Region Teachers Become National Board Certified
On December 4, 2007, 237 teachers throughout the Puget Sound Educational Service District region were certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Nearly 500 teachers were certified statewide.
Washington now boasts more than 1,800 National Board certified teachers, and ranks 10th in the nation. Only four other states produced larger classes of newly certified teachers this year.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson noted the extremely high standards for certification. "Those teachers who choose to strive for it deserve our deepest respect," she said. "Teachers are seeking this advanced certification in greater numbers. Washington, with the leadership from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, has developed a strong system of support to help teachers through this process. I particularly want to thank the principals and school districts throughout the state for their support of these wonderful teachers.
"For the past 15 years, authentic educational reform has been an intentional pursuit in Washington state," Bergeson continued. "Ensuring a highly accomplished teacher in every classroom is a top priority. Our children deserve a quality education that begins with quality teachers."
Certification is a year-long introspective process that requires teachers to submit a four-part portfolio and a six-exercise content and pedagogy assessment. The 10 entries document a teacher's success in the classroom as evidenced by his or her students' learning.
Legislation passed in 2007 awards a $5,000 bonus to each certified teacher. There is an additional $5,000 bonus for those who teach in schools where at least 70 percent of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch, known as "challenging" schools.
Having existing certified teachers at a school also is helping those seeking certification. Regina Hauptmann, principal at Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way, is a certified teacher herself. She has seen her school's total number of NBCTs grow from three to 10 in two years.
"National Board Certified teachers in our school embody National Board's five Core Propositions, in their commitment to their students and their learning, in their content knowledge and how to teach it systematically and in the responsibility they take for their students' learning," Hauptmann said. Reflecting on National Board as the "single most valuable – and rigorous – professional development activity I have undertaken," she is seeking to "encourage my staff to consider National Board certification."
Hauptmann's encouragement worked with Karen Granmo, a career and technical educator at Todd Beamer who became Board certified in 2007.
"Going through the process," she said, "has really made me look at each student's needs and adapt my teaching practices to best meet their needs."
Thanks to a joint effort from Gov. Chris Gregoire, the Washington Education Association, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and broad bipartisan support in the state Legislature, the number of NBCT candidates is rapidly increasingly. In addition to the more than 1,800 new National Board Teachers in Washington, more than 1,400 teachers have signed up as candidates for 2008. Eighteen percent are now teaching in challenging schools. The legislation is having a significant effect on the number of teachers willing to challenge themselves through the certification process.
"There is a belief in education reform in Washington state that goes beyond just words. We truly believe in the expertise of our teachers. Our children deserve a quality education and that begins with quality teacher," said Superintendent Bergeson.
Created in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit organization devoted to advancing the quality of teaching and learning.
Washington by the numbers:
- Total number of National Board Certified Teachers: 1,803 (National Rank: 10th)
- Number of new board certified teachers in 2007: 485 (National Rank: 5th)
- Percentage of board certified teachers in WA: 3.5% (National Rank: 7th)
- 164 districts (out of 295) have at least one teacher with National Board Certification.
Top 9 School Districts and the number of NBCTs:
- Bellevue (158)
- Lake Washington (69)
- Seattle (59)
- Evergreen (55)
- Spokane (50)
- Tacoma (47)
- North Thurston (46)
- Everett (43)
- Edmonds, Peninsula and Tukwila (39)
Teachers Certified in 2007 in the Puget Sound ESD Region
Auburn School District
- Orlyn Carney
- Melissa Herrell
- Lisa Horn
- Michelle Hupperten
- Thomas Kaup
- Laine Lenihan
- Diane Schiesz
Bainbridge Island School District
- Brad Lewis
- Jane Medina
Bellevue School District
- Jean Bolivar
- Marisa Corso
- Lisa Dossett
- Nicole Drinkwine
- Sarah Fletcher
- Daniel Gallagher
- Laura Ann Gardner
- Christina Goebel
- Sharon Henry
- Hope Isitt
- Becki Johnson
- Jennie Johnson
- Andrea Keenan
- Barbara Kelly
- Karin Klein
- Pam Lawlor
- Kim McClanahan
- Bryce Mercer
- Andrea Newell
- Michael O'Byrne
- Janie Okawa
- Alison Pendlebury
- Sue Peterson
- William Rahr
- Lori Renner
- Jeffrey Rierson
- Andrew Rubesch
- Stacia Shafor
- Lashone Singleton
- Jillian Sorensen
- Jennifer Sorenson
- Elizabeth Walker
- Jennifer Wikrent
Bethel School District
- Stephanie Heath
- Jennifer May
Clover Park School District
- Linda Ames
- Elizabeth Colleran
- Cari Land
- Miriam Mickelson
- Debbie Miner
- Ronald Olson
- Gary Roberts
- Kitti Wheeler
Dieringer School District
- Bobbe Haley
- Heidi Hubler
- Erin Sharar
- Nancy Yardley
- Lorrie Nelly
Enumclaw School District
- Diahn Boline
- Jody Emerson
- Melanie Hanson
- Laura Johnson
- Brian Patrick
- Lori Patrick
- Seth Polson
Federal Way School District
- Al Alexander
- Craig Anderson
- Barbara Egan
- Kellie El Sherif
- Karen Granmo
- Christine Hroncich
- Marin Miller
- Anne Rorem
- Tara Simmons
- Liliya Stefoglo
- Chris Tarling
- Tom Wallat
- Mary Weis
- Chris Wirfs
Fife School District
- Tina Cook
- Lisa Hope
Franklin Pierce School District
- Angela DeRosa
- Judy Durkin
- Neil O'Brien
Highline School District
- Ronald Adams
- Diana Hass
- Vicky Holeman
- Kyong Yim
Issaquah School District
- Steve Darnell
- Angela Hammang
- Tasha Kirby
- Sarah Sarieddine
- Benjamin Sorensen
- Gretel Von Bargen
Kent School District
- Michelle Avolio
- Amy Campbell
- Neil Chochran
- Heidi Heistand
- Daniel Kexel
- Patti Kinsman
- Kurt McKee
- Colleen Oliver
- Diane Olliffe
- Kirsten Roberts
- Lana Wainscott
- Carrie Wattles
- Kelly West
- Lisa Williamson
Lake Washington School District
- Shelly Bean
- Kate Berten
- Cynthia Cantwell
- Marc Clauson
- Linda Dauer
- Debra Ellis
- Kathleen Fleming
- David Friedman
- Christine Gentes
- Laurie Gogic
- Carol Hinrichs
- Stephen Hynden
- Shannon Leonard
- Meg Lewis
- Paul Miller
- Monica Murdock
- Bud Peterson
- Kristin Ramey
- Jerry Romano
- Greg Shelton
- Brian Wikrent
Mercer Island School District
- Stacy Cho
- Rose Gifford
- Kim Schjelderup
- Christina Serkowski
Northshore School District
- Lynn Emerson
- Deborah Fullerton
- Geoffrey Gilmore
- Kelly Griffin
- Marin Peffer
- Elizabeth Whitfield
Orting School District
- Alison Misenar
- Dolores Pinkerton
Peninsula School District
- Michael Blair
- Colleen Blauvelt
- Michele Gilbert
- Beth Harrison
- Phyllis Isbell
- Mary Lyssand
- Anthony Marinelli
- Wendy Moore
- Anne Mullen
- Celeste Pitman
- Theressa Prather
- Molly Pugh
- Vicky Schauer
- Alexa Shanafelt
- Therese Souers
- Karen Tollefson
- Mary Waterbly
- Kristin Zetterstrom
Puyallup School District
- Ronald Baltazar
- Michele Bledsoe
- Christine Carlson
- Susan Corak
- Patricia DeGroot
- Dorothy Espedal-Johnson
- Lorraine Hirakawa
- Donna Knudson
- Nancy McIlraith
- Kris Njos
- Beverly Query
- Jenifer Willis
Renton School District
- Erin Bristow
- Kathy Higbee
- Jennifer O'Roarty
Riverview School District
- Janet Laverne
- Teresa O'Shea
- Lisa Powers-Hwang
Seattle School District
- Katherine Berg
- Glen Clisham
- Jennifer Fox
- Bonnie Fromm
- Laura Hauswald
- Heather Hoffacker
- Nicole Johnson
- Christine Kaufman
- Lisa Kelleher
- Sandra Kim
- Gale Low
- Stephanie McPhail
- Eric Muhs
- Gabrielle Smith
- Laura Sugden
- Lesley Teem
- Thatcher Wood
Shoreline School District
- Siri Hulbert
- Barbara Lachman
- Sue McAllister
- Patricia Mitchell
- Trent Mitchell
- Brian Story
- Betsy Weis
Sumner School District
- Alison Norbeck
- Wendi Page
- Jaclyn Shope
Tacoma School District
- Darla Craig
- Sara Erickson
- Claire Hallinan
- Lisa Karlstrom
- Ann McPartlon
- Linda Naughton
- Barbara Pinckney
- Ronald Stanley
- Brent Thoemke
Tahoma School District
- Lorraine McMahon
- Pauline Seger
Tukwila School District
- Debra Aldous
- Mark Cvengros
- Regina Di Julio
- Gladys Fox
- Falicia Green
- Emily Huff
- Cynthia Lewis
- Dustin Metzger
- Ashley Middleton
- Kjell Rowe
- Carrie Stradley
- Melissa Thienes
White River School District
- Kristen Montieth
Private School
- Carie Olsen
