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DENTON – ‘Twas a night for celebration at the Caroline County Board of Education meeting on January 6, as 14 of the county’s teachers were recognized for obtaining their National Board Certification, and one for earning his Doctorate degree in Education.
A National Board Certification “requires that teachers demonstrate standards-based evidence of the positive effect they have on student learning…They must exhibit a deep understanding of their students, content knowledge, use of data and assessments, and teaching practice. They must also show that they participate in learning communities and provide evidence of ongoing reflection and continuous learning.” Dr. Robert Willoughby, CCPS’s Supervisor of Human Resources, explained that the process for getting a National Board Certification is grueling. Candidates must submit a four-part portfolio including written work, tests on their knowledge of their respective subject matter, and videos of them teaching in a classroom to be considered for Board Certification. The portfolio is to be completed within three years to then receive either a passing or failing score. According to Dr. Willoughby, the pass rate for those who utilize the entire three-year period hovers around 70%. “This really is the highest level of certification for teachers,” he said.
The educators who were recognized for earning their Certifications are Mary Baker (North Caroline High School), Ashleigh Daubach (Denton Elementary School), Danielle Dennis (Colonel Richardson High School),Victoria Donovan (Colonel Richardson High School), Bryan Hall (Colonel Richardson Middle School), Kristi Hall (Caroline Career and Technology Center), Krista King Bennett (Federalsburg Elementary School), Amber Knoepfel (Colonel Richardson High School), Ashley Lane (Denton Elementary School), Christina McConnell (Denton Elementary School), Nathalie Meunier (North Caroline High School), Janna Michaluk (Colonel Richardson High School), Dillon Shaheen (Colonel Richardson High School), and Kimberly Willis (Colonel Richardson Middle School).
Dr. Willoughby that this year’s class of National Board Certification recipients is the largest in Caroline County Public Schools’ history – up until this point a total of just 13 National Board Certified teachers called Caroline County home. “This is a fantastic achievement, and just a great night for recognizing our teachers,” Dr. Willoughby said.
After the Board recognized these individuals, there was one more educator left to congratulate for a monumental achievement. The now Dr. Benjamin Bradner, a longtime teacher at North Caroline High School, was spotlighted for earning his degree to become a Doctor of Education in Literacy Studies. Dr. Bradner received the Doctorate from Salisbury University. His dissertation is titled Exploring Multimodal Composing in the Secondary ELA Classroom: Enhancing Literacy Through Diverse Modes of Expression. The data that Dr. Bradner used in his dissertation was taken from his own use of multimodal learning experiences in his classroom.
Renee Hesson, Supervisor of Instruction, presented Dr. Bradner with a certificate to mark his accomplishment. Hesson said, “[Bradner’s] study shows that when teachers focus on rhetoric before tools, process over perfection, and collaboration over compliance, students develop confidence, creativity, and a broader understanding of what it means to be literate in today's classrooms.”
Dr. Brander has been an English teacher at NCHS since 1996. In a statement read by Hesson, he thanked his parents and his wife, Mirta Bradner, a fellow NCHS teacher. “Nothing great is ever done alone,” Dr. Bradner remarked. He also thanked the Board and other colleagues who supported him through the process. “I know that there have been a lot of things that have occurred, and through it all, you have remained steadfast in your commitment to earning that degree, and that was not easy. So congratulations,” Hesson said.
