Recommendation Letter

TO: Whomever It May Concern,         
FROM: David A. Kucej, MSW
5386 S 7th St.
Milwaukee WI 53221
RE: Diane Lipman

It has been my pleasure to work with Diane Lipman at Burdick School in my role as School Social Worker. Diane came to our school about three times and worked with various grades in our Kindergarten to 8th Grade School. I was with her when she made classroom presentations to the fifth and sixth grade students. She also worked with our choir director and third grade teacher with the younger students. Diane is a born storyteller, who uses her own creations in the form of costumes and hands on tools to capture students' attention. She is adept at engaging students as active participants in the stories that she tells. This enables her to get students into the action of the story and obviously they learn more this way. Diane is herself a teacher and her excellent management skills insure that her presentation will be effective in both suburban and urban settings. Diane knows how to individualize her message for the students who need that extra support and nurturance. Her message is one of empowerment. Diane helps students find the inner resources within themselves and this alone would be enough to enhance student self-esteem, but she goes deeper into the process of helping students learn important life messages that will help them cope with adversity in their lives.

Diane deals with feelings sensitively and creatively, and she is adept at making children feel safe as they grow in trust and self-acceptance. Both students and teachers alike loved her stories and her colorful costumes that made her stories come to life. I would feel comfortable recommending her to any elementary school. Another trainer of trainers from MPS, Evans Stephens, also felt that Diane did a superb job in her presentation to middle school students at Webster Middle School in spring of 2001. If you have any further questions about Diane's work, feel free to call me at home this summer at 747-0460 or at my Drug Free Schools Office in fall at 475-8401.

Sincerely Yours,


David A Kucej, MSW Prevention Specialist Drug Free schools MPS

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