Kevin Gilbert, the president of the Mississippi Association of Educators, joined Mississippi NBCTs this month in releasing a set of recommendations to close the state’s student achievement gap.
Read More
NBPTS Provides High Standards
“We need NBPTS because we can build on its history of high standards that have been a basis for the accreditation of teacher preparation institutions.”
Arthur E. Levine
President, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
NBPTS Higher Education Invitational Conference
March 7, 2008
Welcome to NewsLink
This new online newsletter is designed to provide the latest information about the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), events and issues surrounding the organization, and most importantly, the teachers who have achieved National Board Certification®.
In addition to our new look and format, we are also announcing a new interactive feature "NBCT CommunityLink" to help us better meet the needs and interests of our National Board Certified Teacher constituents.
Joseph A. Aguerrebere
NBPTS President and CEO
NBPTS Nationwide
NBPTS Chair Roy Barnes Leads Take One! Rally
The entire faculty of Stonewall Tell Elementary School, in College Park, Ga., was honored April 14, for completing Take One!®, a standards-based professional development offering for improving teaching practice and linking student learning to effective instruction. NBPTS Chair Roy E. Barnes joined local education leaders and members of the community to pay tribute to the school’s 74 Take One! participants, including the principal and two assistant principals.
Arthur Levine, Julia Koppich Among Featured Speakers at NBPTS Invitational Conference
More than 150 administrators and faculty from institutions of higher education as well as NBCTs recently attended the NBPTS Invitational Conference that provided attendees with awareness and clarity on higher education accountability issues. Arthur E. Levine, the president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, and noted researcher Julia E. Koppich were among the featured speakers at the conference, held in Washington, D.C. The conference summary highlights the key moments from the March 6-8 event.
NBPTS Sponsors Education Policy Forum
NBPTS recently sponsored an education policy forum, “National Board Certified Teachers: Catalysts for Improving High Need Schools.” The briefing focused on how National Board Certification is making a positive impact in schools across the country and why it’s important for NBCTs to stay connected to legislative issues. The discussion, held in Washington, D.C., was attended by representatives from national education organizations and featured NBCTs Jolynn Tarwater (Montgomery County, Md.), Isi Kessel (Hampton, Va.) and Joyce Loveless (Raleigh, N.C.).
Pearson Addresses NBPTS Board of Directors
NBPTS recently awarded Pearson with a five-year contract for the period 2009-2013 to develop, administer and score its National Board Certification program for accomplished teachers. Representatives from Pearson provided members of the NBPTS Board of Directors with an overview about how their organization embraces technology to change the way people learn.
NBPTS President Joe Aguerrebere, National Teacher of the Year Andrea Peterson Speak at NSBA Conference
NBPTS President and CEO Joseph A. Aguerrebere served as a panelist to discuss efforts underway to close the achievement gap for Latino students at the 2008 National School Boards Association Annual Conference, held March 29-April 1 in Orlando, Fla. NBCT Andrea Peterson, the 2007 National Teacher of the Year, was among the keynote speakers at the conference which was attended by more than 8,000 school board members from across the country.
NBCT CommunityLink
International Travel Grant for U.S. Teachers
Under the Eurasia/South Asia Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA), the U.S. Department of State and the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) announce a competition for middle and high school teachers from the United States to participate in a two-week professional exchange program in one of the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, or Ukraine. The application deadline is April 29, 2008.
What's New in NBCTLink?
Have you visited NBCTLink, lately? This month NBCTs submitted online PSA entries for our Teacher Appreciation Week contest, NBCT and NBPTS staff member Joyce Loveless blogged about the renewal process, and community members offered comments about the new Take One! promotional video.
Don't miss out -- log in to NBCTLink today!
NBCT Online Store
The NBCT Online Store is up and running. NBCTs will have improved functionality for ordering, including several options for NBCT business cards. The store has an easy-to-use interface and more products than ever before.
Policy Watch
Florida Budget Cuts Could Impact NBCTs
The Tallahassee Democrat recently published an op-ed submitted by Betty Castor, former NBPTS president, about the potential budget cuts that could impact current and future NBCTs. “At a time when Florida is raising standards for students and for the teachers responsible for their learning, state lawmakers are threatening to destroy one of the most important teacher-quality programs in the state: National Board Certification,” said Castor.
Mississippi NBCTs Issue Recommendations to Close Achievement Gap
Mississippi NBCTs released a report containing extensive policy recommendations on closing the student achievement gap. “Every Child Deserves Success” is the result of an education policy summit held in August 2007 dedicated to creating solutions to one of the state’s most pressing educational issues – how to attract and retain high-quality teachers in schools that are struggling with teacher turnover and poor student achievement.
NBPTS Policy Leadership Forum, July 16-17
NBPTS is sponsoring a two-day Policy Leadership Forum, July 16-17, 2008, in Washington, D.C. One day would consist of a Capitol Hill Day, with meetings scheduled for small groups of NBCTs with congressional members and/or staff. The second part of the forum will be a full day of intensive hands-on training for those who want to learn more about becoming politically active. (NBCTs interested in attending Capitol Hill Day only are encouraged to do so.) There is no registration fee. For more information please contact Anna Davis.
Voices from the Field
Vermont: State’s 2007 Class of NBCTs Honored
Governor Jim Douglas and the state board of education recognized Vermont’s 2007 class of NBCTs during a recognition ceremony in Montpelier, Vt., on March 18, 2008. Vermont NBCT Michele Forman, the 2001 National Teacher of the Year and former NBPTS board member, served as guest speaker.
Washington: Another Step for National Board Certification – Salary Bonuses Can Count Toward Retirement
The $5,000 and $10,000 annual National Board salary bonuses will now count toward retirement calculations under a bill Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law. Three NBCTs who testified for the bill – Megan Conklin, Michaela Miller and John Traxler were at the bill signing.