South Dakota teachers, school counselors go above and beyond with professional certifications


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

CONTACT: Mary Stadick Smith, 605-773-7228, or Ruth Raveling, 605-773-2593

 

South Dakota teachers, school counselors go above and beyond with professional certifications

 

PIERRE, S.D. – Fifteen South Dakota teachers and school counselors earned or renewed national certifications in 2022, demonstrating advanced knowledge and skill in their professions.

Teachers achieve National Board Certification through a rigorous, performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment of a teacher's pedagogical (teaching) skills and content knowledge. The certification process takes one to three years to complete. While licensing standards set the basic requirements to teach in a state, National Board Certified teachers demonstrate advanced teaching knowledge, skills, and practices similar to the certifications earned by experts in law and medicine. South Dakota’s 2022 recipients of National Board Certification include:

 

  • Summer DeCosse, Generalist/Early Childhood, Sioux Falls School District
  • Amanda Sonne, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Mitchell School District
  • Carol Whalen, Generalist/Early Childhood, Pine Ridge School

 

 

Ten teachers renewed their National Board Certificate:

  • Robin Beck New, Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Pierre Indian Learning Center
  • Amy Berke, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Rapid City Area Schools
  • Lindsey Brewer, Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Huron School District
  • Kelsey Buchholz, English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Garretson School District
  • Carrie Larson, English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Bennett County School District
  • Kathryn Lee-Swank, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Rapid City Area Schools
  • Sara Lorensberg, Mathematics/Early Adolescence, Northeast Educational Services Cooperative
  • Kathryn Ann Meyer, Generalist/Early Childhood
  • Monica Pickard, Music/Early and Middle Childhood
  • Anne Zoellner, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood, Groton Area School District

 

The National Certified School Counselor certification recognizes counselors who demonstrate specialized knowledge and skills in school counseling. This certification shows that one has met national standards of practice through rigorous education, experience, and supervision. The following school counselors reported to the South Dakota Department of Education that they became National Certified School Counselors in 2022:

  • Abby Danko, Baltic School District
  • Krista Groeneweg, Harrisburg School District


South Dakota teachers who earn National Board Certification receive $2,000 per year for five years, with $1,000 paid by the South Dakota Department of Education and $1,000 paid by the teacher’s school district. The department will also reimburse fees personally paid by teachers and school counselors, upon their achievement of national certification. As long as funds are available, the department will also pay National Certified School Counselors $1,000 annually for five years.

To learn more about these certifications and stipend and reimbursement opportunities, visit https://doe.sd.gov/nationalboard/ or call the South Dakota Department of Education at 605-773-3134.

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