UW-Green Bay helps five educators earn National Board Certifications

GREEN BAY — Five Wisconsin educators earned National Board Certification awarded by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards organization, through participation with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Institute for Learning Partnership.

“National Board Certified teachers are top-notch educators,” said Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster in commending Wisconsin’s national board class of 2008. “National Board Certification is a voluntary process that demonstrates exceptional professional practice and in depth subject-area knowledge.”

Statewide, 74 educators became National Board Certified this year.

The five educators are who earned their certifications through training at UW-Green Bay are:

• James Milske, guidance counselor, Koenig Elementary School, Two Rivers Public School District. Certification: school counseling.

• Angela Buchenauer, school counselor, Bonduel Middle School, Bonduel School District. Certification: school counseling.

• Julie Huss, reading teacher, Longfellow Elementary School, Sheboygan Area School District. Certification: exceptional needs specialist mild-moderate disabilities.

• Tammy Hyler, special education teacher, Wilson Junior High, Manitowoc Public School District. Certification: exceptional needs specialist/early childhood through young adulthood.

• Linda Luedtke, high school counselor, Two Rivers High School, Two Rivers Public School District. Certification: K-12 school counselor.

National Board Certified educators have met rigorous standards through intense study, expert evaluation, self-assessment and peer review. Certified educators receive a $2,500 annual bonus from the state and additional compensation varies from district to district. Each is eligible to apply for a master educator license.

Wisconsin now ranks 20th nationally in Board Certified teachers following the 2008 results.

Wisconsin’s goal is to increase the number of National Board Certified teachers in the state, in an effort to improve both student achievement and teaching excellence.

UW-Green Bay’s Institute for Learning Partnership supports this effort by providing a National Board Candidate Support Workshop to help educators seeking this distinguished certification.

Grant funding from the Wisconsin Education Association Council, WEAC, and the Institute for Learning Partnership has supported the workshop for the past three years, allowing all educators going through the process to participate at no cost.

The Institute for Learning Partnership has now helped 15 educators receive National Board Certifications in 2007 and 2008. The Candidate Support Workshop, which is held at the UW-Green Bay campus, is still available to educators who wish to explore the National Board process as a professional development career option.

For workshop information and registration, educators should visit www.uwgb.edu/learnpart, or contact Juliet Cole at (920) 465-5094, or via e-mail at colej@uwgb.edu. For information on the National Board Certification process, visit www.nbpts.org.

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