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Statement of Purpose and Intended Outcomes for the Mentoring Program
The Mentor Program provides a means to ease the new teacher’s entry into the system and to recognize the expertise of the faculty. Mentoring leads to increased professional competence, increased student achievement, and interactions with colleagues that promote a more productive school environment. Being much more than an orientation program, the Mentor Program is designed to do the following:

1. Help beginning teachers transition from preparation to practice;
2. Provide guidance and support;
3. Develop and improve instructional and classroom management skills in order to improve student achievement;
4. Help transmit the culture of the school and district;
5. Increase the retention rate for good beginning teachers.

The program will be required of all newly certificated teachers employed in the Monticello Central School District for the 2004-05 school year. For all other teachers new to the district, the program will be considered based on perceived need, willingness and interest of the person to participate, and availability of mentors.

The Role of the Mentor
The mentor’s role will be to guide and support his/her first year teacher. The role of the mentor “shall not be construed as limiting or supplanting the authority of school administrators or supervisors to supervise or evaluate the performance of the first year teachers.” Information obtained by a mentor through interaction with a first year teacher shall not be made available to supervisors or used in the evaluation or disciplining of such first year teacher unless:

1. withholding such information poses a danger to life, health, or safety of an individual;
2. such information indicates that the new teacher has been convicted of a crime, or has committed an act which raises a reasonable question as to the new teacher’s moral character.

The Formal Procedure for Mentor Selection
Consideration to serve as a mentor will be based on the following characteristics:

1. being a veteran teacher, preferably with five years of experience in Monticello CSD;
2. being a good listener and open communicator;
3. understanding the confidential relationship between mentor/first year teacher;
4. having a sense of humor;
5. having knowledge of grade level and/or subject matter;
6. having the ability to help the new teacher with effective teaching strategies;
7. willingness to offer constructive feedback to new teacher; and
8. having the ability to allow the first year teacher to develop his/her own effective teaching style.

The process of selecting mentors will be:

1. The position will be part of the extra pay schedule for teachers and be posted;
2. Teachers will make application when the mentor position is posted to their building principal or department head (coordinator or director).
3. The principal and department head will make recommendations, after discussion with the Teachers’ Association representatives, to the superintendent.
4. The superintendent will make the final determination. 

Assignment and reassignment of mentor/first year teacher pairs:
The goal is to establish collegial partnerships. Every attempt will be made to create successful partnerships. Key factors in assigning mentors will include grade level and content area, physical proximity, and teaching style. Occasionally the mentoring relationship will not work for one or both of the members. Such concerns should be addressed to the principal or supervisor who will work to resolve the issues.

District Support for the Program:
Building principals and department heads will be responsible to supervise the mentor and the first year teachers involved in the program. The Assistant Superintendent will meet with principals and supervisors to assess the program in each building. The district will provide the following support to the program:

1. select teachers for mentors who will be effective and committed mentors;
2. allow the mentor/first year teacher relationship to be confidential within the parameters of the program;
3. provide time for mentors and first year teachers to confer;
4. require that the principal and/or supervisors meet with the mentor and first year teacher pairs as a group at least two times during the year (first two weeks of school and mid-year);
5. solicit feedback from all parties involved: mentors, first year teachers, principals/supervisors/directors, Monticello Teachers’ Association, Monticello Administrators’ and Supervisors’ Association and the Professional Development Team.

Preparation of and Responsibilities of Mentors:
Mentors will receive training in the summer to prepare them for their work with first year teachers. Topics will include but are not limited to:

- Setting goals for the mentor/first year teacher relationship;
- Providing guidance to first year teachers;
- Helping first year teachers with lesson planning;
- Tips for first year teachers in working with parents;
- Helping first year teachers with classroom management issues;
- Helping first year teachers with assessment of students;
- Helping first year teachers deal with daily problems;
- Reviewing issues to report to an administrator.

Mentor Responsibilities:
- Meet with first year teacher prior to opening of school;
- Meet with first year teacher at least once a week;
- Attend in-service for mentors;
- Maintain a log of activities with mentor;
- Arrange for new teacher to observe other teachers as well as his/her own class;
- Share strategies and knowledge about teaching process;
- Orient new teacher to school and community;
- Provide additional support as needed.

First Year Teacher Responsibilities and Activities:
- Attend a summer program;
- Spend orientation time with their mentors in the summer; 
- Receive guidance and information on district and school policies from their mentor;
- Meet weekly with their mentors during the school year during or after school; 
- Visit their mentor’s classroom and other teachers’ classrooms as arranged by mentors through the building principal;
- Attend conferences, as necessary, to develop specific skills.

Evaluation and Follow-up of the Program: 
The district will solicit feedback from mentors and the first year teachers in the form of survey and interview. The district will confer with the Monticello Teachers’ Association and Monticello Administrators’ and Supervisors’ Association to receive input on strengths and areas of improvement for the program. The Professional Development Team will review the program once a year and suggest revisions based on the information gleaned from new teachers and their mentors.