Fifteen teachers in the Issaquah School District have earned National Board Certification. They are: Kathleen Blanding, second grade, Creekside Elementary School; Steven Boynton, fourth grade, Issaquah Valley Elementary School; Cathy Daniels, humanities, Beaver Lake Middle School; Kyle Duggan, math, Skyline High School; Alicia Favreau, special education, Challenger Elementary School; Megan Graff, second grade, Creekside Elementary School; Tom Haff, science, Issaquah High School; Jennet Liljenquist, third grade, Briarwood Elementary School; Kate McConnell, fifth grade, Sunny Hills Elementary School; Colin McCormick, social studies, Skyline High School; Susan Moffett, third grade, Issaquah Valley Elementary School; April O’Halloran, fifth Grade, Creekside Elementary School; Kathryn Plakinger, fifth grade, Discovery Elementary School; Cheryl Reed, health/sports medicine, Skyline High School; Paige St. Pierre, French, Skyline High School.

This group brings the District’s total number of NBC teachers to 122.

The National Board Certification takes teachers through a demanding process to help further their instructional skills and typically takes more than a year to complete. It requires these teachers to demonstrate how their work improves student achievement.

As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Teachers also are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach. National Board Certification is considered the highest professional credential a teacher can obtain.

Numbers released by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards show that the state of Washington is fourth overall in the total number of NBCTs (6,740).