[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 12, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7411-S7412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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          RECOGNITION OF NEW NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS

 Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, today I congratulate a special group 
of Hawaii teachers, those who have successfully earned the designation 
National Board Certified Teacher. During 2005, a new cadre of 30 
consummate professionals demonstrated that their teaching practice is 
consistent with the rigorous requirements for the profession as set by 
the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Their 
achievement brings the number of teachers working in Hawaii who have 
attained National Board Certification to 111.
  These dedicated teachers are distributed throughout Hawaii's 
education

[[Page S7412]]

system. Some teach at the elementary level, some in middle schools, 
while others teach in high school classrooms. Some teach on Oahu, some 
are on the Big Island, and others on Kauai and Maui. Some teach 
language arts, math, or social studies, while others teach a variety of 
other disciplines. Some teach special needs students, a number are 
generalists, others are specialists, and a few are librarians. 
Nevertheless, all of them have one thing in common, their dedication to 
enabling the schoolchildren of Hawaii to achieve all that they can. I 
am proud to enter their names into the Record of this august body.
  During the 2005 school year the following teachers received National 
Board Certification: Leslie Agena, Kailua High School; Amy Boehning, 
Waialua High and Intermediate School; Genevieve ``Noe'' Bunnell, Pearl 
Ridge Elementary School; Lisa Chang, Niu Valley Middle School; Susan 
Erikson, Washington Middle School; Marta Finley, Kealakehe Elementary 
School; Cathy Lynne K.L. Fong, Liholiho Elementary School; Candace 
Foster, Aina Haina Elementary School; Kimberly Fradale, Mid-Pacific 
Institute; Raejean Gamiao, Mililani Uka Elementary School; Douglas 
Garriss, Kamiloiki Elementary School; Lisa Hockenberger, Kalihi-Kai 
Elementary School; Janet Itano, Aina Haina Elementary School; Inga 
Kelly, Moanalua High School; Cristy Kessler, Education Lab School; Jill 
Laboy, Kailua High School; Sallie Lee, Lanakila Elementary School; 
David Mecham, Waimea High School; Melinda O'Herron, Konawaena Middle 
School; Carolyn Okunaga, Mililani High School; Dianne Pang, Aliiolani 
Elementary School; Margaret Prevenas, Kalama Intermediate School; Helie 
Rock, Keaau High School; Julie Shirai, Pearl Ridge Elementary School; 
Amber Strong, Kailua High School; Marla Thompson, Waianae High School; 
Patricia Uehara, Kealakehe Elementary School; Mark Watanabe, Keaau High 
School; Jennifer Williams, Roosevelt High School; and Ms Zami-Perez, 
Waialua Elementary School.
  I offer my heartfelt congratulations to them all. They have worked 
very hard to earn the designation, National Board Certified Teacher.
  The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the 
organization that confers this designation, is a teacher-led 
association, which grants national certification to a teacher only 
after a very rigorous and comprehensive process. It requires the 
preparation of a portfolio featuring actual videotaped classroom 
lessons, including a written analysis of the lesson, lesson plans and 
student work samples. The teacher must also submit written discussion, 
analysis, and reflective commentaries concerning curriculum and 
practices used in the classroom. A third component of the portfolio 
includes records of activities benefiting the larger school community, 
including families and activities that help to improve the teaching 
profession. Also required for this certification is successful 
completion of a rigorous set of examinations assessing the content 
knowledge of the teacher. This is a very arduous process requiring a 
commitment of up to 400 hours. However, in Hawaii help is available. 
The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, along with the Hawaii State 
Teachers Association, provides support groups for teachers undertaking 
this process. These sessions are held on the islands of Oahu, Maui, 
Kauai and the Big Island, and they provide a support network for 
candidates as they go through the certification process. Most often 
support is offered through a qualified facilitator, a teacher who has 
already earned the designation of National Board Certified Teacher. 
These support networks are also places to meet with and support other 
teachers undergoing the same process. This assistance goes a long way 
in making this very difficult process possible.
  National Board Certification does not replace the teacher licensure 
requirements as maintained by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, but 
instead identifies the recipient as an exemplary practitioner, someone 
at the top of his or her profession. It signifies the teacher as 
someone who is a recognized leader in the art and science of teaching. 
Research has shown time and again that students in classrooms with 
National Board Certified Teachers do better on assessments than do 
students in classrooms not staffed with nationally certified teachers. 
It is the only nationally based teacher evaluation and certification 
program to successfully undergo a scientifically based set of 
evaluations and to have shown improved results for students. I am very 
proud to honor these newly recognized teachers.
  At a time when the country is working to improve education, when the 
No Child Left Behind Act is demanding a highly qualified teacher in 
every classroom, where schools, districts and states are required to 
make adequate yearly progress, where students are increasingly required 
to demonstrate achievement as measured by high stakes testing in order 
to graduate from high school, where districts and states are working to 
find, hire and retain professionals in this very difficult field, and 
where research has shown the knowledge and ability of the classroom 
teacher is the most important factor affecting the learning of the 
students, I am proud to say to these newly certified teachers ``Well 
Done'' and ``Mahalo Nui Loa.''

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