By Maggie Blackwell
mblackwell@salisburypost.com
Nine teachers from Rowan-Salisbury Schools have been awarded National Board Certification, the highest credential a teacher can achieve.
This year’s teachers are: – Teresa Crawley, English language arts, adolescence and young adulthood, South Rowan High School;- Jason Chester, career and technical education, adolescence and young adulthood, West Rowan High School;
– Kendall Fulham, literacy, reading, language arts, early and middle childhood, Knollwood Elementary; – Gregory Kuhn, mathematics, adolescence and young adulthood, Salisbury High;
– Paula Mesimer, generalist, middle childhood, Landis Elementary;
– Dana Milam, generalist, middle childhood, Woodleaf Elementary;
– Melissa Parton, science, adolescence and young adulthood, West Rowan High School;
– Lori Smith, generalist, middle childhood, Koontz Elementary;
– Jeniffer Wooten, mathematics, adolescence and young adulthood, Salisbury High.
Teachers certify by undergoing a rigorous one- to three-year process, including development of a detailed portfolio, filming of teaching styles and completion of a comprehensive assessment. Participation is voluntary.
The Rowan-Salisbury school system now has 170 national board certified teachers.
North Carolina leads the nation in total number of nationally certified teachers. The state has 12,770 teachers who have earned the distinction.
More than 9,600 teachers achieved National Board Certification in 2008, bringing the total number of the nation’s top teachers to nearly 74,000. Almost a fifth of all nationally certified teachers in the U.S. are from North Carolina.
Two recent studies showed a direct relationship between certified teachers and improved student performance. The improvement was most distinct with young students and lower-income students.
The state of N.C. pays the assessment fee of $2,300 for all teachers who qualify. The teachers are obligated to teach in North Carolina the following year in return.
In return for certifying with the national board, teachers receive a number of benefits. They get three paid release days from routine teaching responsibilities to work on their portfolios; they receive 15 continuing education credits; and they enjoy a 15 percent increase in their pay for the 10-year life of the certification.