Six GCS Educators Earn 2018 National Board Certification
Six GCS educators have earned 2018 National Board Certification (NBC), bringing the district’s total number of National Board Certified teachers to 690. National Board Certification is one of the teaching profession’s most respected achievements. The teachers are:
- Betsy Brown, Third Grade, Pelham Road Elementary School
- Ashlee Corbin, Fourth Grade, Monarch Elementary School
- Katherine Drennon Dell’Oso, Instructional Coach, Gateway Elementary School
- Saskia LoVine, Second Grade, Pelham Road Elementary School
- Ashley Nettles, Kindergarten, Oakview Elementary School
- Amelia Sinclair, Media Specialist, Greer Middle School
Greenville County Schools ranks 13th in the nation out of more than 14,000 school districts for total number of NBC teachers. GCS also has more National Board Certified teachers than 22 states. South Carolina ranks fourth in the nation with 9,024 NBC teachers, behind North Carolina, Florida, and Washington.
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 will 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 academic practices for teaching the content area.
Candidates consistently report that collaboration with other NBCTs and candidates eases the burden of the process. 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 81 school districts and a National Board Toolkit comprised of PowerPoints, handouts, and activities to assist candidates as they move through the certification process. Greenville County Schools is pleased to partner with CERRA in implementing an applicant cohort in which teachers may participate once a month as they work through the National Board application process 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 2017-18 National Board cycle can access further information on the CERRA Website at CERRA. Fiscal Year 2017-18 is the final year for eligible teachers to submit the initial application and fee for NBPTS and be eligible to receive the state supplement upon achieving certification.
2018 National Board Certification Renewals