Mentoring Program

The Hyde Park Induction and Mentoring Program was jointly developed by the Hyde Park Teachers Association and the Office of the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction.

The committee:

• Kerins, Eileen - Principal
• Kuffner, Daniel - First Vice President, HPTA
• Perry, Ronald - Middle School Teacher
• Pickering, Carole A. - Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
• Salvati, Anthony - President, HPTA
• Scattergood, Mary Beth - Elementary Teacher
• Sortino, Mark - High School Teacher
• Whitbread, George - Director of Humanities

Philosophy and Rationale

As public schools face an increasing shortage of teachers, it is critical that districts find ways to retain teachers and to train them in becoming outstanding 21st century educators. Like any profession, "on-the-job training" that is consistent and continuous is the best way to develop teacher talent. Teachers who feel competent and appropriately supported are more likely to stay in our school district. Teachers who are knowledgeable in their subject area and skilled in the delivery of instruction will provide our students with a high quality education preparing them appropriately for life in the 21st century.

Summary: Highly competent and well-trained teachers = stability & raised student achievement in Hyde Park.

By 2004, New York State will require all districts to implement a mentoring program for new teachers. Hyde Park has an opportunity to do this as soon as a mutually agreed upon program is approved by the Hyde Park Board of Education (See contract language which is attached.)

Two administrators, the HPTA negotiating team and the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction met to hammer out the framework for a comprehensive induction and mentoring program.

Our primary goal is identical: To attract, train and retain teachers in the Hyde Park School District.

To this end, our intent is to create a successful program that would give us an advantage in a highly competitive market to:

• Attract our most talented and experienced tenured teachers to serve as mentors and become involved in the total program;
• Increase the observation/support/evaluation skills of our administrators through professional development;
• Foster collaboration among administrators, mentors and interns.
• Involve all faculty to support new teachers in a general way;
• Communicate to the Board of Education and the community the critical need for a continuous comprehensive induction and mentoring program;
• Engage in ongoing program assessment and appropriate revision.

With this broad conceptual mission, we established and agreed to the following:

The Hyde Park Comprehensive Induction and Mentoring Program would include these components:

Criteria-Based Selection and Matching of Mentors to Interns and Tenured Teachers Having Difficulty

Interns are defined as all full time, part time, probationary and leave replacement teachers and other professionals in HPTA.

• Application and process established;
• A team of teachers and a team of administrators would review applicants. Only names that are on both lists would be accepted. For the remainder of 2001-02, teachers will be the members of the HPTA negotiating team; Administrators will be the K-12 group that meets regularly;
• Selected mentors would receive 15 hours of training for which they would receive one graduate credit (NYSUT program In place);
• Districtwide mentoring committee consisting of teachers and administrators would match the mentor and the interns. (Committee members to be established);
• Priority consideration would be to match same or similar content area, followed by grade level, proximity and personality;
• Mentors would meet periodically as a group during monthly seminar times to review and assess the process and program.
• Assessment of the mentor program will be developed through a feedback system that includes the intern.

A Districtwide Committee Consisting of Teachers and Administrators will be established to manage process, design and assessment of the program.

Modification of an old African proverb: It takes a whole district to raise a teacher!

The district will fund this program annually at $40,000, as per the HPTA contract.

Mentors can accept no more than two interns teachers per year.

The annual ten-month stipends will be $1,500 to mentor one teacher. The stipend will be $2,500 to mentor two teachers (prorated, 50% for five months for the remainder of this year, Feb. 1 to June 30, 2002).

NYSUT will provide training for mentors at approximately $5,000. ($150 per trainee). This cost would likely decrease in 2002-03, but would be part of the $40,000 expense for the remainder of 2001-02.

Stipends would be prorated from February 1 to June 30, 2002.

Possible quantity of mentors that could be funded for $35,000:

Mentoring Stipends for School Year 2002

Mentoring stipend	Protated	Number of mentors
1:1 at $1,500	X .50 =>	46 mentors for 46 interns.
1:2 at $2,500	X .50 =>	28 mentors for 56 interns.
( Hyde Park hired 57 new teachers to date)

This plan would not exceed the $40,000 for 2001-02, since the program will be implemented in mid-year.

FOR 2002-2003

$40,000 could provide a maximum of:

In 2002-03 approximately 25 teachers are eligible to retire. In addition we might have other resignations and maternity leaves, etc.

It would appear that the mentoring program could be wholly funded for the 2002-03 school year using the above figures and projections.

Position Description for Coordinator Of Mentoring and Induction Program

• Coordinate, plan and implement all aspects of the monthly mentor/intern seminars.
• Develop and implement accountability system to track mentor-intern formal interactions. (Two formal visits per month.)
• Lead in planning organization and implementation of new teacher training program (Three days required; August.)
• Report to the districtwide Mentoring Committee (subcommittee of PDC) and Assistant Superintendent for Instruction on progress, developments and outcomes.
• For the remainder of 2002, this position may be filled by an administrative intern.
• For 2002-03 a stipend should be considered for an administrator to oversee the mentoring program, unless a professional development position is created and approved by the Board of Education (See separate proposal).

Position Description for Mentor

Provide Training, Supervision and Support

• Mentors will provide support, coaching and training both in and out of the classroom;
• At least one formal meeting per week with both parties will be regularly scheduled in addition to informal contacts;
• The mentor and intern will schedule a minimum of two classroom visitations per month. The visit could be to the classroom of the mentor, the intern, or any other appropriate placement;
• Principals would assist in providing substitute coverage for the class if necessary.

Services, Support Groups, Resources, Feedback

• Each intern will be required to attend a monthly seminar on pertinent topics and issues directly related to teaching and learning. These seminars will also include discussions and feedback. Mentors will also be required to attend. If a presentation is being given by a non-mentor, mentors will utilize this time for a group mentor meeting to discuss common issues and the program. These seminars will take place after school and will be 90 minutes in duration.
  
  In addition to the above requirements, mentors will be encouraged to:
  
  
• Participate in planning and implementation of annual new teacher orientation. This is the three day requirement in August for all new teachers including those hired after September 1st of each year;
• Work with mentoring coordinator to develop program;
• Assist in planning, implementation, and/or delivery of seminars and workshops.

Services for and from Principals and Directors

• Principals will receive additional training in observation, supervision and evaluation and various support methods.
• Principals and directors will work cooperatively with mentors and interns. While a mentor will not evaluate an intern, appropriate discussion concerning the intern's progress will take place between the administrator and the mentor.
• Principals will enlist informal building level support for all new teachers.

11 Boice Road
P. O. Box 2033
Hyde Park, NY 12538
(845) 229-4000
For Emergency Information (845) 229-4001
District Fax: 229-4056
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