The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announced in December that Mrs. Jill Paulos from Coyote Trail Elementary School received National Board Certification in Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood.

Five additional teachers (shown above in the following order) were celebrated for renewing their certification, which occurs every five years following initial certification:

• Mrs. Shannon Carmichael, Coyote Trail Elementary School, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
• Mrs. Amy Corner, Marana Middle School, Physical Education/Early Adolescence Through Young Adulthood
• Mrs. Maria Fallon, Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 School, Generalist/Early Childhood
• Mrs. Kendra Lewis, Twin Peaks K-8 School, Generalist/Early Childhood
• Mrs. Brittney Morse, Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 School, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood

Attainment of National Board Certification is one of the most prestigious and respected professional certifications available in K-12 education. The advanced te

aching credential demonstrates a teacher’s ability to meet the profession’s highest standards and have the knowledge and skills necessary to advance student learning.

Board Certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. Similar to certification in fields like medicine, National Board Certification is a rigorous, peer-reviewed process that ensures that Board-Certified teachers have proven skills to advance student achievement.

The certification process requires that teachers demonstrate standards-based evidence of the positive effect they have on student learning in alignment with the National Board’s Five Core Propositions for teaching. They must exhibit a deep understanding of their students, content knowledge, use of data and assessments and teaching practice. They must also show that they participate in learning communities and provide evidence of ongoing reflection and continuous learning.

To date, more than 130,000 teachers across the United States have achieved Board certification.