Chaparral High School

DATE: May 5, 2007

TO: Phillip Roy, Inc.

FM: Patricia J. Billins

RE: Permission to use as reference

MESSAGE:Dear Dr. Phil Roy:

After effectively using the Life Skills and Character Education materials over the past year, it is critical that i share with you and your staff exactly what difference I have witnessed with our Special Day Class students. Their wide range of abilities will be easily recognized as you read each of the letters I have enclosed. However, the common thread throughout all of my junior and senior students is the knowledge they need and gain from working through the individual life lessons. The majority of the lessons are selected by the students, and then he or she works independently using the CD. I have a few students who prefer to use the workbook format, and I present whole group lessons on occasion. The engagement of students to the lesson being presented coupled with their understanding of each of the many meaningful lessons is unsurpassed by any other program I have utilized. The ability to work independently on lessons specific to their needs (based on the extremely useful pre and post-assesment) is empowering to students and directly related to transition goals and objectives that we must afford our SDC students within the curriculum.

The Vocational Academic Curriculum (VAC) was purchased the end of last year and used in classes beginning last September. As many of our students find or look at fast food jobs within the area, I initially had everyone go through the Food Services read and language units. The hook that keeps them working through the booklets with and without assistance is the direct relationship to a vocational field of personal interest. Everyone is interested in at least one of the fourteen areas and is able to self check their answers and responses as they work through a booklet. Again, having a choice over how to gain the necessary basic skills in reading and writing is empowering and relevant to the "real world" which they are soon to be entering! Remediation and approaches to teaching necessary concepts can be boring and without application for many special education students, but with the VAC materials there has been renewed interest and enthusiasm. That spark of enthusiasm is critical for both the student and teacher. The VAC materials have provided an important and necessary applicable component for our SDC English curriculum.

Last but not least, it has been a noteworthy pleasure to do business with a man and his company who truly has, as his priority, the best interest of our special education students at heart. I cannont thank you enough for your understanding and generosity. On behalf of my students and myself, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Sincerely,

Patricia J. Billins
Special Day Class Teacher 9 -12