Mercer County students and teachers report lessons from GEAR UP and launch mentorship network

Ethan Thompson, the Mercer County student representative, told the school board that attending the national GEAR UP conference in San Francisco boosted students’ confidence and exposed them to college-focused workshops and team-building exercises. “The National GEAR UP Conference in San Francisco was a really fun and exciting experience for me,” Thompson said, recounting campus visits, group activities and speakers that encouraged students to overcome personal barriers.

Presenters and staff explained how the GEAR UP subaward and carryover funds will be used locally. A presenter said the district has budgeted a year-long professional-development program (cited in the meeting as $87,500) and carryover money to fund mastery-prep boot camps (cited as $67,000) and PSAT testing for ninth and tenth graders. Board documents also show a GEAR UP subaward contract for $230,000 tied to college- and career-readiness initiatives.

The meeting included the launch report of a teacher 'network' intended to improve new-teacher retention through in‑building mentorship, tailored professional learning and a reflective portfolio. Presenters described the model as mentor-by-modeling: mentors work in the same building and content area when possible, mentees complete reflections after each session, and the program uses participant surveys to plan future sessions. Presenters reported 33 mentors and 56 mentees in the first year and said most participants rated the program 4 or 5 on satisfaction surveys.

Teachers told the board the network produced concrete classroom benefits. Carol Whitaker, a science teacher and mentor, said meeting with a mentee at her own school made collaboration and shared lessons easier and inspired new labs and field trips. Elizabeth (Betsy) Ramsey, a first‑year science teacher, said working with a veteran teacher helped her modify labs and schedule a field trip she otherwise could not have planned.

Presenters also said the district is pursuing a partnership with Concord University to allow portfolio work to count for graduate credit (presenters said eligible teachers could earn up to six graduate hours tied to their portfolio work). Separately, instructional‑rounds training tied to the SAIL conference will pair Princeton and Oak Hill educators for reciprocal observation and coaching focused on raising Depth of Knowledge (DOK) in classroom tasks.

Why this matters: District leaders said the combined investments — student testing support, targeted tutoring and a mentoring network with a pathway for graduate credit — are designed to increase college readiness and stabilize teacher retention during a period when the district said it is hiring many early-career teachers. Presenters emphasized the district will pilot student‑centered social media, AI literacy supports and writing programs intended to supplement classroom instruction.

What’s next: Presenters provided handouts and QR codes for attendees and asked board members to attend related August trainings and an August 18 kickoff event. The board took no formal vote on program design at the meeting; follow‑up items include the GEAR UP subaward contract that appeared on the consent agenda.