By Mr. G. Pinheiro and Ms. Sharon Kennedy
NEWBURGH – The Newburgh Enlarged City School District recognized and celebrated 36 current and retired teachers who have achieved National Board Certification and 11 additional candidates who are currently pursuing certification.
National Board Certification is considered the “gold standard” of teaching, and SUNY recognizes those teachers who have achieved National Board Certification as having the equivalent of a Doctorate degree in the pedagogy of their certification area. Once certified, the journey is not over as these teachers need to maintain their certification and renew it every 5 years.
In the most recent cycle (2023-2024), 47 teachers in New York State achieved National Board Certification. The NECSD cohort had great success, as six (6) teachers achieved National Board Certification. This was the highest rate of achievement for any one district (13% of the entire state).
Congratulations to new National Board Certified Teachers: Christine Baumann, NFA P-TECH; Katherine DiThomas, Vails Gate STEAM Academy; Jacqueline Hesse, NFA P-TECH;
Tara Lapierre, Heritage Middle School
Jessica Torres, Gidney Avenue Memorial School (GAMS); and Sharon Wagner, Heritage Middle School.
National Board Certification is a voluntary process designed for teachers to demonstrate, through standards-based evidence, the positive impact they have on student learning as a result of their deep and abiding understanding of students, content knowledge, pedagogical practice, ongoing reflection, and participation in learning communities.
Candidates for Board certification submit evidence through the use of student work samples, lesson videos, written summaries, and reflection, showing that their practice meets the Five Core Propositions and National Board Standards for their content area.
This cohort is a collaborative initiative made possible through a partnership between the Newburgh Teachers’ Association, the Newburgh Teacher Center, and the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. In alignment with the district’s commitment to fostering a community of lifelong learners, and pursuant to the current collective bargaining agreement, the district provides full fee reimbursement for the certification process. Upon successful completion, candidates are eligible for eight in-service credits and/or a $5,000 stipend (for those possessing 120 credits beyond their Bachelor’s degree). Furthermore, teachers who achieve National Board Certification will receive an annual stipend of $2,000 for the initial ten years, and $1,000 annually following recertification.
National Board Cohort facilitators for the district are Melissa Higgins and Sharon Kennedy.
