Science Tutor with 8 years of experience, a MA in Biology, & a Professionally Licensed

I am pleased to be able to write this letter of recommendation on behalf of Michael Ress. Over the past four academic years, I worked closely with Mike on curriculum development, design, and planning for both Biology and Environmental Science at Burlington High School. Additionally, I was Mike’s co-advisor for Students for Environmental Action, a student club dedicated to environmental issues both in the school and the Burlington community. During this time, I had the opportunity to get to know Michael both as an educator and as a friend.

During Mike’s second year of teaching at Burlington High School, I collaborated with him to pioneer an outdoor lab designed to engage students in their local, natural environment as well as to develop science skills and competencies. The lab focused on the identification of native species of birds and plants as well as allowing for the development of important science skills such as observation, data collection, and data analysis. Throughout the planning and implementation of the project, Mike proved to be diligent, creative, and inventive; he was easy to work with and open to new ideas. Together, we created a successful and engaging hands-on learning experience for our students

Over the four years that we worked together, Mike developed a library of inventive and inspiring lessons for all of his classes. All of his lessons included strong auditory, visual, and kinesthetic elements in order to reach all of his students. Additionally, Mike was consistently updating his lessons to include the latest research or real-world example to make topics more engaging for his classes. Mike has a natural curiosity and appreciation for the sciences which was infectious in his classroom.

Mike was also the lead advisor for the student extracurricular club, Students for Environmental Action. I assisted Mike in overseeing this club made up of approximately 20 students who raised awareness on environmental issues in the school and community. Mike helped the students implement recycling programs within the school and began both a marker and battery recycling campaign. Moreover, Mike inspired the students to enact legislation for instating a plastic bag ban for the town of Burlington. Mike’s impact and legacy at the school will remain even though he is no longer teaching.

In closing, Michael was a diligent and ambitious educator who inspired innumerous students with his creative and engaging lessons. I strongly believe that Michael will make a worthy addition to your curriculum design and planning team. Should you have any questions, I invite you to contact me at the number or email address below.


Sincerely,

Jill Graham
Life Science Educator
Burlington High School

Since arriving at Leominster, Mr. Ress has proven himself to be a valuable member of our department. The first impression that he left on me was the sheer tenacity in his desire to educate his audience, where he would put in many hours perfecting demonstrations and labs to ensure his students grasped the concepts that he was teaching. His hard work and dedication has definitely paid off, as I have had many of Mr. Ress’s former students in my physics courses. I believe that one of his greatest abilities is that he sees the immense potential in some students that they themselves do not see. For example, he recommended and pushed for some of his general chemistry students to move into an Honors Physics course, where those same students are now in my AP Physics course. I believe that this speaks volumes to the careful attention he pays to his students.

I have enjoyed working with Mr. Ress in other capacities around the high school as well. He has always volunteered himself to assist in any role at our school’s science fair, and at the annual Mole Day celebration put on by the chemistry teachers. Mr. Ress and I have collaborated on the subject of vertically aligned labs, where we have integrated ideas of biology and physics into our respected classrooms. Overall, it has been a pleasure to work with Mr. Ress, and I am proud to call him a colleague and a close friend. In closing, I give my highest recommendation to Mr. Ress.

Sincerely,

Thomas
Physics Teacher and Science Department Head

It is with great honor that I write on behalf of a trusted colleague, and - as I can now claim after many years of professional collaboration - a dear friend, Michael Ress. Were I ever asked to conjure up the image of an immaculate and dynamic communicator of scientific concept, Michael would be the first to come to mind. His ability to make science palatable for the young and old alike through relevant analogies, examples, and demonstrations, is absolutely awe-inspiring. Undoubtedly, observing Michael reach even the most reluctant of learners through his passion for the subject and his innate understanding of what motivates learning, inspired my own professional practice.
I have had the privilege of working with Michael in several capacities over the years; as a special education co-teacher in his Biology inclusion classroom, and as curriculum collaborators. The most notable undertaking, and one which provides testament to Michael’s dedication to improving his practice, was our joint effort to create flipped learning modules. The drive for this collaborative effort was born of Michael’s frustration with the lack of time left in a short class period for student-centered exploration of scientific concepts taught in class. In short, 10 minutes is not enough time for a comprehensive labs, demos, or projects. Michael and I worked together to create a series of video lessons that delivered the same classroom content with engaging visual accompaniment, so that we had ample class time for project-based exploration. Put succinctly, Michael’s ability to employ self-reflection and collaborate to improve his practice is unparalleled.
Over the course of our co-teaching, I have come to know Michael as one of the more perspicacious and conscientious minds in his field; supremely dedicated to his craft and, for that matter, toward anything he sets his mind to. In large part, this is a corollary to his insatiable appetite for learning. In my experience, no one better encapsulates the concept of lifelong learning than Michael. Indeed, it is his love of learning which makes him such an outstanding educator.
It is clear that Michael’s self-reflection, desire to continue learning, and his ability to ignite a passion for the sciences in the even the most unlikely participants, will be invaluable assets to whatever falls within his purview. For these reasons - and more than I could possibly inscribe here - it is with utmost confidence and enthusiasm that I recommend Michael Ress