POULSBO — Five teachers in the North Kitsap School District have become national board certified.
The teachers earned certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Being board certified is the highest credential available to educators in the United States.
The five teachers join 27 others in the district who have the certification. The five are: North Kitsap High School’s Lola Haveman, Poulsbo Middle School’s Koren Jez, Vinland Elementary’s Debbie Jo Rock, Suquamish Elementary’s Janet Kragen, and NKHS’ Jack Simonson.
“I want to congratulate these teachers and recognize that there is a tremendouse amount of work that goes into achieving this national standard,” Superintendent Patty Page said in a press release. “It speaks highly of the commitment our staff has on student learning as well as growing as a professional.”
Becoming certified requires performance-base, peer-reviewed assessments of a teacher’s skills and content knowledge. It takes one to three years to complete the board certification process.
Haveman began teaching French at NKHS more than two years ago. She taught in South Carolina for two years prior to coming to Poulsbo. Her certificate is in English Language Arts/Early Adolescence.
Jez began teaching in 2001. She is in her 12th year of teaching in the district, which includes science, leadership and ASB co-adviser. Jez earned her certification in Science/Early Adolescence.
Rock began teaching in 1987 and moved to the district in 2000. She became the teacher-librarian at Vinland Elementary in 2007. Rock earned certification in Library Media/Early Childhood through Early Adulthood.
Kragen has taught in the district for 23 of her past 35 years of teaching. She teaches a fourth- and fifth-grade AGATE class. Kragen earned certification in English Language Arts/Early Adolescence.
Simonson, a 1991 graduate of NKHS, began teaching in South Kitsap. He’s taught at NKHS for nine years, including AP Literature, Mythology and English. Simonson earned certification in English Literature/Early Adolescence and Young Adulthood.
