2409 37th Street

Des Moines, IA 50310

March 15, 2020

To Whom It May Concern:

In my time as an elementary school educator, I have always been dedicated to building strong
relationships with my students and their families and crafting meaningful educational
experiences that help all students to reach their full potential. I would love to continue this work
in as an elementary teacher in your school. It would give me the opportunity to provide you with
strong leadership skills, a passionate approach to helping children love learning, and
collaboration skills when working with both staff and families.

My qualifications include 5 and a half years of elementary school teaching experience and a
BA in Elementary Education from Loras College with endorsements in Early Childhood, Special
Education, and Reading. Most recently. Most recently, I completed an endorsement in English as
a Second Language through Morningside College. I have experience working in a variety of
settings where I have demonstrated strong classroom management, incorporated technology as a
tool to differentiate my lessons, and effectively collaborated with peers and families. These
experiences include student teaching in Early Access and 3rd grade, working with K-8th grade
ESL students in a clinical this fall, and 5 and a half years teaching 4th and 5th grade students at St.
Joseph’s School.

In my current position at St. Joseph’s School, I have gained experience working with diverse
groups of students with a variety of educational needs. I have provided effective instruction that
engages students in multidisciplinary learning experiences that meet Common Core standards,
established and implemented clear classroom expectations to create a positive learning
environment, and actively collaborated with families and school staff to best meet the individual
needs of my students. Additionally, I have taken on a variety of leadership roles, which include
being a member of our school’s PBIS team, engaging in PLCs, and helping to implement and run
our school’s 1:1 Chromebook program. This school year, I have also led professional
development for our staff on meeting the needs of English language learners in the classroom
and was awarded our school’s annual mentorship award. These experiences have further instilled
a passion for teaching life-long learners that I would love to be able to bring to your school
community.

I am very excited at the possibility of joining your staff for the 2020-2021 school year. If you
feel that someone with my qualifications would be a beneficial addition to your school
community, I would love to set up a time to meet with you and discuss it further. I can be
contacted either by phone at (815)-222-5797 or by email at eliz.horihan@gmail.com. Thank you
for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Ahrens