Daviess County Public Schools is proud to announce that five educators have earned designation as National Board Certified Teachers by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Three teachers have joined 43 others for a total of 46 active educators in the DCPS district who have achieved and maintained this exemplary standard of teaching excellence. Two teachers also successfully renewed their certification.
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an organization dedicated to improving schools and student learning by strengthening the quality of those who teach. The board sponsors a national certification process that measures a teacher’s practices against high standards of excellence. This involves an extensive series of performance-based assessments that includes teaching portfolios, student work samples, videotapes and a thorough analysis of the candidates’ classroom teaching and student learning. Teachers also complete a series of written exercises that explore the depth of their subject-matter knowledge as well as their understanding of how best to teach these subjects to their students.
Earning this designation is an extremely demanding process and only an elite few who attempt it are successful.
DCPS assistant superintendent for teaching and learning Jana Beth Francis, who is also an NBCT educator, said, “I am thrilled that we continue to have teachers take on such a challenging professional learning experience. At the heart of the NBCT process is reflecting on student learning. The teachers who earned National Board Certification and Renewal demonstrate a commitment to be responsive to students’ needs. When educators learn how to better adjust their teaching, all students win. I still consider the NBCT process one of the most challenging and rewarding professional learning experiences of my career.”
The following DCPS teachers have designation as National Board Certified Teachers. Also provided here are their schools, areas of certification, insights and contact information:
LeAnn Englert – College View Middle School, 5061 New Hartford Road, 270-852-7500
[email protected]
Exceptional Needs Specialist/Childhood Through Young Adulthood
LeAnn Englert has been a teacher at College View Middle School for 14 years. “The National Boards process provided the opportunity for me to achieve my goal of Rank I status while also offering a framework to improve my teaching skills,” she said. “The process encourages thoughtful reflection, analysis and planning. These concepts enable me to deliver instruction that promotes the best opportunity for my students to be successful.”
Jeanette Houk – Meadow Lands Elementary School, 3500 Hayden Road, 270-852-7450
Exceptional Needs Specialist/Childhood Through Young Adulthood Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Jeanette Houk is currently in her 14th year of teaching. She has taught at Wilder Elementary School in Louisville; and at Highland and Meadow Lands elementary schools in Daviess County. “For me, pursuing National Board Certification was a way to model the growth mindset I try to instill in students,” Houk said. “The process requires deep reflection into your teaching practices with a focus on applying skills in new ways to improve instruction. This reflection taught me to design instruction around student strengths, increasing opportunities for student achievement.”
Kelly Smith – Tamarack Elementary School, 1733 Tamarack Road, 270-852-7550
Early Childhood Generalist
Kelly Smith is in her 17th year of teaching at Tamarack Elementary School. “National Board Certification enabled me to earn my Rank I status, while also helping me in my professional growth,” Smith said. “The process directly impacts my instruction by connecting my professional learning with my classroom practice to ensure I can meet individual student needs and provide students with the tools they need to learn and grow.”
Jana Bryant, who serves as the DCPS district math instructional coach, is in her 25th year of teaching (14 in Kentucky). She renewed her certification in the area of Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood. Bryant said, “Students benefit from the instruction of teachers who have demonstrated the commitment to excel in their profession. A theme that emerged within my renewal was the importance of frequent, ongoing professional learning to increase my capacity in teaching mathematics using conceptual practices.” (See below for contact information.)
Shiryl McAdams, who serves as the literacy coach and reading interventionist for Country Heights Elementary School, renewed her certification in the area of Literacy: Reading/Language Arts for Early and Middle Childhood. She is in her 15th year of teaching (six years in Florida, nine in Kentucky). “I chose to renew my certification because I value the process and the change that occurs in my practice during the journey,” McAdams said. “Analyzing the work that I have done over the past 10 years gave reasons to celebrate, but also provided new areas for growth as well as new goals for myself and my students. I continue to believe that all children have the right to be literate and can reach their full potential with teachers who value continued growth.”
4961 Kentucky 54, 270-852-7250 [email protected]
In the state of Kentucky, NBCT certification is currently one pathway to a Rank I professional certificate.
