Twenty-nine Highline School District teachers have achieved National Board Certification in 2010, the largest class ever at Highline.

This brings the total number of National Board Certified teachers at Highline to 88. Successfully completing this rigorous process means teachers have met high standards through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment, and peer review.

The group will be honored by the school board at the Jan. 5 meeting.

"It's a tremendous amount of hard work but you are some of the best teachers in the country getting better," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in congratulating the new class of board certified teachers across the country. "I think the example of being a life-long learner, of challenging yourself to continue to improve even when you are already so good, is an amazing example for our students."

Washington State and Highline Public Schools have both seen an increase in teachers who achieve board certification. Washington was one of twenty-two states with at least a 10 percent increase in the number of board certified teachers in 2010 over 2009.

"As the conversation in the education arena expands from teacher quality to teacher effectiveness, and our country is trying to build successful models of whole school transformation, a key determinant of a student's outcome is a highly effective teacher," said Joseph Aguerrebere, president and CEO of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.

Highline's national-certified class of 2010 includes Jason P. Geyer, Arts & Academics Academy High; Doug Stultz, Arts & Academics High; Marcie Wombold, Aviation High; Gloria Cho, Beverly Park Elementary; Erin Scanlin, Bow Lake Elementary; Amber Larson, Chinook Middle; Amy J. Burge, Highline High, Erik S. Claflin, Highline High; Katie M. Bilanko, Madrona Elementary and Jennifer A. Reese, Madrona Elementary.

Others newly nationally-certified teachers are Brigid Koontz, McMicken Heights Elementary; Jessica Ma, Midway Elementary; Michael Kamin, Mount Rainier High; Megan M. (Pann) Logan, Mount View Elementary; Sarah Schafer, Mount View Elementary; Melissa (Sokolik) Charette, New Start High; Nancy M. (Shell) Becker, North Hill Elementary; Kate R. Cassidy, Pacific Middle; Nancy Federiuk, Pacific Middle and Darla C. Hays, Pacific Middle.

Others are Theresa Lucrisia-Bradley, Pacific Middle; Kelly E. Johnson, Seahurst Elementary; Lisa Parish, Seahurst Elementary; Jane Ellen Floodeen, Shorewood Elementary; Catherine Gustafson, Shorewood Elementary; John Rhodes, Shorewood Elementary; Camille F. Churchill, White Center Heights Elementary; Dawn Larson, White Center Heights Elementary and Tien Vo, White Center Heights Elementary.