By Jake Fitzgerald, Greenville Elementary Asst. Principal
At Greenville City Schools, there are many different programs that students, parents and teachers may become involved in. Many of these programs are very beneficial for all stakeholders involved and have high expectations for the participants and the outcomes of the program. One program is not as well known as the others, yet it still carries some of the highest distinctions and worth as many of its counterparts. Becoming a Master Teacher in Greenville City Schools is a distinction worth noting. This is a program where the initiative is run through the Ohio Department of Education; however, the operations are run at a district level.
Applications for a Master Teacher are easy. They only require a valid professional license, to have taught for 7 years, to work a minimum of 120 days in the school year, and to be currently employed as a teacher. The application, many teachers in our building qualify for. It is the standards by which the school committee is judging the teacher which makes this nomination so prestigious. To be accepted by the committee as a Master Teacher you must uphold and demonstrate competency in five areas: Consistent Leadership, Focused Collaboration, Distinguished Teaching with a focus on Students and Environment, Distinguished Teaching with a focus on Content/Instruction and Assessment, and Continued Professional Growth. These five competencies, when done well, make for phenomenal teachers. After they have demonstrated application of these competencies in the classroom, the teacher has then to ask for a recommendation from their principal/s to the program. Once the recommendation is complete, the teacher then writes a narrative, in no more than 12 pages, to the committee explaining how the five competencies listed above are shown within their classroom. The teachers have to give specific details, with evidence of the work done, to be considered.
Once the application is submitted, the narrative is written, and evidence collected, the teacher is then permitted to submit the documents for committee review. The committee at Greenville City Schools is made up of national board-certified teachers, master teachers, and administrators of the district. Currently serving on the committee are: Asst. Superintendent Laura Bemus, Career and Technical Director Andrea Townsend, Master Teacher Chairperson Sheila Reichard, National Board- Certified Heather Crews, and Master Teacher Jennifer Yohey. Submitted material is reviewed and scored by at least two committee members, and each applicant will be scored according to the rubric given by the Ohio Department of Education. The applicant must score exemplary in 4 of the 5 competencies by the evaluators in order to be recognized as a Master Teacher. If a teacher does not receive exemplary in four of the competencies, they are permitted to apply again the following year. Once the designation has been given, the teacher then will have to submit for a renewal every 5 years. This is another way for the designation to maintain its prestige and hold the current members accountable to the Master Teacher standards.
Currently in Greenville we have many great teachers. With that being said there are only three teachers on staff who are Master Teachers. Those teachers are Tara Ford (2021), Sheila Reichard (2016) and Jennifer Yohey (2019). These teachers deserve to be recognized for the fabulous work they do. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments!