FIFTY-ONE DELAWARE TEACHERS RECEIVE
NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION
--Four teachers successfully renew 10-year certification -
(Dover, De.) The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has released the names of nearly 7,800 teachers, among them 51 Delaware teachers, who have attained National Board Certification, the highest professional credential, for the 2006-2007 school year.
The 51 teachers, representing 13 of Delaware's 19 school districts, brings to 349 the total of Delaware teachers who have earned this prestigious honor since the national program began during the 1993-1994 school year.
"Being National Board Certified is a great achievement within the teaching profession," said Secretary of Education Valerie A. Woodruff. "These 51 teachers have worked hard and sacrificed much to reach this honor. Congratulations to each of our newly-selected National Board Certified Teachers!"
To become a National Board Certified Teacher, a teacher must complete an intensive two-phase process. The first phase, the school-based portfolio, documents evidence of accomplished teaching that meets advanced standards in the teacher's field. Teachers create their portfolio based on the National Board's detailed instructions and must develop videotapes of their teaching that include an analytical commentary about what they did, why they did it, and the success of the instruction. Teachers also are required to provide student work samples from several points in time and write an analysis of how their teaching impacted student achievement. All of the four portfolio entries place a high emphasis on student learning.
The second phase of the process is the assessment center. Teachers respond to six multi-part written exercises that assess teachers' knowledge of their academic field, pedagogy, and human growth and development. Also, these assessments require that teachers diagnose students' strengths and weaknesses from samples of their work and then design appropriate strategies to address the needs. Some teachers must discuss how they will integrate two content areas, such as social studies and the arts or mathematics and science, to promote student learning. Again, these assessments place considerable emphasis on increasing student achievement.
A certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards recognizes accomplished teaching against rigorous national standards. Although the portfolio is extremely time- intensive, hundreds of hours over ten months, teachers report that the NBPTS assessment process was the most rewarding professional development of their career and that the requirement to reflect upon their practice improved their teaching. Many National Board Certified Teachers move into positions of teacher leadership.
The Delaware Department of Education and current National Board Certified Teachers are involved in supporting candidates. DOE staff actively support candidates through a week-long summer "boot camp," assessment center preparation, and Saturday Sessions. The Delaware Higher Education Commission offers interest-free loans to offset costs associated with the certification process. Additionally, Delaware's State Board of Education offers candidates a stipend of $100 to offset expenses incurred in developing their portfolios and/or preparing for the assessment center.
In Delaware, the Professional Development and Educator Accountability Act of 2000 authorizes a 12% increase in base pay for a period of ten years for each teacher who receives National Board Certification. Teachers who renew their National Board Certification will continue to receive the 12% salary increase.
Once teachers attain certification through the NBPTS, they can renew their certification before the end of its 10-year validity period. The renewal process requires teachers to demonstrate their professional growth and impact on student achievement during the years of their certification. Teachers must continue to analyze student work and videotape their teaching.
The 51 new National Board Certified Teachers, alphabetically by school district and name, are:
|
District |
Candidate |
School |
Certificate |
|
|
Appoquinmink |
Ann Moran |
Olive B. Loss Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
|
|
Susan Osborn |
Silver Lake Elementary |
Music/Early & Middle Childhood |
||
|
Christine Payne |
Olive B. Loss Elementary |
Library Media/ECYA |
||
|
Laura Sparks Wright |
Olive B. Loss Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
Brandywine |
Kia Brabson |
Carrcroft Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
|
|
Joan Deisher |
Carrcroft Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
|
Meaghan Cruz Harris |
Mt. Pleasant Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
||
|
Barbara Rosen |
Claymont Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
Kathleen Shearer |
Maple Lane Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
|
Christopher Smeader |
Brandywine High School |
Social Studies - History/AYA |
|
|
Caesar Rodney |
Monica Harrison |
Brown Elementary |
School Counseling/ECYA |
|
|
Capital |
Barbara Johnson |
East Dover Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
|
Erin Wilson |
Hartly Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
Christina |
Rosa Alicea |
Wilson Elementary |
English as a New Language/EMC |
|
|
Marcia Berbeza |
Pulaski Intermediate |
Library Media/ECYA |
||
|
Catherine Brunt |
Marshall Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
|
Mary Cleary |
Wilson Elementary |
Literacy/EMC |
|
|
Peggy Dawson |
Glasgow High School |
Social Studies - History/AYA |
||
|
Julia Emerson |
Christiana High School |
Career & Technical Ed/EAYA |
||
|
Karen Ernst |
Leasure Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
Mary Ferrrero |
Wilson Elementary |
Exceptional Needs/ECYA |
||
|
Donna Geary |
Delaware Autism Program |
Exceptional Needs/ECYA |
||
|
Mary Kay Hall |
Jones Elementary |
Library Media/ECYA |
||
|
Kelly Hull |
Newark High School |
Social Studies - History/AYA |
||
|
Kathleen O'Donnell |
Bayard Intermediate |
Literacy/EMC |
||
|
Kyle O'Shea |
Delaware Autism Program |
Exceptional Needs /ECYA |
||
|
Rebecca Reggio |
Newark High School |
Mathematics/AYA |
||
|
Cassandra Sachar |
Newark High School |
English Language Arts/AYA |
||
|
Amy Selheimer |
Marshall Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
Neysa Smith |
McVey Elementary |
Literacy/EMC |
||
|
Colonial |
Patricia DeNardo Buzby |
William Penn High School |
World Languages/EAYA |
|
|
|
Wendy Girnis |
Castle Hills Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
|
|
|
Betty McVey |
Pleasantville Elementary |
School Counseling/ECYA |
|
|
|
Kathleen Walters |
Castle Hills Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
|
Indian River |
Patricia Bunting |
Frankford Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
|
Sharyn Crandell |
Selbyville Middle School |
English Language Arts/EA |
||
|
Penney Hall |
Selbyville Middle School |
Science/Early Adolescence |
||
|
Tamara Rust |
Long Neck Elementary |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
NCCVT |
Jessica Bloch |
St. Georges Technical H.S. |
Physical Education/EAYA |
|
|
|
Patricia Creveling |
Hodgson V-T High School |
Mathematics/EA |
|
|
Red Clay |
Cheryl Cox |
Brandywine Springs Elem. |
Physical Education/EMC |
|
|
Francis Eleuterio |
Alexis I. DuPont High School |
Mathematics/AYA |
||
|
Terri Eros |
Richey Elementary School |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
||
|
Bonnie Millhous |
Lewis Dual Language Elem. |
English as a New Language/EMC |
||
|
Theresa O'Connor |
Brandywine Springs Elem. |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
||
|
Suzanne Smith |
Alexis I. DuPont High School |
Library Media/ECYA |
||
|
Seaford |
Karen Higgins |
West Seaford Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
|
|
Del Swartzentruber |
Seaford Senior High School |
World Languages/EAYA |
|
|
Smyrna |
Sheila Holleger |
Smyrna Middle School |
Social Studies - History/EA |
|
|
Sussex Tech |
Patricia Birch |
Sussex Technical H.S. |
Library Media/ECYA |
|
|
Woodbridge |
Melissa Mitchell |
Woodbridge Elementary |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
This year, all four National Board Certified teachers who chose to renew their certification for an additional ten years were successful. They are:
|
District |
Candidate |
School |
Certificate |
|
Brandywine |
Michèle Porter |
Talley Middle School |
Generalist/Early Adolescence |
|
Capital |
Jane Ragains |
William Henry Middle School |
Generalist/Middle Childhood |
|
Polytech |
Sharon Crossen |
Polytech High School |
English Language Arts/EA |
|
Red Clay |
Jill Joos |
Brandywine Springs Elem. |
Generalist/Early Childhood |
|
Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
|
Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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