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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
11/19/2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES TeachNorthwestern will have an open
house to explain its alternative certification program for prospective
teachers Thursday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. in NSU's Teacher Education
Auditorium. The event is open to anyone interested in the program
including students planning to graduate from Northwestern in the
fall 2004 or spring 2005 semester, according to Enrollment Coordinator
April Matt.
TeachNorthwestern is the University's recruitment initiative
to attract outstanding individuals to become teachers in the Louisiana
schools that need them most.
Students may complete field experiences in one of 14
Louisiana parishes including Avoyelles, Bossier, Beauregard, Caddo,
Catahoula, DeSoto, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Red
River, Sabine, Vernon and Winn.
"A background is not needed," said Matt. "Those
who enroll need strong content knowledge and a commitment to children."
According to Matt, requirements include a bachelor's
degree from a regionally accredited college or university by May
31, 2005, and a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Those who
want to enroll in TeachNorthwestern must also pass the Praxis
I reading, writing and mathematics test and the Praxis II Subject
Area test. They must also submit an application for enrollment
in the program and application for admission to NSU's Graduate
School. Two official transcripts from all colleges and universities
attended are also required.
Matt said people from all professions or area of study
are ideal for TeachNorthwestern, especially those who have excelled
as students or in their previous careers and are looking for opportunities
to teach.
For the second year, NSU received a grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents to fund TeachNorthwestern's recruitment. The University met its goal of placing 30 individuals new to teaching in positions last year. The teachers were placed in six area parishes.
"Out of the five partner universities in the state, NSU
had the highest placement rate for all newly recruited practitioner
candidates," said Meredyth Hudson with The New Teacher Project.
For more information on TeachNorthwestern, call (318)
357-6014 or go to
www.teachnorthwestern.org.