School notes for Jan. 31, 2012

Local student named to MSU honor roll

Kierstyn Tuel of Camas has been named to the fall semester honor roll at Montana State University in Bozeman. To be named to the honor roll, students must earn at least a 3.5 GPA for the semester.

Book swap for kids and teens is Saturday

Youth have the opportunity to trade in their used books, movies, or music CDs with the Camas Public Library or other youth. Those who participate may take home as many items as they bring. The library will also donate several boxes of books to the swap. It will take place Saturday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The library is located at 625 N.E. Fourth Ave.

Gingerbread man workshop set

There will be a gingerbread man decorating workshop for children through sixth-grade at the Camas Public Library, 625 N.E. Fourth Ave., at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Sign-up is required by calling 834-4692.

WSD teachers earn National Board Certification

Washougal School District teachers Marcia Hershaw and Lucia Willeman earned National Board certification this year.

Hershaw is a health and fitness teacher at Hathaway Elementary. Willeman teaches third-grade at Cape Horn-Skye Elementary.

Certification is a one- to three-year-long introspective process that requires teachers to submit a four-part portfolio and a six-exercise content and assessment.

The four entries document a teacher’s success in the classroom as evidenced by his or her students’ learning. A national panel of peers then assesses the portfolio.

“It was a highly reflective and analytical process that really helped me focus on the effect my instruction had on each child,” said Hershaw. “I assess student performance more frequently as a result, and shape future lessons to address areas that need to be strengthened.”

“Going through the National Board certification process was the most intense period of self-discovery and professional development that I have ever undergone,” said Willeman. “It was beneficial for not only myself, but my students as well as I have explored my own teaching practices and how they align with a set of stringent national teaching standards.

This has helped refine my own classroom instruction and community building. Achieving the National Board Certification is definitely a life-time professional highlight.”

Considered the “gold standard” for teaching excellence, this year 6,200 teachers across the nation achieved this distinction.

This brings the total number of board certified teachers to nearly 100,000.

The two newly certificated teachers join several other Washougal School District teachers, including: Brian Amundson, Penny Andrews, Scott Rainey, Heather Santos, Chelsea Waldron and Bryn Walker.