Spotlight
Five Pisgah Teachers Achieve National Board Status
National Board Certified Teachers comprise 2 % of our nations teaching force and 3% of Alabama's teaching force. However, there are 5 National Board Certified Teachers on Pisgah High School's campus. They are Pam Vaughn, Alicia Boyd, Bill Shelton, Katrina Wheeler, and Robert Pritchett.
Pam Vaughn achieved National Board status in the area of Early Adolescent Science in 2005. There are only four other teachers nationally certified in this area in the Jackson County School District. Mrs. Vaughn is one of fifty certified in the state in this area. She also holds a masters degree in Secondary Science and English Language Arts. Mrs. Vaughn states that the most important part of the certification process was learning how to effectively question her own teaching methods. Just as we evaluate student learning, it is equally important for a teacher to evaluate their own teaching. You must ask yourself if you have taught the material in the best and most effective way for learning and constantly adjust your teaching so that you are able to reach all students.
Alicia Boyd achieved National Board status in the area of Adolescent/Young Adult Mathematics in 2006, becoming one of only two nationally certified teachers in that area in Jackson County. Mrs. Boyd is one of only fifty-two in the state of Alabama in the area of AYA/Math. In 2004, Mrs. Boyd also received her Education Specialist degree from the University of Alabama. Mrs. Boyd feels that one of the most important parts of the certification process was learning the importance of getting to know the students. In order to teach and reach a child, teachers must understand who that child is, how they learn, what they value, and about their background. The students must know that the teacher cares that they succeed and that both have a stake in their future. This process also taught Mrs. Boyd the value of having a constant evaluation of one's practices and strategies. It is difficult to keep students actively engaged in learning. Teachers need to be in continuous review of what they doing, often asking "Is this working?" and "What can I do as the teacher to make this more motivating for the students?"
Bill Shelton achieved National Board status in the area of Science/Early Adolescence in 2007. He is one of only four other teachers nationally certified in this area in the Jackson County School District. Mr. Shelton is one of fifty certified in the state in this area. He earned his master's degree in Elementary Education, Administration, and is also highly qualified in Secondary Biology. Mr. Shelton asserts that the certification process has greatly influenced his decision making in the classroom. He is better prepared to assess his teaching strategies to ensure they are appropriate for his students. The intensive certification process also aided Mr. Shelton by further developing his ability to communicate ideas to his students. He believes communication is extremely important in the teacher/student relationship.
Robert Pritchett obtained National Board certification in the area of Adolescent/Young Adult Social Studies-History in 2009. Prior to becoming a National Board certified teacher, Mr. Pritchett received his master's degree in secondary social science from Jacksonville State University and his bachelor's degree from Auburn University. Mr. Pritchett is the only teacher in the Jackson County School District nationally certified in this area and is one of three in the state of Alabama. He gleaned many beneficial lessons from the certification process. Among these is the importance of not only knowing what methods you are using in the classroom, but constantly questioning their effectiveness.
What is the Big Deal about National Board Certification?
According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, National Certification Means:
• Candidates demonstrate significant improvement in their teaching practice.
• Students taught by NBCTs make higher gains on achievement tests than students taught by non-NBCTs.
• Certification provides routes for NBCTs to advance as master teachers, school leaders and mentors.
• National certification allows movement from state to state.
• Salary incentives are provided for teachers who certify.
• Meets most states' definition of "highly qualified teacher" under NCLB.
What Must a Teacher Do to Achieve National Board Status?
National Board Certification is part of the growing education reform movement that is advancing student learning, improving teaching and making schools better. (www.nbpts.org) A guideline for National Board Certification was first established in 1986. National Board Certified Teachers must meet high standards which involve intensive study, evaluation, self assessment and peer review. They must provide videos of their teaching to be reviewed and scored. In addition, they must score high on National Board Exams to show that they have expert knowledge in the area that they are teaching.
Bill Shelton
Recipient of $20,000 "Science In Action" Grant
Mr. Shelton's middle school science classes were recently awarded a $20,000 grant as a result of a grant application he submitted to "Science In Action" which is sponsored by the University of Alabama. This grant will benefit his students' learning as well as increase community resources. During the summer, Mr. Shelton spent three days at the University of Alabama campus preparing for this project.
With this grant money Mr. Shelton will lead a project that will supply his students with a laptop lab for science internet research and it will also include the building of an amphitheatre at the Pisgah Civitan Park. His students will be involved in the research, design, and construction of the amphitheatre. The completed amphitheatre will offer opportunities for school and community groups to gather for educational and social events. This "service-learning" project was designed to inspire a greater sense of ownership and community involvement in Pisgah's youth.
Including this Science In Action grant, Mr. Shelton has been awarded almost $35,000 in grants that were all used to increase student achievement.
Bill Shelton teaches biology and middle school science. He began his career in 1995 with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education. Soon after, he completed his Master's degree in Elementary Education. His interest in science led him to become highly qualified in middle school science. In 2007 he earned the title of "National Board Certified Teacher" in the area of Science/Early Adolescence. Most recently, he became highly qualified in high school biology.
Pam Vaughn
2006-2007 State Teacher of the Year Finalist
Among Highly Qualified Staff at Pisgah High School
Alabama's Teacher of the Year Program is one of the oldest and most prestigious award programs for teachers. Each year, Alabama's Teacher of the Year is a candidate for the National Teacher of the Year. Teachers must submit videos of their teaching and documentation of specific teaching criteria.
Pam Vaughn, Pisgah's graduation coach, was one of eight teachers selected as Alabama Secondary Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2006-2007.
She was first selected as the 2006 Jackson County Secondary Teacher of the Year by a committee composed of the superintendent, school board members, two teachers and a parent representative.
She then won the nomination as 2006-2007 District VIII Secondary Teacher of the Year representing all City and County Schools, in not only Jackson County, but Limestone, Madison, DeKalb, and Etowah, as well. This committee was comprised of a State Board of Education representative, a district superintendent, district board of education members, business representatives, two past Teacher of the Year honorees, and Dean of Education from an Alabama university.
She was honored in Montgomery at a reception and presented with grant money to be spent on instructional supplies for her classroom.
Mrs. Vaughn was certified in 2005-2006 as a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in Science. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Jacksonville State University in Biology with a double minor in Zoology and English. She received her Master's degree in Science from the University of Alabama in 1995.
Mrs. Vaughn did not begin her career in the field of education. Upon completing her degree in biology, she was employed at UAB Hospital as Experimental Cardiovascular Pathology Research Assistant (1980-1987) where she conducted medical research studies on live animals and co-authored several articles for medical journals.
Mrs. Vaughn was employed at Pisgah two years ago as a high school Biology and English teacher. This year she is serving as the graduation coach. She is a resident of Scottsboro and has two children, Joseph and Holly. She is married to Joey Vaughn who is also an employee of the Jackson County School System.
Lisa Shavers
National Council on Social Studies Conference
Scholarship Winner
Among Highly Qualified Staff at Pisgah High School
Miss Lisa Shavers, fourth grade teacher, has been selected as a scholarship winner to the National Council on Social Studies Conference in Atlanta. She will be attending the conference as part of the "Teachers are Historians in Training" (T-HiT) program.
T-HIT is a partnership among eleven Alabama school districts - Madison County, Huntsville City, Madison City, Jackson County, Scottsboro City, Boaz City, Albertville City, Marshall County, DeKalb County, Ft. Payne City, Guntersville City - forming the American History Consortium (AHC), the Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History, the Alabama Department of Archives, the Early Works Museum, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the Burritt Museum, the University of North Alabama, the Veteran's Memorial Museum, the Alabama A&M/UAH Regional In-Service Center, Athens State University, and the American Village.
The partnership is dedicated to improving the quality of American history instruction in American History Consortium schools through an engaging program of ongoing teacher professional development. This program focuses on connecting history content and reading. Elementary teachers are constantly trying to keep up with the demands due to high stake testing while not ignoring state course of study standards, therefore, this grant will train teachers, provide them with resources, and offer in-class support as they learn how to implement history content into their reading time. This is Miss Shavers' third year in the program.
