Mrs. Linda Romano Newly Certified National Board Certified Teacher

Mrs. Linda Romano, BSN, RN, CNE, FCN, Health Services teacher for the Certified Nursing Assistant Program at Newburgh Free Academy North Campus was recognized as a National Board Certified Teacher this year. Mrs. Romano was recognized at a Board of Education meeting this spring. Previously, Mrs. Romano was named the 2018 ACTE National Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Romano was also a member of New York State's Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures, along with NFA West Campus student Carlos Berrios. National Board Certified Teachers were recognized by New York State through a virtual presentation that can be viewed here.

The Newburgh Enlarged City School District funds and supports career advancement for our employees. Currently, only 3% of teachers nationwide and 1% in New York State are National Board Certified Teachers. The NECSD now has 13 teachers working toward National Board certification, the highest in New York State. The district has 19 teachers currently employed with the NECSD and 11 retirees who have achieved National Board Certification. Currently, our district has one of the largest cohorts of teachers trying to achieve this prestigious distinction in the state.

National Board Certification is a voluntary process designed for teachers to demonstrate, through standards-based evidence, the positive impact they have on student learning as a result of their deep and abiding understanding of students, content knowledge, pedagogical practice, ongoing reflection and participation in learning communities. Candidates for Board certification submit evidence through use of student work samples, lesson videos, written summaries, and reflection, showing that their practice meets the Five Core Propositions and National Board Standards for their content area. National Board Certification is considered the “gold standard” of teaching and SUNY recognizes those teachers who have achieved National Board Certification as having the equivalent of a Doctorate degree in the pedagogy of their certification area. Once certified, the journey is not over as these teachers need to maintain their certification and renew it every 5 years.

National Board Cohort facilitators for our district are Melissa Higgins, Sharon Kennedy & Kathy Young.

All National Board Certified Teachers in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District are listed below:
Lisa Benvenuto - NFA Main - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Angela Boone - Meadow Hill School - School Counseling/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Karriem Bunce - Admin Horizons-on-Hudson - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Jennifer Krom – Horizons-on-Hudson - Generalist/Early Childhood
Christina Cloidt - Administration - Generalist/Early Childhood
Christine Courtsunis - NFA Main - Science/Adolescence And Young Adulthood
Sabrina Dolfinger - Horizons on Hudson Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Danielle Du Mortier Nelson - Fostertown School - Generalist/Middle Childhood
Richard Durbin - South Middle School - Social Studies-History/Early Adolescence
Nancy Gross - GAMS - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood
Melissa Higgins - Temple Hill Academy - English as a New Language - Early and Middle Childhood
Eric Katz - NFA Main - School Counseling/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Sharon Kennedy - New Windsor School - Generalist/Middle Childhood
Dana Rodriguez - Temple Hill Academy
Linda Romano - NFA North - Certified Nursing Assistant Career and Technical Education - Early Adolescent/Young Adult
Yvette Sosnick - Balmville School - Literacy - ELA Early and Middle Childhood
Linda Vinti - NFA Main - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Lisa Ward - Fostertown School - Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early And Middle Childhood
Kathleen Young - NFA Main - Physical Education/Early Adolescence Through Young Adulthood
Retired teachers who held the certificate include:
Danielle Clarino - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Judith Cooper - Science/Adolescence And Young Adulthood
John Eitel - NFA Main teacher and NTC Coordinator - Mathematics/Early Adolescence
Ellen Hart - Pre-K at GAMS - Generalist/Early Childhood
Ann Marie Healey - Generalist/Early Childhood
Nickolas Karnavezos - NTC - Generalist/ Middle Childhood
Yvette Lewis - Art/Early Adolescence Through Young Adulthood
Linda Munro-Apuzzo - Balmville School - Generalist/Middle Childhood
Thomas Neppl - Social Studies-History/Adolescence And Young Adulthood
Arthur Plichta - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood
Shirley Riefenhauser - Social Studies-History/Adolescence And Young Adulthood

More about the National Board Certified Teacher Requirements can be found below. Teachers who are interested in applying, can contact Mr. G. Pinheiro.

Candidates for National Board Certification must submit a body of work in four separate sections, called components. Each component has a specific focus.

Component 1 requires teachers to demonstrate an understanding of content knowledge and developmentally appropriate practices for teaching a full age range and ability level within their specific certification area. Teachers do so by successfully completing a computer-based assessment.

Component 2 requires teachers to evaluate the learning strengths and needs for individual students as the basis for planning and implementing appropriate differentiated instruction to a group of students. They then analyze and modify instructional strategies and materials based on student progress.

Component 3 requires teachers to highlight their teaching practice and learning environment. It captures details about a teacher’s instructional planning and then has them show direct evidence of carrying out their lessons through the submission of video recordings, instructional materials, and a written reflection of their impact on student engagement and progress.

Component 4 requires teachers to demonstrate evidence of being an effective and reflective practitioner through their knowledge of students and the development and use of assessments. Teachers show their collaboration with families, caregivers, colleagues, and community members.  They provide evidence of how these relationships advance students’ learning and growth. 

Story information provided by Mr. G. Pinheiro and Ms. Sharon Kennedy.

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!