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St. Mary's County Public Schools recognizes 45 newly National Board‑certified teachers, bringing district total to 97
Summary
The board honored 45 teachers who achieved National Board Certification during the 2024–25 cycle — raising SMCPS’s total to 97 certified teachers — and acknowledged a team of professional learning facilitators and staff who supported candidates.
During its March 18 meeting the St. Mary's County Board of Education recognized 45 colleagues who obtained National Board Certification during the 2024–25 cycle and acknowledged four staff who completed maintenance of their certification.
Dr. Farrell described the NBPTS process as rigorous — including performance‑based assessments, teacher portfolios, student work samples and recorded self‑critiques — and said that certification reflects extensive professional growth. He told the room, “you joined an elite group, but more importantly, you've strengthened the very fabric of our schools. You are quite literally changing the trajectory of lives one classroom at a time.”
Staff reported that in the 2024–25 submission cycle SMCPS had 145 candidates working through the process; prior to this cohort the district had 52 national board certified teachers and the new cohort brings the total to 97. The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards ranked SMCPS 17th in the nation in 2025 for the number of newly certified teachers. The board called each honoree by name and invited recipients to join for a group photo and to collect plaques.
The board noted the role of 12 professional learning facilitators who supported candidates from September through May, and thanked principals, assistant principals and supervisors for their assistance. The recognition concluded with applause and brief remarks from board leadership.
