Third-year Hope High School English teacher Courtney Howard is the “honorable mention” recipient among four teachers nationwide recognized in the 2019 National Association for Alternative Certification Outstanding New Educator Award selections.
Honorees will be presented nationally at the NAAC Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., in March.
“We are very proud of Courtney,” Hope Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hart said. “She is an important part of our instructional team and we value the work and the contributions she is making to our school system.”
Nomination guidelines required the submission of a video to portray the candidate’s teaching skills, the student’s level of engagement, and the learning environment involved. Hope High School Principal Bill Hoglund reflected on that requirement.
“Mrs. Howard continues to distinguish herself as an outstanding classroom teacher,” Hoglund said. “Her contributions to our team at Hope High School are immeasurable. We congratulate her on this nationwide honor.”
Howard is a 2012 graduate of Kansas State University with a B.S. degree in psychology. She teaches ninth grade English, AP English, and English Composition at Hope High School, and is the faculty advisor to the HHS Student Council, which is responsible for homecoming activities, fall and spring blood drives, Mr./Miss HHS Pageant-Talent Contest, powderpuff football, prom, and spring honors banquet.
Howard is married and resides in Hope with her husband and eleven-month old son, Finlee.
She was nominated for the NAAC recognition by Chris Collier, director of organizational development for the Arkansas Teacher Corps.
Nominations must be submitted by an NAAC member, and nominees must be an intern, alternative certification candidate or have completed an alternative certification/licensure program within the year prior to their nomination. The award is among three national honors given annually by the organization.
The NAAC is a professional organization that advocates for standards-driven nontraditional educator preparation which provides effective school staffing, according to its website.
As a fellow of the Arkansas Teacher Corps, Howard will become fully certified at the conclusion of her three-year teaching fellowship.