National Board certification groupLeft to right: Trish Smith (Gaiser), Shannon Stewart (iTech), Lisa Freeman (Sacajawea/Fruit Valley), Jaime Bassett (McLoughlin), Anthony Shine (VITA), Wesley Ballou (Roosevelt), Tyler Stanley (McLoughlin) NOT PICTURED: Bradley Lehman (iTech), Kristin Briem (King), Merri Gonzalves Johnson (Hudson's Bay)

Left to right: Trish Smith (Gaiser), Shannon Stewart (iTech), Lisa Freeman (Sacajawea/Fruit Valley), Jaime Bassett (McLoughlin), Anthony Shine (VITA), Wesley Ballou (Roosevelt), Tyler Stanley (McLoughlin) NOT PICTURED: Bradley Lehman (iTech), Kristin Briem (King), Merri Gonzalves Johnson (Hudson’s Bay)

Educators from around the district achieved National Board certification in 2020, 2021 and 2022 to formalize that they have met the highest standards in their profession.

Earning certification requires up to 400 hours of additional work, including passing a content knowledge exam, submitting for review samples of student work and the candidate’s feedback, filming lessons for evaluation and compiling a portfolio of self-reflection pieces. Congratulations!

2020
Wesley Ballou, Roosevelt Elementary, generalist/middle childhood
Jaime Bassett, McLoughlin Middle School, English as a new language/early adolescence through young adulthood
Anthony Shine, VITA, generalist/early childhood
Trish Smith, Gaiser Middle School, English language arts/early adolescence

2021
Kristen Briem, King Elementary, literacy: reading-language arts/early and middle childhood
Merri Gonsalves Johnson, Hudson’s Bay High School, exceptional needs specialist/early childhood through young adulthood
Shannon Stewart,  iTech Preparatory, generalist/early childhood

2022
Lisa Freeman, Sacajawea/Fruit Valley Elementary, literacy: reading/language arts/early and middle childhood
Bradley Lehman, iTech Preparatory, English language arts/early adolescence
Tyler Stanley, McLoughlin Middle School, mathematics/early adolescence

In addition to these 10 educators, 111 more VPS educators also are National Board–certified.