Twelve Hamilton County teachers, from a variety of disciplines, earned National Board Certification in December. The new National Board Certified teachers are:
Melanie Atchley – Battle Academy
Terri Bailey – Ooltewah Elementary
Courtney Baker – Battle Academy
Kristen Knight Burrus – CSAS Upper
Shane Harwood – Nolan Elementary
Michelle Hassler – East Lake, Big Ridge, and Westview Elementary
Diane Hitchcock – Snow Hill Elementary
Sandra Howard – Chattanooga High School
Erin Jaynes – Hixson High School
Michelle Krupke – Snow Hill Elementary and STEM
Gwendolyn Lawson – Hixson High School
Jeff Paulson – Thrasher Elementary
The Hamilton County Department of Education in partnership with the Hamilton County Education Association and the Chattanooga Area Schools Federal Credit Union promotes National Board Certification to its teacher ranks. With funds from Race to the Top and the National Education Association Foundation, Hamilton County has established a support system for NBC candidates.
National Board Certification is awarded by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards and is the highest credential in the teaching profession. A teacher-driven, voluntary process, certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.
As part of the process, teachers 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. To learn more about this certification, visit the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards’ website at www.nbpts.org.
Any HCDE educator interested in pursuing NBC is encouraged to contact Karen Glenn at glenn_karen@hcde.org or Sharon Vandagriff at vandagriff_sharon@hcde.org.