Barbara Ballard, a veteran teacher at Coupeville High School, recently was awarded National Board Certification. Only “highly accomplished educators who meet high and rigorous standards” through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment, and peer review qualify for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.Ms Ballard is the third Coupeville teacher to obtain certification, joining Tacy Bigelow and Kyle Nelson who achieved certification in 2008. These three represent 5% of Coupeville’s teaching staff, comparing favorably to “Top 20” districts Bellevue and Seattle. Although these larger districts have far more teachers, their National Board teachers represent 5% and 2%, respectively, of the total teacher population.


