AUGUSTA – State Legislative Rep. Stan Moody presented Diane Curtis and Christy Owens with Legislative Sentiments that recognize the two elementary school teachers’ recent outstanding achievements in earning National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification.

Curtis is a fourth-grade teacher at the Manchester Elementary School and Owens is a kindergarten teacher at the Mt. Vernon Elementary School. Both towns are in Moody’s legislative district.

Curtis has been teaching at Manchester for 18 years, 11 as a fourth-grade teacher and seven as an educational technician. Curtis received her national board certification in elementary education. Her portfolio included segments in writing, building a classroom community through social studies, integrating mathematics and science and contributions to student learning. Two learning videos and six testing exercises were part of the certification process.

Curtis is working on her master’s degree in education through the University of New England distance learning graduate program. Curtis lives with her husband, Mark, in Augusta.

A teacher for 11 years, Owens has spent the last five of those as a teacher with the Mt. Vernon Elementary School. She received her national certification in early childhood, ages 3 to 8.

Her portfolio centered on video presentations of herself integrating math and science and social studies with the arts. The videotapes were accompanied by written descriptions and analysis of the lessons. In addition, she tracked the writing progress of two kindergartners and commented on her teaching and professional accomplishments. Owens lives in Winthrop with her husband, Bob, and their two sons.

Certification is a rigorous process of measuring a teacher’s practice against high standards. It is rooted in the belief that the most important action that will improve schools and student learning is to strengthen teaching.

After reading the Legislative Sentiment, Moody congratulated the two on their accomplishments.