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March 3, 2019

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter is to highly recommend Erin Croix for a Multiple Subjects teaching position in your district.
Throughout the time I worked closely with Erin, she demonstrated outstanding character, commitment to
exploring issues of equity, and a passion for education and student development that I believe will make
her a valuable asset to your district.

Erin began her work with Jumpstart at UC Berkley first as a Corps Member where she delivered high-
quality early literacy services to young children in a Head Start preschool in Oakland. She was
simultaneously hired as a Field Management Intern at Jumpstart’s regional office in San Francisco where
Erin analyzed data across multiple departments while supporting the development of an innovative
program in Arizona. It is rare for Corps members to hold positions in Jumpstart’s regional office while in
service, and when it does occur it is reserved for those who come highly recommended by their
supervising Program Manager. Erin’s ability to simultaneously manage a full time class load (graduating
cum laude), work 10-12 hours per week as a Corps member, and hold an internship at Jumpstart’s
regional office speaks to her remarkable ability to not only manage a heavy workload but to shine while
doing so. Erin truly is the cream of the crop.

Erin’s interest in child development and passion for education, especially serving low-income & high-
need children, is evident in her subsequent work as a Site Coordinator at Reading Partners and then her
return to Jumpstart as the Program Manager for the Jumpstart site at University of Southern California. I
supervised Erin for nearly two years in her role as Program Manager for Jumpstart where she: recruited,
trained, and managed forty college student Corps members (including seven team leaders) to implement
early literacy services; developed partnerships with early education centers; and strategically strengthened
the USC-Jumpstart partnership with higher education stakeholders. I was consistently impressed by Erin’s
ability to not only excel in this demanding role but to create opportunities to go above and beyond in
order to address the unique needs of children, families, and teachers. Erin did so by training Corps
members and adapting the Jumpstart program to be customized to the unique needs of each classroom,
such as: providing supplemental resources for dual-language learners, experimenting with techniques to
support classroom management in response to children experiencing trauma or with special needs,
expanding upon materials sent home to families in order to extend children’s learning, and adapting the
program model in response to the varying degrees of teacher support available in the classrooms hosting
Jumpstart activities. Erin took a strong program model to an entirely new level, not because it was
required, but purely due to her passion & commitment to the community she served in this position. Erin
was in the Program Manager role for two years, but the level of innovation and adaption that she
implemented in the program far surpassed her tenure.

Erin also demonstrated dedication to exploring and addressing equity through the many facets that the
Jumpstart program brought together: children, students, classrooms, schools, and the community. She
regularly practices critical reflection – evaluating and improving systems, training, and partnerships. For
example, Erin revamped the standard performance review process to engage parties in a more holistic
process including horizontal and vertical feedback. Erin also transformed the Corps member training
series: adapting existing training, creating new content, drawing down additional research, and bringing in
guest speakers. As a result, the training sequence immersed Corps members in anti-bias methodology,
helped them develop an understanding of positionality, and sought to break down the savior complex
often associated with college students serving low-income communities. Erin brought the community into
these efforts by inviting local teachers to a day-long training event that is usually exclusive to Corps
members. This not only provided them with access to additional professional development but also
created a stronger partnership. Erin honored the individual learning styles and adapted to the needs of
both children being served and the Corps members she trained. Outside of the training space, Erin
challenged students to reflect on their daily practices in the classroom and transform them by using
positive reinforcement, positive language, and recognizing students for their strengths rather than their
challenges. Lastly, Erin joined Jumpstart’s Family Engagement focus group, which led to a more
balanced approach to engaging families based in assets rather than deficits that is now being implemented
across the entire national network. These are just a few of several practical ways in which Erin sought to
address issues of equity and to foster an integrated, whole-community approach to supporting students in
grade equivalency achievement.

I cannot speak more highly of Erin’s character and ethics. Erin modeled and in turn shaped the program at
USC into an environment that is transparent, reflective, collaborative, innovative, and continuously
learning - all while still being fun! Erin is open to ongoing improvement and goes out of her way to be
supportive of others, for example – she created an independent workgroup of Program Managers to share
training innovations. Later, only in her second program year in the role, Erin reached out to all new
Program Managers in Los Angeles to create a safe space online to ask questions, act as a resource, and
explore ideas amongst peers. Erin’s reputation is one of excellence. She is incredibly responsible and
trustworthy. Erin was the first Program Manager I recommended for work groups and I regularly sought
her input.

Overall, Erin was an exceptional employee and colleague during my time supervising her, and the depth
of her commitment to education is illustrated everyday through her actions. Based on the above
experiences, I am highly recommending her for your district, and I believe she will excel as an elementary
teacher in your district and will have continued success as a professional. If you have any questions or
need further elaboration, please feel free to contact me at christine@galileo-learning.org or 310.745.8373.

Sincerely,

Christine L. Manley
Program Director (former)