11 DIST. 129 TEACHERS REACH NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION

Eleven Dist. 129 teachers this year have successfully completed the voluntary quest to measure up against the highest and most rigorous expectations set by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

These new master teachers are Sarah Burgess and Miriam Wandt of Hill Elementary School; Lora Johnson of Hope Wall School; Edwin Maisonet of McCleery Elementary School; Pam McGreer and Valerie Wolter of Washington Middle School; and Tim Gallagher, Tim Kulak, Jan Luberda, Mike Persons and Shad Rowley of West Aurora High School.

The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards has developed a rigorous, yearlong process designed to identify the best teachers. Each of the Dist. 129 teachers had to master of the most effective teaching practices in their fields, including classroom performance, student testing and parent involvement.

This year an unusually high number of Dist. 129 teachers reached the National Certification goal in part because they had an opportunity to receive instruction at West High from Robert Lundquist, himself a National Board certified science teacher at West High. Lundquist is one of five members of the West High Science Department to have completed this rigorous process.