14 Hudson Valley Teachers Earn 'Gold Standard' of Profession

Fourteen teachers from the Hudson Valley proved they meet the "gold standard" of the teaching profession.

The New York State United Teachers announced 98 New York teachers recently earned National Board Certification, a recognized symbol of teaching excellence.

The 98 teachers proved to the Virginia-based National Board for Professional Teaching Standards through performance-based assessments they meet the very highest standards of the teaching profession, officials say.

“New York is known across the nation for its rigorous certification process and the very high quality of its teachers. Even so, these 98 have voluntarily challenged themselves and proven to an independent board that they rank among the ‘best of the best,’” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “Their union is extremely proud of them and we celebrate this tremendous accomplishment with them.”

Of the 98 teachers, 14 are from the Hudson Valley:

Cindy Binnie: Arlington Central School District, Science/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Sara Jernigan: Arlington Central School District, Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Nancy Pratley: Brewster Central School District, Generalist/Middle Childhood
Erica Camilo: Croton-Harmon Union Free School District, Generalist/Middle Childhood
Lisa Dwyer: Croton-Harmon Union Free School District, Music/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Gregory Bradley: Croton-Harmon Union Free School District, Mathematics/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Stephen Palencsar: Croton-Harmon Union Free School District, Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Kerri Tracy: Croton-Harmon Union Free School District, Health Education/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Jocelyn Perez; Hastings on Hudson School District, School Counseling/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Sharon Kennedy: Newburgh Enlarged City School District, Generalist/Middle Childhood
Elizabeth Hoffman-Lohmeyer: Wappingers Central School District, Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
Catherine Perri: Wappingers Central School District, World Languages/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Kelly McAvoy-Giarrusso: White Plains City School District, English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Julie Cupertino: Yonkers Public School District, Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood

“As New York faces a looming teacher shortage, we — as a society — must change the way we look at the teaching profession,” NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene DiBrango said. “Just as we celebrate athletes and artistic performances with awards, we should do the same for highly accomplished classroom teachers who do the most important job on earth — educate our state’s children.”

To date, 2,016 teachers have earned what's considered the "gold standard” of the teaching profession.

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14 Hudson Valley Teachers Earn ‘Gold Standard’ of Profession