NYSUT Congratulates New Board Certified Teachers

Teachers from across the state who earned National Board Certification, the profession’s highest credential, were recently celebrated in Albany. Candidates received the good news in early December when scores were posted. Leaders from New York State United Teachers joined State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young Jr. and others as they presented the 75 teachers who this year earned the most prestigious credential for classroom teachers: certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Led by NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene DiBrango, the union and state leaders honored teachers from across the state who achieved the “gold standard” of the teaching profession.

The three teachers who achieved board certification in 2022— Samantha Goldberg, Music; Colleen Malone, Literacy, ReadingLanguage Arts; and Jacquline Wiley, World Languages —were honored at the Feb. 2 Manhasset School Board of Education meeting. Dr. Donald Gately, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Personnel, had this to say about the newly certified teachers: “We’re so fortunate to have these dedicated and highly skilled teachers in our classrooms, and we’re grateful for their hard work and dedication that they put into their craft every day. These are our true professionals who are committed to making a difference in the lives of their students. So on behalf of the entire district, your colleagues, our families and students, I want to extend our congratulations and our heartfelt appreciation to the teachers who have achieved this certification. Your efforts and your dedication to your profession have made a lasting impact on the lives of students and have made our schools and communities a better place.”

At the online recognition ceremony presented by NYSUT, Chancellor Lester Young of the New York Board of Regents praised the teachers for their commitment to their profession. “Teachers, in my estimation, are in fact the life blood of every neighborhood, in every community. And I want to personally on behalf of my colleagues on the Board of Regents salute each of you for adding this important dimension to your professional portfolio.”

National Board Certification — akin to medical doctors earning board certification in their chosen specialty — is a rigorous, voluntary program that requires portfolios, student work samples, videos and extensive analysis of their teaching and student learning. It takes most teachers up to 400 hours just to complete the application.

“As candidates, we were all so fortunate to have the support of the Manhasset school community, families and amazing mentors (Geralyn Marasco, Sarah Duke and Liz Watts) who contributed to our success in achieving National Board certification.” Malone said of her experience.

New York is now home to 2,375 National Board Certified Teachers, with hundreds more educators still in the process, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In addition, 137 New York teachers completed the process to renew their National Board Certification in 2022. Candidates typically spend 200 to 400 hours completing the extensive application, including a portfolio, student work samples, videos and an analysis of their teaching and student learning.

New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.

—Submitted by NYSUT with additional reporting by Amanda Olsen

Jacqueline Farinon Wiley has been teaching at Manhasset for 11 years. She learned Spanish as a second language and completed a graduate degree in Secondary Education after returning from living in Spain and completing an internship in a school in Madrid. During her 17 years as an educator, she has taught all levels from 7th grade to Spanish 5. At home she speaks Spanish to her two children, ages 5 and 4 and is fascinated watching them grow up bilingual.

Samantha Goldberg, a Long Island native, is a National Board-Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood Orchestra. She received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Music History & Cultures from Syracuse University, and a Master of Arts in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is currently attending Stony Brook University, where she is completing a post-master’s degree in Educational Leadership. She has served as a member of the LISFA executive board and chairperson for the All-County Division 1W and 2 String Festivals. She has presented at the summer NYSSMA conference in Albany, NY as well as the Balanced Mind Conference for Long Island arts educators. She regularly performs with the South Shore Symphony Orchestra on her primary instrument, violin. Mrs. Goldberg is the orchestra director at Munsey Park Elementary School in Manhasset where she teaches small group string lessons and directs three orchestral ensembles. She started working in Manhasset in 2014.

(Photos submitted by Manhasset Public Schools)

Colleen Malone – “I have been working as a reading teacher in the Manhasset School District for 18 years, doing what I love most, supporting the literacy needs of primary age students. I began my career after earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, in addition to a master’s degree in Literacy. However, I have always considered myself a lifelong learner, which led me to pursue National Board Certification a few years ago. Having recently achieved National Board certification in Literacy, I can truly say it’s the career achievement I take the most pride in, as the program itself was the most rigorous professional development endeavor I’ve participated in. Ultimately, I do not regret a minute of the journey because it truly made me a better teacher. The process forced me to be vulnerable and accountable, in addition to offering me the opportunity to reflect on how my teaching practice can best be tailored to positively impact student learning. The program also reinforced how important it is to consider students’ development, strengths, needs and interests when planning, instructing and assessing to help all students grow as learners. Most importantly, I have established a warm, welcoming, student-centered classroom environment where my primary reading students are immersed in joyful literacy experiences.”