Pollow honored for certification renewal | News

Manzanita Elementary School multiage teacher April Pollow renewed her certification as a national board-certified teacher.

The Catalina Foothills School District employee teaches first and second grade in Manzanita’s multiage program, which supports collaboration and cross-grade learning.

During a recognition event in Pollow’s classroom, Manzanita principal Rob Henikman presented her with an official national board certification pennant from the Arizona K-12 Center. This organization supports teachers pursuing the certification. 

Superintendent Dr. Denise Bartlett also congratulated Pollow for her dedication to professional growth and student achievement.

To honor Pollow’s impact, Henikman created a plaque featuring words her students used to describe her. The word “kind” emerged as the overwhelming descriptor, reflecting Pollow’s compassionate and thoughtful approach to teaching.

Pollow earned her national board certification five years ago and has renewed it to refine her teaching practices. She is one of 11 national board-certified teachers in the Catalina Foothills School District, which actively supports its educators in achieving this distinguished certification.

“Mrs. Pollow’s achievement reflects her deep commitment to professional development and her students’ success,” Henikman said. “We are proud to celebrate her hard work.”

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, established in 1987, is a nonprofit that sets rigorous standards for accomplished teaching. It aims to advance the quality of teaching and learning by:

Maintaining high, rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and do;

Providing a voluntary national certification process for teachers who meet these standards;

Advocating for educational reforms that integrate National Board Certification into the broader education system and leverage the expertise of certified teachers.

Earning the national board certification is a rigorous process that requires educators to demonstrate their impact on student learning and commitment to ongoing professional growth.