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MB Ed Foundation honors teachers and supporters
by Dan Bialek
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Three of Manhattan’s six newly nationally certified teachers: Joanne Schepis, Kathleen Wagner and Liz Herbert. Photo by Dan Bialek |
The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation held a reception last week to honor its newly nationally certified teachers and to thank its supporters for helping it raise over $1 million this year.
Last year the foundation gave almost $600,000 to Manhattan schools for use in their arts music, science and technology programs. Some of the funds paid for animation studios at Manhattan Beach Middle School and Mira Costa High School, as well as laptop computers and video cameras at the middle school.
The foundation also paid the $2,300 application fee for teachers who sought certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The foundation honored the six teachers who received certification this year at the Superintendents Circle Reception last Thursday night at Verandas restaurant.
Manhattan Beach teachers Patricia Gallante, Liz Herbert, Kristi Knoblock, Sara Peters, Joanne Schepis and Kathleen Wagner completed over 120 hours of fieldwork and passed an eight-hour series of tests in order to receive their certification. As a result, the foundation presented the teachers with checks for $1,000, part of a $5,000 incentive to be paid over five years for teachers completing the certification. The state of California will also give each teacher a $10,000 stipend.
William Vasey, curriculum support director for the California Department of Education, spoke to 150 residents, city officials and educators in the audience about the importance of qualified teachers. He said the state didn’t give nearly as much financial support to its schools as other states, and that education is vital to the California’s future success.
"If we don’t invest in a much higher standard of education in California, our economy will collapse," he said.
Vasey said California needs at least 30,000 nationally certified teachers to lead its educational advancement movement. He also said that the state will pay $1,000 of the $2,300 application fee for teachers trying for certification. Vasey also said that certified teachers who decide to teach at low performing schools will be eligible for a one-time $20,000 bonus from the state.
National teacher of the year Marilyn Whirry of Mira Costa High School also spoke about the importance of education, saying said that teachers hold the key to enlightening young minds and instilling a lifelong passion for learning.
"It has been shown that teachers are 20 times more important in the classroom than anything else," Whirry said. "We want more than just qualified teachers, we want great teachers. We want teachers to think of education as their profession, not just a job." ER