Another 25 Issaquah School District educators have shown they’re among the country’s best by becoming National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in 2018.
Meanwhile, 15 more ISD teachers have renewed their National Board certification. The district now has 190 NBCTs.
National Board certification is an advanced credential educators can earn in addition to their teaching license. It requires teachers to demonstrate advanced knowledge in their subject area, a deep understanding of students, and advanced skill in their teaching practice. To learn about each of Issaquah’s National Board Certified Teachers go online to ISD’s National Board Certified Teacher page, https://bit.ly/2V7iZue. The district is updating educator profiles on the webpage in the coming weeks.
Michelle Larson, a new National Board Certified third-grade teacher at Sunset Elementary, said she appreciated that the certification process gave her an opportunity to consider her teaching closely and focus in particular on student engagement.
“If you’re interested in getting better at what you do, it’s a good way to do that,” Larson said. “Education is always changing and growing, and we need to be able to change and grow too.”
Holly Cornelison Hopla, a district curriculum specialist in English language arts, said the certification process helped her develop a deeper knowledge of her students. “If teachers don’t push themselves to be open to change and growth, they’ll never really understand what their students need,” she said. “This process pushed my thinking further in terms of what it means to really know your students.”
The certification process includes four parts:
1. An assessment of the teacher’s content knowledge.
2. A portfolio showing work students have done and the teacher’s feedback to the student.
3. Two videos of the teacher in the classroom, showing lessons taught and the interaction with and among students.
4. A portfolio of “reflective” work: what the teacher does outside the classroom that translates in the classroom.
Newly certified
Amy Alexander, Maywood Middle School
Shannon Anthony, Issaquah High
Laura Biller, Creekside Elementary
Sandra Chapman, Issaquah Valley Elementary
Holly Cornelison Hopla, Administration Building
Cami Cress, Sunset Elementary
David Dingler, Liberty High School
Stephanie Erickson, Cougar Ridge Elementary
Laura Garsson, Pine Lake Middle School
Ellen Hayes, Issaquah High School
Allison King, Grand Ridge Elementary
Kristina Klein, Pine Lake Middle School
Michelle Larson, Sunset Elementary
Emily Melograna, Grand Ridge Elementary
Laura Meserole, Pacific Crest Middle School
Toni Osotio, Cascade Ridge
Kevin Proudfoot, Challenger Elementary
Rachel Rowland, Gibson Ek High School
Angela Schubbe, Cascade Ridge Elementary
Dylan Sedlack, ACT and Gibson Ek High
Jessica Stephens, Creekside Elementary
Alexander Stevens, Issaquah High School
Sarah Sundt, Beaver Lake Middle School
H.B. Telling, Skyline High School
Katelyn Wilson, Endeavor Elementary
Renewed certification
Vale Baxter, Issaquah High School
Laura Berry, Newcastle Elementary
Marla Crouch, Maywood Middle
Keri Dean, Issaquah High School
Caroline Freidenfelt, Pacific Cascade Middle School
Julie Howard, Newcastle Elementary
Jill Klune, Administration Building
Christopher May, Maywood middle School
Karen Sunmark, Maywood Middle School
Ann Swiftney, Administration Building
Cristina Uramis, Issaquah High School
Stephanie Wright, Grand Ridge Elementary
Reyna Yamamoto, Discovery Elementary
