Mrs. Ruiz is one of the most kind and compassionate teachers I have encountered in quite some time. Her ability to not only exhibit patience but also to have direct and lasting impact on her students is only a reflection of her heart condition. My daughter learned so much when she was with Mrs. Ruiz in second grade and was heartbroken she didn’t have her for 3rd grade. Mrs. Ruiz has made such an impression on my daughter that my daughter takes every opportunity to find ways to show her appreciation for Mrs. Ruiz even though she is not her teacher. The loss of my husband has been a tremendous loss on both myself and my daughter, yet Mrs. Ruiz continuously goes above and beyond her call of duty to ensure my daughter Parker feels seen, heard, and understood. It is not often we meet many compassionate people in the world, which makes it even more heart warming. In addition to her open heart, she is phenomenal in teaching. My daughter learned to love math and often uses the tricks and lessons from Mrs. Ruiz in her current math learning. I am honored to be able to write such things even while knowing my words simply are just not enough to describe the kind of teacher Mrs. Ruiz is! She is a blessing to many students and parents.