Federal Way Public Schools ranks 18th for the number of teachers achieving board certification in the nation this year, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has announced.
The district has routinely been among the top districts for the most teachers to earn national board certification each year.
Washington State ranked No. 1 in the nation for the number of new National Board Certifications this year, for the second year in a row.
In Federal Way, 27 teachers earned national board certification this year, bringing the total number of certified teachers to more than 200.
“I am really, really proud of how our district has consistently produced numerous successful [certified teachers,]” said Francine Oishi, who coordinates the National Board program in Federal Way schools. “National board candidacy is a demanding process with numerous benefits to students as teachers become even more self-reflective about their practice and increase their specific subject area knowledge base.”
Newly National Board Certified teachers in Federal Way include Kelli Alexander, Green Gables; Andrew Clark, Sacajawea; Sarah Coddington, Green Gables; Evalani Dizon, Brigadoon; Rebecca Friedman, Thomas Jefferson; Megan Gildea, Todd Beamer; Kellie Grav, Olympic View; Jon Greb, Thomas Jefferson; Robin Hall, Thomas Jefferson; Steven Hall, Thomas Jefferson; Nelson Hambre, Federal Way High School; Kailey Harem, Thomas Jefferson; Brianne Harvey, Enterprise; Jewel Hawley, Mark Twain; Jerry Krueger, Kilo; Christal Lee, Todd Beamer; Travis Mango, Federal Way High School; Jeremy Pearce, Todd Beamer; Pachomius Schmidt, Illahee; Leslie Sims, Sacajawea; Joanne Slagle, Wildwood; Shannon Smith, Federal Way High School; Amy Sutherland, Thomas Jefferson; Teresa Tuttle, Federal Way High School; Lorena Vazquez, Sunnycrest; Jillian Waffle-Osborn, Career Academy – Truman; and Shanta Watson, Kilo.
A joint effort led by the Office of the Governor, the Washington Education Association, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession, as well as to broad bipartisan support in the state Legislature, has led to an increase in certified teachers in Washington.
National Board certification is an assessment program designed to recognize great teachers and make them better.
While state licensing systems establish a baseline of requirements for teachers, nationally board-certified teachers have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices.
It is the only credential process that compares a teacher’s knowledge and skills with a national set of professional standards. The process requires teachers to reflect on how they plan and deliver lessons and demonstrate leadership in their schools and communities.
Board certification requires teachers to submit a four-part portfolio and complete a six-exercise content and pedagogy assessment. The portfolio documents a teacher’s practice in the classroom and the assessments measure a teacher’s knowledge of their specific teaching area and age group.
