Teachers earn national certification

The Shoreline School District’s list of National Board-Certified teachers continues to grow, with seven more earning the certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The district will recognize these staff at its Jan. 7 board meeting.

The teachers and their areas of certification are:

• Siri Hulbert, World Languages, Shorecrest

• Barbara Lachman, English/Language Arts, Shorewood

• Sue McAllister, Literacy: Reading and Language Arts, Kellogg

• Patty Mitchell, Mathematics, Shorecrest

• Trent Mitchell, Career and Technical Education, Shorecrest

• Brian Story, Career and Technical Education, Shorecrest

• Betsy Weis, Mathematics, Shorewood

The district now has a total of 18 board-certified teachers. The others who have previously earned their certificates are:

• Maija Alves, Social Studies, Shorecrest

• Catherine Archipley, English, Shorecrest

• Andy Barker, English, Shorecrest

• Christine Croft, Math, Kellogg

• Jennifer Etter, English, Shorecrest

• Kate Pankiewicz, Library Media, Shorecrest

• Nate Stearns, English, Shorewood

• Paul Villanueva, Math, Shorewood

• Vicky Frank, Library Media, technology integration specialist

• Robert Weber, Math, technology integration specialist

• Marcia Wubbens, Science, Einstein

The national certification process takes at least 18 months. Teachers study their practices, their students’ learning and their contributions to teaching and the community.

Teachers must show in a portfolio a deep understanding and application of national standards and take a six-part test of their content area.

Teachers have dedicated 200 to 400 hours above their regular teaching load to achieve national board certification.

“Every teacher that I know who has done this has been changed by the process,” said Marcia Wubbens, science teacher at Einstein Middle School. “We have come to understand our craft more truly and changed the way we look at how we facilitate our students’ learning and assessment of learning, in particular.”

The Shoreline School District pays half of the registration fee for the program. Those who complete it get a yearly salary bonus. Teachers attaining certification provide 25 hours of service either teaching professional development classes, supporting or mentoring colleagues, or working on projects.