-By Jerry LePre

LAPLACE – Anita Rodriguez, a first grade teacher at LaPlace Elementary, recently became the first St. John teacher to receive certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

The American Council on Education (ACE) recognizes the National Board Certification process as comparable to graduate level coursework. Rodriguez is now eligible to receive up to six semester hours of graduate credit in education.

“In virtually every case, achieving the National Board Certification signals the start of a new, exciting phase in a teacher’s professional life,” Joseph Aguerrebere, the President of NBPTS, said. “You have the opportunity to play an active role in charting the future of American Education.”