Westside Elementary School second-grade teacher Jennifer Pruett received her National Board Certification as a generalist/early childhood educator last week.

Pruett said the process started in April 2013 and worked on the certification through the 2013-14 school year.

“After 16 years, I know there’s always room to grow,” she said. “The certification is challenging and rigorous. It involves a lot of project-based learning, professional learning and working with individual student needs.”

Westside Elementary Principal Tony Pittman said having Pruett as a National Board Certified Teacher is great for Demopolis.

“This is great for our school system, our city and our school,” he said. “Our teachers are always in search of new trends in teaching, and they realize that education is forever changing. She is an awesome teacher, and the students are always engaged in her class. They enjoy being in her classroom. I’m very proud of her.”

Pittman added that there are three more teachers in the process of receiving their National Board Certification.

Pruett was sponsored by the Demopolis City Schools Board of Education during the process of becoming certified.