Pleasant Valley Primary School

PVP’s Salina Machida earns National Board Certification

Six educators from Battle Ground Public Schools earned certification in 2018 from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). This accomplishment marks the successful completion of a rigorous, one-to-three year program aimed at honing teaching techniques and styles that bolster students’ enthusiasm for learning.

National Board Certification is an advanced teaching credential that goes beyond state licensure. Only about 40 percent of educators earn the certification on their first attempt.

Battle Ground’s 2018 recipients are:

Salina Machida, second grade teacher at Pleasant Valley Primary School
Nataliya Alekseyeva, kindergarten teacher at Daybreak Primary School
Renee Andrews, school counselor at Summit View High School
Susan Crill, fourth grade teacher at Captain Strong Primary
Audrey Donato, eighth grade teacher at Tukes Valley Middle School
Kaylee Milosevich, third grade teacher at Glenwood Heights Primary

National Board Certified Teachers are highly accomplished educators who meet high and rigorous standards set by the NBPTS. Board-certified teachers benefit the school district by sharing their information, knowledge and experience with other teachers who can then take the knowledge into their own classrooms. Most importantly, students benefit from the enhanced skills of board-certified teachers who make the most of their interactions with the children they teach.

The state awards stipends of approximately $3,238 to $5,381 a year to national board certified teachers in Washington State. With nearly 9,000 NBCTs, Washington state has the fourth largest group of NBCTs in the nation.

We asked Salina to share her thoughts with us about the process of becoming board certified. You can read her answers below!

What was your experience like while working on becoming board certified?

My experience while working on my National Board certification was filled with many moments of self-reflection. The process of becoming national board certified emphasized my strengths as an educator but also highlighted specific teaching practices I needed to improve. The experience was arduous but very rewarding in the end.

What are the benefits for you, your students, and your school now that you’re board certified?

The national board certification required me to analyze my educational experiences. I now have a better understanding of how to effectively plan lessons/units focused on specific goals, utilize instructional strategies/methods with the most impact, and participate in meaningful collaborations with my colleagues. Reflection has become a part of who I am and I have witnessed my students become such reflective learners as a result. They assume responsibility for their learning and are proud to share what we are doing in the classroom with their families. It’s exciting!

Do you have any thoughts or advice for other teachers/counselors considering going for certification themselves?

My advice for other educators considering going for certification would be to find yourself a teacher friend. This friend or a group of friends can hold you accountable. These friends will help you become a better teacher; and through the process, they too will grow. It will also make the whole journey of National Boards a little bit easier.

My next piece of advice is to pace yourself. As the saying goes: Rome wasn’t built in a day.

My last thoughts about the national board process is to give yourself some grace and try not to be hard on yourself. There will be moments filled with doubt and anxiety but know the process is worth it: for you, your students, and those you work with. You can do it!