On July 1, our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Ronald Thorpe, president and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), passed away after a year-long battle with cancer.
On behalf of NCTAF’s Commissioners and staff, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Ron’s family, friends, and the entire staff at the National Board. We have had the privilege to work with Ron on many education initiatives and events, including the highly esteemed Teaching and Learning Conference that has played such a major role in advancing the teaching profession.
Ron was a true visionary on teaching, and his insight and commitment to elevate the profession will be sorely missed. In 2011, after a career in education that traversed school settings, the foundation world, and public television, Ron brought all of those experiences to the National Board. It was here that he made tremendous strides in advancing the teaching profession by making national board certification more accessible to all teachers. This was a major step forward in ensuring that all teachers can grow into accomplished teaching.
We are fortunate to have worked with one of the savviest education leaders of our time. Ron’s name has been synonymous with championing teachers and the teaching profession for decades. He was also a man who practiced what he preached. For the last six months, NCTAF has shared office space with NBPTS because of Ron’s commitment to collaboration and working together to improve teaching and learning for all students.
We thank Ron for his generosity and leadership, and we remain committed to working with NBPTS to continue the fight to further elevate and advance the profession.
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To read statements from leaders across the education community, and to visit the Ron Thorpe memorial website, please visit NBPTS’s memorial page.
