Swain County Schools

SWAIN COUNTY SCHOOLS

BEGINNING TEACHER INDUCTION PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS IN THEIR FIRST THREE YEARS OF TEACHING

2014-2015

Part I: Information

LEA: Swain County Schools

Superintendent: Mr. Sam Pattillo

Beginning Teacher Induction Program Contact: Dr. Jacqueline Smith

Designated Official to Authorize Continuing License: Dr. Regina Mathis

Part II: Program Narrative

A. Program Administration

The Beginning Teacher Induction Program for first, second and third year teachers (includes teachers with Standard Professional 1, lateral entry, and provisional license) is a comprehensive program to support the growth and development of beginning teachers in Swain County Schools. The Director of Title II-BT coordinator, with support from the Director of Human Resources and Director of Curriculum and Instruction, will manage the program.

B. Formal Orientation

Five days at the beginning of the school year, prior to formal workdays, are set aside for new teacher orientation. The first two days will be spent at Western Carolina University where all BTs will participate in the Beginning Teacher Induction Symposium held on August 5-6, 2014. The third and fourth days will take place on August 7-8 on Swain County Campus. During the first day of the in-house training, teachers will focus on the principles behind effective classroom management. The beginning teachers will spend the afternoon hours working with their mentors on developing classroom management plans. The second day will focus primarily on quality instruction. Teachers will meet with their principals and take personalized tours of the schools. Mentors will collaborate with teachers in helping create unit plans and pacing guides for courses taught. Teachers will be provided the afternoon hours to work independently in their classrooms alongside their mentors. August 13th is designated as “New Employee Orientation” training. This portion of the orientation will focus on planning, organization, rules and policies, and general system expectations. The Director of Human Resources will conduct this meeting.

In addition, lateral entry teachers, required to have 10 days of training, will attend/document 80 hours from the following activities/workshops in order to meet that requirement:

· New teacher orientation (five days)

· Appropriate coursework prior to being hired (NCTeach, education courses, etc.)

· Planning with mentor/administrator

· Appropriate workshops to meet pedagogy needs

First year BTs will meet approximately 7-8 times per year (Approximately once per month) with the Beginning Teacher Coordinator. The BT2 and BT3s will meet one/two times a year. The Beginning Teacher Coordinator will also meet with BT2s and BT3s on an individual basis as needed in efforts to provide additional support. The 2nd and 3rd year teachers will also be invited to join BT1 meetings according to their interests and as their schedule permits.

C. Optimum Working Conditions for Initially Licensed Teachers

· All beginning teachers shall be assigned to their area of licensure. The Director of Human Resources will ensure that all beginning teachers meet the necessary licensure requirements. All new teachers hired to teach in Title I schools must meet highly qualified status.

· All beginning teachers shall be assigned a mentor early, in their licensure area, and when possible have the same planning period. The principal of the school will make the mentor assignments, in collaboration with the Beginning Teacher Coordinator. If the assignment of a mentor in the same licensure area is not possible, one will be selected to closely match the beginning teachers licensure area as best as possible.

· Orientation will be provided for all beginning teachers

· The principal shall assign beginning teachers a limited number of exceptional or difficult students

· Extracurricular assignments for beginning teachers will only be granted if requested in writing by the teacher

D. Mentor Teacher Selection Criteria

Mentors are approved and recommended by the principal, in collaboration with the Beginning Teacher Coordinator. Teachers interested in mentoring must complete and submit a mentor application and receive approval from their building administrator. Approval considerations are based upon the following:

· Completion of four or more years of successful teaching

· Career status

· Highly qualified in area of licensure

· Mentor training

· Professionalism in dealing with students, parents, and staff

· Expressed interest in helping beginning teachers and promoting their success

· Willingness to meet regularly with beginning teachers, adhere and submit required documentation of shared interactions, and provide quality levels of support.

E. Mentor Training

All mentors are required to have completed a course in mentor training, generally 24 hours of in-service. WRESA generally provides this training, as well as refresher training. Both face-to-face and online options are made available to prospective mentors.

F.-G. Principal Support/Observations

Principals will serve on the beginning teacher’s support team and will observe the beginning teachers at least three times during the school year. These observations will be evenly spaced throughout the school year. The fourth observation will be conducted by a teacher. The principal will provide constructive feedback to ensure the improvement of the beginning teacher. Mentors are also welcome to provide informal observations of Beginning Teachers, but do not serve as the peer evaluator. The specific role of the beginning teacher’s assigned mentor regarding observations is outlined and reviewed during the formal orientation meeting.

H. Professional Growth Plan

Beginning teachers will be given orientation and training in the use of “Truenorthlogic”, the new North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES). BT’s will complete the PDP on the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES) with input from their principal and mentor. Specific training utilizing the other various components of “HomeBase” will be provided to Beginning Teachers throughout the 2014-2015 school year.

I. Technical Assistance

The Beginning Teacher Coordinator, Director of Human Resources, and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction will make available the following assistance to all beginning teachers:

· Meet with new teachers and mentors

· Work with principals to provide substitute teachers in order that new teachers can observe other teachers

· Provide curriculum materials, web sites, resources to support new teachers

· Keep new teachers informed about professional development opportunities

· Collaborate with WCU to provide support for beginning teachers

· Provide new teacher orientation

· Collaborate with WRESA to provide mentor training and refresher sessions

· Schedule and perform classroom visits by central office personnel

J. Cumulative File of the Beginning Teacher

At the end of the school year, the principal will be responsible for all of the following being completed on the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES):

· The summary evaluation

· All formative observations completed during the school year

· The Professional Growth Plan

The mentor will submit monthly logs and semester observations to Beginning Teacher Coordinator. This documentation will be filed in each Beginning Teacher’s folder. Records of professional development for the beginning teacher will be maintained through “My Learning Plan” software. The beginning teacher will be expected to maintain documentation of all items submitted.

K. Evaluation of Beginning Teacher Induction Program

Beginning teachers will be surveyed to obtain the following information:

· Professional development needs

· Effectiveness of Swain County Schools/WCU partnership

· Effectiveness of the Beginning Teacher Induction Program

· Effectiveness of the New Teacher Orientation Program

· Effectiveness of service provided by support staff

L Professional Development Requirements-First Three Years of Employment

Beginning Teachers hired to work for Swain County Schools are expected to continue their own professional learning, and pursue their own professional development needs, as are all professional educators. School-based administrators and directors, mentor teachers, and central office support personnel are available to support and assist with these efforts.

Principals, with mentor advisement, have flexibility in determining CEU content requirements based on individual needs of Beginning Teachers; however, should the Beginning Teacher appear to be progressing normally, the following recommendations will apply: Within the first three years of employment, Beginning Teachers will be expected to complete (1) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in literacy topics, one ( (1) CEU in classroom management, and (1) CEU topics pertaining to their subject area, for a total of three (3) CEUs within the first three years. (Principal and mentor may agree that other topics are needed and substitute those for recommended topics. For example, a principal may feel that professional development in differentiated instruction may be of special benefit, as a specific area of growth for a BT within his or her content area).

More Specific Information about CEU Requirements

Specifically, professional development surrounding literacy topics may be anything from developing effective reading or comprehension strategies at Pre-K through grade 8, to reading across the curriculum, or reading in the content areas. CEUs may be gained from additional coursework through an approved university program (perhaps in pursuit of a higher degree,) various conferences or workshops on relevant educational topics and issues, faculty discussions, book study groups, seminar topics arranged by the BT Coordinator, or even independent studies with prior approval from the Director of Curriculum and Instruction. All professional development activities require prior approval and follow-up including appropriate documentation of activities, as well as reflections on how the professional development impacted student learning or contributed to effective and engaging instructional practices.

A variety of professional development opportunities will be made available to Beginning Teachers throughout the school year and summer months via online venues as well as face-to-face seminars. Beginning Teachers will be expected to regularly check their school email to keep abreast of these opportunities.

These procedures will go into effect beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. All Beginning Teachers in years 1-3 will be required to complete all three (3) CEUs within the initial three years.

Swain County Board of Education Approved:

_________________________________ ___________________

Chuck McMahan, Chairperson Date

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Sam Pattillo, Superintendent Date