark Smith Assistant Principal
January 9, 2011 To whom it may concern : I am writing in reference to Lindsey Bruno. She is representing North Stafford High School in Stafford County, Virgin ia for Teacher of the Year. I have had the privilege to work with Mrs. Bruno since she came to Stafford as a new teacher in 2005 - 2006. I have been impressed with her work ethic, musicality and professionalism since her arrival here. She continues to improve in every undertaking, excelling in every endeavor and inspiring both her students and her peers. I first met Mrs. Bruno when she was interviewing for the choral position at NSHS. She visited the classroom and was given an opportunity to work with the students. She had immediate rapport with them, and the students responded well to her instruction. Her enthusiasm for music was contagious and her ability to convey her musical knowledge was clear from the very beginning. From that impressive beginning, she has continued to grow into an even more phenomenal educator. She has earned her Master's degree from VCU and has begun receiving requests to serve as a guest clinician for choirs in our local area. This is evidence that her reputation as an outstanding educator has spread far beyond the walls of NSHS. Mrs. Bruno is faithful in her attendance at all professional meetings and has stepped up to serve in leadership positions . She has chaired All-District Chorus auditions for the past several years and has done a phenomenal job. She works well with her peers, bringing a great attitude to a sometimes frustrating job. Anyone who has had the opportunity to work with her will attest to her outstanding organizational skills, her ability to be diplomatic with those who don't get their paperwork in on time, and her overall positive outlook and ability to be encouraging at all times. She is always a pleasure to work with. She possesses a great deal of knowledge in the field of music, enhanced by her participation in performing ensembles. She is a member and soloist with The Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg, a local and well respected ensemble. She continues to improve her ability by both furthering her own education and performing in outstanding ensembles. I think Mrs. Bruno truly excels, of course, in the classroom. She exemplifies professionalism in all her dealings with her students. I think this is particularly impressive given her age. Many times new teachers tend to err by being too friendly in an effort to get students to like them . Mrs. Bruno did not make this mistake. Although occasionally students have come to her concerning something personal , she does a great job encouraging them and sending them to the right place for any assistance they may need. Her classroom management is exemplary. I have visited Mrs. Bruno occasionally and seen her working with her students. They are attentive and eager to learn from her. Her students consistently excel at county, district and state-wide auditions. This, combined with the respect her students show to her and to one another, shows what an exceptional educator Mrs. Bruno truly is.
Sincerely,
Bonita S. Keene Director of Choral Activities 2135 Mountain View Rd Stafford, VA 22556 540-658-6840 wildcatschorus@yahoo.com