WESTSIDE — Several area principals, including Leslie Sharp of Decatur’s Northside Elementary School and Zane Vanderpool of Gravette’s Glenn Duffy Elementary, will join other administrators from across the country in a pilot program for a National Board Certification for Principals.

Of the 2,000 principals that applied nationally, only 660 were chosen to participate in the program. Principals Kim Garrett of the Bentonville High School and Cindy Viala of Rogers Tucker Elementary were also among those accepted.

“I’m honored to be accepted to be a part of the program and am very excited to see how it will benefit not only the students we serve at Glenn Duffy Elementary, but also across the nation,” said Vanderpool.

The nonprofit organization National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is conducting the program. The organization has certified teachers since 1995.

“When we asked teachers what would it take for you to stay in a low- achieving school, their statement was a good leader,” said Joan Auchter, chief program officer for the organization. “Coupled with that, all the organizations for principals decided the time had come as well.”

The organization works with several other principal organizations including the National Association for Secondary School Principals, the National Association for Elementary School Principals and the National Association for Middle School Principals.

The process of advanced certification starts with the principals asking students, faculty, parents and the community to fill out surveys about their schools.

“The surveys will give us valuable information from all members of the school community and greater community that will be used to improve the school,” Sharp said.

The certification will help principals set goals, then encourage them to achieve them. They will be reviewed by the improvement reflected in their schools over the course of the process.

“It will be a professional development opportunity like no other that I have experienced as a principal because that’s what the process of National Board Certification is all about. I know this from my previous experiences with the National Board Certification process as a teacher in 1998-99 and through the certification renewal process in 2007-08. It will be a great amount of reflection and work toward improving the school, but that is my job,” said Sharp.

Specific goals and procedures of the process are confidential. The certification process is in its initial stages and will take two years to complete.

The Arkansas Leadership Academy, a program through the Arkansas Department of Education, offer institutes and programs for principals in the state. Sharp is also in year two of the Master Principal Program.

Debbie Davis, director of the academy, helped develop the national certification process with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards for several years.

“There have been many requests for a national certification of principals for many years,” Davis said. “This will only help principal enhance their ability to help their school.”

Davis was a part of several committees which developed the core propositions and assessments for the certification.

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School Surveys

The community can help area principals set their goals for the National Board Certification by filling out a survey which must be completed by Thursday.

◊Community members supporting Gravette Glenn Duffy Elementary School may visit:

http://echo.chpd.com/ Survey.aspx?s=08178801d 87143848864260cb40d08 2a&SID=59296

◊Community members supporting Decatur Northside Elementary School may visit:

http://echo.chpd.com/ Survey.aspx?s=08178801d 87143848864260cb40d08 2a&SID=26213

◊Parents supporting Decatur Northside Elementary School may visit:

http://echo.chpd.com/ Survey.aspx?s=be4dc9af1 c8241cfafc401474cf32b4d &SID=26213

School News, Pages 13 on 10/20/2010