Caroline County launches ‘Grow Your Own’ push, enrolls two teachers in National Board cohort

Caroline County Public Schools on June 8 detailed a suite of “Grow Your Own” initiatives intended to recruit, develop and retain teachers from within the division, and announced the first local participants in a regional National Board Certification cohort.

At the school board meeting, Paige Tucker, who led the overview, described programs including a Richmond Teacher Residency, a UVA-funded leadership cohort for aspiring administrators, and alternative licensure pathways that have converted long-term substitutes and paraprofessionals into fully licensed teachers. Tucker said these efforts aim to strengthen an internal talent pipeline and improve retention.

Tucker named the two Caroline Middle School teachers selected for the National Board cohort this fall: Michaela McGee and Emily Bailey. The cohort will be virtual and multi-division; Tucker said candidates will receive mentorship, structured monthly meetings and supports intended to help them complete the National Board’s four rigorous components.

Kari Earl, a National Board–certified teacher from Greenwood Elementary in Henriiko County who will facilitate the cohort, described the certification process as performance‑based and “rigorous,” noting candidates typically require about 400 hours to complete all components. “What excites me most isn’t the certification itself, but the process that educators go through to get there,” Earl told the board.

Board members asked whether any Caroline teachers are currently National Board certified; the response was there are none. Members also asked about the stipend that follows certification. Staff said the state provides an annual stipend and that the division has not yet decided whether it would offer a local match in Caroline. “We have not determined any additional support,” Tucker said, adding that federal/state rules and title designations might affect local supplements.

Why it matters: National Board Certification is widely regarded as an advanced professional credential; districts that support teachers through certification cohorts often cite improved classroom practices and leadership spillover into buildings. Board members framed the initiative as an investment in instructional quality and retention.

What’s next: Staff said they will monitor the cohort’s progress and consider local supports for certified teachers, including whether to match the state stipend. The two teachers are expected to begin work with the cohort this fall.