Three Gardiner-area teachers recently achieved national board certification, the district announced last week.

Sarah Lucas, a second-grade teacher at Helen Thompson Elementary School and Gardiner Regional Middle teachers Jeanne Lysobey (science) and Andrea Cram (math) were recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification in December. The designation is a public assurance that teachers have met the profession’s highest standards for accomplished practice and is the most respected professional certification in K-12 education, according to a press release sent by School Administrative District 11.

Superintendent Patricia Hopkins offered the trio congratulations, and Crystal Peltzer, the district’s curriculum and instruction director, said there are more than a dozen teachers in MSAD 11 working through the national board certification process.

“We know the process is a labor of love and it shows the dedication our teachers have to meeting the complex needs of every student, which is a complicated task,” Peltzer said.

The press release said candidates must exhibit a deep understanding of their students, content knowledge, data and assessments and teaching practices, and teachers spend hundreds of hours each year analyzing their teaching practice and providing evidence of ongoing reflection and continuous learning.