Sister Spuds: Ridgefield sisters and teachers are nationally board certified

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Unless you were raised as an only child, growing up with siblings can be a tumultuous experience full of ups and downs. One day you love each other and the next you’re arguing who gets the remote. Once it comes time to leave home, siblings can be excited to spend some time apart from each other. Others find themselves closer as they get older. 

Two sisters, Brittany Rodin and Courtney Thompson, spend their days just half a mile apart teaching in the Ridgefield School District. 

“I actually think it’s been really nice because I feel like now we are more connected,” Rodin said about working in the same district as her sister. 

Rodin teaches English at Ridgefield High School and said she likes being able to know what students are learning down at the middle school from her sister, Courtney, who teaches seventh grade English at View Ridge Middle School.

“Everything feels more streamlined now,” she said. 

Rodin explained how her favorite part of the teaching experience is curriculum planning, and having her sister down at the middle school makes the process of teaching kids more streamlined. 

“I can just call down to the middle school and ask what she’s teaching.” Rodin said. 

Both sisters said they were originally wary about working in the same district, but now the connection “just makes sense.” 

However, they’re both glad they work in different buildings. 

Rodin and Thompson both received their degrees from Gonzaga University. Rodin graduated in 2008 and Thompson in 2010. Following graduation, Rodin taught English classes at Battle Ground and Prairie High School until she landed in Ridgefield in 2012. Thompson taught classes in Joshua Tree, California, until 2015. 

“I originally didn’t plan on leaving California,” Thompson said, explaining how after the recession, a bunch of teaching jobs opened up. 



Now that she is back in Ridgefield, she enjoys being closer to her family and loves those she works with in the district.

Along with going to the same college and teaching in the same district, both Rodin and Thompson are nationally board certified, one of the highest credentials for kindergarten through 12th grade teachers. The process of becoming certified is rigorous, and only about 40 percent of those who apply earn certification on their first attempt. 

Rodin became board certified in December of 2017. 

“I was refreshing the page at 11:59 p.m. to see my score,” she said. “It was just like an amazing process. It was so transformative to my teaching, and then I felt like I learned so much and it was so much work that it was really, really gratifying to have passed it into I’ve learned so much from it.”

Thompson received her board certification at the end of 2019. 

“It feels really good to be done, but I don’t know what to do next,” Thompson said. “I definitely don’t want to go into administration. Part of the reason I’m a teacher is because I like school.”

Nationally board certified teachers benefit school districts as teachers share the information, knowledge and experience they learn through the certification process with other teachers. 

Students also benefit from advanced skills of these teachers. The Ridgefield School District was recently recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as one of 81 school districts across the nation working to promote student learning. These districts were named National Board Accomplished Districts for having 20 percent or more of their teachers who are national board certified.

As for their feelings for the district, both Rodin and Thompson said they really enjoy working with their colleagues and students. 

“I love my teaching partner,” Thompson said. “But my favorite part about teaching is the students and getting them excited about learning.”