Letter: Excellence Abounds at Apple Valley High School

To the Apple Valley community:

I am writing to express my appreciation and regards to the students, faculty and administration at .  I had the privilege of being a long-term substitute chemistry teacher last spring and enjoyed the experience for a number of reasons.

Throughout my time at AVHS I felt I was amidst excellence. Students at AVHS have many opportunities to learn from the best teachers and obtain college credit if they desire. I have spent the last 25 years working at some of Minnesota’s largest and well-known scientific communities. I can assure the Apple Valley community that commitment to excellence, work ethic, and knowledge that I saw displayed daily at AVHS by teachers is equal or greater to my experiences in industry. 

An example of excellence is the two-week lab at the end of the year that stretches the chemistry students in new ways. This two-week qualitative lab is probably the best lab experience in the state. It requires hours of preparation time by staff and volunteers and requires students to make careful observations and subsequent scientific decisions. 

In this experience they learn new laboratory techniques, learn to follow instructions and pay attention to details, and handle a wide variety of chemicals while maintaining a high level of safety. It is probably one of the most realistic experiences they will encounter during their high school career. Much credit is due teachers Mrs. Koch-Laveen and Mrs. Michels, who co-developed this outstanding exercise. Mrs. Michels also volunteers her time in retirement to prepare for it. I am also especially grateful to Kaitlin Lee for training, and providing lesson plans and materials that made my job possible. 

Finally, I would like to express my high regard to the students. My students were respectful, extremely intelligent and driven. More importantly, they were kind and respectful. Those character attributes will define their future success as well as knowledge. Great job, parents.

Sincerely,

Patrick Townley