During this month’s Board of Education meeting, several groups were given special recognition.

First on the agenda were the staff and administration from J.P. Knapp Early College High School, who were applauded for becoming the district’s first accredited school, a rigorous and multi-faceted state evaluation process.

The group, that included school principal Steve Basnight, was presented a plaque commemorating the achievement. The school is also one of only several high schools in the area to be graded “A” by the state.

Also recognized during the meeting were teachers achieving or renewing their National Board Certification. Making the announcement was instructional coach Chris Hodges.

Those who were newly certified: Pam White, an English teacher at Moyock Middle School, who Hodges said had reported that the certification process had caused her to reflect on what she can do in the classroom to improve student success, and Jarvisburg Elementary teacher Carly Osmon, who Hodges said had been influenced by her mother, also a National Certified Teacher.

Renewing her certification was Griggs Elementary third grade teacher Trisha Richardson, an 18-year teacher, who found the process a pathway to self-improvement.

As a former National Certified Teacher, board member Dwan Craft commended the teachers, adding that she knows all they went through to achieve that certification.

North Carolina has the most nationally certified teachers in the country, with 21,000 certified, including 616 newly certified this year and 890 renewals.

The final group to be recognized were teachers who had earned performance bonuses from the state, based on the ranking of their students scores on state tests. Student scores must be in the top 25 percent or better in the state and/or district to qualify. Teachers can earn as much as $6,500; Advanced Placement teachers can earn $50 for each student who scores three or above on the AP exam; and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers earn bonuses based on students who earn accreditation or certification.

Third-eighth grade teachers earning bonuses for reading and/or math scores: Annette Markham, Carry Dover, Helen Taylor, Beatrice Winstead, Katrina Costello, Stephanie Sanderlin, Christina Melendez, Jeanne Philbrook, Leanne Heflin, Beth Williams, Donna McCloud, Ashley Nixon, Stephanie Neupert, Melody Banks, Angel Swimme, Jennifer Powell, Karen Guzinski, Ashley Potter and Betty McLeod.

Advanced Placement teachers earning bonuses: Claire Vinick, Sheri Fowlkes, Deb Butler, Kim Mawhiney, Valerie Person, Robert Griffin and Selina Jarvis.

Career and Technical Education performance bonuses were earned by Cameron Bolton, Ralf Lang, Jeff Rhodes and Elizabeth Dewitt.

Board members and the superintendent extended congratulations to all those recognized.