Three local teachers get national honor

Deirdre Newman

The application takes almost a year to complete, and the intensity

that goes into it is comparable to getting a master’s degree, say

teachers who have applied for National Board Certification.

This year, three Newport-Mesa Unified School District elementary

teachers ascended to the highest echelon of the profession by gaining

board certification: Chandra Prough of Newport Coast, Michelle

Hanscom of College Park and Amy Hocker of Newport Heights.

The certification recognizes excellence in teaching and usually

comes with a $10,000 bonus. This year, however, the recipients will

not get any money because legislators eliminated the bonuses over the

summer during the state budget crisis.

The three teachers, who found out they had been selected the

weekend before Thanksgiving, will still get some monetary reward --

the district increases their salary by 2% every year, said Barbara

Rothman, principal of Lincoln Elementary School and a board certified

teacher herself.

Most teachers consider it a benchmark of professional growth.

“It was important to me because I feel like being a teacher is a

very important profession and you have to strive to remain educated

and continue the growth process,” Prough said.

The application requires submitting a portfolio with four entries,

two of which must be videotaped teaching experiences. Prough, who is

in her ninth year of teaching, said she labored on her application

for 10 months. Applicants also have to take an all-day test,

answering questions on how they would deal with student issues in

different subjects.

To help her go through the intensive application process, Prough

worked with a group of 45 teachers with support from the Orange

County Department of Education. She also worked with a group of

teachers at Newport Coast.

“We supported each other, and we grew as educators,” Prough said

of her colleagues at Newport Coast.

Hanscom could not be reached for comment.

College Park Principal Pat Insley expressed pride in Hanscom’s

achievement and said she is a huge asset to the school.

“She really takes an active role here at our school, particularly

in all our school-wide events, and is active in our Parent Teacher

Assn. “She’s just a real cheerleader for the school. She is a

lifelong learner, obviously. And anything having to do with

technology, she’s the go-to person for that. She just makes this a

fun learning place to be.”

Hocker could not be reached for comment either.

Newport Heights Principal Judith Chambers said Hocker’s dedication

to the school made her a perfect candidate for certification.

“She exemplifies the kind of teacher that would first of all

pursue something like that, and she is always taking on challenges

and leadership positions,” Chambers said. “She is a very strong

teacher on our campus.”

Chambers and Rothman said they would both like to see Gov. Arnold

Schwarzenegger reinstitute the bonuses.