Undergraduate Admissions

Gannon University on Monday, May 11 will honor six of Northwestern Pennsylvania’s most highly accomplished teachers for their achievement of National Board Certification.

The teachers also will be recognized by Pennsylvania legislators, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and their teaching colleagues during a special ceremony to be held in room 219 of the University’s Waldron Campus Center, 124 West 7th St.

The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by welcoming remarks at 6:30 p.m., a dinner at 6:40 p.m., and a Recognition Ceremony at 7:20 p.m. The program will conclude at approximately 8 p.m.

Honored during the ceremony will be:

• Amy Amendola, Westlake Middle School, Millcreek School District.

• Deborah Bernardini, Chestnut Hill Elementary School, Millcreek School District.

• Joy Catania, Walnut Creek Middle School, Millcreek School District.

• Holly Cousins, Chestnut Hill Elementary School, Millcreek School District.

• Tia Henderson, Chestnut Hill Elementary School, Millcreek School District.

• Christine Sherman, Barber National Institute.

With the support of Gannon University faculty and state funding through Gannon’s Center for Teaching Excellence, Monday’s honorees have demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills, and practice as defined by national standards. They will join 490 Pennsylvania National Board Certified Teachers.

National Board Certification is a voluntary professional development and performance-based assessment program. While the Pennsylvania certification system sets basic requirements to teach, National Board Certified Teachers demonstrate advanced teaching knowledge, skills, and practices.

Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete. As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes, and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Teachers also are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach.

Overall, the first-year achievement rate is about 40 percent, culminating in an achievement rate of approximately 65 percent by the end of the third year. Gannon’s Center for Teaching Excellence currently is supporting 76 additional candidates in their work toward certification.

The ceremony at Gannon comes several months after the National Research Council affirmed that National Board Certification has had a positive impact in areas like student achievement, teacher retention, and professional development.

In the most comprehensive study to date on National Board Certification, the NRC found that students taught by National Board Certified Teachers make higher gains on achievement tests.

“Like board-certified doctors and accountants, teachers who achieve National Board Certification have met rigorous criteria through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment, and peer review,” said NBPTS President and CEO Joseph A. Aguerrebere. “Research demonstrates that National Board Certified Teachers consistently outperform their peers in knowledge of subject matter and ability to create challenging and engaging lessons.”

Gannon University’s Center for Teaching Excellence was established in 2006 by the University and by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to promote and support National Board Certification candidacy.

For more information, visit www.gannon.edu/nbpts, or contact Linda S. Cook, director of Gannon’s Center for Teaching Excellence, at cook027@gannon.edu.