Teachers

WASHINGTON COUNTY - Five Washington County Public Schools teachers recently received a prestigious national certification, but it isn't just the credentials they were seeking. "I feel like I'm a much better teacher," said Mary Ward, an art teacher at Clear Spring Middle School. "It forces you to look at everything you do and why you do it. " The teachers attained National Board Certification in 2006, and learned of the accomplishment in December. In addition to Ward, the teachers are: Kris Pearl, a student achievement specialist at Emma K. Doub Elementary School; Lori Ridgely, a sixth-grade English/language arts teacher at Western Heights Middle School; Alicia Robertson, an earth and space science teacher at Smithsburg High School; and Jena Staley, an eighth-grade math teacher at Northern Middle School.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Public school teachers in Waynesboro, working under an expired labor contract since June, have agreed to a new four-year pact, the board's president said Monday. Larry Glenn said he is satisfied with the agreement that was hammered out during months of closed-door talks with representatives of the 290-member Waynesboro Area Education Association. "I can't speak for the rest of the board," he said. Details of the contract will be disclosed if the school board votes to accept it tonight, Glenn said.

Teachers drop federal suit Two former North Hagerstown High School teachers who filed suit alleging the Washington County Board of Education had violated their constitutional rights have dropped the case, their attorney said. One of the teachers, Kurt Britner, said on Monday that a lack of money was the reason the suit was dropped. He and Austin Gisriel had alleged in the federal suit that they were transferred to other teaching jobs to stifle their criticism of the North High administration and to punish them for a controversial newsletter they began publishing in the fall of 1996.

Hagerstown Community College is offering "Creating a Classroom Web Site," a hands-on course for teachers. Students in the class study at their own pace. They can access the classroom anytime with an Internet connection. New sessions of each course run every month and last six weeks with two new lessons being released weekly for a total of 12. The courses are Web-based with lessons, quizzes and assignments. For information, call 301-790-2800, ext. 453, or go to www.ed2go.

This is Bethanne Radomski's fourth year as a Washington County Public Schools teacher, and the fourth summer she has taken advantage of professional development workshops. Radomski teaches biology, anatomy and physiology at Boonsboro High School, and for the past week, she has been one of 17 people at the Maryland Governor's Academy for biology being held at South Hagerstown High School. Similar workshops were being held throughout the state, including an algebra course at Williamsport High School.

By RICHARD F. BELISLE Staff Writer WAYNESBORO, Pa. - "Witches Brew," a play starring third graders at Summitview Elementary School, has been dropped by the teachers who were putting it on because a school parent doesn't think it is appropriate, Schools Superintendent Robert Mesaros said Friday. Mesaros and James Hasson, acting principal of Summitview, said the teachers were not ordered to cancel the play. The teachers decided to drop the play on their own "because they didn't want a side show," Hasson said.

MERCERSBURG, PA. - The Tuscarora Education Association announced Saturday afternoon that teachers would strike on the first day of the 2008-09 school year, prompting the Tuscarora School District to cancel classes. The school board and faculty union have been negotiating contracts since November 2007, and the threat of a strike loomed for the past several weeks leading up to Tuesday's start of school. Both sides are awaiting word from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to determine how many days the teachers will be permitted to strike.

The father of one of my students asked if his son could follow up with me about something after school ended. I told him I'd be glad to help his son and that I would be at school the following week. "Really? Teachers will be at school the week after school ends?" the father said. I smiled and explained to him that there is quite a bit of record-keeping to do at the end of the school year. Most of us are in and out of our classrooms all summer long, too. We might not have students, but we are still working.

pepperb@herald-mail.com WASHINGTON COUNTY - As the school year's first semester comes to a close, Washington County Public Schools' high school teachers and students are busy preparing for the second round of Maryland High School Assessments. The High School Assessments are a series of state standardized end-of-course exams given in the subjects of government, algebra I, geometry, English 9 and biology. Clyde Harrell, the school system's supervisor of social studies, said workshops were held over the summer to help teachers prepare their students for the assessments.

Washington County's Teacher of the Year is on-line in Asia. Evelyn Williams, a South Hagerstown High School social studies teacher, is one of 24 educators participating in a field study in China and Hong Kong this summer. They were chosen to improve the quality of teaching about Asia in the United States. While the group is abroad, the folks back home can keep in touch over the Internet and catch glimpses of the trip. The group posts daily images and information on a web site, http: www.yale.