3 Carson City School District teachers earn national board certification

The Carson City School District had three teachers earn certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. The teachers earning certification are Lacey Carey, sixth-grade social studies teacher at Carson Middle School; Nicole Medeiros, third-grade teacher at Bordewich Bray Elementary; and Pamela Shank, fourth-grade teacher at Fremont Elementary.

“National Board certification requires a tremendous amount of work, dedication and years of classroom skill and expertise,” said Susan Keema, associate superintendent of educational services. “We are very proud of these wonderful educators and applaud them for their achievement.”

The NBPTS is widely considered to be the highest professional recognition for educators.

These teachers join three other board certified teachers in the district: Jenny Chandler, AP Government/AP Art History teacher and social studies department chair at Carson High School; Rachel Croft, STEM coach at Bordewich Bray Elementary; and Leah Hampton, math teacher at Carson High School. Five other Carson teachers are pursuing board certification.

Certification is a one-to-five-year process that includes taking an assessment and assembling three portfolios. According to the NBPTS, each of these accomplished educators earned the profession’s highest mark of achievement through a rigorous, performance-based, peer-review process, demonstrating their proven impact on student learning and achievement. Completing the certification shows each teacher knows and practices “the definitive standards of accomplished teaching.”

“Continued education and professional development are some of the best ways to elevate student performance,” said Jaci McCune, K-12 professional learning facilitator for the Carson City School District and Northwest Regional Professional Development Program representative. “Ms. Carey, Medeiros and Shank participated in a professional development cohort (sponsored and facilitated by the NWRPDP), which allowed for collaboration among teachers and coaches (from other districts and counties) seeking to achieve this high-level accreditation.”

The Carson City teachers are among 750 board-certified educators in Nevada. Nationally this year, 5,470 teachers earned the NBPTS certification while another 3,957 board-certified teachers successfully renewed their certification. In total, there are 118,000 certified nationwide. The National Center for Education Statistics projected more than 3.6 million teachers are employed in public and private elementary and secondary schools.

Carson City teachers interested in pursuing board-certification are invited to contact Jaci McCune, jmccune@carson.k12.nv.us or 775-283-1796.