Eastside Catholic School proudly announces that High School Physical Education and Health Teacher Alicia Martin earned National Board Certification in Health Education – Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood.

High School Principal Soonja Larsen praised Alicia’s achievement:

“Congratulations to High School PE and Health Teacher Alicia Martin on achieving her National Board Certification. In doing so, she joins an elite group of 11 other EC teachers and staff who have gone above and beyond their residency and professional teaching certifications to pursue additional study, research and work to earn this recognition. Alicia has worked extremely hard to earn this certification, all while teaching a full-time schedule. She puts countless hours into her teaching practices and consistently shows her students how much she cares for them and their health and wellbeing. We are so fortunate to have Alicia at EC!”

Ms. Martin reflected on the journey:

“Earning my National Board Certification is one of my proudest moments as a teacher,” said Alicia. “It was a mix of self-reflection, collaboration with amazing colleagues who cheered me on and diving into the standards of effective teaching, discovering new strategies and insights that not only made me a better educator but also enriched my students’ learning experiences. I hope this can motivate my students to work hard to achieve difficult things and never stop learning!”

Ms. Martin joins a distinguished group of 11 other Eastside Catholic faculty and staff members who have previously earned National Board Certification: 

• Piper Deardorff, High School Social Studies
• Aimee Dingler, High School English
• Maria Granda, World Languages – Spanish
• Sean Henderson, High School Mathematics
• Caitlin Juntunen, English Language Arts – Early Adolescence
• Soonja Larsen, Music for Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• Danielle Maletta, High School Mathematics and Robotics
• Megan McDermott, High School Visual Arts
• Mollie Page, High School Biology
• Lisa Snow, High School English
• Erin Vickers, Middle School Science

About National Board Certification
National Board Certification is a prestigious credential that recognizes educators who meet high standards in five core areas:

• Commitment to students and their learning
• Mastery of the subjects they teach and effective teaching strategies
• Responsibility for managing and monitoring student learning
• Systematic reflection on teaching practices and dedication to continuous improvement
• Active participation in professional learning communities

The certification process is rigorous, requiring educators to analyze their teaching context, evaluate student needs and submit evidence of student growth, including teaching videos, work samples and reflective analyses. The process typically spans two years and demands substantial time and effort beyond an educator’s regular responsibilities.

Eastside Catholic is honored to celebrate Alicia Martin’s remarkable accomplishment and the continued dedication of our nationally certified educators.