St. Tammany News

Thirteen teachers have earned their National Board Certification from the National Board for professional Teaching Standards and were recognized recently by the St. Tammany Parish School Board. There are a total of 110 nationally certified teachers in St. Tammany Parish.

Teachers recognized, their current schools and their area of certification are: Kathleen Bordelon, Pontchartrain Elementary School, middle childhood generalist; Adair Watkins, Fontainebleau Junior High School, art early adolescent-young adulthood; Christa Allen, Fontainebleau High School, adolescent-young adult English language arts; Susan Summers, Slidell High School, adolescent-young adult English language arts; Jill Green, Riverside Elementary School, middle childhood generalist; Glenda Schmidt, Slidell High School, adolescent-young adult science-chemistry; Lorraine Brennecke, Covington Elementary School, early childhood generalist; Rita Handlin, Little Oak Middle School, middle school generalist; Kirstie Bardy, Fifth Ward Junior High School, early childhood generalist; Deborah Richard, Cypress Cove Elementary School, early childhood exceptional need specialist; Patricia Edmiston, Covington High School, adolescent-young adult math; Sherri Barton, Lee Road Junior High School, early adolescent English language arts; and Patricia Vicknair, Fontainebleau High School.

Recent nationally certified teachers received recognition at the St. Tammany Parish School Board Feb. 14 meeting. Pictured are seated, from left, Kathleen Bordelon, Adair Watkins, Christa Allen, Susan Summers, Jill Green, and Glenda Schmidt. Standing are, from left, Lorraine Brennecke, Rita Handlin, Kirstie Bardy, Deborah Richard, Patricia Edmiston, and Sherri Barton. Not pictures is Patricia Vicknair. (Photo courtesy of St. Tammany Parish School Board)

To achieve this certification, teachers must meet strict criteria.

One must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, have completed three years of successful teaching and must have a valid state license in the area in which certification is being sought.

The application should reflect what teachers know and are able to do, such as show their commitment to students and their learning, know the subject matter that they teach and that they teach it to students, that they are responsible for monitoring and managing student learning, they think systematically about their practice and learn from experience, and they must show that they are part of a learning community.

For more information on becoming nationally accredited, teachers should contact Brandon Clayton in human resources.