Friday, August 24, 2001

WILMINGTON, NC – Achieving National Board certification is a lengthy, difficult process that public school teachers pursue after long hours in the classroom, often working in isolation and without adequate resources.

“There is a lack of consistent support across school districts,” observed Karen Wetherill, assistant dean in UNCW’s Watson School of Education, whose office coordinates a number of regional outreach programs for area educators.

But this Saturday, the university kicks off a year-long effort to help those educators in the 10-county Southeast N.C. region who are just thinking about or who are actively pursuing National Board certification. It is offering them a collaborative environment taking advantage of the university’s many intellectual and technical resources.

“The school of education has always had a commitment to provide what was needed for professional development,” Wetherill said. “This is a way we can be of assistance to the region, by providing this support for free.”

“National Board Certified Teachers are outstanding leaders in their respective areas. Research has indicated that long-term support and professional development are effective. Our initiative will be based on this model and will both motivate and support educators in our area. We are excited to establish and partner this endeavor,” said Dean Cathy L. Barlow.

This outreach program is the result of discussions between a team of area National Board Certified Teachers and Carol Midgett, UNCW’s “teacher in residence” and coordinator of the Coach 2 Coach program. The former Southport Elementary School teacher was among the first to receive National Board certification in 1997 and is among 148 certified teachers who work closely with UNCW. The team explored the kinds of support that would have benefited them as they pursued their goal, including sharing information to better understand the process and getting support for the portfolio and content assessment components of the process.

“We saw this as an opportunity to build a network of teachers which is in keeping with the philosophy of the Watson School of Education,” Midgett said.

More than 150 are registered for the informational session which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on campus in the Warwick Center and University Union.

The program consists of three sessions:



Speakers for the 9 to 10:15 a.m. session include Midgett, Karen Garr, southeastern regional director of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and Marelene Henriques, teacher in residence with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Arlington, Va.

From 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. public school administrators will learn how their school systems can support their teachers in this effort. Speakers include Tommy Benson, superintendent of Duplin County Schools; Leigh Anne Kapiko, principal of Pender County Alternative School; and Meagan Sweeney-Doyle, assistant principal at Northside High School in Jacksonville, all National Board Certified Teachers.

From 10:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. UNCW faculty will lead sessions on 19 different content areas from early childhood to world languages.

This program is just the beginning of a collaborative effort that will continue throughout the year with 11 scheduled “Sanity Saturdays” when the university will provide quiet space for study and reflection, library resources for research, computer labs and access to certified teachers and UNCW faculty for guidance and instruction.

“The faculty are very excited about this and a number are volunteering their time,” Wetherill said.

“We continue to seek ways we can serve our region. Responding to the needs of National Board Certified Teachers is one way we can provide meaningful outreach,” said UNCW Chancellor James R. Leutze.

With more than 2,000 statewide, North Carolina is leading the nation in the number of National Board Certified Teachers. An outspoken advocate of teachers, former Gov. Jim Hunt is founding chair of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future. The state pays each teacher’s $2,300 application fee and when they pass the test, they are rewarded for their success with a 12 percent annual pay increase over the 10-year certification period.

In addition to the financial incentive, obtaining National Board certification is a “renewing experience for career teachers,” Midgett said. “It engages you in reflecting on those things that you do in your practice that make the biggest impact on your students to benefit their learning. It really is the ultimate professional development experience – whether you’re successful or not. Just engaging in the process is beneficial.”

“What a wonderful validation of your practice – to have feedback that puts it in the context of the whole profession. This does professionalize teaching,” Wetherill said.