North Glendale Teacher Among Three Percent of Teachers in the Country Earning National Board Certification

Kirkwood High School Math Teachers Renew Certification

Brittany Holt, a first-grade teacher at North Glendale Elementary School in the Kirkwood School District, earned her National Board Certification (NBC). She earned her NBC in “Literacy: Reading-Language Arts- Early and Middle Childhood Age”. This is Holt’s first year teaching at North Glendale, and her seventh year teaching. She is involved in the Social and Wellness Committee and Black History Month planning committee at North Glendale. She also enjoys cooking, reading, and writing manuscripts for children’s literature.

The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards awards NBC. It is the highest credential in the teaching profession. NBC is a voluntary, advanced teaching credential that goes beyond state licensure. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance‐based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes, and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching.

The certification process centers around five core propositions that show teachers are committed to their students, their learning, are knowledgeable of the subjects they teach, and can effectively teach those subjects to students. Nationwide, only 3% of teachers are NBC. Also, Brittany joins just 1.66% of Missouri teachers who have attained NBC.

“Teachers I have known who have completed the process have all said that it is the most valuable and transformative professional development they have ever received ~ and also the most rigorous,” said Jennifer Sisul, North Glendale principal. “I have always been in awe of the perseverance it takes to achieve this milestone. Congratulations to Brittany.” 

KSD Teachers Renew National Board Certification

Kirkwood High School teachers Kathleen Becker, Jeff Gutjahr, and Emily Werner are three of thousands of teachers across the United States to renew their certification as National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT). 

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is excited to celebrate these teachers along with the more than 20,000 teachers currently pursuing Board certification – seen as the profession’s mark of accomplished teaching. 

The renewal process is nearly a year-long of documenting evidence of accomplished teaching practices in writing and video submissions. This process reinforces high teaching standards and a commitment to excellence in education.

“Congratulations to the newly announced and newly renewed National Board Certified Teachers from the Kirkwood School District,” said Dr. David Ulrich. “These teachers met high standards through study, expert evaluation, self-assessment, and peer review to the benefit of our KSD students. Well done!”

The National Board is working to set the expectation that all teachers in every classroom should demonstrate accomplished teaching via National Board certification and become leaders in their schools and communities. Every child should have the opportunity to learn from an accomplished teacher.

Other KSD teachers who are National Board Certified are Kimberly Martin, Amy Barker, Donna Canan, Katie Meyers, Kathleen Wessels, Jason Evans, Kathy Collier-Paul, Melinda Heaton, Michael George, Karen Ambuehl, Gina Woodard, Olivia Rea, Deanna Hempen, Tricia Owens, and Ann Monroe.