National Board-Certified Teachers and School Counselors named

Two South Dakota school counselors and one teacher earned national certifications in 2023, demonstrating advanced knowledge and skill in their professions.

The National Certified School Counselor certification recognizes counselors who demonstrate specialized knowledge and skills in school counseling. This certification shows that one has met national standards of practice, including additional education, experience, and a specialty exam. The following school counselors reported to the South Dakota Department of Education that hey became National Certified School Counselors in 2023:

• Tova Hartle, West Central School District
• Charlene Soukoup, Wagner School District

Teachers achieve National Board Certification through a rigorous, performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment of a teacher’s pedagogical (teaching) skills and content knowledge. The certification process takes one to three years to complete. While licensing standards set the basic requirements to teach in a state, National Board-Certified teachers demonstrate advanced teaching knowledge, skills, and practices similar to the certifications earned by experts in law and medicine.

Kristin Ottenbacher, an English Language Arts teacher with the Aberdeen School District’s Simmons Middle School, is the sole recipient of National Board Certification in South Dakota for 2023.

South Dakota educators who earn National Board Certification receive $2,000 per year for five years, with $1,000 paid by the South Dakota Department of Education and $1,000 paid by the school district. The department will also reimburse certain related fees paid by teachers and school counselors upon achievement of national certification.