1200 - Mentor Program Policy

#1200 - Mentor Program Policy

1. Purpose
   1. Piute County School District, in a desire to facilitate the professional growth, enculturation, and retention of its new teachers and to comply with Utah law, has a Mentor Teacher Program that requires school principals to assign their provisional teachers a trained mentor. A provisional teacher is a teacher who either holds an LEA specific or Associate Utah License with less than three years of experience. USBE Rule 277-522-3 states that provisional (teachers under LEA specific or Associate License) will collaborate with an assigned mentor.
   2. The mentor will help the employee meet the Utah Effective Educator Standards found in Utah Administrative Code. R277-530 by:
      1. assisting the educator with a self-assessment;
      2. ensuring that the educator has a formal professional learning plan; and
      3. meeting regularly with the educator for coaching observations and feedback.
   3. The mentoring program shall include:
      1. a formal professional learning plan;
      2. support in meeting the requirements of a professional license area; and
      3. ongoing training on educator ethics and special education.
2. Procedure
   1. A mentor will be assigned to each provisional teacher in the first semester of teaching.
   2. In Piute County School District the mentor is assigned by the principal.

3. Competencies and Responsibilities of a Quality Mentor
   1. Pedagogy and Content Knowledge
      1. Supports the beginning teacher’s pedagogy to increase student learning and engagement.
      2. Guides understanding of the Utah Core Standards to align instructional design.
      3. Provides direction in the use of assessment tools to drive instruction for student achievement.
      4. Advises the beginning teacher in implementing structured classroom management.
      5. Assists in structuring an inclusive classroom that meets the needs of all learners.
      6. Coaches the beginning teacher in strategies that ensure all students develop meta-cognitive and higher-order thinking skills.
      7. Guide provisional teachers to meet the procedural demands of the school and school district.
   2. Relationships
      1. Maintains confidentiality and trust.
      2. Fosters autonomy in the beginning teacher.
      3. Advocates for the new educator in forming networks of support.
      4. Commits to empathetic, respectful, and positive interactions.
      5. Arrange for opportunities for the provisional teacher to observe teachers who use various models of teaching.
      6. Arrange for expert teachers to observe the provisional teacher and make effective coaching and feedback.
   3. Communication
      1. Uses communication skills to promote reflection and improve instruction.
      2. Collects data to facilitate conversation and influence instructional practice.
      3. Uses modeling, coaching, collaboration, and consulting skills to aid in educator development.
   4. Adult Learning
      1. Knows and applies adult learning theory.
      2. Encourages the beginning teacher to take ownership of professional learning and growth.
      3. Accepts the beginning teacher as emerging and uses techniques to support the development process.
      4. Engage the provisional teacher in self-assessment and reflection.
      5. Assist with the development of the provisional teacher’s portfolio.
   5. Mentor Growth and Learning
      1. Seeks out and collaborates on implementation of professional development opportunities.
      2. Deepens mentoring expertise through reflection.
      3. Coaches other mentors and is willing to be coached.
4. Mentor Responsibility Checklist
   1. Year One Mentor Responsibilities
      1. Review procedures for fire drills and escape route
      2. Share and bring each other up-to-date with what is happening in the classroom
      3. Review monthly district/building activities
      4. Discuss concerns about students who might be struggling & identify possible interventions
      5. Clarify and discuss any points at faculty, team, grade or department level meetings
      6. Review grade book & record-keeping system
      7. Discuss communicating with parents & tips for Parent/Teacher conferences
      8. Observe classroom teaching
      9. Provide feedback to each other on what you observed in the classroom
      10. Discuss concerns/successes of students
      11. Discuss how to contact and communicate with parents of struggling students
      12. Discuss learning resources to suggest to parents for supporting student’s learning
      13. Review testing schedule, procedures, and preparation
      14. Discuss and answer question regarding PLC meetings
      15. Explain Technology programs (Canvas, iReady, RISE, etc.)
   2. Year Two Mentor Responsibilities
      1. Review safety procedures including fire drills and escape route
      2. Share and bring each other up-to-date with what is happening in the classroom
      3. Review monthly district/building activities
      4. Discuss concerns about students who might be struggling & identify possible interventions
      5. Clarify and discuss any points at faculty, team, grade, or department level meetings.
      6. Review grade book & record-keeping system
      7. Discuss communicating with parents & tips for Parent/Teacher conferences
      8. Observe classroom teaching
      9. Provide feedback to each other on what you observed in the classroom
      10. Discuss concerns/successes of students
      11. Discuss how to contact and communicate with parents of struggling students
      12. Discuss learning resources to suggest to parents for supporting student’s learning
      13. Review testing schedule, procedures, and preparation
      14. Discuss and answer question regarding PLC meetings
      15. Explain Technology programs (Canvas, iReady, RISE, etc.)
   3. Year Three Mentor Responsibilities
      1. Review safety procedures including fire drills and escape route
      2. Share and bring each other up-to-date with what is happening in the classroom
      3. Review monthly district/building activities
      4. Discuss concerns about students who might be struggling & identify possible interventions
      5. Clarify and discuss any points at faculty, team, grade or department level meetings.
      6. Review grade book & record-keeping system
      7. Discuss communicating with parents & tips for Parent/Teacher conferences
      8. Observe classroom teaching
      9. Provide feedback to each other on what you observed in the classroom
      10. Discuss concerns/successes of students
      11. Discuss how to contact and communicate with parents of struggling students
      12. Discuss learning resources to suggest to parents for supporting student’s learning
      13. Review testing schedule, procedures, and preparation
      14. Discuss and answer question regarding PLC meetings
      15. Explain Technology programs (Canvas, iReady, RISE, etc.)
   4. Principal Checklist of School Rules/Expectations
      1. School policies about rules and consequences & how they should be presented to students.
      2. School policies about suspensions, detentions, referrals, and keeping students after school. Are teachers encouraged or discouraged to make use of these options?
      3. School policies about cell phone use in the classroom by teachers- by students.
      4. School rules about notifying parents about inappropriate student behavior.
      5. Whether or not there is an expectation for the number and types of warnings given before sending a student to the office or counselor.
      6. How teachers are to get assistance from the office for emergencies, illness, or discipline problems.
      7. The expectations about transitions such as going to lunch, recess, etc.
      8. School policy for taking roll and marking attendance as well as the school policy regarding attendance and tardies.
      9. What to do if there is a fight in their classroom.
      10. The school bell schedule and where it’s posted, as well as the district and school calendar.
      11. Where they are to get keys to their classroom or other rooms for which access is needed.
      12. How to communicate if the necessary furniture is not in their room or if they need something. How they get materials and/or copies.
      13. The procedure for the arrival of students in the morning.
      14. The procedure for how students leave at the end of the day. Do they have any bus riders and do they leave early?
      15. Who will contact them regarding any students with disabilities or special needs that should be accommodated in their classroom?
      16. School Emergency Plan, procedures and expectations
      17. The preferred process for notifying of absence and preparing for a substitute
      18. What practices, policies and expectations are in place regarding grading and attendance
      19. What are the schools' expectations and schedule regarding Professional Learning Communities
      20. Where they find the Utah Core Standards for their content and what expectations for fidelity are in place.
      21. Expectations for lesson planning and submission, checking out textbooks, accessing digital materials.
      22. Explain the teacher supply money and what it can be used for
      23. Canvas Expectations (if applicable)
      24. Explain how/when the Utah Professional Educator Standards will be reviewed
      25. Teacher Observation and Evaluation
      26. Clarify school Assessment Plans, timelines, goals and expectations
          1. RISE Interim & Summative
          2. Aspire, ACT, Strategic ACT
          3. iReady, Acadience, ALEKS, ACT, etc.
          4. Common Formative Assessments

First Approved December 12th, 2023