Two Hamilton High School teachers earned the teaching profession’s top credential by achieving National Board Certification. Science teacher Kimberly Leannais and family and consumer education teacher Kathy Rankin recently learned that they earned their certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
A voluntary process, National Board Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes more than a year to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. Teachers who earn this advanced teaching credential are among the best qualified in the nation to improve instruction, raise student achievement and improve teaching practices in their classrooms, schools and districts
“We are proud of Ms. Leannais and Ms. Rankin for their accomplishment,” Hamilton Principal Candis Mongan said. “We believe their experience with the NBPTS certification process will promote their professional careers and have an impact on student achievement and learning.”
The national board certification process requires intense self-reflection and measures a teacher’s practice against high and rigorous standards. Valid for 10 years, the advanced system of national board certification complements, but does not replace, state licensing.
Because there is a direct connection between what teachers know and what students learn, NBPTS-certified teachers are expected to possess deep subject knowledge and the ability to teach in ways that help students learn.