Casco Bay Residency Program: A Partnership between USM and the Casco Bay Educational Alliance
Policies and Procedures
5/22/12
The University of Southern Maine School of Education and Human Development and the school districts of the Casco Bay Educational Alliance (CBEA) (Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth, MSAD #51, RSU #5, South Portland, Yarmouth) have joined in partnership to support qualified individuals to pursue teacher certification while being employed at least part-time in the CBEA schools through flexible course schedules and educational technician positions in a variety of school settings.
Eligible individuals include those who have been accepted into a teacher education pathway at USM and in their internship year
The process by which one applies to the program:
· Once accepted into a teacher education pathway and in the internship year, the candidate signs up with the USM Office of Educator Preparation as interested in part-time or full-time employment as an ed. tech. in a CBEA school. Candidates must demonstrate:
o An interest and willingness to work with general education students who are at risk, students in special education across a wide variety of settings and with a wide variety of disabilities, and/or students with diverse language abilities
o A commitment to fully engage in the work of the job in schools and the teacher education program through coordinated schedules
· CBEA school district will alert the USM Office of Educator Preparation when appropriate jobs become available, using the job announcement template
· The USM Office of Educator Preparation will pre-screen the candidates for the jobs for the following:
o Grade level match between job and certification area
o Content match between job and certification area
· The USM Office of Educator Preparation will forward names of candidates to the CBEA school district and notify qualified candidates to submit an application to the school district
· The CBEA school district will review applications, conduct interviews for the job(s) and proceed through district hiring procedures, including alerting candidates to district benefits available to ed. techs. and policies for pro-rating if the position is part-time.
· Once hired, teacher education program personnel, district representatives, and the intern will meet to develop an Individualized Internship Plan that maps out the expectations for the job and internship, including plans for lead teaching, the possible need for a substitute during this time, and possibility of unpaid leave during lead teaching if necessary.
Once hired, the intern/ed tech is responsible for:
· Participating in all job orientations and expectations
· Participating in all and teacher education program orientations and expectations
· Keeping teacher education program and school personnel up to date on schedules, meetings, and other requirements
· Fulfilling the Individualized Internship Plan
Performance Evaluation:
· The district is whole and solely responsible for conducting performance evaluations related to the job
o The district has the right to discontinue employment when performance in the job is unsatisfactory
o This decision may not have a bearing on the intern’s continuation in the teacher education program
· The teacher education program is responsible for coordinating and conducting academic and performance evaluations related to progress through the teacher education program (Note: this will include participation by a mentor teacher in the host school)
o The teacher education program has the right to dismiss an intern when performance in the teacher education program is unsatisfactory
o This decision may not have a bearing on the intern’s continuation in their job as an ed. tech.