Congratulations new National Board Certified Teachers – 3rd in the Nation!
More than 2,000 teachers earn National Board Certification; 130,000 now teach to the profession’s highest standards.
Chicago has the 3rd highest number of new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) of any district in the nation, AND the 3rd highest number of total NBCTs in the country.
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards announced today that 2,073 teachers nationwide became National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in the 2020-2021 school year.
With the 5,304 teachers across the nation who renewed or maintained their certificate this year, there is now a total of 130,630 teachers from all 50 states who teach to the highest standards in the profession and impact culture and learning for vast numbers of students, schools and communities.
“What a time to be a teacher! Even with the pandemic and other challenges, all Americans should pause to celebrate the new National Board Certified Teachers. They put their teaching to the test, voluntarily challenging themselves, reflecting on their practice and confirming that they are teaching to the highest standards,” said Peggy Brookins, NBCT, president and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Chicago boasts 58 new National Board Certified Teachers, ranking 3rd in the nation for both newly achieved and total NBCTs overall. We are proud to announce that 30% of our new NBCTs are Teachers of Color. We encourage teachers of color to pursue National Board Certification and reflect our student population. An additional 83 NBCTs renewed their advanced credential during this cycle.
Through “NBC Chicago”, a partnership between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Public Schools, the CTU Foundation’s Quest Center, through its Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL) program, provides the professional development, candidate support and mentoring for Chicago Public Schools’ teachers, counselors, and librarians pursuing this advanced certification. CPS funds the programming as well as an annual pensionable stipend for all CPS teachers, counselors, and librarians who become National Board Certified. This structure is codified in the CTU/CPS Bargaining Agreement.
CTU/CPS has produced 2,436 National Board Certified Teachers. Each of these accomplished educators earned or maintained the profession’s highest mark of achievement through a rigorous, performance-based, peer-review process, demonstrating their proven impact on teacher quality and student learning and achievement.
Jesse Sharkey, President of the Chicago Teachers Union, recognized our NBCTs by saying, “My fellow CTU Officers and I are so proud of how hard our newest National Board Certified Teachers have worked to achieve this advanced certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. We recognize the significant impact our NBCTs have on their students, colleagues, and on teaching and learning in our schools. I have seen firsthand how transformative this process has been for our teachers, school counselors, and their students. Their hard work, flexibility, and commitment to the 2-year NBC process in these toughest of times have paid off and their students are the beneficiaries. The CTU is honored that they have followed in the footsteps of our late President Emerita Karen Lewis, NBCT. Their leadership has advanced the vision of CTU, the mission of CPS, and our profession as a whole. We look forward to continuing our partnership with CPS in support of National Board Certification. Congratulations to the Class of 2021 and to all the NBCTs who renewed their certificate!”
In a message to Chicago’s new and renewed NBCTs, Lynn Cherkasky-Davis, Director of Teacher Leadership at the CTUF Quest Center, and Manager of the CTU/CPS National Board Certification program, said, “I’m so proud to celebrate our new National Board Certified Teachers who have spent more than 400 hours over two years enhancing their pedagogy; collecting and analyzing student work; creating a portfolio of their practice; partnering with colleagues, parents, and the community; studying videotapes of their teaching in order to improve their instruction; and preparing for content area exams. The new NBCTs are to be applauded for not only meeting the high standards of the National Board but for doing so during the pandemic. This is a great personal accomplishment, but it is more than that – this accomplishment is reason to celebrate the impact Board Certified teachers have on thousands of CPS students and on the teaching profession at large.”
Nurturing Teacher Leadership is celebrating its 25th year of National Board candidate support this school year. It has more than a 90% achievement rate, compared to the 70% national average. NTL provides Lane Placement and graduate credits, as well as an optional Master’s degree with our University partner. The program works with all levels of the NBC process from pre-candidacy through initial candidacy, retake support, renewal and maintenance of certification, and support for NBCT leadership. Teachers, school counselors, and librarians interested in seeking National Board Certification may visit www.ctuf.org/NTL for more information and to register for a recruitment meeting, or write to Lynn Cherkasky-Davis at [email protected],
MORE MEANINGFUL METRICS:
- More than 170 CPS NBCTs have worked in district and union leadership positions, including Principals/Assistant Principals, Network Chiefs of Schools, CPS and CTU Program and Project Managers, as well as the CPS Executive Director of Educator Effectiveness, and the former CTU President.
- There are NBCTs in 335 schools in Chicago.
- 36.1% of CPS NBCTs are educators of color.
- CPS NBCTs receive a $2,295+ annual stipend.
- Illinois has the third highest number of new NBCTs of any state this year, thanks in large part, to Chicago.
Congratulations to our new National Board Certified Teachers
Jasmine Anderson-Cruthird, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Bethany Baltutat, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Amy Betts, Generalist Early Childhood
Conor Cameron, Mathematics Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Leah Carter, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Felicia Cavitt, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Kevin Connolly, Science Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Mark Coogan, Mathematics Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Sarah Coogan, English Language Arts Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Joy Dickson, Career and Technical Education
Alison Eichhorn, Social Studies History Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Stephanie Faris, Mathematics Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Donna Figenshu, Science Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Jacqueline Gaiser, Mathematics Early Adolescence
Joshua Gleicher, Physical Education Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Henry Gomez, World Languages Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Sarah Ashley Greer, School Counseling
Brandon Harding, Music Early Adolescence
Emily Hoelter, English Language Arts Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Tracy Hoffmann, Mathematics Early Adolescence
Katherine Kerivan, Generalist Middle Childhood
Rebecca Leng, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Thomas Leng, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Lauren Levites, Science Early Adolescence
Katherine Liao, Literacy: Reading Language Arts
Arlicia McClain, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Elliot Michel, Science Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Kelsie Mizel, Generalist Middle Childhood
Amy Mollenkamp, Literacy: Reading Language Arts
Enid Moore, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Deirdre Morelli, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Hillary Munoz, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Timothy Nystrand, Science Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Marley Olivera, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Nicole Pertile, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Devan Picard, Art Early Adolescence Young Adulthood
Margaret Pircon, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Vivian Redwood, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Cintia Rodriguez, Generalist Middle Childhood
Rebecca Rogers, World Languages
Jessica Rosenbaum, Art Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Jamie Rossi, Literacy: Reading Language Arts
Marisol Salgado, Generalist Early Childhood
Mashanda Scott, Literacy: Reading Language Arts
Nell Seggerson, Social Studies History Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Rose Semmel, Social Studies History Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Derek Smith, English Language Arts Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Keirstyn Stewart, Physical Education Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Esther Young Taylor, World Languages Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Robin Thompson, Science Early Adolescence
Jacqueline Travis, Literacy: Reading Language Arts
Erica Tully, Literacy: Reading Language Arts
Ryan VanOverbeke, Generalist Middle Childhood
Esther Velazquez, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Allison Warner, Generalist Early Childhood
Aaron Weiss, Social Studies History Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Amy Wiktor, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Congratulations to the NBCTs who renewed their National Board Credential
Cynthia Alexander, School Counseling
Kirsten Argyelan, School Counseling
Deborah Banks, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Peter Barash, Social Studies-History Early Adolescence
Stacy Barrett, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Jennifer Barron, Art Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Arlene Bertonei-Mancine, Health Education Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Vivian Billups, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Dagny Bloland, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Susan Bohman, Generalist Early Adolescence
Cynthia Brawner, Generalist Early Childhood
Christopher Bruggeman, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Marcie Buckmaster, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Gloria Cahill, Generalist Middle Childhood
Siobhan Cassidy, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Jessica Coonley, Science Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Sydney Davis, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Maria De Arcos, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Catherine Ditto, Generalist Middle Childhood
Manuela Diyarza, English as a New Language Early and Middle Childhood
Cynthia Domine, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Ryan Dooley, English Language Arts Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Heather Duncan, Generalist/Early Childhood
Susan Echeverria, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Amy Ellifritz, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Marisa Fonatana, English as a New Language Early and Middle Childhood
Kavita Garg, Science Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Thersa Hehn, Science Early Adolescence
Casey Honeycutt, Art Early and Middle Childhood
Beth Houghtgy, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Patrice Izard, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Marianna Jennings, Mathematics Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Shalynn Jennings Mihuc, English Language Arts Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Fabienne Johnson, Generalist Middle Childhood
Cynthia Juarez, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Dennis Kass, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Debra Kearney, Generalist Early Childhood
Anna Kolanczyk-Olech, English as a New Language Early and Middle Childhood
Dekey Lama, Science Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Kevin Lee, Mathematics Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Kathleen Mahoney, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Sara Manseau, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Colin McGeehan, Music Early and Middle Childhood
Maria Miranda, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Andrea Montgomery, English as a New Language Early and Middle Childhood
Michael P. Moriarty, Mathematics Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Jennifer Morris, Science Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Rory Muchow, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Shemeeka Nash, Music Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Karen Neary, Generalist Middle Childhood
Christiana Newbill, Generalist Early Childhood
Barbara Newton, English Language Arts Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Franci Nimpson-Boateng, Mathematics Early Adolescence
Justin Nowak, Physical Education Early and Middle Childhood
Christina O’Leary, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Jennifer Pestich, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Melissa Potts, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Leah Radinsky, English as a New Language Early and Middle Childhood
Nathan Ramin, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Eliza Ramirez, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Cheryl Reynolds, Art Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Misty Richmond, Science Early Adolescence
Shirley Roberson, Generalist Middle Childhood
Jennifer Rocque, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Lauren Rodriguez, English Language Arts Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Janean Rogers-Gayles, English Language Arts Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Mark Sidarous, Science Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Jessica Siegel, Exceptional Needs Specialist
Sara Simon, Art Early and Middle Childhood
James Staros, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Madilyn Strentz, Art Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Eu Tang, Mathematics Early Adolescence
Margaret Taylor, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Fontane Thomas, Generalist Early Childhood
Monique Thorpe, Social Studies-History Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Mary Tripp, English Language Arts Early Adolescence
Claudia Vailant, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
Allison Vogt, Generalist Early Childhood
Kimberly Walls-Kirk, Science Early Adolescence
Jennifer Watson, Social Studies-History Early Adolescence
Demetrice Williams, Generalist Middle Childhood
Danelle Williams, English Language Arts Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Sara Zoldan, Art Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
About the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (www.nbpts.org):
The founding mission of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by: maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do; providing a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards, and advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers. Recognized as the “gold standard” in teacher certification, the National Board believes higher standards for teachers means better learning for students.