LAPS teachers recently obtaining their National Board Certification from left, Stephanie Abney, Bethany Scott, Julia Sheppard and Esther Smidt. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) has announced that four teachers recently obtained their National Board Certification (NBCT). Stephanie Abney, Bethany Scott, Julia Sheppard and Esther Smidt completed the requirements to be recognized as National Board Certified Teachers.
In addition, LAPS teachers Christine Engelbrecht, Kris Martinez, Lynn Ovaska and Carolyn Torres renewed their certification as NBCTs.
They are among 111 New Mexico teachers who received their National Board Certification and 84 teachers recertified.
LAPS has 357 NBCTs on staff and is in the top five districts in the state for the number of NBCTs.
National Board Certification is the highest professional distinction available in education. It benefits students, teachers, and school systems by advancing the quality of teaching and learning. Extensive research shows the value of Board certification on student learning. The impact is even greater for minority and low-income students.
In order to become a Board-certified teacher, candidates voluntarily complete a rigorous certification program that consists of four components: assessment of content knowledge, reflection on student work samples, video and analysis of teaching practice, and documentation of the impact of assessment and collaboration on student learning.
These components were designed by teachers, for teachers, to identify the essential knowledge and skills required to advance student learning and achievement. This is a serious commitment of time and energy, but teachers who achieve certification describe the process as transformative.
LAPS Teachers Recently Obtaining National Board Certification:
Stephanie Abney – in her 10th year teaching at Los Alamos High School. She also taught one year abroad in England. She is teaching AP Precalculus and AP Calculus.
“I pursued National Board Certification to improve myself as a teacher and gain insights on what it takes to be a good teacher,” she said. “It also has helped me connect with outstanding teachers who have gone through this process and teachers who went through the process with me. Thanks to Bethany Scott, Katie Lake and others, I was able to finish in just one year. I am so thankful to those who have helped me through this experience.”
Bethany Scott – earned her Bachelors in History Teaching with a minor in Math Education from Brigham Young University in 2003. She taught US History and Geometry for two years at Canyon View Junior High School in Orem, Utah, and then taught math for two years at Oakton High School in Fairfax County, VA. She then made a career switch and worked as a learning consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington, D.C. and earned a Master’s Degree in Instructional Design and Development from George Mason University.
After her oldest son was born in 2009, she chose to stay home and enjoyed 13 years as a full-time mom to her three sons. In 2022, she returned to the classroom as a math teacher at Los Alamos High School and has taught Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and Financial Literacy. She loves being part of the math department at LAHS. Her national board certification is in the area of Adolescent/Young Adult Mathematics.
“I chose to pursue National Board Certification in order to improve my practice as a teacher,” Scott said. “It was a grueling process (much harder than I ever imagined) that required me to learn the characteristics of an effective teacher, and then to reflect on what I do as a teacher and what I should do as a teacher in order to better meet the needs of my students. It has definitely helped me grow and improve professionally.”
Julia Sheppard – graduated from Los Alamos High School in 2000, and has a BS in Mathematics and a Master’s in Education from UC Davis.
She has been teaching math at the middle school since 2016, and hopes that continuing her education through the National Board will not only make her more effective, but make the job even more rewarding.
Her favorite part of teaching math is finding out misconceptions and addressing them, but she also loves seeing students become successful adults. In her spare time, she plays squash, coaches rugby, sings and keeps track of her kids.
Esther Smidt – Esther Smidt began teaching Kindergarten at Mountain in 2021. She received her BS in Home and Family Living from Brigham Young University in 2007 and then stayed home with her five children for 14 years. “My children have all attended Mountain Elementary, and it has always felt like home,” she said. “I wanted to be involved so I became PTA President at Mountain 2020-2022. When all of my children were in school full time I decided to join them.”
Coming out of COVID she signed up to be a substitute teacher, and was a long-term sub for 5th grade at LAOLA. She was able to get her teaching certification through the LEAP program, and then received her Master’s in Education from the University of the Southwest in 2022.
“My mentors encouraged me to look into National Board Certification,” she explained. “I chose to start the process last year so that I could continue to grow as an educator. Just like we encourage our students to grow, I wanted to continue to learn, grow and improve as an educator. The process of obtaining National Board Certification taught me so many things, especially to always reflect and learn from the good and the bad. I am so glad that I decided to pursue National Boards!”
LAPS Teachers Recently Renewing their National Board Certification:
Christine Engelbrecht – has taught high school-level English for 12 years in New Mexico and Oklahoma. At Los Alamos High School, she currently teaches AP Language and Composition, an advanced course that focuses on rhetoric and argumentation, to juniors, as well as Academic Skills Lab, an executive-functioning tier II intervention class, to 9th-12th grade students who struggle academically.
This year she also began teaching a version of English 9 that includes fluency, spelling, and comprehension instruction designed for struggling 9th grade readers.
“I first became NBCT certified for Young Adult/Adolescent Language Arts in 2019 and maintained my certification in 2024,” she noted. “I first sought NBCT certification as a way to move up to Level III as a teacher and increase my annual salary. But during the certification process, I found that I appreciated the high expectations the program sets for teaching pedagogy and the emphasis on personal growth built through consistent reflection on our teaching practices.”
Kris Martinez – began her teaching career in 2006 as a Kindergarten teacher at Bess Race Elementary in Crowley, Texas. In 2010, she relocated to Los Alamos where she has been a dedicated Kindergarten teacher at Mountain Elementary School for the past 15 years. she was inspired to pursue National Board Certification after a suggestion from a former colleague, who recognized her desire to grow professionally.
In 2015, she achieved National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Literacy: Reading-Language Arts. She recently earned her Maintenance of Certification in the same area in 2024, reaffirming her commitment to excellence in teaching.
“National Board Certification challenged me to evaluate and reflect deeply on my teaching practices, fostering growth as a learner, professional, and leader,” she said. “While the initial certification process was one of the most challenging experiences of my career, it was also the most rewarding professional development I’ve ever undertaken. Re-certifying allowed me to reflect on a decade of teaching and reaffirm my dedication to my students and the teaching profession.”
Lynn Ovaska – earned her teaching degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been a high school social studies teacher for 28 years. She started teaching at Los Alamos High School in 1999 and developed the AP Psychology course in 2001. She has taught AP Psychology and Psychology, co-created the Student Leadership course, and revived AP European History. In 2013, she started three years of extensive professional development, completing both National Boards and Master’s in School and Professional Counseling.
“I wanted to improve my teaching practice because I felt my heart grow beyond my classroom,” she said. “After moving into the new high school in 2012, students wanted help to build community so I leaned in and looked for the best professional development. For NBCT, you plan intentional lessons, video yourself repeatedly, analyze your strengths and weaknesses, consult with colleagues, and write about the process.”
She added, “I was so happy to earn my National Board Certification in 2015. I love teaching! For my renewal last year, I analyzed all I’ve done in and out of my classroom and reflected on how it impacted teens and our community. Thanks to my NBCT work over the last 10 years I have honed my teaching practice, collaborated with excellent teachers, helped students have a voice in Student Leadership, and supported Natural Helpers.”
Carolyn Torres – has been teaching for 34 years and has been with Los Alamos for the last 28 years. She began her career teaching high school Chemistry and Physical Science, moved to the middle school level for several years, and is currently teaching Math Lab at Chamisa Elementary. She completed her Doctorate in Education in 2000. She was the 2014 New Mexico State Teacher of the Year, a 2017-20 National NNSTOY/Voya STEM Fellow, and received the NM AFRL State K-8 Teacher STEMYS Award in 2023.
Torres has renewed her license several times and has remained a National Board Certified Teacher since 1995. “I believe the National Board process is a great way to reflect on teaching for the benefit of my students and continue my commitment to lifelong learning,” she noted.