Two Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District teachers recently achieved the “gold standard” of teaching by earning from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards their National Board Certification, which is the highest standard for the teaching profession.
David Bunyan and Andrew Cottet, who are both J-D High School social studies-history teachers, are two of 51 New York state teachers who earned their National Board Certification in December 2021. The New York State United Teachers and the New York State Education Department plan to honor the recipients this spring during an online event.
“Achieving National Board Certification in the midst of a pandemic is a testament to the dedication these teachers have to their students and their profession,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “It’s a tremendous accomplishment.”
Bunyan and Cottet join 11 other J-D teachers who previously earned the prestigious accomplishment. National Board Certification is a recognized symbol of teaching excellence that directly benefits students in the classroom. Candidates typically spend 200-400 hours completing the extensive application including a portfolio, student work samples, videos and analysis of their teaching and student learning.
There are 2,224 National Board Certified Teachers in New York state, with about 700 more currently working through the process, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
J-D National Board Certified Teachers
The following J-D teachers had already achieved their national board certification.
- Anne Marie Abt: Pediatric Physical Therapy
- Amy Bissetta: Social Studies-History/Early Adolescence
- Claudia Cavotta: Occupational Therapist Registered OTR
- Henry Cline: Languages Other than English/Early Adolescence Through Young Adult
- Charles Clinton: Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Kelly Colone: Science/Early Adolescence
- Joseph Goldberg: English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Tiffany Kelly: Occupational Therapist Registered OTR
- Maria McNamara: Early Childhood/Generalist
- Wendy Newman: Literacy: Reading-LA/Early and Middle Childhood
- Cindy Tzetzis: Occupational Therapist Registered OTR