Queen Creek unified honors teachers’ recertification

Two Queen Creek Unified School District teachers are being recognized for renewing their National Board Certification.

Elizabeth Reynolds of Queen Creek High School and Lara Cox of Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary earned their recertification.

Reynolds brings more than 20 years of teaching experience to QCUSD, sharing her passion for music across multiple grade levels.

Currently teaching piano, choir, junior high choir and adding elementary band to her schedule this year, Reynolds stated that music has always been at the heart of her work, according to a QCUSD press release.

 “Everything music is what I enjoy teaching,” she stated in the release.

For Reynolds, renewing her National Board Certification represents both personal pride and a professional commitment to improvement.

“I was inspired to go through the certification process because I’ve always been somebody who wants to improve what I’m doing,” she stated. “This was another way to reflect on my teaching practices and find ways to be a better teacher for my students.”

The certification and renewal process is rigorous, requiring extensive reflection, analysis, and evidence of impact in the classroom. Reynolds described how the process pushed her to evaluate every instructional decision.

 “It’s really required me to think about every choice that I make when I’m teaching,” she stated. “Is this going to benefit my students in the way I want it to, or is it just something that I’ve always done?”

She also emphasized the importance of district support throughout the journey, sharing how collaboration with the district helped secure resources to better serve junior high choir students with unique needs.

“We were able to have students participate in choir in a new way that they were capable of,” Reynolds stated.

She hopes her certification sends a clear message to students and families:

“I always want to try to become a better teacher… and hopefully that will inspire my students to work just as hard to become better at what they’re doing,” Reynolds stated.