Thirty Berkeley County School District educators earn National Board Certification

News Release, Berkeley County School District: 

Thirty Berkeley County School District educators have earned prestigious National Board Certification.  The total includes 16 new and 14 recertified teachers.  South Carolina remains third in the nation in National Board Certified teachers, after 360 South Carolina educators earned the certification in 2011, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). 

Teachers seeking National Board Certification undertake a two-part process that takes from one to three years to complete. The process requires candidates to reflect on their classroom practices, understanding of subject material and preparation techniques. Candidates also prepare a portfolio with video recordings of classroom teaching, lesson plans, student work samples and reflective essays, and must complete a rigorous assessment that proves they have mastered the subjects they teach and met the high standards for accomplished teaching. 

"I congratulate our certified teachers," said Rodney Thompson, superintendent. "This process requires a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication.  It demonstrates these educators' commitment to being at the top of their profession, and it greatly impacts children in the classroom."

Berkeley County's new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are: 

• Angela Augustyn, Mathematics/Early Adolescence, Macedonia Middle            
• Catherine Beltran, Generalist/Early Childhood, Boulder Bluff Elementary
• Lauren Dillard, Generalist/Early Childhood, Marrington Elementary
• Jennifer Dukes (Morales), Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Goose Creek Primary
• Keturah Gadson, English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Hanahan High
• Dawne Gallo, Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, College Park Middle
• Diana Guest, Generalist/Middle Childhood, Cane Bay Elementary
• Donna Huger, School Counseling/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Stratford High
• Sonovia Leeuw, Science/Early Adolescence, Berkeley Middle College
• Heather Maczko, Generalist/Early Childhood, Westview Primary
• Brooke McCants, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Goose Creek Primary
• Lori McCarthy, Library Media/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Sedgefield Middle
• Nicole Redlich, Generalist/Early Childhood, Cane Bay Elementary
• Tracey Rodriguez, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Cane Bay Elementary
• Patrick Withers, Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Stratford High
• Kimberly Wheeler, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Daniel Island School Berkeley County's renewed National Board Certified Teachers are: • Mary Jo Austin, Middle Childhood Generalist, Whitesville Elementary
• Jacqueline Boston, Early Childhood Generalist, Hanahan Elementary
• Bonnie Ellis, Early Childhood Generalist, Westview Primary
• Maja Fickett, Adolescent/Young Adult Science, Timberland High
• Kathleen Gibbs, Early Childhood Generalist, Marrington Elementary
• Kathleen Hart, Art, Hanahan Elementary
• Donna Harvey, Early Childhood, Cane Bay Elementary
• Melissa Mitchell, English Arts/English Language Arts, Sedgefield Middle
• Joyce Moon, Early Childhood Generalist, Cane Bay Elementary
• Leila O’Neal, Early Childhood, Whitesville Elementary
• Dianne Popdan, Young Adult Adolescent / Career Technology, Business and Management, Sangaree Middle
• Sue Revord, Middle Childhood Generalist, Hanahan Elementary
• Pamela Richards, Early Childhood, Hanahan Elementary
• Tammy Taylor, Early Childhood Generalist, Westview Primary 

Berkeley County currently has 278 NCBTs. Greenville leads the state with 622, followed by Richland Two (612) and Charleston (479).  The state’s total of 8,142 National Board Certified Teachers is the third highest in the country behind North Carolina and Florida.