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As new teachers are hired, they begin their PRIDE experience with in-processing. Many teachers are hired and in-process during the summer; however, in-processing continues each Thursday throughout the school year. Teachers spend the first half of their day with HR, Payroll, and Benefits. The second half of the day is spent with the New Teacher Induction Coordinator learning about PRIDE, professional learning requirements, PLAN, and teacher resources.
PRIDE District Orientation provides an overview of CMCSS work and expectations for teachers hired new to the district. The sessions provide a foundation and big picture of what teaching looks like in CMCSS. The two-day learning event coordinates both large and small group sessions providing teachers with information on the district's focus, the TEAM evaluation system, explicit instruction, technology resources, and content/curriculum work.
Site-based induction specialists conduct a six-hour site-based in-service class for teachers newly hired to CMCSS. Participants engage in purposeful activities designed to acclimate them to their particular school and clearly explain school-specific expectations. Teachers will learn the building, management expectations, and what to expect during the first week of school.
The online learning series is a repository of video tutorials designed to bridge teacher gaps in institutional knowledge. Teachers can access these short video clips through the CMCSS website by navigating to the faculty and staff tab and looking under the professional learning subheading. Videos do not award training or in-service credit but serve as a resource to meet immediate needs.
The official CMCSS mentoring policy, PRD-A002, can be accessed here. Principals designate a site-based induction specialist, SBIS, to mentor all newly-hired teachers. Each SBIS attends summer training then serves as a liaison with Tina Smith and coordinates the site-based induction activities. Teachers with a job-embedded practitioner license have additional requirements from the state of Tennessee. CMCSS assigns these teachers an additional outside mentor to help meet the requirements.
The district expectation of grade level and department collaboration can meet most instructional and curricular needs of new teachers. Induction seminars, however, are the frequent meetings held by each SBIS to provide new teachers with any additional mentoring support needed. Each SBIS is encouraged to give a needs assessment to determine and address mentoring needs. Monthly agendas will also guide mentoring topics. Additionally, induction seminars will serve as a platform for reflection and discussion of the implementation of explicit instruction. The seminars will be documented by the SBIS and can earn each new teacher up to 15 hours of in-service credit.
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