New and Renewal National Board Certifications
#TeamNBCT, @CERRASC, #scnbcnetwork
Update – March 9, 2021 – Two additional GCS educators have earned National Board Certification renewals. They are Victoria Comey from Blythe Academy and Lezlie Peck from Pelham Road Elementary. Earlier, we announced that four GCS educators have earned National Board Certification (NBC) for the first time, and six educators have earned NBC renewals. Greenville County Schools has 399 National Board Certified teachers, one of the teaching profession’s most respected achievements, and we rank 12th in the nation out of more than 14,000 school districts for the total number of NBC teachers.
2020 New National Board Certificate Holders
- Deborah Osbourne - Mauldin Elementary - EMC/Literacy-Reading
- Laurie Schmotzer - Rudolph Gordon - English Language Arts
- Tricia-Ann Simms - Sullivan Center - Mathematics
- Anna Sobieski - Blue Ridge Middle - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Mild/Moderate Disabilities
2020 National Board Renewals
- Bekki Benjamin - Wade Hampton High - English Language Arts
- Catharine Cassell - Fine Arts Center - Art
- Victoria Comey – Blythe Academy - Literacy: Reading Lang. Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
- Michelle Fort - Greenbrier Elementary - Generalist/Middle Childhood
- Tracy Legrand - Chandler Creek Elem - Generalist/Middle Childhood
- Alexandra Payne - Duncan Chapel Elem - Generalist/Early Childhood
- Lezlie Peck – Pelham Road Elementary - Mathematics/Early Adolescence
- Amy Stephens - Eastside High - English Language Arts
South Carolina remains one of the nation’s leading states for the total number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs). Thirty-five educators in the state, representing 14 school districts, recently earned National Board Certification (NBC). In addition, 141 NBCTs from 41 school districts renewed their national certificates, bringing South Carolina’s total number of NBCTs to 9,268. The number of Renewed and initial NBCTS will grow in February when the National Board releases scores for candidates who opted to defer their submission due to COVID-19.
The growing number of NBCTs is critical in South Carolina as more teachers are leaving the profession each year. Specifically looking at the 2018-19 school year, turnover for all SC teachers was 9 percent and only 3.6 percent for NBCTs in the state. It is worth noting that NBCT turnover rates increased slightly in 2017-18 and 2018-19, just as turnover rates rose for all teachers during this time.
Teachers seeking National Board Certification undertake a four-part process that takes from one to three years to complete. The process requires candidates to analyze information about students in order to design and implement instructional choices that leads to advance student growth and achievement. Teachers reflect on their classroom practices, assess their understanding of subject material and examine their preparation techniques. In order to advance student learning and growth, teachers must demonstrate knowledge and evidence of being an effective practitioner by analyzing assessments and data to positively plan lessons that impact student learning. In addition to preparing a portfolio with videotapes of classroom teaching, unit lesson plans, student work samples and reflective essays about the classroom environment and teaching interactions, teachers must complete assessment center exercises based on content knowledge that prove they have mastered the subjects they teach and also possess the pedagogical practices for teaching the content area.
Candidates consistently report that collaboration with other NBCTs and candidates eases the burden of the process. To this end, the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA) created an infrastructure of support that includes a district liaison in each of the state’s 85 school districts and a National Board Toolkit comprised of PowerPoints, handouts, and activities to assist candidates as they move through the certification process. GCSD is pleased to partner with CERRA in implementing an applicant cohort program for GCSD teachers to participate in once a month as they work through the NB application process together over a three-year period. CERRA also collaborates with other state agencies including the State Department of Education, The South Carolina Education Association, and Palmetto State Teachers Association to provide workshops and awareness sessions for candidates.
Teachers interested in pursuing the certification for the 2020-21 National Board cycle can access further information on the CERRA Website.