Susan Hirsch, Edison Elementary School Teacher

At the February 11, 2020 Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Steve Bovino and Board of Education President Dr. Jill O'Malley were proud to recognize Susan Hirsch, Edison Elementary School first-grade teacher, who earned her National Board Certification. Board certification, awarded by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, is considered to be the gold standard for teaching. It is a performance-based peer-review process similar to board certification in medicine. Earning National Board Certification is a rigorous process which includes written entries, exams, and video submissions, and can take one or two years. There are four components of certification: an assessment of the candidate’s subject area knowledge, evidence of differentiation in instruction, video recordings of classroom instruction, and evidence of being an effective and reflective practitioner of teaching practices. Only a tiny fraction of educators have earned this distinction.