Several area educators recently attended seminars held at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT).

Participating educators from the Moore County school system included Sandra T. Florell, of Aberdeen Elementary School; Christina L. Speiser, of New Century Middle School; Joan C. Hilsman, of Pinecrest High School; Doug Stalls, of Union Pines High School; and Marci Houseman, of West Pine Middle School.

Houseman is Sandhills-South Central Regional Teacher of the Year.

A participating educator from Scotland County Schools was Scott J. Boucher, of Scotland High Health Sciences School, who lives in Moore County.

Increasing teacher effectiveness is fundamental to improving public education, a NCCAT release said.

NCCAT's instructional programming is designed to focus on a set of overarching initiatives that include beginning teachers and teacher retention; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); leadership; and a new area called culture, curriculum and change.

The seminars give teachers the support and resources they need to be highly effective and enhance student achievement, NCCAT said.