HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Thirty-nine teachers from Hampton City Schools have been accepted into the Virginia Best Practices Network Academy (VBPN).
The VBPN is a collaboration that was established in 2018 and aims to “provide teachers designated as clinical faculty and new teacher mentors the opportunity to become highly effective clinical faculty and/or new teacher mentors,” according to a school division news release.
VBPN was established by members of the Association of Teacher Educators of Virginia (ATE-VA), selected institutions of higher education preparation programs, and hard-to-staff school divisions.
The teachers selected for the academy will get professional development and training through intensive innovative, scientific, evidence-based learning opportunities.
State grant funds will cover costs for speaker fees, registration for professional development workshops, incentives, and other materials.
“I am delighted that the VBPN has selected so many of Hampton’s qualified supervising teachers who were interested in volunteering to extend their knowledge further,” said Dr. Kimberly Richardson, HCS organizational development coordinator. “Virginia has one of the 10 highest teacher turnover rates in the nation. But in Hampton we have systems in place to support our strategic plan goal of attracting, recruiting, and retaining exceptional staff. Our ultimate goal is teacher self-efficacy and HCS practices what research has shown – our five-year induction plan which heavily emphasizes one-on-one mentoring relationships in teachers’ first year contributes to teachers experiencing connectedness and a sense of accomplishment that leads to increases in job satisfaction and teacher retention.”
The teachers include:
- Lacey Whetsel – Andrews PreK-8
- Cynthia Baird – Andrews PreK-8
- Katherine Kelsey – Asbury Elementary School
- Alexis B. Jones – Bassette Elementary School
- Heather Woodruff – Bethel High School
- Kathleen May – Bethel High School
- Meryl Innerfield – Bryan Elementary School
- Frances Johnson – Burbank Elementary School
- Sarah Naugle – Cary Elementary School
- Jasmin Royal – Cooper Elementary Magnet School for Technology
- Shannon Chappelle – Cooper Elementary Magnet School for Technology
- Karen Parker – Eaton Fundamental Middle School
- Jessica Scott – Eaton Fundamental Middle School
- Katina Acree-Williams – Eaton Fundamental Middle School
- Sarah Hammond – Forrest Elementary School
- Kari Espada – Hampton High School
- Simone Huey – Hampton High School
- Tijuania Lambert – Jones Magnet Middle School
- Hamiltyne Laurena Holmes Coates – Kecoughtan High School
- Sandra Hooper – Kecoughtan High School
- Annette Crothers – Kraft Elementary School
- Jessica Thomas – Kraft Elementary School
- Jan Marie VanDenheede – Kraft Elementary School
- Andre Richardson – Lindsay Middle School
- Lois Parson – Lindsay Middle School
- Jennifer A. Eure – Machen Elementary School
- Ashton Cross – Phenix PreK-8 School
- Melanie Cross – Phillips Elementary School
- Freny E. Quilpa – Phoebus High School
- Ellen Bastian – Smith Elementary School
- Debra Hicks – Spratley Gifted Center
- Stephanie Stedman – Spratley Gifted Center
- Arnetta D. Hughes – Syms Middle School
- Jessica J. White – Syms Middle School
- Ma Elena Largo – Syms Middle School
- Janice Way – Tarrant Middle School
- Rebecca Sedgwick – Tarrant Middle School
- Priscilla Scott-Thomas – Tarrant Middle School
- Pamela Birdsong – Tyler Elementary School