SDOC recognizes Nationally Board Certified Teacher

The School District of Oconee County recognizes Jill Moore of West-Oak High School as a Nationally Board Certified Teacher.  This brings OconeeCounty’s number to 105 teachers who are Nationally Board Certified.  Statewide, 230 new National Board Certified teachers brought the state’s total to 8,663, ranking South Carolina third in the nation after North Carolina and Florida. South Carolina is second in the nation in terms of the percentage of teachers who have been or currently are National Board Certified. Certification candidates undertake a two-part process that lasts one to three years. It requires them to reflect on their classroom practices, their understanding of subject material and their preparation techniques. In addition to preparing a portfolio with videotapes of classroom teaching, lesson plans, student work samples and reflective essays, teachers must complete assessment center exercises based on content knowledge to prove not only that they have mastered the subjects they teach, but also that they know how to teach them. In Oconee County, nationally certified teachers receive several incentives including up to a $7,500 a year pay increase for every year they teach after receiving certification for the 10-year life of their certificates.