Special to the Reporter

Nine Shelby County school teachers were among 151 Alabama teachers statewide who achieved the teaching profession’s highest standards.

Shelby County National Board Certified Teachers and their certificate descriptions include: Sandra Yancey of Oak Mountain High School, science/adolescence and young adulthood.

Christian Warrick of Oak Mountain Middle School, music/early adolescence through young adulthood.

Julianna Robinson of Meadow View Elementary School, exceptional needs specialist/early childhood through young adulthood.

Patricia Schneider Bernhard of Valley Elementary School, generalist/early childhood.

Holly Costello of Vincent Elementary School, exceptional needs specialist/early childhood through young adults.

Denise Campbell Williams of Vincent Elementary School, exceptional needs specialist/early childhood through young adulthood.

Susan Jackson of Valley Elementary School, physical education/early and middle childhood.

Suzanne Culbreth, Oak Mountain High School, mathematics/early adolescence.

Shannon Acker of Meadow View Elementary School, exceptional needs specialist/early childhood through young adulthood.

According to the State Board of Education that means 2004 was a record setting year for the number of teachers in the state with National Board Certification.

The State Department of Education reports that to date 783 Alabama teachers have been certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

The state’s financial commitment to the program provides money to pay application fees for the first 100 applicants and a $5,000 annual salary increase for teachers achieving National Board Certification.

&uot;Improved student achievement starts with quality classroom instruction, and having quality teachers in our schools ensures our students are receiving what they need to meet educational expectations,&uot; said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Joseph B. Morton.

&uot;It takes a high level of commitment and knowledge to attain National Board Certification, and I commend these Alabama teachers for receiving this extraordinary distinction.&uot;

The State Department of Education also reports that National Board Certification is a voluntary process developed by NBPTS.

It is achieved through a rigorous performance-based assessment that takes near a year to complete.

The assessment process measures a teacher’s subject matter knowledge, provides evidence the teachers are fluent in effectively teaching their subjects to students, and demonstrates a teacher’s ability to manage and measure student learning.

According to the State Department of Education, the 2001 report &uot;The Impact of National Board Certification on Teachers&uot; reflect National Board Certification benefits educational, students and communities.

Some 91 percent of National Board Certified Teachers surveyed said the certification has positively affected their teaching practices.

Also, 69 percent reported positive changes in the students’ engagement, achievement and motivation.

Results from NBPTS survey of nearly 5,000 of the nation’s teachers indicate that virtually all NBCTs, 99.6 percent, are involved in a least one leadership activity that improves teacher quality and increases student learning in the classroom.

The NBPTS, which is celebrating its 17 anniversary, was founded in 1987 as an independent non-profit, non-partisan and non-governmental organization.

Its mission is to establish high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do and to raise the level of teaching excellence in classrooms across America.