NYSED and NYSUT applaud 60 teachers who achieved 'gold standard' national certification

Source: NYSUT Media Relations

April 14, 2021 -- The New York State Education Department and New York State United Teachers today congratulated 60 teachers from across the state who have achieved national certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, the “gold standard” in the education profession.

“Attaining National Board Certification is an arduous endeavor that each of these extraordinary educators undertook because of their dedication and love for teaching and learning,” Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said. “In this most difficult of times, when uncertainty wrought by COVID-19 changed nearly every facet of education, these teachers are committed to their calling, challenging themselves to become even better educators for the sake of their students.”

“To keep the love of learning alive and to continue to strive to be even better is key to being an exceptional teacher who can effectively reach the hearts and minds of their students,” State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said. “Through a process of introspection and enrichment, these passionate teachers elevate their efforts in the classroom and open a world of leadership and academic possibilities for themselves and their colleagues for whom they will serve as mentors.”

“To achieve National Board certification in the midst of unprecedented challenges the coronavirus pandemic has brought is a testament to the dedication these teachers have to their students and their profession,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “These educators exemplify the outstanding teachers across New York who give their all to preparing children for the future.”

“These educators have shown not only a mastery of their craft, but that they have built the relationships with students that set them up for long-term success,” NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene T. DiBrango said. “Teaching makes a difference in the lives of students. Especially during this pandemic, these educators have proved that the human connection between teachers and children is the most important part of the learning process and finding ways to maintain that is a critical part of their work.”

New York is home to 2,179 National Board Certified Teachers, who have completed a rigorous performance-based peer-reviewed assessment process that includes a review of teaching portfolios, student work samples, videos and analysis of a candidate’s teaching and student learning. In addition to the 60 teachers to achieved certification in the past year, 42 New York educators had their certifications renewed.

The list of new National Board certification awardees, who hail from every region of the state, can be found here and is also included below.

This year’s awardees will be celebrated during a virtual recognition ceremony today from 4 to 5 p.m. featuring remarks from DiBrango, Chancellor Young, Commissioner Rosa, Regent Roger Tilles, National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Director of Policy and Partnerships Michelle Accardi and 2021 New York State Teacher of the Year Jennifer Wolfe. The ceremony can be viewed here.

About National Board Certification

Achieving national certification is extraordinarily challenging. Candidates typically spend 200-400 hours of their own time having their teaching assessed against rigorous standards through an extensive series of performance-based assessments, including teaching portfolios, student work samples, videos of their lessons, and thorough analyses and reflection of the candidate’s teaching and student learning. The process involves written exercises that probe the depth of the candidate’s subject area knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to teach those subjects.

The New York State Education Department through the Albert Shanker Grant makes funding available to support eligible New York State public school teachers seeking their first National Board Certification. NYSUT assists National Board candidates by offering awareness programs and support through online discussion forums, and conferences and professional development through its Education & Learning Trust. The union also aids state teacher centers in supporting candidates through the challenging board certification process.

2020 Newly Certified NBCTs

First Name	Last Name	School District	Certification
Alyssa	Anthony	Wappingers Central School District	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Monica	Baker	Webutuck Central School District	English as a New Language/Early and Middle Childhood
Michelle	Berne	Eden Central School District	Science/Early Adolescence
Felice	Best	North Colonie Central School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Susan	Bethmann	Rush-Henrietta Central School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Christa	Buccola Henriquez	New York City Department of Education	Science/Early Adolescence
Kathryn	Cernera	Ithaca City School District	English Language Arts/Early Adolescence
Thomas	Cheevers	Victor Central School District	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Jennifer	Clift	Schenectady Cityl School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Shari	Costello	William Floyd Central School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Hollie	Cottrell	New York City Department of Education	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Richard	DeCarr	Schenectady City School District	English Language Arts/Early Adolescence
Tiffany	Duquette	Syracuse City School District	English as a New Language/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Sara	Falco	Tompkins Seneca Tioga BOCES	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
John	Farranto	New York City Department of Education	English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Andrea	Fortin-Nossavage	Niagara Falls City School District	Social Studies-History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Cynthia	Galvin	Amagansett Union Free School District	Music/Early and Middle Childhood
Jennifer	Gillette	Fayetteville Manlius Central School District	Generalist/Middle Childhood
Zhanna	Glazenburg	Croton Harmon Union Free School District	Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Nancy	Goldblatt	Coblekill Richmond School District	Library Media/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Melissa	Higgins	Newburgh Enlarged City School District	English as a New Language/Early and Middle Childhood
Jonelle	Hinchcliffe	New York City Department of Education	Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Monte	Huey	New York City Department of Education	Generalist/Middle Childhood
Deepak	Kapoor	New York City Department of Education	Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Kathryn	Kaufman	Yonkers Public School District	English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Hal	Kaufman	Yonkers Public School District	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Karen	Kettyle	New York City Department of Education	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Irina	Kimyagarov	Sewanhaka Central High School District	Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Christine	Landaker Charbonneau	Willsboro Central School District	English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
David	Lazar	Oyster Bay East Norwich Central School District	Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Michelle	Levasseur	New York City Department of Education	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Lauren	Loschiavo	Glens Falls City School District	Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Clarissa	Lynn	New York City Department of Education	Social Studies-History/Early Adolescence
Bushra	Makiya	New York City Department of Education	Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Lisa	McLeod	Glens Falls City School District	Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Marguerite	McQuaid	New York City Department of Education	English as a New Language/Early and Middle Childhood
Jennifer	McSorley	New York City Department of Education	Generalist/Early Childhood
Amy	Moore	Windham Ashland Jewett Central School District	Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Nichole	Nastke	Glens Falls City School District	Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Natalie	Patrizio-Tully	New York City Department of Education	Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Caroline	Phillips	New York City Department of Education	Science/Early Adolescence
Marcy	Philo	Shenendahowa Central School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Jennifer	Platania	Rush Henrietta Central School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Michael	Porter	Windham Ashland Jewett Central School District	Social Studies-History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Virginia	Powell	Fayetteville Manlius Central School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Catherine	Rinko-Gay	Hunter College Elementary	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Thomas	Rooke	Brooklyn Prospect Charter	English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Tamara	Rupertus	Plainedge Union Free School District	Generalist/Early Childhood
Kristen	Ryan	Niskayuna Central School District	Social Studies-History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Alan	Schorn	Great Neck Public Schools	Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Kathryn	Schreck	Southampton Union Free School District	English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Elizabeth	Seyboth	Cobleskill Richmond School District	English Language Arts/Early Adolescence
Michael	Sheridan	Schenectady City School District	Library Media/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Ritashona	Simpson	New York City Department of Education	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Yvette	Sosnick	Newburgh Enlarged City School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Jamie	Stroffolino	Lakeland Central School District	Music/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Karen	Vecellio	Ichabod Crane Central Schools	Generalist/Early Childhood
Nichole	Weber	Stillwater Central School District	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Carol	Wilkins	Children’s Aid College Prep Charter	Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood
Mallory	Womer	New York City Department of Education	Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood

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NYSED and NYSUT applaud 60 teachers who achieved 'gold standard' national certification

About National Board Certification

2020 Newly Certified NBCTs