Area Teachers Earning National Certification
Hawaii’s public school classrooms include hundreds of teachers who have completed the rigorous process of meeting national teaching standards. This year alone, 59 new candidates successfully completed the months-long course and benchmarks, and another dozen instructors renewed their certification.
Among the 2012 teachers who have met National Board of Professional Teaching Standards requirements are 12 individuals who live and/or teach on the West side. According to the official state list, they are Neil Blomberg, a Kapolei High social studies teacher from Kapolei; Matthew Deeley, a Kapolei High English teacher from Kapolei; Joye Lefrandt, a Makalapa Elementary ESL teacher from Aiea; Janis Maki, a Waipahu High math teacher; Dana Tanigawa, a Waikele Elementary literacy teacher from Aiea; Pamela Chun, a Salt Lake Elementary literacy teacher from Pearl City; Hannah Hancock, a Nanakuli Elementary literacy teacher from Ewa Beach; Kulamanu Kala Goodhue, a Kamehameha Schools literacy teacher from Ewa Beach; Shelly Koyanagi, a Moanalua High English teacher from Pearl City; Lili Ann Silva, a Waianae Intermediate tech-ed teacher from Aiea; Marc Tolentino, a Mililani High English teacher from Ewa Beach; and Cynthia Tong, a Mililani High social studies teacher from Aiea.
“Every day, these accomplished teachers are having a positive impact on stu- dents in Hawaii,” said Terry Holck, who chairs the Hawaii State Teacher Standards Board.
At a recognition ceremony earlier this year, Governor Neil Abercrombie also pointed out: “These teachers exhibit an admirable commitment to excellence by voluntarily honing and demonstrating their knowledge and skills through a nationally recognized model of performance-based assessments.”
Teaching standards will go up again next summer.
