Laramie County School District 2 staff describe expanded mentoring, PLC work during accreditation presentation

Rhonda Morrison, a music teacher at Alvin and Burns Elementary, told the Laramie County School District #2 board during the March 5 committee meeting that novice teachers receive two years of mentoring while teachers new to the district receive one year of mentoring. "Novice teachers, our brand new teachers, can receive 2 years of support, and new to district teachers can receive 1 year of support," Morrison said.

The presentations summarized several districtwide professional-development and instructional-collaboration initiatives and explained why staff believe the work matters for student learning and the district accreditation process. Presenters described mentoring, common planning and an emphasis on the PLC (professional learning community) framework as the main strategies.

Morrison said mentors help new teachers with PowerSchool, grading, curriculum, behavior strategies and peer observations. She also described a district book study led by a staff member identified in the meeting as Mr. Perintoni that introduces new teachers to district philosophy and leadership. "Our new teachers also complete a book study with mister Perintoni over the course of the first year of teaching in our…