Congratulations to the 13 Bellevue School District teachers who recently achieved National Board certification and the 25 teachers who achieved National Board renewal this year! Bellevue School District employs more than 400 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs). According to the National Board, Bellevue currently ranks 20th out of all public school districts nationwide in terms of the number of NBCTs who have earned the distinction. Bellevue was recently recognized by the National Board as one of three districts in which more than 40% of its staff has earned certification since the inception of the National Board process.
By applying for National Board certification, Bellevue School District educators volunteer to put their teaching skills and content knowledge up against the highest standards in the nation. Teachers meet after school and on weekends to discuss their teaching, curriculum, and assessment tools and to evaluate video of one another teaching. This work is assembled into a portfolio that is submitted to the National Board. In addition, each candidate takes a three-hour exam on the content they teach. Both the test and the portfolio complete their application to the National Board.
New Certifications
- Michelle Ohmart
- Kassidy Worthwine
- Elsa Yanez Gomez
- Faith Iverson
- Betzabeth Alvarado-Jurista
- Justyna Szymala
- Michelle Whitcomb
- Brian Murphy
- David Lasby
- Jami Visaya
- Akemi Chavez Aquino
- Duncan Rogers
- Lily Martin
Renewals
- Kristen Thom-McMaster
- Deborah Nixon
- Michael Kralovich
- Kathryn Botsford
- Sara Gendron
- Sabrina Carter
- Elizabeth Dickenson
- Amelia Stern
- Emma Cook
- Min-shu Hung-Turner
- Clare Duffy
- Tracy Bates
- Andrew Foti
- Amber Swanigan
- Sarah Curtis Greer
- Monica Wilson
- Robert Wood
- Ian Duncan
- Jon Pelto
- Maria Guadalupe Ocampo Guerrero
- Maria Elena Pickering
- Betty Nhan
- Janel Hershey
- Maile Morgan
- Jennifer Sheffler
Bellevue School District teachers are supported in their pursuit of National Board certification by the district and the generosity of Bellevue Schools Foundation donors. The district’s financial contribution of $550 per teacher toward candidacy fees helps ease the financial burden placed on staff. This year the Bellevue Schools Foundation contributed $35,000 to fund content-area facilitators and a videographer. The Foundation has continuously and generously supported Bellevue teachers in pursuit of National Board certification since 2003. The collective support of the Bellevue School District and the Bellevue Schools Foundation makes it possible for our teachers to participate in the highest level of professional development available to educators today.
