Last evening the WPS Board of Education had the privilege of recognizing kindergarten teacher Angela Schmidt for achieving National School Board certification. Schmidt is Watervliet's first Nationally Board Certified (NBC) teacher; there are only 14 NBC teachers currently working in our entire Southwest Michigan region.
National Certification is an advanced teaching credential that goes beyond state licensure and sets national standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. Candidates for the certification are required to complete four components in 25 different certificate areas. The process is designed to collect standards-based evidence of accomplished practice, and Schmidt says several hundred hours of writing are required.
Angela has been teaching for ten years, the past six in Kindergarten - which she loves. She says that gaining this certification was important to her because the process taught her how to better use data to drive instruction and pinpoint exactly what the instructional needs of her students are. She has also come to appreciate how important professional learning community time collaborating with other educators is to successful teaching.
Angela's husband, Ryan, and children Maddison and Clayton were proud to join her at last night's board meeting as she was recognized. Congratulations go out to Angela from the Board of Education and the entire Watervliet Public Schools Community.