New Teacher Academy credited with moving long‑term substitutes toward licensure

Jennifer Jahant, a teacher on special assignment and learning facilitator, presented the board with a report on the New Teacher Academy, which she said is designed to support teachers in years one through three and long‑term substitutes pursuing licensure. “This is the third year…we've had 15 long‑term subs that successfully transitioned through the ARL program,” Jahant told trustees. She said the program provides coaching, classroom strategies and peer collaboration on topics such as classroom management, unpacking standards, formative assessment and use of AI as a work partner. Jahant said the academy operates on seven Fridays across the school year, with sessions from 8:30 to 11:30, and that the district embeds coursework and materials in Canvas so district leaders can monitor participation. The facilitator credited partnerships for supplementing the program: title funds have been used to pay mentor stipends in some cases, and regional professional development staff and RPDP (Regional Professional Development Program) facilitators are providing additional coaching. Jahant said funding limits mean mentor availability may be uneven this year and asked the board to consider budget priority for sustained mentorship. Discussion — not decision: trustees praised the program and asked about obstacles; Jahant said the main constraint is staffing capacity — “there's only one of me” — and recommended more in‑class coaching time and sustained mentor funding. Ending — Jahant and the district said they will continue seeking funding and regional partners to expand mentorship and classroom coaching.