Franklin High School English teacher Alyson Justus (left) and Spanish teacher Kelly Scheetz (right) recently earned National Board Certification.

Franklin High School Spanish teacher Kelly Scheetz and English teacher Alyson Justus have recently completed the requirements for National Board Certification as defined by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  This certification required Scheetz and Justus to demonstrate expertise beyond the basic requirements for a teaching license.

"Because of the certification process I am more aware of my impact on students, other teachers, parents, and community members," says Justus.  "After achieving the certification I feel validated as a good teacher and excited to be a teacher."

The two had to undergo a 10-part evaluation process specific to their discipline, including performance assessments of teaching strategies and written exercises to assess subject knowledge.  Certification typically takes between 200 and 400 hours over a one to three year period.  In addition, Scheetz and Justus had to submit video recordings of them teaching with self-analysis; a written analysis of a collection of student work; documentation of work completed outside the classroom and evidence of how it impacted student learning; and six online constructed response questions demonstrating subject matter expertise.

"Due to the amount of reflection required to complete the portfolio requirements, I am still reflecting on my teaching strategies and often attempting new things to improve upon them," says Scheetz.  "Being a National Board Certified Teacher makes me feel validated that I am a good teacher."

Scheetz and Justus are two of only 232 teachers in Tennessee to earn this National Board Certification.  More than 50,000 teachers to date have earned the distinction.