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Germantown personnel committee outlines three‑phase mentoring program for new teachers
Summary
District staff presented a three‑phase mentoring program to improve retention and onboarding, proposing a handbook and mentor training aligned to DPI guidance and a three‑year mentor‑mentee cycle; a final program product is expected in August.
Martin Castro, a district staff member speaking to the Germantown School District personnel committee on Jan. 13, outlined a proposed three‑phase mentoring program designed to strengthen onboarding and retention for new teachers.
Castro said Phase 1 will focus on "design and alignment," creating a handbook and training infrastructure and doing a crosswalk with Department of Public Instruction mentoring expectations. "So phase 1 is really about design and alignment," Castro told the committee, listing deliverables that include a design team of building leaders, a crosswalk to DPI materials and a draft vision and scope for the program.
Phase 2 will refine materials and train selected mentors, with defined selection criteria and a scope and sequence for monthly mentor‑mentee topics. Phase 3 calls for full implementation, mentor assignment based on the number of new hires, ongoing data collection and iterative refinement based on feedback. Castro said the district is preparing an August deliverable for the committee and full board.
Committee members asked about practical details. Castro said mentoring will primarily be one‑on‑one and that the district will generally avoid assigning mentors and mentees in the same grade to widen perspectives. The presentation named Nancy Frey as the author of an onboarding resource the district will use as one of several instructional guides.
Members praised the plan as a retention tool and noted the potential cost savings of reduced turnover. One committee member said onboarding can be costly in staff time and that improving the first three years of experience for new teachers increases the likelihood they remain with the district. Castro tied the mentoring effort to the district’s strategic goal 3 and said the program will align with educator effectiveness expectations.
Next steps: the committee will receive further materials as the district develops the handbook, training modules and selection criteria; Castro said the intention is to return in August with a finalized product for committee review and a recommendation to the full board.
