The toughest test.

The toughest test. WOULD YOU SPEND MONTHS VIDEOTAPING YOUR CLASSROOM, EDITING FOOTAGE,WRITING NARRATIVES, STUDYING PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS AND CRAMMING The unauthorized addition of services to your telephone bill such as an 800 number that you never ordered. The charges are usually noted on the bill, but are identified in a cryptic manner and/or are printed in a place that is easy to overlook. See slamming. FOR ATWO-DAY EXAM--ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE TO DO--TO PROVE YOURPROFESSIONAL WORTH? THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY TEACHER SAYS YOURANSWER SHOULD BE YES.I consider myself a risk taker tak��er?n.One that takes or takes up something, such as a wager or purchase: There were no takers on the bets.takerNoun . As one of the rare female industrialarts industrial artsn. (used with a sing. verb)A subject of study aimed at developing the manual and technical skills required to work with tools and machinery.Noun 1. teachers in the early 1980s, I was no stranger to challenge. Sowhen my principal came to me in spring 1993 and asked if I wanted to gofor a new, national teaching certification, it didn't take long forme to get intrigued. Alliance Middle School in Alliance, Nebraska Alliance is a city in Box Butte County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 8,959 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Box Butte CountyGR6.The town was originally named Grand Lake. , had gotten word of anational pilot project of the National Board for Professional TeachingStandards to help put its "super credential" in practice. Ilater learned that the nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive.Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. NBPTS NBPTS National Board for Professional Teaching Standards , headed by teachers, had beenworking since 1987 to set standards for different education categoriesand assess teachers who applied for the certification. By 1993, it hadonly a few sets of standards approved, including one for "earlyadolescent/generalist." I had not heard about NBPTS, though, until my principal handed mea brochure and said, "I think you can do this." The brochureexplained that the board's purpose was to recognize teachers whocould pass rigorous tests of subject knowledge and teaching expertise.There was a hefty fee attached to the assessment, but it was waived forteachers in the pilot. I'm an accomplished educator, I figured. Ishould be able to do whatever it is the board decided I should know andbe able to do as a teacher. Thus began my year-and-a-half-long journey toward nationalcertification national certificationLab medicine A voluntary form of regulation that affirms that a person has the knowledge and skill to perform essential tasks in a given field, in the lab or in nursing; NC is granted by nongovernmental agencies or associations with . It was one of the most hectic, intense experiences of myprofessional life. I was up late writing narratives for classroomvideos, studying professional journals and worrying about my worth as aneducator. The 1993 holidays were a blur as I focused on my certificationand set my family on edge. In the end, though, all the sacrifice paidoff in dividends--not just because I earned a piece of paper but becausethe process itself helped me become a better teacher. The application Back in spring 1993, however, I had no idea what I was in for--andI almost didn't do it at all. I saw that the board didn't yethave standards for vocational educators. So I was off the hook, Ithought. Besides, with two young children, our school preparing foraccreditation, community work, church and laundry, who had the time?Then I took another look and saw the generalist gen��er��al��istn.A physician whose practice is not oriented in a specific medical specialty but instead covers a variety of medical problems.generalistendorsement. NBPTS defined the early adolescent/ generalist teacher as one whoworks with 11- to 15-year-olds and demonstrates knowledge and ability toteach math, English language English language,member of the West Germanic group of the Germanic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Germanic languages). Spoken by about 470 million people throughout the world, English is the official language of about 45 nations. arts, social studies/history, science,health and the arts at an accomplished level. Isn't that what I do?In technology education, there is much teaching across the curriculum. Ifelt if I achieved this national certification, I was trulyknowledgeable not just in subject matter but in delivery and workingwith the age group I love to teach. I sent for an application, with which I had to return supportingdocuments to prove I met the minimum qualifications--a bachelor'sdegree from an accredited accreditedrecognition by an appropriate authority that the performance of a particular institution has satisfied a prestated set of criteria.accredited herdscattle herds which have achieved a low level of reactors to, e.g. institution, at least three years of teachingat one or more elementary or secondary schools and a valid stateteaching license The assignment After waiting through the summer of 1993, a thick package arrivedfrom the NBPTS. My assignment was here. This was the "school siteportfolio" that I would have to compile and return to the board,which would assign other teachers to asses the materials. (A secondportion of my evaluation would come later, at an assessment center.) Theportfolio was to represent a slice of my professional life that wouldshow how l communicate ideas to my students, reflect on theirperformance and work collaboratively with others. In the package were guidelines on the three areas allcertification candidates are required to cover in their portfolio: * Professional development and service--an account of how I hadkept current in my teaching field (including letters of support) andexamples of how I had served my school and community. * Teaching and learning--student work samples, narratives and oneedited videotape videotapeMagnetic tape used to record visual images and sound, or the recording itself. There are two types of videotape recorders, the transverse (or quad) and the helical. of "vignettes" that would show how Iinteracted with three selected students. * Analyzing your lesson--an unedited videotape of a lesson featuredin "teaching and learning" (accompanied by a discussion of thelesson). The portfolio was due January 14.1 placed the assignment in my"to do" pile, right on top, so it would stare me in the faceeach day until I did something about it. Again and again I picked up theguidelines, which asked me to focus on various facets of my teaching,including student work and teacher comments on progress and responses tostudents' learning, lesson plans that showed evidence of myknowledge about content and early adolescence and the videotapes thatwould present me in action. Straightforward enough, I thought. Then came the time to makedecisions. What lesson? Should it be tried-and-true or new andinnovative? Would the board even understand the nuances of teaching in amodular curriculum? I teach seventh- and eighth-graders in a lab settingthat encompasses lots of mini-courses. My students learn about thingslike drafting, architecture, engineering' electronics andmanufacturing to get a taste of careers and the skills involved in each. I became discouraged and thought maybe I wasn't NationalBoard material. It would be easy to quit now. My "to do" pilewas bigger than ever, classroom equipment had broken down, I was justassigned to another committee--and there was the laundry to do. Instead,I sought out colleagues for support. One friend promised to help me withthe writing portion. Others in my school pointed me to professionaljournals and were good sounding boards. Leo Leo, in astronomyLeo[Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Pauls of Emporia StateUniversity Emporia State University (ESU) is a comprehensive Regents university serving residents of Eastern Kansas. ESU is located in the city of Emporia, in Lyon County. ESU is just east of the Flint Hills and within two hours drive of the three major metropolitan areas of Kansas: Wichita, , an NBPTS regional field test network coordinator in Emporia,Kansas Emporia is a city in Lyon County, Kansas, USA. The population was 26,760 at the 2000 census. Emporia is located at the intersection of US-50, Interstate 335 and Interstate 35 on the Kansas Turnpike. It is the county seat of Lyon County. , helped me' interpret the board's guidelines andprepare for the assessment. I forged ahead. The struggle begins The first thing to do was tackle the easier parts. For"professional development," I attached my vita, letters ofsupport from both colleagues and superiors and highlights of mycommitment to the profession, such as my participation in curriculumdevelopment for Nebraska and promotion of technology education duringVocational Education vocational education,training designed to advance individuals' general proficiency, especially in relation to their present or future occupations. The term does not normally include training for the professions. Week. For "professional service," Idescribed my experience as chairwoman of a group that developed aconflict mediation program for Alliance Middle School and includedletters of support from my colleagues. Then I was ready for the time-consuming stuff--my struggle withwhich lesson plan to include, what kinds of student samples to submitand which three students to select for my video vignettes. I had no ideawhat was expected of me. I knew then how my students felt when I handedthem one of my "clever, openended" problem-solving activities.What goes around comes around. The first video requirement--the unedited tape of a lesson--wasmore difficult than it sounds. Technology educators tend to work withsmall groups of students as they progress through modules rather thanlecturing to the whole group. Should I see the certification project asan opportunity to try something new? I decided against that, however,because it seemed the assessment should be based on what I already do.For the videotaped lesson plan I chose "impacts oftechnology," a lecture and exercise in which all my studentsparticipate. The class discusses how technological advances haveaffected society, the environment, the workplace and the economy. Once I selected the lesson, I had to consider logistics. All mystudents--more than 100--had to bring back signed permission slips fromtheir parents before I could include them in the project. As I waitedfor the slips to be returned--and you can imagine what a waiting periodit was--I proceeded to videotape all my classes because I couldn'tafford to lose the time I would need to create the second video. In theend, only one student's parents would not agree to the videotaping,so I worked around him. Luckily, my school already had video equipment. Our principal hadteachers tape lessons in the classroom so the staff could critiquetechniques. This also meant students were used to the presence of avideo camera. I set the camera on a tripod and let it roll for a fewmonths during the class periods I had selected. Students in my class and other support personnel helped mevideotape the portions that showed my interaction with the students. Thethree I selected for the "teaching and learning" section neverknew I had singled them out for the project, because I didn't wantto make those students nervous or others envious en��vi��ous?adj.1. Feeling, expressing, or characterized by envy: "At times he regarded the wounded soldiers in an envious way.... . In addition to the videotapes, the "teaching andlearning" section required a narrative that describes andillustrates issues, content, goals, learning community, characteristicsof individual learners, students' influence on my teachingdecisions, teaching strategies, resources and evaluation methods. Thisnarrative was to describe a teaching situation as well as videovignettes of three students, whom I carefully selected for diversity ofgender, ability and race. One was an at-risk student to whom I wanted togive special attention. The second was a gifted and talented student whomoved through material quickly and was able to communicate with hispeers. The third was an average student. I collected six tapes of student interaction over two monthsbefore I took them all home to analyze and edit. The quality of thetapes was inferior--students' voices echoed off the concrete wallsof my classroom and other voices weren't audible at all. But theNBPTS made clear it didn't expect Hollywood polish, and besides, Iwanted to be evaluated in the environment in which I and my studentsworked each day A long winter My winter vacation Winter vacation has been proposed in modern times (the 20th and 21st centuries) as a more practical alternative to summer vacation in areas that have harsh winters and mild summers. in 1993 was spent editing videotapes andrewriting re��write?v. re��wrote , re��writ��ten , re��writ��ing, re��writesv.tr.1. To write again, especially in a different or improved form; revise.2. . I remember wanting every minute for portfolio work. I hadinvested so much time and was completely engrossed en��gross?tr.v. en��grossed, en��gross��ing, en��gross��es1. To occupy exclusively; absorb: A great novel engrosses the reader.See Synonyms at monopolize.2. in the project.Christmas Day festivities fes��tiv��i��ty?n. pl. fes��tiv��i��ties1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival.2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration.3. felt like a sacrifice of precious workinghours. One night, after everyone had gone to bed, I was watching myvideotapes and searching for vignettes to describe or redescribe. Iwished I could talk about each student and tell his or her story. Eachwas as involved in this as I was. Their faces, cooperative spirit,comments, laughs and videotape bloopers would become etched etch?v. etched, etch��ing, etch��esv.tr.1. a. To cut into the surface of (glass, for example) by the action of acid.b. in mymemory. I had kept a journal of my NBPTS process, which forced me tothink more deeply about my teaching and my students than I ever had. With the last edit done, I packed my portfolio--the twovideotapes, supporting narratives, professional development and servicematerials and examples of students' work, such as blueprints ofmini-construction projects and sample tests--and sent my husband 115miles down the road to Ogalla to insure the package and get it mailed toNBPTS. As I waited to hear from the board, I prepared to study for thepen-and-paper tests of content knowledge and teaching methods that Iwould soon have to take at the closest NBPTS assessment center. Duringthis assessment, an evaluator--a peer teacher--also would question meabout my videotapes. It promised to be intimidating in��tim��i��date?tr.v. in��tim��i��dat��ed, in��tim��i��dat��ing, in��tim��i��dates1. To make timid; fill with fear.2. To coerce or inhibit by or as if by threats. . Professor Pauls, the field test network coordinator, said therewould be some weekend study groups set up in Emporia Emporia(ĕmpôr`ēə), city (1990 pop. 25,512), seat of Lyon co., E central Kans., in the Flint Hills between the Neosho and Cottonwood rivers; inc. 1857. for teacherspursuing certification, but there was no way I'd have time to drivethe miles from Alliance, Nebraska, study and get back in time for schoolon Monday. I could find no other teacher in Nebraska who had completedan NBPTS portfolio. Thus began a lonely, discouraging period as Iresearched everything I thought a "generalist" should know atChadron State College HistoryChadron State College was founded to provide a higher education institution in northwest Nebraska by the 1909 Nebraska Legislature. The Board of Education of State Normal Schools selected Chadron as the location of its fourth institution in January, 1910. and the University of Nebraska at Kearney The University of Nebraska at Kearney (also known informally as UNK), founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney, is the Kearney campus of the University of Nebraska system. . Iinterviewed other teachers about their disciplines and borrowed theirjournals. And I tried to encourage myself with frequent phone calls toPauls. After two months of cramming, I had a date set for my assessmentat a new center in Denver, Colorado. I checked out some motivationaltapes and played them on the drive from Alliance to pump up myself-confidence. The test Still, I was anxious as I drove into the parking lot at theassessment center. Inside I found little knots of teachers who hadprepared their portfolios together and studied as a group. Now theywould be there for each other during the two days of testing. My nervesbegan to fray fray?1?n.1. A scuffle; a brawl. See Synonyms at brawl.2. A heated dispute or contest.tr.v. frayed, fray��ing, frays Archaic1. To alarm; frighten.2. . Mercifully mer��ci��ful?adj.Full of mercy; compassionate: sought merciful treatment for the captives.See Synonyms at humane.mer , I was soon immersed im��merse?tr.v. im��mersed, im��mers��ing, im��mers��es1. To cover completely in a liquid; submerge.2. To baptize by submerging in water.3. in tests and had no time forsecond guessing. During the first day, we had to answer open-endedquestions A closed-ended question is a form of question, which normally can be answered with a simple "yes/no" dichotomous question, a specific simple piece of information, or a selection from multiple choices (multiple-choice question), if one excludes such non-answer responses as dodging a that asked us to interpret content (such as poetry, health andscience), choose between scenarios and explain how we would applycertain concepts in a classroom. Because of the generalist category, thetest questions were more interpretative in��ter��pre��ta��tive?adj.Variant of interpretive.in��terpre��ta than factual. For example, wedidn't have to solve algebraic equations algebraic equationMathematical statement of equality between algebraic expressions. An expression is algebraic if it involves a finite combination of numbers and variables and algebraic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, raising to a power, and , but we did have to showhow we integrated math skills into our courses. In one case, we wereasked to look at the software program SimCity, which takes studentsthrough the steps of building a city infrastructure, and explain how wewould apply it to a teaching scenario. At the time there were nocomputers in the assessment center, so we had to write our answers inlonghand. The assessment also included an "instructional analysis"of another teacher. We were shown videos of other people teaching andasked to write about our observations. And we were gathered into groupsto discuss a teaching theme, then sent back to our desks to reflect, inwriting, on what we had discussed . On another day, I sat with a classroom teacher who had been givena script and training by the NBPTS--to discuss the videotapes I hadmailed with my portfolio. I had concentrated on particular points thatgave me a chance to discuss my understanding of students, use of contentknowledge, classroom environment and ongoing decision making. Mydiscussion with the interviewer was videotaped at the center and givento evaluators. I was exhausted after I had finished the two-day, 12-hour test.During the drive home, I reflected on the assessment process and feltpretty good about the way it was conducted, although the candidatesshould have been able to key their test answers on a computer. And itwould have been nice to have some time set aside for a debriefing de��brief��ing?n.1. The act or process of debriefing or of being debriefed.2. The information imparted during the process of being debriefed.Noun 1. at theend of each day so we teachers could share our experience. But, for mostof the way home, all I could wonder was, 'How well did I do?' As the weeks rolled by with life and laundry back to normal, Iwaited for the results. As more time went by I began doubting. What if Ididn't pass? My love for teaching is more than I can put intowords. If I didn't pass, would I feel I am not a good teacher? Ibegan preparing myself for both outcomes. Since the national certification process was in its infancy, theboard was still working out some glitches. We were warned that it couldtake a while before we received our results. I had gone to theassessment center in March, and by November I still had not gottennotice. One snowy snow��y?adj. snow��i��er, snow��i��est1. a. Abounding in or covered with snow: a snowy day.b. Subject to snow: a snowy climate. evening, I received a phone call from a board member tocongratulate me on achieving the certification. I thought certain it wassomeone playing a joke on me because I hadn't received any officialletter. Then I went to my front door, which my family rarely uses, andopened it. There, behind the storm door, was my letter. Still indisbelief, I carefully opened the package and read, "Dear Ms.Sumner: Congratulations!" The test was scored by educators--my peers. The results wereaccompanied by a summary booklet that fully explained the checks andbalances of the assessment. I felt it was a true reflection of the workI submitted in both the portfolio and testing. My scores were highest inthe areas in which I felt most confident. More than an award The long journey toward national certification could not have beenachieved without a strong support system. I made use of the toll-freenumbers the board provided to ask questions and seek encouragement. Andthe board frequently asked for our feedback on the certificationprocess. Another important supporter was my principal at Alliance.(I've since moved to a middle school in Omaha.) He never gave up onme and provided administrative support whenever I needed it. Alliance City Schools paid for my mileage to and from theassessment center and to area colleges for studying, and for my lodgingduring the testing. Westside Community Schools Westside Community Schools, also known locally as District 66, is Omaha's 3rd largest school district. The district has one high school, one middle school, ten elementary schools, and one alternative high school. , my current employer,paid for expenses such as videotapes, long-distance phone calls,mailings and a second VCR VCR:see videocassette recorder. VCRin full videocassette recorderElectromechanical device that records, stores on a videotape cassette, and plays back on a TV set recorded images and sound. rental for editing purposes. My colleagues helped me with proofreading Proofreading traditionally means reading a proof copy of a text in order to detect and correct any errors. Modern proofreading often requires reading copy at earlier stages as well. , problem solving problem solvingProcess involved in finding a solution to a problem. Many animals routinely solve problems of locomotion, food finding, and shelter through trial and error. andmoral support. They helped me believe in myself. And this entire processwould not have been possible without the support of my family. Myhusband and children were patient, understanding, loving--and did a lotof laundry. I needed them to believe in me. After I received the certification, every one kept congratulatingme on the "award" or "honor" I received. It wasneither. It was an accomplishment, and one I worked very hard for. Ididn't just step into National Board certification board certificationn.The process by which a person is tested and approved to practice in a specialty field, especially medicine, after successfully completing the requirements of a board of specialists in that field. . It is acommitment to the teaching profession and the process of evolving intothe best teacher you can be for the individuals you influence daily. Because I was in one of the first groups to achieve nationalcertification, I've been asked to speak at conferences about theprocess, and I'm not always well-received. Many people have made uptheir minds before they have enough information. I continually senseconcerns of elitism e��lit��ismor ����lit��ism ?n.1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. or fear of failure. Many teachers try hard toequalize e��qual��ize?v. e��qual��ized, e��qual��iz��ing, e��qual��iz��esv.tr.1. To make equal: equalized the responsibilities of the staff members.2. To make uniform. the classroom environment for students, and that mentalityaffects their view of their own working environment. Our pay scale,too' has been set up to reflect years of teaching, not performance. At one session, a participant asked me, "What makes you anybetter than the rest of us?" Another asked if my school offeredincentive pay. I said yes, but he threw up his hands and walked away asI tried to explain that I didn't receive it. Not every school orschool district will grant pay increases to teachers who receivenational certification. I try to put all these comments in perspective. I ask my studentsto have confidence in themselves, to take risks and not to expectrewards. Shouldn't I have the same standards for myself? Something else that has bothered me is the "prize"issue. "What did you get for it?" people will ask. I have avery nice plaque, pin and certificate. But most of all I have a feelingof accomplishment. I have met the high standards and will continue tostrive for more because I have confidence in my skills. The risk was worth every minute. It has been the most maturing andfulfilling professional development experience I have ever had. Sure, Iwould have done some things differently--but I do do things differentlynow. Because of the National Board experience, I listen differently. Isee more keenly and I network more efficiently. I focus on myteaching--what I do for my students and my profession. The standards for*hat I should know and be able to do are clear, and so are theexpectations I have for myself and my students. If you believe in yourself and your teaching, you can do this.Encourage a colleague or two to join you in filling the blanks, licking Licking,river, c.320 mi (515 km) long, rising in E Ky. and flowing NW to the Ohio River opposite Cincinnati; the North and South Forks are its chief tributaries. the stamp and awaiting a fulfilling challenge. RELATED ARTICLE: About NBPTSOrigins: Formed in 1987 in response to the Carnegie Task Force onEducation and the Economy, the National Board for Professional TeachingStandards was charged with establishing high and rigorous standards forwhat accomplished teachers should know and be able to do, developing andoperating a voluntary national system to assess and certify teachers whomeet those standards and advancing related education reforms.Composition: The 63 board members mostly are practicing teachers;only one, engineering instructor Tom Blanford, is a vocational educator.The American Vocational Association is pushing to get a representativeon the board, but associations must vie for only 14 available slots.Certification Areas: Six are ready now: early childhood/ generalists(teachers who work with students ages 3 to 8), middle childhood/generalists (ages 7 to 12), early adolescent/ generalists (ages 11 to15), early adolescent/ English language arts teachers; early adolescent/adolescent and young adulthood art (ages 11 to adult); andadolescent/young adulthood mathematics (ages 11 to adult). EventuallyNBPTS will offer certifications in 30 areas.Who's Certified: 511 teachers have the 10-year national boardcertification, a pass rate of about 36 percent. U.S. Education SecretaryRichard Riley Richard Wilson Riley (born January 2, 1933), American politician, was the United States Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton as well as the Governor of South Carolina, as a member of the Democratic Party. has said he hopes to see 100, 000 teachers NBPTS-certifiedwithin a decade.Assessment Fee: $2,000. So far, third parties, such as businesses,state governments and school districts, have paid for a majority ofcandidates to pursue certification.How Teachers Are Graded: The NBPTS assessment has two parts--theschool site portfolio and the assessment center evaluation.NBPTS-appointed teachers evaluate the candidate's portfolio, whichcontains samples of student work, supporting letters, examples ofprofessional development and service and videos of classroominstruction. Teachers later get appointments at NBPTS assessmentcenters--currently the nearest Sylvan Learning Sylvan Learning (formerly Sylvan Learning Center) is a chain of franchised tutoring centers which provide personalized tutoring in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance and state exams. Center--to take exams ofsubject knowledge and pedagogy, participate in collegial col��le��gi��al?adj.1. a. Characterized by or having power and authority vested equally among colleagues: "He . . . discussions andbe interviewed. (NBPTS stresses that it is not affiliated with Sylvan sylvanemanating from or pertaining to woods. See also sylvatic. .)Incentives: Several states and districts--among them Virginia,Colorado, North Carolina North Carolina,state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N).Facts and FiguresArea, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. , Delaware, Mississippi, Rochester, New York This article is about the city of Rochester in Monroe County. For the town in Ulster County, see Rochester, Ulster County, New York. Rochester, once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City or ;Vancouver, Washington For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation).Vancouver, Washington is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River, in the state of Washington, USA. It is the county seat of Clark County. ; and Minneapolis, Minnesota--encourage teachers topursue national certification. Incentives include recognition of thecredential across state lines, bonuses and salary increases, and paymentof certification fees, the most common practice.Vocational Education: The Vocational Education Standards Committee,composed of vocational teachers who do not sit on the board, has revisedits 1996 draft standards after several months of public comment. Theboard is expected to approve the standards at its February meeting. Thenext step is to decide the guidelines for assessing vocationalteachers--a process that will take about 18 months and $1 million tocomplete. Vocational teachers will be able to apply for certification inone of eight areas: agriculture and environmental sciences; arts andcommunication; business, marketing and information management; familyand consumer sciences; health services health servicesManaged care The benefits covered under a health contract , human services; manufacturingand engineering technology; and technology education, generalist.Contact Information: NBPTS, 1730 Rhode Island Rhode Island, island, United StatesRhode Island,island, 15 mi (24 km) long and 5 mi (8 km) wide, S R.I., at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. It is the largest island in the state, with steep cliffs and excellent beaches. Ave., NW, Suite 910,20036; (800) 228-3224Anna Sumner teaches technology education at Westside Middle School inOmaha, Nebraska “Omaha” redirects here. For other uses, see Omaha (disambiguation).Omaha is the largest city in the State of Nebraska, United States. It is the county seat of Douglas County.GR6 As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 390,007. . This school year she is working with home economicsteachers to integrate the two curriculum areas.