LEONARDTOWN, Md. (February 2, 2011) — Five staff members of the St. Mary's County Public Schools have been declared National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) through National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). This brings the school system's total of national certified teachers to 39. There are currently 1,976 national certified teachers in Maryland and nearly 91,000 nationwide.
The newly certified include: Ms. Elizabeth Dyson of Great Mills High School, Ms. Denise Mandis of Leonardtown High School, Ms. Emily Meny of Esperanza Middle School, Ms. Jacquelyn Snyder of the Chesapeake Public Charter School, and Ms. Alice Willingham of Chopticon High School.
"These five individuals who earned this prestigious certification represent the best of the best in the teaching profession," said Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of schools. "I am very proud of them all."
The five women were formally recognized by the Board of Education of St. Mary's County at its meeting of January 25.
National Board Certified Teachers are highly accomplished educators who meet high standards. Often, one to three years are spent by teachers documenting their work through portfolio and videotape entries, as well as passing several assessments in order to complete this rigorous process.
National certification focuses on the classroom and the techniques that lead to improved learning. In a congressionally-mandated study, National Board Certification was recently recognized by the National Research Council as having a positive impact on student achievement, teacher retention, and professional development. The achievement rate nationally for teachers attempting certification is 40 percent, with St. Mary's County Public Schools' achievement rate at 83 percent.
For more information on the NBPTS process, visit www.nbpts.org.