Twenty-five new teachers earn national certification
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on February 14, 2011 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/PHYLLIS MOORE
Twenty-five educators in Wayne County Public Schools have received National Board certification. Front row, from left, Angela Mozingo, Faye Davis, Lisa West, Cynthia Sprouse, Jennifer Lancaster, Brandy Causey and Jamie Smith. Back row, Michael Jones, Melissa Lewis, Sheila Covar, Kelly Carter, Jennifer Tyndall, Donna Countryman, Winter McNeill, Deepti Dixit, Erin Stock, Beth Van Horn, Sherry Stafford and Linda Franks. Absent were Erica Colick, Jessica Gray, Shelley Gainey, Jennifer Heim, Kerry Loury and Karen Smith.
Wayne County Public Schools has 25 new National Board Certified educators, bringing the district total to 212.
National Board certification is granted by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, the most accepted symbol of teaching excellence in the U.S. The stringent guidelines are in addition to the candidates already obtaining a bachelor's degree, completing three full years of teaching or counseling experience, and possessing a valid state teaching or counseling license.
The state already ranks first in the nation for the overall number of National Board Certified educators and Wayne County has maintained a high percentage of candidates each year, officials said.
"The district's human resource services department states that our outstanding percentage of certified candidates speaks highly of the quality and dedication of our teachers, media coordinators and counselors," said school board member Eddie Radford in making the announcement during Monday night's board meeting. "The men and women being recognized this evening have worked to better themselves professionally, which undoubtedly will have a direct benefit on student achievement across the district."
The certification process is not only time-consuming -- estimated to take the better part of a school year and involve between 200 and 400 hours of work outside of the classroom -- but requires two major components, a portfolio of classroom practice that includes samples of student work and videotapes of teacher instruction, and an assessment of content knowledge administered at a computer-based testing center.
The following were recognized and received a $500 check for the accomplishment:
* Charles B. Aycock High: Faye Davis, Kelly Carter and Sheila Cover
* Edgewood: Cynthia Sprouse and Donna Countryman
* Dillard Middle: Erin Stock and Jamie Smith
* Eastern Wayne High: Jessica Gray, Karen Smith and Shelley Gainey
* Eastern Wayne Middle: Angela Mozingo
* Goldsboro High: Deepti Dixit
* Meadow Lane Elementary: Erica Colick and Jennifer Heim
* North Drive Elementary: Winter McNeill
* Northeast Elementary: Beth Van Horn, Brandy Causey, Jennifer Lancaster and Sherry Stafford
* Rosewood High: Linda Franks and Lisa West
* Spring Creek High: Jennifer Tyndall, Melissa Lewis and Michael Jones
* Wayne Early/Middle College High: Kerry Loury.