Certification.

Certification. As I complete my third and final year as chair of the CertificationCommission, I would like to thank the many people who supported andcontributed so greatly to the inception, development and implementationof the new certification process. The discussion initially began within-depth, brain-storming sessions with Gary Ingle, (then President) GailBerenson and Phyllis Pieffer, who continued to work closely with usthroughout the process. The Board of Directors was extremely supportiveand gave the new process a unanimous vote of approval. Although it was a challenging change of direction, all of thecommissioners worked many hours to create and write the ProfileWorkbooks, Grading Rubrics, "What Will the Evaluators Be LookingFor?" documents and extensive lists of possible answers. Implementing the process and putting it on the website in an easilynavigable form was a huge project for our support team at headquarters.The MTNA Staff gave many hours of expert help, advice and work. To all of you, a huge thank you for your invaluable help and hardwork in making this new process a successful reality. I know that Ileave the commission in strong and capable hands, and hope that all ofour MTNA members will come to realize and embrace the importance ofbecoming Nationally Certified Teachers of Music! --Rebecca Grooms Johnson, NCTM