my name is mary bevins. i am the resource and literary specialist at visitation valley elementary school and a member of the school site council. i'm here to speak on behalf of the students for whom there is no achievement gap. the children with disabilities who are joyiously achieving, the children who traditionally have wide achievement gaps, the childrens whose lives are riddled with violence and poverty, all the children who are achieving joyuously for whom there is no achievement gap. i am here to tell you about their teacher ms. monica swartzlander, an outstanding educator who knows how to close the achievement gap by being a gifted teacher, providing a joyous environment, holding herself couldible with warm relationships, with all her students, parents, teachers, staff and community. monica swartzlander, the teacher you fired by not re-electing her, fired without telling anyone any reason why, fired so late that she couldn't get another teaching job, fired without consulting those who know her best, h