Board hears proposal to pair retired teachers with first-year teachers as volunteer mentors

A board member proposed Monday that retired teachers be paired with first-year teachers as volunteers to provide mentoring, classroom support and encouragement; the board signaled support to pursue the idea and asked staff to include it in summer or fall implementation planning.

Board member Mrs. White outlined the proposed model and read details into the record: "This program's intended intended to enhance the already established school mentor program. It is a volunteer program that will be no expense to the district. We already have 15 confirmed individuals who have expressed interest." She said the volunteers would be matched to first-year teachers by grade level or subject area and would provide monthly contact and support, classroom help during the first week of school, assistance with copies and materials, observation and feedback when requested, and other help as requested by new teachers.

Mrs. White also named Pat Bowman, a former principal, as a volunteer who had offered to help spearhead the effort. Board members commented in favor of the volunteer approach and noted it aligns with board goals addressing teacher supports and professional development. No formal board action was taken; the consensus was to explore implementation logistics and to look for opportunities to include the program in the board's forthcoming goals and fall startup work.

If the board moves forward, staff indicated they will handle coordination with schools, compile the list of first-year teachers, and develop an informal pairing process and expectations for volunteers.