Staff Focus: Jennifer Hlavka, Coordinator, National Board Certification & Teacher Career Pathways

March 12th, 2025

HCPSS’ Coordinator of National Board Certification (NBC) and Teacher Career Pathways Jennifer Hlavka loved going to school. Her aim is for every HCPSS student to feel that same excitement and joy in their educational journey.

Achieving that goal starts with providing conditions under which teachers are well supported, Hlavka says.

“The best way to provide a positive experience for our students is to ensure that our teachers feel meaningfully supported, valued, and fulfilled in their work. When educators experience joy and growth in their profession, that energy translates directly to their students,” she says.

In her role at HCPSS, Hlavka helps to support teachers in several ways. She manages the district’s teacher leadership initiatives and pathways, including the Teacher Development Liaison program, in which designated master teachers provide ongoing, school-based professional learning opportunities and support for non-tenured staff. She also oversees HCPSS’ Instructional Mentoring program, which pairs new and non-tenured teachers with mentors who can help guide and support them throughout their first year of teaching.

Supporting teachers in achieving and renewing National Board Certification (NBC)—the highest credential in the teaching field—is another key part of Hlavka’s work at HCPSS.

As she notes, “one of the greatest compliments you can give an educator is encouraging them to pursue National Board Certification. Parents, community members and colleagues can make a meaningful impact by recognizing and supporting teachers who are well-suited for this prestigious achievement.”

Hlavka and her staff train and oversee more than 50 HCPSS National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) mentors, who in turn provide support to more than 400 NBCT candidates across the district each year.

That support starts early in teachers’ careers, Hlavka says.

“We aim to engage early career educators in experiences that will help them participate in National Board Certification when they are eligible to do so,” she says. Those experiences include a pre-NBC candidacy course designed to help early career educators build their instruction, data collection, differentiation, and reflective writing skills.

Once HCPSS teachers are eligible to pursue NBC (meaning they have completed a bachelor’s degree, hold a valid teaching license, and have completed three years of teaching), Hlavka and her team provide them a variety of other supports. Those include face-to-face, bi-weekly and Saturday support sessions, mentoring, and coaching from existing HCPSS NBCTs, as well as virtual support sessions. HCPSS’ NBCT candidates also receive written feedback from existing HCPSS’ NBCTs on material in their NBC portfolio. In addition, Hlavka and her team provide a dedicated affinity space to support NBCT candidates from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Hlavka and her NBC team also work to support NBCTs after they have completed the NBC process by helping them take advantage of various leadership opportunities that are available to them, such as becoming mentors or support providers for NBC candidates; presenting at state and national conferences; writing curriculum; and leading sessions at countywide professional development days.

Hlavka says there are many rewarding aspects of her job, including helping teachers see themselves—and having others see them—as respected professionals.

“When teachers earn National Board Certification, they are basically on par with a lawyer who has passed the Bar Exam or a doctor who has passed their Board exams. Their certification demonstrates to themselves and to others that they know their content area and standards deeply, and that they are able to deeply reflect on and adjust their teaching practices to have the highest possible impact on their students,” she says.

At the same time, Hlavka says she enjoys the strong sense of collegiality that exists within HCPSS’ NBCT community.

“It’s inspiring to see our current NBCTs support our aspiring NBCTs. They are so committed to helping each other to learn and grow.”

Hlavka also finds satisfaction in seeing how her work positively impacts teachers’ attitudes toward their work, which, in turn positively impacts student experience.

“We regularly hear from teachers that pursuing National Board Certification has reignited their passion for teaching and opened meaningful leadership opportunities—helping to retain top educators in the classroom where they make the greatest impact,” she says. “Teachers deserve high-quality, engaging professional development that not only strengthens their practice but also helps them pursue the career opportunities that align with their aspirations. When we invest in our educators, we create classrooms where both teachers and students thrive.”

One hundred seventy-four HCPSS teachers achieved their National Board Certification in 2024, bringing HCPSS’ total number of National Board Certified Teachers to 457. HCPSS ranks among the top three districts in Maryland for its historical number of NBCTs and the total number of current NBC candidates.

Under its new strategic plan, HCPSS aims to increase the number of educators pursuing and completing National Board Certification. At the same time, HCPSS seeks to increase representation of educators from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds among NBC candidates.

Questions about National Board Certification in Howard County may be emailed to Jennifer Hlavka. Educators interested in pursuing their National Board Certification are encouraged to join the HCPSS NBC Canvas community (login required) and register to attend an upcoming information session.