Thirty-nine Richland One teachers achieve national board certification

Richland One is among the top four school districts in the state with Board Certified teachers as 39 district teachers join the ranks of 637 teachers and school counselors in South Carolina earning the teaching profession's top honor by achieving National Board Certification(r) in 2004. The district now has 161 Board Certified teachers.

The 39 new Board Certified teachers are: Elizabeth Hall, Brennen Elementary; Doshia Grant, Webber Elementary; Stafhanie Ross, H.B. Rhame Elementary; Althea Steward, Lewis Greenview Elementary; Jacqueline Boulware, Lewis Greenview Elementary; Margaret Warren, W.S. Sandel Elementary; Sally Short, Meadowfield Elementary; Thomas Dimig, S. Kilbourne Elementary; Belinda Willis-Jenkins, Burton-Pack Elementary; Tina Washington, Lewis Greenview Elementary; Emily Derrick, Mill Creek Elementary; Mary Ann Cole, Satchel Ford Elementary; Wanda Turner, Arden Elementary; Chidonna Bryant-Woodard, Arden Elementary; Wanda Wylie, St. Andrews Middle; Marsha Shaw, Lewis Greenview Elementary; Alva White, Hand Middle; Kelly Lilly Beck, Satchel Ford Elementary; and Staci Caraman, Brennen Elementary.

Also, Doris Lee, S. Kilbourne Elementary; Tori Thomas, Hand Middle; Carrie Watson, Crayton Middle; O'Tasha Morgan, W. A. Perry Middle; Monica Rook, Crayton Middle; Joseph Hauff, AC Flora High; Debra Morrell, Brennen Elementary; Inger Ferguson, Burton-Pack Elementary; Angela Dover, Lower Richland High; Nancy Archie, Burnside Elementary; Karen Pardue, Arden Elementary; Hope Abraham, S. Kilbourne Elementary; Courtney Peacock-Wolfe, Crayton Middle; Deborah Lengel, Sandel Elementary; Susan Waites, Logan Elementary; Amelia Sartori, Sanders Middle; Ramona Pasca, Keenan High; Charlotte Morris, Caughman Road Elementary; Michelle Kimpson, Meadowfield Elementary; and Tambra Pingle, Burton-Pack Elementary.

"As a learning organization, all Richland One teachers and instructional staff are constantly looking for ways to improve classroom teaching and student learning, said Dr. Richard Moniuszko, deputy superintendent. "We are very proud of the additional effort exhibited by these teachers in obntaning National Board certification."

Richland One is paying an annual supplement of $5,500 to teachers who become National Board Certified. The highest supplement in the state, this amount is for the 10-year life of the certificate.
Additionally, the state offers several incentives to teachers who achieve National Board Certification, including a forgivable assessment fee loan and a $7,500 annual salary supplement for every year that they teach after receiving certification, for the 10-year life of their certificates
According to data provided by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, South Carolina stands out nationally. The state has the third-highest total number of National Board Certified teachers in the U.S., and the state does a better job retaining minority candidates than North Carolina and Florida, the only two states with higher overall numbers.

National Board Certification is the highest credential in the teaching profession. Teachers who seek National Board Certification undertake a two-part voluntary process established by NBPTS that takes from one to three years to complete. Certification is achieved through a rigorous performance-based assessment that takes between one and three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers and school counselors should know and be able to do.