District pilots classified-staff mentor program with external grant support

Greater Albany staff and board members heard a presentation on a new classified‑employee mentoring program designed to reduce turnover and provide on‑the‑job support for instructional assistants, custodians, food service staff and other classified positions.

The program model presented at the meeting was developed in partnership with Lebanon School District and the National Education Association’s mentoring initiative. Laura Warren, who has coordinated the Lebanon program for several years, told the board the model focuses on one-to-one mentor–mentee relationships, monthly check-ins, and cross‑department learning to build retention and job satisfaction.

Liz Craig, Joanne Felice and Wendy Rogers — mentor coordinators inside the district — said the pilot secured a $20,250 grant from the Western Regional Education Network to fund the first implementation round. The presenters described the structure as a year‑long mentoring relationship with a first onsite meeting at the mentee’s work location, monthly meetings, and periodic professional‑development sessions for mentors.

Why it matters: Classified staff turnover is costly to districts and disrupts school operations; presenters cited an internal hire/movement figure (roughly 146 new hires plus 120 staff changes over the prior year) to show scale. The presenters described benefits beyond retention: mentors build institutional knowledge, help new employees navigate policies and procedures, and increase the likelihood new hires pursue additional professional learning.

Implementation details: Mentor eligibility will generally require at least two years with the district, a record of strong performance and demonstrated communication skills. The program will provide mentor training, a matching process (personality profiling was used in the pilot), and a system of surveys and retention metrics to measure success. Organizers said the district will run an additional mentor training session to on‑board more mentors after the initial roll‑out.

Board discussion: Board members asked about matching logistics, coverage while mentors meet with mentees, and whether the model could be scaled if successful. Presenters said Human Resources has provided an operational slot in the substitute system to enable release time for mentors and that the program aims to expand gradually.

Speakers quoted in this article are those who spoke on the record in the meeting.