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Instructional coach presents New Teacher Academy and mentor program
Summary
Kirsten McCracken outlined the district’s New Teacher Academy and a mentor program aligned to Washington State induction standards, saying the initiative supports beginning teachers through monthly roundtables, peer observations and a scaffolded mentor-mentee progression; the board heard that the first-year cohort included seven new hires and the district has 18 trained mentors.
Kirsten McCracken, instructional coach, described the Quillayute Valley School District’s New Teacher Academy and its mentor program, saying it follows Washington State beginning-educator induction standards and ties into the district’s PLC work. "New Teacher Academy was a huge success," McCracken said, and she listed stakeholder members, building representation and a schedule of trainings and monthly roundtables to support beginning teachers.
McCracken walked the board through the program structure: first-year teachers are assigned mentors, year-two teachers share mentoring arrangements, and longer-term mentoring roles are filled by experienced staff who receive ongoing training. She told the board the district’s first-year cohort this year included seven teachers, the third-year cohort has five teachers, and there are 18 trained mentors districtwide. Board members praised the program’s alignment to state criteria and its focus on retention and peer support.
