12 Teachers Earn 10-Year Renewal

The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announced that 20 Arlington Public Schools teachers successfully earned their National Board Certification.  National Board Certification is a priority for APS. To date, there are nearly 200 APS teachers who are a National Board Certified Teacher.

National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program that recognizes, encourages and rewards teachers to strive for excellence. While state licensing systems set basic requirements to teach, teachers who earn National Board Certification have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices as determined by the NBPTS. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete.

APS recognizes National Board Certification as part of the Career Advancement Program (CAP). CAP participants may choose National Board Certification as one portfolio option to demonstrate achievement of advanced professional skills and knowledge. The process requires teachers to build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Additionally, teachers are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach.

The teachers who successfully earned their certification are:

• Daniel Alpert, Wakefield: Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Kimberly Barnes, Washington-Lee: Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Johanna Boyers, Williamsburg: School Counseling/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Jason Busby, Jefferson: Mathematics/Early Adolescence
• Miriam Capellan, ATS: Music/Early and Middle Childhood
• Kelly Carruthers, Wakefield: School Counseling/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Jennifer Choi, Patrick Henry: Generalist/Early Childhood
• Lori Criado, Abingdon: English as a New Language/Early and Middle Childhood
• Miriam Cutelis, Claremont: Art/Early and Middle Childhood
• Jamie Day, Patrick Henry: English as a New Language/Early and Middle Childhood
• Erika Dykstra, Arlington Science Focus School: Generalist/Middle Childhood
• Deirdre Groh, Abingdon: Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Christina Hogan, Wakefield: Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Sarah Martin, Kenmore: Generalist/Early Childhood
• Kelley Parent, Yorktown: Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Kirsten Poland, Washington-Lee: Career and Technical Education/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• Maria Sotomayor, Washington-Lee: Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Sarah Switaj, Patrick Henry: Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
• Kelly Tierney, Wakefield: Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Rosa Zamora, Jamestown: World Languages/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood

NBCT Renewals

• Gregory Chapuis, Oakridge: Generalist/Middle Childhood
• Margaret Egan, Tuckahoe: Science/Early Adolescence
• Kerri Hirsch, Dept. of Teaching and Learning: Social Studies-History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Philip Krauth, Washington-Lee: English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Melinda Metz, Barcroft: Generalist/Early Childhood
• Daniel Moses, Washington-Lee: Social Studies-History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Maureen Nolan, Jefferson: Social Studies-History/Early Adolescence
• Jeffrey Politzer, Kenmore: Science/Early Adolescence
• April Sommer, Patrick Henry: Generalist/Early Childhood
• Nawazish Tareen, Campbell: Generalist/Early Childhood
• Maria Telesca, Claremont: Generalist/Middle Childhood
• Gwenn Zaberer, Long Branch: Art/Early and Middle Childhood

The newly-certified teachers will be recognized at the Feb. 7 School Board meeting.