Woodland TEAM teachers earn variety of endorsements

WOODLAND — Jillian Domingo and Elizabeth “Liz” Vallaire, teachers at Woodland Public Schools’ alternative TEAM High School, have spent years learning and working to earn nearly every available teaching endorsement.

Washington permits educators to teach certain classes without endorsements in particular circumstances, include teaching at an alternative high school where qualified staff for every subject may be limited. However, Domingo and Vallaire have dedicated themselves to earning additional endorsements to become highly qualified to teach all subjects and classes.

When Domingo started teaching at TEAM, she was only certificated in English Language Arts. In her first year, she studied and earned her history certification. Since then, she has earned a master’s degree in education with a focus on English Language Learners.

Vallaire started teaching at TEAM in 2015 with an endorsement in biology. She started on the path of becoming more credentialed by earning a separate endorsement to teach general science prior to a change in state requirements, which now permit teachers endorsed in any science to teach all sciences.

Special education remains the only subject where one of the two doesn’t have a certification. However, Vallaire is currently one class away from earning her master’s degree in special education from Washington State University.

The teachers say working at an alternative high school allows them to develop close relationships with their students, who attend classes on their own schedule.

“We are incredibly proud of the work we put in to make sure we can offer an exceptional education to all of our students,” said Vallaire. “The relationships I get to build with students are so much deeper; it’s so different to have kids that you get to have real conversations with no time constraints.”