3 Hopkins County teachers earn national board certification | Schools

Three Hopkins County teachers gained certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. They are Lindsay Arnett, district elementary Gifted and Talented resource teacher; Kristin Duff, Jesse Stuart 4th grade teacher; and Charlene Nevitt, Browning Springs 6th grade teacher.

This brings the total number of National Board Certified Teachers in the district to 13. Nationwide, the number has now topped 100,000. The certification is earned through an intensive process of standards-based performance assessment and peer review.

Arnett taught at Hanson Elementary for six years before becoming GT resource teacher for the district.

“I knew several teachers within and outside our district who are National Board Certified Teachers who encouraged me to consider National Board Certification,” she said. “I love teaching, and I chose National Board Certification to make me a better teacher.”

Her area of certification is Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood. The process had an immediate impact on her approach to teaching, she said.

“It completely transformed my thought process, instructional planning, and approach to teaching,” Arnett said. National Board Certification pushes you to constantly evaluate yourself as a teacher and reflect on every aspect of your teaching to focus on the impact of student learning.”

This is Duff’s fifth year teaching at Jesse Stuart.

“I truly enjoy this age,” she said. “It’s where I feel I need to be.” Her certification is Middle Childhood Generalist. She started the process in March 2011 and found out the results in November 2012.

“It was a nail-biting experience,” Duff said. “It made me think about what I’m doing and does it work.” The process emphasizes differentiation f instruction, she added.

Nevitt is in her 24th year working in education. She first became employed in Hopkins County Schools as a GT teacher, traveling to different schools. Through the years, she has also taught at the old Nebo School and West Hopkins. This is her 16th year at BSMS.

Her certification is in Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood.

“It kind of refreshed your view on education,” Nevitt said. “I looked at more strategies. I reflect every day on what I’m doing. … I think it’s worthwhile from an educational standpoint. It’s not textbook. It’s real life, real world.”

Other National Board Certified Teachers in the district are Kathaleen Ayers, Jeanne Cleveland, Donna Crouch, Kelly Gates, Stacey Hill, Tara Mays, Dawn Moore, Misty Thomison, Tonya Wright and Laura Zimmer.