At the December 8 Board of Education meeting, the Westerville City School District will honor seven educators for having received the Master Teacher designation from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). They are: Westerville North High School social studies teacher Jennifer Walpole; and Huber Ridge Elementary teachers Natalie Bentz (grade 4); Erin Berg (intervention specialist), William Britton (visual art); Chassidy Goulden (grade 2); Brian Shanks (grade 5); and Melissa Workman (grade 5).
Master Teachers demonstrate excellence inside and outside the classroom through consistent leadership and focused collaboration to maximize student learning. They strive for distinguished teaching and continued professional growth, as specified by the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession. The Master Teacher designation lasts five years and is renewable. To earn the designation, teachers must have taught a minimum of seven years; complete an extensive written narrative and sample evidence of leadership, instruction, and professional growth; and receive recommendations from colleagues and/or administrators. Each school district in the state has a Master Teacher committee made up of two administrators and three teachers. The committee uses a rubric developed by the ODE to score Master Teacher submissions.