March 21, 2016 To Whom It May Concern: It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter of reference for Ms. Lucy Dawson because, in doing so, I am, essentially, saying goodbye to an absolute gem of an educator. Lucy has been an integral part of the McDonogh community since the fall of 2011 when she joined us as an English teacher, advisor, and coach of cross country and girls’ soccer. More recently, she has served as a 10th grade team leader and mentor to new faculty. She is recognized by all as a ray of sunshine with her positive attitude and demeanor, and she is respected by both students and faculty for her effective coaching throughout the writing process and her creativity in curriculum development and unit design. Lucy exhibits an incredible commitment to growing professionally through participation in workshops, summer institutes, and learning teams on topics ranging from PBL to diversity. While it is clear that we will miss her professionalism as a colleague, it is her heart and dedication to service that could, quite possibly, be irreplaceable. She serves as our Upper School Character Coordinator, and it is her vision that has created our rich and sustainable relationships with PlayWorks and Baltimore Station. Additionally, she brings us joy on a daily basis, most notably seen recently at the faculty-student basketball during which she demonstrates perennially that “she's got game!” How can one find another Lucy Dawson? Impossible! I suspect it may take several people to fill the void she creates in our Upper School. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to call her our colleague, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors. The next stop in her journey as an educator is one fortunate school to have acquired an English teacher as compassionate, joyful, and talented as she is. What a treasure! If you have any questions or would like to discuss Lucy in more detail, please feel free to contact me via email at mlivermore@mcdonogh.org or by phone at 443-544-7401. All the best,

Merritt Livermore Head of the Upper School