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Alabaster City Schools Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers (second from left) and ACS Board of Education members present a $1,500 check to a Creek View Elementary teacher. (Contributed)

ALABASTER – A select group of Alabaster City Schools teachers received a pleasant surprise on Oct. 18 when Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers and board of education members hand-delivered $1,500 supplements to recognize their achievements.

This school year the Alabaster Board of Education approved $1,500 supplements for teachers who have achieved National Board Certification. ACS handed out a total of $37,500 to 25 teachers. These supplements will be given to board certified teachers annually. National Board Certified Teachers also received an annual supplement of $5,000 from the state of Alabama.

Dr. Latanza Harrison, ACS coordinator of human resources, said there are 17 more teachers working toward certification.

“I get emails all the time from teachers inquiring about it,” Harrison said.

The district also supports its teachers with a one-time $1,000 supplement as they begin the certification process to help offset costs that add up to $1,900. On average the certification process takes about three years to complete, but there is a five-year window to achieve certification.

“I am so proud of the board for approving these $1,500 annual supplements for our teachers,” Vickers said. “These teachers are truly some of our best.”

Board of Education President Adam Moseley said he’s excited to be able to offer this supplement to teachers. Harrison said the supplements are serve as an incentive for teachers who may be on the fence about seeking certification.

“It rewards the people who go the extra mile to be great teachers for our kids,” Moseley said.

“This is an outstanding professional development opportunity that we want more teachers to take advantage of,” Vickers added.

The number of certified teachers in the district has quickly grown from just one when ACS was formed, to three in 2015 and now to 25 with several more in the pipeline.

“This is an outstanding professional development opportunity that we want more teachers to take advantage of,” Vickers said. “However, a lot of our success is because of teachers helping and encouraging each other. Our teachers are so supportive of each other and are willing to help others who are interested in becoming certified.”

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