Nevada teachers attain master status

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000 | 5:01 a.m.

Two dozen Nevada educators successfully completed a national program that recognizes their expertise in achieving excellence in teaching.

Of the 50 teachers in the state who applied, 24 earned the voluntary certification that is good for 10 years and is renewable.

"The bottom line for all this is how do we best serve the children," said Lana Hess, of Bunkerville, who received her certification. "It's one thing to love a child. It's another thing to educate them."

The program is administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, a not-for-profit agency based in Michigan that aims to create a rigorous standard of excellence for all teachers.

The process takes about 400 hours during a year and requires applicants to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of their content area, their profession, and their effectiveness in managing a classroom and reaching students. The cost is about $2,300.

There's no guarantee of success. Nationally, only about 44 percent of those seeking certification for the first-time are successful. Nevada's number reflects that, with 48 percent of the applicants earning their credential.

Nevada teachers who completed their certifications successfully are eligible for a one-time 5 percent pay increase. The state Department of Education also will grant them a 10-year license, something previously reserved for those with doctorates.

JoAnne Schlekewy, Clark County School District's director of human resources, said individuals who didn't make it on their first try can reapply, banking their successful materials and redoing the tests or tasks that did not meet national standards.

Although Clark County is the state's largest school district, the largest number of nationally certified teachers are in Washoe County, where there are 11. Nine are from Clark County, two are from Humboldt County, one is from Pershing County and another from Carson City.

Bowler Elementary School in Bunkerville, 75 miles northeast of Las Vegas, is three for three when it comes to national certification. Hess, Carol Livingston and Stephanie Mattson found that a year of searching the Internet for assistance and working together paid off with certification for each of them.

"It's a humbling experience," said Hess, a 31-year veteran of teaching. "We critically looked at each other's work and we knew it wasn't the time to be nice."