Edwin Cebrian began his teaching career in Boston Public Schools in 2011. After teaching a full inclusion fourth grade classroom at the Mason Pilot School, Edwin now co-teaches a third grade inclusion classroom as a Learning Specialist at the Mozart Elementary School. Edwin earned his National Board Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist (Early Childhood through Young Adulthood) in 2021.

Certified 2021

Quayisha Clarke is a 2nd grade teacher at the Grew School. She worked with colleagues over the course of 3 years completing the components to become nationally board certified. She is thankful for her team and would be happy to support others in their journey.

Certified 2021

Nicole DaSilva Being a NBCT changed my teaching career.  I am more reflective and innovative when it comes to planning and collaborating.   I recently re certified and that was a big accomplishment during the pandemic!

Matthew Kazlaukas

Maintenance of Certificate 2021

Emmanuel Fairley-Pittman. Obtaining National Board Certification was one of the smartest, most intellectually stimulating experiences of my teaching career so far! Throughout the three years it took me to obtain certification, I was able to intentionally make and take space to reflect on my practice to better serve my students, the families and the community in which I work. Moreover, I did it with a friend—the best decision ever! I hope to encourage and support other teachers who are committed to being the best educator they can be for their students. 

Certified 2021

Brian Leussler

Maintenance of Certificate 2021

Aaron Osowiecki. After 12 years in the classroom, Aaron became a NBCT.  Though putting together an application was challenging, Aaron found the process of following his students and analyzing video of his teaching gave him the opportunity to see how much he had grown as a teacher.  He successfully maintained his certification in 2021.

Maintenance of Certificate 2021

Jesse Southwick is a proud product of the Boston Public Schools and physics teacher at Boston Latin School.  Jesse put off NBCT for many years but finally took it on in 2018 and finished in the spring of 2021.  He had support from the BPS program and feels grateful and proud.

Certified 2021

Carla Zils 

Maintenance of Certificate 2021

John Arlauskas achieved National Board Certification in English as a New Language (Early and Middle Childhood). He is an English as a Second Language (ESL)/Resource Teacher at the Richard Murphy K-8 School. He leads professional development for teachers within the Boston Public Schools (BPS) and throughout Massachusetts as a RETELL SEI Endorsement Instructor and has led other professional development regarding the topic of English Learners. John thinks becoming a NBCT is important because it was a powerful professional development individualized to meet the needs of his own practice. It also has had a great impact on student achievement. 

In 2017, Margaret Arlauskas achieved National Board Certification in English as a New Language (Early and Middle Childhood) and recently maintained certification in 2022. She is a Multilingual Instructional Coach for the Office of Multilingual and Multicultural Education (OMME). Previously, she taught English as a Second Language (ESL) and Resource. She leads professional development for teachers within the Boston Public Schools (BPS) and throughout Massachusetts as a RETELL SEI Endorsement Instructor and has led other professional development regarding the topic of English Learners. Margaret believes becoming a NBCT is important because it has a positive impact on student learning.

Rachael Kinnealey has been teaching Physical Education and Health Education in Boston Public Schools for over 8 years.  When schools went remote during the pandemic Rachael became inspired to become a NBCT in Health Education in order to perfect her craft and give her students the best experience learning.  It was important in the ever changing world of teaching health to be as effective and relevant as possible in her craft as a teacher for her BPS students. She is the only NBCT certified in Health Education in all of Massachusetts and 1 of 4 in all of New England.  

Certified 2022

Anne Slater is the Instructional Coach at the East Boston EEC. She has been involved with literacy coaching and the teaching of reading and writing since 2000. Being part of NBCT helped her to reflect on her teaching practice and to think about integrating more reflection and use of video into her coaching practice.

Kristen Leathers. I have been a teacher in BPS since 2006. I earned the National Board certification in 2013 in English as a New Language and re-certified in 2022. Pursuing my National Board certification was some of the most meaningful professional development I've ever participated in. It forced me to reflect on my career as an educator to recognize all the ways I've grown in addition to areas where I still need to improve. 

Lillie Marshall.  In 2022, I successfully achieved my NBCT MOC. I found it to be an incredibly moving exercise, because it helped me step back and look at the evolution of my teaching career over the course of 18 years, and to see how far I've come. I was also able to acknowledge how my free English language learning resource, https://DrawingsOf.com has the potential to share ideas with other educators around the country. Though the MOC process was challenging, it was achievable with hard work and focus, and provided an incredibly powerful reflection and perspective-taking opportunity. 

Amanda Hanna. I have  been a science teacher at Boston Arts Academy for the last 12 years. During that time I have taught chemistry (my first love!), and also physics, biology, engineering, environmental science and geometry. Before teaching, I earned my Ph.D. in Biophysics, and worked as a laboratory scientist studying protein biochemistry. Becoming National Board Certified has been a goal of mine for years, and I'm proud to have finally achieved it! The process was rigorous, but every aspect of it was valuable for improving my practice - reaching all students, building engaging lessons, and units.

Carol Wu. I am a high school math teacher who has been in BPS since the beginning of my teaching career. I have learned to be more reflective and intentional with my teaching with the NBCT process, which was and still is very important to me. Completing my NBCT was not easy during the pandemic, but I'm glad that I was able to persevere and complete it! 

Grace McGregor pursued her National Board Certification to improve on her teaching practices and become more reflective with her work. While the process took a lot of time, she feels she became a more effective teacher as a result. Becoming a NBCT helped her to grow professionally and helped her students to grow academically. She is so grateful for the opportunity and thankful for the support from other teachers who certified. 

Kathleen Butler began her teaching career in Charlotte, NC in 2012. She obtained her initial National Board Certification while teaching dance education at South Charlotte Middle School. Presently, Kathleen teaches dance education at the Ellis Elementary in Roxbury. She successfully completed the Maintenance of Certification in 2022 and hopes to encourage and support aspiring National Board Candidates in the future. 

Kerry Ann O'Rourke. I became a National Board Certified Teacher to challenge myself to deepen my content area on my terms. I was able to choose my foci, and go at my pace to better my practice.

Clara Webb earned her original certification in Social Studies-History in 2013 and successfully maintained in 2022. While the National Board process is a ton of work, it also has been one of the most worthwhile professional developments experiences of her career because it required her to stop the daily grind and think deeply about her own teaching. Clara appreciates that National Board views teachers as experts, as professionals, and as capable of self-directed growth, and is grateful for all the support that BPS and BTU provide for aspiring candidates.

Teresa Javoyes. I have been an elementary teacher for over 20 years and absolutely love what I do.  Being a NBCT  helps me reflect on my teaching and to  continually  build, modify, and "hopefully" improve my understanding of  how children learn.  NBCT is a community  aimed  at supporting  life long learners ---a goal that I aspire to  transmit to the students I serve.

 Robin Mankel. I began my teaching career in 2003 and then came to the Boston Public Schools in 2008. I initially became a NBCT while teaching Sheltered English Instruction at Brighton High school  and now I teach Math 3 at Margarita Muñiz Academy. The NBCT process pushed me to deeply analyze my teaching practice and reflect on my work.

Lisa MacGeorge. Over the past 23 years, I have had the pleasure of working at the Samuel Adams School in East Boston. The children and their families have made my experience a special one. In order to best serve them, I continue to challenge myself as a learner. Earning and renewing National Board Certification provides me with the opportunity to hold myself to rigorous standards.

Jana McCarthy. I am passionate about initiatives that provide access to opportunities for students and families in and beyond high school and incorporating Restorative Justice into my curriculum and classroom. The National Board process changed the way I think about teaching; it pushed me to truly adopt an inquiry mindset and to reflect in order to evolve as a teacher. It gave me permission to pull apart everything I do and question my practice. 

Sasha Heavey. I have been teaching in early childhood for 19 years.  I did my student teaching at the Gardner Pilot Academy while in undergraduate school at Lesley University.  After moving out of state I found my way back to teaching at the school that had such an impact on me as an early educator. I pursued getting my National Board certification to strengthen my practice and become a more reflective teacher. In doing so I have learned much about myself, my craft, and my students.

Nicole Giordani  is a Data Inquiry Specialist at the Murphy K-8.  Previously, she taught middle school English language arts in Boston for 15 years.  Nicole received National Board certification in 2017 in ELA- Early Adolescence.  She recently maintained her certification during the 2022 NBCT Maintenance of Certification (MOC) cycle.  Nicole currently works as a NBCT cohort leader for teachers working towards obtaining their initial NBCT or MOC.  Nicole considers the process of working towards NBCT certification to be one of the greatest professional development experiences of her teaching career. 

Leslye Auby.  National Board certification was an excellent way, at this point in my career, for me to reflect on and better my teaching practice.  It helped keep me up-to-date on current research and best practices.  I am so glad to have gone through the journey and to continue to do so every 5 years to come!

Carolyn Silva-Sanchez (Brisbin). While I currently work as a Reading Specialist, I first became certified in 2017 as a K2 classroom teacher. I found the chance to reflect on my own practice extremly valuable. Continual learning and growth as an educator drives me to maintain my certification and I encourage any educator looking for a new kind of professional development opportunity to pursue certification. 

Emily Trono has been teaching in BPS since 2010. She currently works at The English High School teaching History to emerging bilingual students. She completed her certificate in English as a New Language and then recently re-certified with the support of her amazing colleagues.

Kristina Kelleher-Bianchi taught history and ESL at the Burke High School for 9 years and is now the 11th and 12th grade Academy Leader there. She originally earned her NBCT in Social Studies – History – Adolescence and Young Adulthood in 2017 and successfully maintained her certification in 2022. She found the National Board process one which helped her be very reflective about her practice. 

Luisa Sparrow teaches a self-contained special education class for 5th and 6th graders with intellectual disabilities at the Perry K-6 School. Luisa earned her National Board Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist in 2022. Pursuing certification gave her the opportunity to focus on the areas of instruction that were most beneficial for her students.

Jeffery Isen. After working as an international aid worker in Africa and Asia, I changed my career and became a teacher. I have been teaching history at BLA for 15 years. Taking part in the NBCT program was important for me because I strive everyday to ensure that I  provide the best instruction and that  I am meeting the needs of my students.