The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 calls for the establishment of district-based Induction Year programs to supervise, support, and evaluate beginning teachers. The Education Reform Act requires school districts to have a program in place by September 1997 in order to employ a beginning teacher. Shrewsbury Public Schools enthusiastically endorses this requirement and has been involved in providing mentoring for pre-practicum teachers, practicum interns and new teachers over the last decade. More recently the district has formalized this program and has provided the necessary resources, through appropriated funds and grant allocations, to institutionalize the Mentoring Program.

Beginning teachers face many challenges. The reality of work in a public school classroom may be one of the most challenging transitions faced by new teachers in their entire professional career. The expectations for teachers to apply theoretical knowledge, to develop effective instructional strategies, to meet individual student's needs, to incorporate changing curriculum frameworks, to develop high stakes assessment, to integrate emerging technology, and to be sensitive to societal issues, combine to present a significant task to both beginning teachers and public school districts. According to various estimates, 30% of beginning teachers leave the teaching profession within two years, and 40% leave within five. This attrition continues to challenge school districts to induct, support, and develop their professional staff.

Shrewsbury has recognized these challenges and has developed a Mentor Program which supports educators at all points in their career. The Shrewsbury program provides support, professional development, and evaluation. Site Coordinators at the elementary schools, middle school, and high school level manage the varied experiences. The coordinator's responsibilities include attending to placement requests from the colleges, scheduling and conducting interviews with prepracticum and practicum students, meeting with department chairs to discuss cooperating teacher assignments, establishing contacts between the student and the cooperating teachers, conducting orientation programs for the student teachers and induction year teachers, maintaining contact with the college regarding the progress of the student, assisting induction year teachers and their mentors, monitoring progress, conducting after school seminars, and working with and supporting the cooperating teachers and mentors. The Mentor Program provides support for the following groups of teachers and teacher candidates:

Pre-practicum teachers currently enrolled in college or university education programs, practicum teachers fulfilling their student teaching requirements for certification, beginning teachers who are newly employed in the field of education, experienced teachers who are new to the Shrewsbury Public Schools, experienced teachers who are making a significant change in their career in Shrewsbury, i.e., significant grade level change, change in a teaming structure, or change in course assignment, teachers who have professional status and are currently experiencing difficulty in their teaching (see Support Program of the Shrewsbury Public Schools Teachers Supervision and Evaluation Program. (Appendix 3)

Data from induction programs in other states, as well as our experience in Shrewsbury, clearly shows that support for beginning teachers boosts retention rates as well as their level of success as professional educators. Furthermore, in California, the Southwest Regional Laboratory demonstrated that beginning teachers who have participated in induction programs were, when compared to other beginning teachers, more likely to:

• use instructional practices that improve student achievement;
• assign challenging work to diverse student populations;
• use new state curriculum frameworks; and
• accomplish the goals of the curriculum.

The California study also demonstrated that the benefits of induction programs correlated directly with their intensity: the more the program provided, the greater their success. On the other hand, studies by the National Center for Research on Teacher Learning have suggested that half-way measures may be more counterproductive, i.e., the mentors created more stress for beginning teachers, fostered regressive teaching habits when the mentors were not properly selected and trained, and see their function as simply to help beginning teachers "survive" their first year.

One of the aims of the Shrewsbury Mentoring Program is to develop the characteristic of continual learning, for both experienced and beginning teachers.

The Mission Statement of the Shrewsbury Public Schools is as follows:

The Shrewsbury Public Schools, in partnership with the community, will provide students with the skills and knowledge for the next century, an appreciation of our democratice tradition, and the desire to continue to learn throughout life

Central to the mission of the Shrewsbury Public Schools is the core-value of continual learning. The district's efforts to provide high quality professional devlopment for the faculty reflects this commitment. Efforts to support and mentor beginning teachers are also important. Specific action steps in the annual goals, reflect the mission of the district and identify the development and full implementation of the mentoring program as focus activities for this year.

The Mentoring Program will...

• ensure that beginning teachers develop good practices that lead to high quality instruction for all students;

This goal will be met through regularly scheduled support activities provided for by mentor program coordinators and members of the faculty who have been trained as mentors. Additionally, K-12 Professional Development School Workshops will be scheduled on a regular basis to support and introduce interns and beginning teachers to educational issues important to the school district. These include, but are not limited to, the use of technology in the classroom, access to support personnel such as curriculum specialists, special educators, counselors etc., school administrators, and others. Mentors and beginning teachers will have the opportunity to meet on a regular basis through common planning time or professional development release time.

• develop the professional norms of help-seeking and collegiality;

Teaching has often been an isolating activity. The Mentor Program will encourage open and honest dialogue about the art and practice of teaching. Activities that encourage peer observation, video analysis, portfolio review and regular classroom observations will be used in this program.

• raise teacher retention rates and take full advantage of professional development resources expended on beginning teachers and teachers new to Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury provides extensive professional development resources for both new and experienced teachers. Careful personnel searches, continual support, and on going professional development will enhance our goal of higher retention rates and increased professional and personal growth.

• recognize experienced teachers and draw upon their expertise to support those new to the profession.

The Shrewsbury faculty is highly regarded by parents and administrators for their training, expertise and commitment to public education. They have developed their expertise over many years of thoughtful, reflective practice. The Mentor Program is designed to provide the opportunity for experienced teachers to share their expertise and experience with those new to the profession. This sharing includes knowledge of the curriculum and instructional practices as well as the culture and expectations of the community and school department.

• provide the opportunity for continued professional development for experienced teachers which focuses on instructional practices and curriculum.

Mentor training provides the opportunity for experienced teachers to renew their skills and strategies. In Shrewsbury, teachers can participate in graduate level courses offered on-site, workshops, study groups, curriculum design teams, and a great variety of committee work. The focus on developing mentoring skills provides the experienced teacher with the opportunity to reflect upon their practice, to reactivate instructional strategies and to further develop their skills of observation and conferencing.

• provide the opportunity for experienced teachers to self-renew and to revitalize.

Teachers in Shrewsbury have reported that new challenges and opportunities have provided the opportunity to renew their focus and energy levels. The Mentoring Program provided many opportunities for experienced teachers to get involved at varying degrees, from a full commitment as a mentor teacher, to a resource member who may present at the PDS Workshops.

The Professional Development School, a partnership between the Calvin Coolidge Elementary School and Anna Maria College was established in 1988. The concept of the Professional Development School and the commitment to collaborate derived from the mutual recognition of the need to incorporate more fully the voice of the experienced teacher in teacher education.

The field based teacher preparation program has several components:

1. The Traditional Cooperating Teacher-Student Teacher Relationship.

The student intern is assigned to serve a full internship with a co-operating teacher four days each week.

2. Weekly Professional Development Day.

The fifth day of each week the student interns meet with their peers for a day of study with the professional development school collaborative team. This team consists of the school's mentor teacher, a clinical professor from Anna Maria College, other contributing teachers from the Coolidge staff and often the school principal. The day's activities are built around a particular theme on some aspect of curriculum, the teaching-learning process or classroom management.

Graduates of the program state that the professional development school experience has given them an edge over non PDS participants. The design of this program provided opportunities for them to develop confidence in their teaching practice, become reflective of their practice, and to appreciate the benefits of taking risks and trying new ideas. Since it's inception in 1988 over 100 interns have completed the program.

The Middle School Mentoring Program began in 1996 as a result of the Goals 2000 Preservice Grant. This model is a combination of the existing elementary and high school programs. The model incorporates a modified Rounds Format much like the elementary program and also provides for the opportunity to work with cooperating teachers in more than one discipline similar to the High school model. It supports and trains student teachers in the middle school beliefs of collaborative teaching, interdisciplinary study, and teaming.

The High School Mentoring Program began in 1988 as an outcome of a Horace Mann Grant. The model is designed to provide a comprehensive approach for the training and development of student practitioners. The model involves the collaboration of personnel from the college and the training site The college provides the student with the academics needed for a strong knowledge base within a particular discipline. It should also introduce the student to basic pedagogical skills and the teaching competencies required for Provisional Certification.

During the nine years that the High School Model has been in place, approximately 100 students have participated in the full time practicum program and approximately 125 students have taken part in the pre-practicum program.

The Goals 2000 Grant allowed for the recruitment of thirty experienced practitioners from grades K - 12 who demonstrated routine use of effective teaching strategies to serve as cooperating teachers and mentors for students completing their prepracticum and/or practicum training with the Shrewsbury School System. A two day summer workshop was conducted to provide instruction and training. Funds from the Grant were also used to sponsor seminars for student teachers during their practicum work. These seminars included: The Use of Technology in the Classroom, On Site Pupil Personnel Services, and Topics in Special Education and Inclusion. Funds were also used to allow the coordinators of the Mentor Program to provide technical assistance to school systems within our region who had expressed interest in learning about the Shrewsbury Mentoring Program. A Regional Workshop was presented with attendees representing the Worcester, Wachusett Regional, and Clinton School Systems. A booklet containing descriptions of the preservice programs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels was prepared and distributed to the Massachusetts Department of Education.

The Prepracticum Experience

The Pre-practicum experience is a collaboration between the Shrewsbury Public Schools and colleges that provides students opportunities to observe a variety of instructional strategies and techniques in a specific grade level or content area. This pre-practicum allows the intern to observe, work with small groups of students, and develop a lesson under the guidance of the experienced practitioner. The intern is provided with a meaningful experience leading to the fulfillment of the state requirements for certification. At the conclusion of the pre-practicum the intern will be expected to complete a summary of their field work.

Components of the Prepracticum Program

1. College/university contacts the schools for placements
2. Interview is conducted with the candidate and the building coordinator
3. Special areas of concentration are discussed, responsibilities, schedule.
4. The coordinator will contact the building principal and department chair and set up arrangements with cooperating teacher. This empowers the potential cooperating teacher to make an assessment of the prepracticum student as to whether this will be a good "match" for both the student and the cooperating teacher.
5. Coordinator will contact the college to confirm the prepracticum or recommend an alternate site.
6. If the student wishes to do their practicum in the Shrewsbury Public Schools, a meeting will be arranged with the department chair and the cooperating teachers in order to confirm an appropriate placement.

Note: The student is encouraged to spend their prepracticum assignment at two sites (one in Shrewsbury and a second site from either a rural or urban community).

The Practicum Experience

1. College/university contacts the school for placement.
2. Students who have fulfilled their prepracticum assignments with the Shrewsbury Public Schools will be placed with appropriate cooperating teachers. All other students seeking to do their practicum in Shrewsbury will have an interview with the coordinator and the appropriate building principal/ department chair. Such students will be asked to spend some time working with potential cooperating teachers. An assessment will be made at that time with input from the building principal/department chair, and cooperating teacher(s) regarding the appropriateness of the candidate.
3. The college will be notified confirming a placement or a recommendation will be made for an alternate site.
4. Cooperating teachers are expected to abide by the guidelines mutually established by the college and the training site.
5. Students are required to attend system wide seminars with all student teachers in the district. Topics will be offered in such areas as classroom technology, special education, pupil personnel, etc.
6. The students will be given the opportunities to reflect upon their classroom teaching, including the use of video taped lessons.
7. The student teacher will be afforded the rights and privileges of a professional staff member. With this recognition comes the expectation that they will maintain the high standards expected of all staff members.

The Elementary Practicum in the Professional Development School Model

The intern will work with a specifically trained mentor teacher/s and be an active participant in all aspects of the teaching experience.

Components of the program:

The Collaborative Team is the organizational heart of the practicum experience in the Elementary Professional Development Program. This team represents the various perspectives of the Clinical Professor, intern, mentor coordinator, and building principal. Thus the perspective of philosophy, theory, experience, and practice, are joined in an effort to address the questions and challenges of teaching and to broaden the repertoire of ways that participants have of seeing and responding pedagogically to children's needs and of activating children's interests, and enhancing the professional capability of all. Interns also have the opportunity to observe and learn from skilled practitioners within their building who are contributing members of the team. Weekly, interns, mentor coordinator, and the clinical professor meet for a full day to participate in a series of professional development activities. A particular theme - or some aspect of either curriculum, teaching-learning process, or classroom management - usually shapes the content of the day's activities, while the group as a whole tries to engage in thoughtful, reflective discussion.

Activities include:

• Rounds - focused observation on and participation in a teaching/learning activity on a particular theme with reflection following.
• Collaborative Coaching - mentor coordinator, clinical professor, and intern join together in planning learning activities
• Reflective PracticeRounds - interns host collaborative team and other interns for teaching a lesson
• Reflective Learning - discuss and reflect on various learning experiences observed through out day/week
• Workshops, presentations, panel discussions, demonstrations provided by contributing teachers for the building or the district
• In addition to the Professional Development Day activities, the student teacher, for the remaining 4 days of the week, will have a traditional student teacher assignment with one cooperating teacher.
• At the conclusion of the Practicum, student teachers will share their portfolios with the building team.

The Middle School Model

During their practicum, interns will spend the entire school day working on their assigned team. They will teach no fewer than three classes, providing tutoring time for selected students, and observing experienced practitioners across the curriculum. Several times throughout the semester, interns will spend specified blocks of time observing and dialoguing with other classroom teachers following a program similar to the elementary "rounds model".

• Interns are required to attend regularly scheduled meetings with the coordinator after the close of school. During this time, interns will have opportunities to brainstorm with other interns, receive input from the coordinator and meet with various members of the school staff regarding contemporary issues in education.
• As a result of the interdisciplinary approach, interns will have the opportunity to observe and participate in the teaching of more than one content area.

The High School Model

The high school training site plays a major role in the development of the skills needed to become an effective teacher. The High School Model provides for:

• A Site Coordinator/Mentor who manages the student teacher experiences.
• Students to spend the entire school day teaching no fewer than three classes, tutoring selected students, and observing experienced practitioners across the curriculum.
• Students to attend regularly scheduled meetings with the coordinator after the close of school. During this time, students will have opportunities to brainstorm with other student teachers, receive input from the coordinator and meet with various members of the school staff regarding contemporary issues in education.
• The Shrewsbury High School Model has also been successful in establishing partnerships with several area colleges such as Clark University, Holy Cross College, Worcester State College, Framingham State College, and Fitchburg State College. The number of colleges interested in placing their students into the program is continuing to grow. This is a tribute to the many experienced practitioners at the high school who are willing to share their vast knowledge base with new individuals entering the teaching profession. Veteran teachers have discovered that through this sharing process, they have an opportunity to reflect upon their own teaching. This provides a spirit of renewal for the experienced practitioner, reaffirming their commitment to the profession.

As a result of receiving Goals 2000 grants in 1996 and 1997, the District was able to train approximately 50 staff members in the skills of mentoring, creating a system wide support team (see Appendix #1). Part of the staff received training that emphasized the needs of the preservice teacher, while the remaining staff concentrated on the needs of the practitioner. In this way, support is available for teachers at different levels within the profession.

Mentors for the Induction Year Program are recommended by their building principals and/or department chairperson. The Program seeks experienced practitioners who routinely demonstrate effective teaching strategies and excellent interpersonal skills. They should also have a desire to share their extensive knowledge base with beginning practitioners.

Training for mentors occurs during the summer. A two day workshop is conducted that utilizes the paradigm for training mentors developed by The Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast and Islands. The design of this program prepares mentors by focusing on peer coaching, active listening, reflective questioning, and conflict management. The training also stresses the importance of portfolio development as a tool for effective modeling and for assessing ideas and progress. The emphasis during the training lies in the importance of developing a positive, supportive, and trusting relationship between the mentor and the beginning/new teacher.

Note: In this section, the term "beginning teacher" shall be taken to mean a Provisional Educator with Advanced Standing who is serving as a teacher of record for the first time. The term "new teacher" refers to a practitioner who has teaching experience, but is new to the Shrewsbury School District.

The Type of support provided to beginning teachers and new teachers is similar in many ways. Therefore, the principles listed below are inclusive for both groups unless otherwise noted.

The Shrewsbury School District Induction Year Program is designed to:

• provide instructional support. This includes, among other things, observing the beginning teacher, offering suggestions for improvement, modeling good teaching practices, and assisting in lesson preparation. New teachers would also benefit from this form of peer observation and will be encouraged to participate.
• provide professional support Beginning teachers and new teachers need to be informed of school policies and procedures, counseled on legal and ethical issues related to their work, and advised as to how to handle relationships with school and district administrators, parents, and members of the community.
• provide personal support Mentors can help relieve the stress of teaching for the first time or in a new school district by putting the beginning and new teacher's problems in the proper perspective and by giving frequent praise and reassurance.
• maintain a confidential relationship It is important that the beginning and new teacher be able to discuss problems openly with the mentor, so that the problems can be addressed in a timely and informed manner.
• ensure a strong start to the year Mentors can help the beginning and new teacher start off the year on the right foot by, e.g., helping with lesson plans/curriculum initiatives, assisting with provisioning of supplies and materials, and developing strategies that address classroom management problems.
• serve as a liaison Mentors will refer the beginning teacher and new teacher to other staff and educational resources within their building and the district. They will facilitate introductions and assist the new staff member as they become incorporated into the professional environment of the school district.

The Shrewsbury School District conducts an intensive two day orientation as a part of the Induction Year Program (see Appendix #2). This comprehensive orientation includes descriptions of:

• Shrewsbury Mentor Program
• Professional Development opportunities
• Standardized Testing Program
• Report Card philosophy
• Pupil Personnel Services and Special Education
• Curriculum Overviews
• Teacher Supervision and Evaluation Program
• Teacher Services
• Communication Programs

One of the highlights of the orientation is a bus tour of the Town of Shrewsbury. A historical and informational overview is provided to assist the beginning/new teacher in the formation of a community perspective. The Tour is followed by a cookout on Lake Quinsigamond. These two events reinforce two basic principles of the school district's philosophy:

• High expectations for teachers and students
• A strong degree of support in achieving those expectations

Building principals and site coordinators introduce the beginning/new teacher to the mentor on opening day. The mentors will establish meeting times that are convenient for all parties. Expectations are established and a mentoring plan is devised. Building principals are aware of the time that mentors and beginning teachers need . Accommodations are made to ensure that adequate and productive time is available throughout the school year.

The beginning/new teacher will enter the Four Phase Evaluation Program on Phase One. This consists of a minimum of three, maximum of five, formal observations by the designated evaluators complete with conferences and signed reports. All evaluations and observations of a teacher shall be conducted openly and with full knowledge of the teacher. Teachers shall be given some form of timely notice that they are being observed for the purpose of evaluation.

As part of the District's comprehensive mentoring program, support is also available for the experienced practitioner who may be changing grade levels, curriculum responsibilities, or has been identified through the evaluation process as needing improvement and support in some area of their teaching.

Due to the comprehensive nature of the Shrewsbury Mentoring Program and the availability of trained mentors in each building, support is provided for staff who are experiencing a change in grade or curriculum responsibilities. Formal or informal mentoring assists the staff member in curriculum content and planning. In addition to sharing materials and ideas, this process helps to ensure a smooth and efficient transition for both the practitioner and the students.

The support team concept is a fundamentally positive and supportive approach for staff members who need assistance in the performance of their duties. It requires an honest recognition of performance problems by the teacher and an honest attempt to correct them. However, it will also be the function of the support team to act as an intermediary between evaluator and teacher on any unresolved issues regarding the evaluation process as an attempt to avoid the initiation of the grievance procedure.

The support team will consist of the teacher, Principal or Assistant Principal, Department Director, an SEA representative, and other invited professionals (trained mentors) that have been mutually agreed upon. The Chairperson of the support team will be the teacher's primary evaluator and will coordinate the writing of the support plan and its implementation. The Superintendent will direct the process and should be contacted if budgetary resources are required. The support team will determine the number and length of meetings/ observations needed to effectively carry out the plan.

Based upon the progress made by the teacher, the evaluator will determine the placement of the teacher within the evaluation model or refer the teacher to the central office for further action.

The Program for Supervision and Evaluation for the Shrewsbury Public Schools contains formal contract language defining the support team and its function. It is the goal of the Mentor Program to contribute to the support team in appropriate ways. The program is contained in Appendix #3.

The Shrewsbury School District has a vision that includes the continued growth and development of its mentoring programs. It is currently seeking to expand the partnerships formed with area colleges and universities. Strenghtening these collaborations will:

• provide greater opportunities for clinical experiences for students enrolled in education programs,
• provide opportunities for the experienced practitioner to play a more significant role in the training and development of future educators,
• provide opportunities for professional development for teachers as adjunct/clinical faculty at area colleges and universities,
• provide opportunities for the district's students to become involved with programs and services available at area colleges and universities, such as conducting research for school related projects, taking part in academic research designed to improve teaching and learning, and developing positive attitudes about the role of higher education.
• provide opportunities for dialogue between the district and academic faculty members in seeking ideas and solutions to common problems in education.

It is the district's belief that mentoring at all levels provides a segue for the training and development of quality educators who are experienced in the repertoires of skillful teaching. Providing a supportive environment for both students and teachers is in keeping with the district's goal of preparing individuals to meet the challenges of the 21st century and to be continual learners.