I am writing this letter of recommendation with regards to Jamie Chenault’s application for your Instructional Technology Coordinator position in your school system. In the few short years that I have known and worked with Jamie in various capacities, she has continuously shined and been an Ed-Tech leader who works tirelessly to help others become better educators and students.

In my capacity as the Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS) Field Staff person for Central Kentucky, Jamie has become a valued and trusted advisor for many in the school districts I work with as well as a resource I often turn to. Whether it is leading professional growth opportunities for other Digital Learning Coaches and CIOs or working one-on-one with peers to help them learn new educational practices with technology, Jamie is a true leader.

As part of the Central Kentucky Area Technology Coordinators (CKATC) group of Ed- Tech leaders which is made up of 22 school districts, Jamie has worked selflessly to support and provide resources for peers across Central Kentucky and to model positive ways to support classroom teachers. A great example of this is her willingness to share self-created learning modules within Google Classroom with Digital Learning Coaches in other districts so that they can model her approach to professional growth for classroom teachers. Never once has Jamie shied away from helping when asked.

Jamie also finds time to nurture her own professional growth. She can regularly be found either leading or participating in Twitter Professional Learning Communities where she has become a well respected voice not just in Kentucky, but a much wider audience due to Twitter’s global reach. I often see her spending several hours commenting, sharing and participating in online PLCs into the late hours of the evening. While many people may find it hard to balance this extensive professional life with their personal life, Jamie has also found time to ensure her family enjoys time together — her dedication to faith, husband and her children is so very visible and important to her.

As a School Board Member of the Nelson County Schools where she currently works
and as a parent of a high school student I have also seen firsthand her commitment to district staff — certified and classified — in support of their personal growth with Ed-Tech tools. A perfect example of this is her work with teachers, administrators and support staff to further their learning through becoming Google Level 1 & 2 Certified Educators and the time spent in classrooms around the district working hand in hand to model best practices in teaching. Her work and support in this area even pushed me to become Google Level 1 Certified so that I was “walking the walk” and not just talking about personal growth.

This commitment didn’t stop with staff in the Nelson County Schools. She also works with students and their teachers from across the district to encourage student growth by them becoming experts at the use of the Google Suite of collaboration tools. The excitement that Jamie has built within staff and these students provides expertise within schools to support continued learning goals by both staff and students. That even included my own son who she supported in his pursuit of his Google Level 1 Certified Educator designation and then provided leadership opportunities for him to share and support younger students within the district as they worked to expand their skills with collaborative tools.

Jamie Chenault is a rare person and a truly humble and caring soul. She doesn’t look for accolades, awards or recognitions. She simply goes about her day with the goal to help others become better versions of themselves. Whether it is her extensive knowledge of how to use Ed-Tech tools to collaborate and change the learning environment for students or simply showing care for peers through positive support, Jamie would be an invaluable asset to any school district.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any further questions or would like additional insight into what Jamie brings to work with her every day.