Department of English
Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School
590 Lavender Road
Athens, GA 30606
June 13, 2006
Dr. Mary Ann Fitzgerald
Graduate Coordinator
Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology
604 Aderhold Hall
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
Dear Dr. Fitzgerald:
My name is Darren Rhym, and I am the Chair of the English and Religion Departments at
Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School, here in Athens, Georgia. I have been at
Donovan since its inception in 2003 and I have been teaching in classrooms up and down
the East Coast for nearly seventeen years. In my time at Donovan and certainly at the
many other colleges, universities, and high schools at which I have taught, I have met
many professors and teachers. Some have been incredibly skilled in instruction and
research, and likewise, some have not demonstrated great ability in said areas. I say that
to say this, having worked with many educators, I feel somewhat confident in my ability
to assess teacher skill levels. I’ve watched Ms. Grigsby around our students at Donovan;
I’ve seen her teach them, mentor them, coach them, chastise them when they needed it,
and most importantly I’ve seen her motivate them. In my opinion, she’s a very good
teacher, and I think an opportunity to enter this graduate program to become a more
learned teacher could make her a great teacher, and that would be good for her, good for
Donovan, and great for our students.
Having earned an MA in English from Penn State in 1993 and taken graduate level
education courses at Piedmont College, and doctoral courses in the English Department
at Georgia, I feel comfortable in assessing Ms. Grigsby’s ability to be successful in your
program. The skills that I have observed in Ms. Grigsby that I believe translate nicely to
a graduate degree program at UGA are her pension for hard work, her intense drive and
desire to be the best and do a job correctly, and her will to succeed. Her desire to be
perfect as a teacher has set a fine example for our students. I have no doubt that if she is
permitted entrance into a program at UGA, she will not only finish it, she will excel in it
and be a star.
Page 2
Grigsby Recommendation Letter
We are a small faculty at Donovan, so we wear many hats. Ms. Grigsby was asked to
teach U.S. History this year, a subject that is not her field. She researched the subject and
became quite proficient in the area in a very short time. This, I believe, speaks to her
ability to succeed in the graduate classroom. Ms. Grigsby has put in long hours at
Donovan and has gone above and beyond to do whatever the school has needed and has
often put Donovan’s needs before her own. This dedication and desire to finish a job are
also traits that I know will make her an excellent graduate student.
Dr. Fitzgerald, I could go on and on about how special Aimee Grigsby is as a teacher, a
colleague, and as a person. I only hope that what I have explained gives a brief account
but clearly and insightfully explains how special she is in front of the classroom and how
special she will be in a desk, as a student.
Thus, it is with great confidence and a sense of assuredness that I recommend Aimee
Grigsby for admittance into the graduate school at UGA.
Sincerely,
Darren Rhym
Chair, English and Religion Departments