Policy in Practice Archive

“We made the decision to do right! When you’re behind, you feel bad!”

Our journey started with a mindset shift: seeing observations not as a checklist, but as meaningful feedback that drives growth. Compliance and completion became a leadership priority—not just for the sake of deadlines, but to ensure evaluations truly impact student achievement.

Key Strategies:

• Early Planning: We begin with an early start list for evaluations to stay ahead of deadlines.

• Transparency & Accountability: Three to four days before due dates, I send progress emails to all administrators, including my own status, to model openness and shared responsibility.

• Team Collaboration: Recognizing that assistant principals juggle multiple priorities, we pair up and support each other to meet completion goals.

• Teacher Empowerment: We frame evaluations as an opportunity for teachers to “write their own story,” focusing on coaching rather than rushing through compliance.

Our leadership team works together to ensure no one fails—because success for us means success for our teachers and students.

Strategy: Capitalize on the human capital within the building by empowering all staff to contribute to the growth and development of Beginning Teachers (BTs).

“Assistant Principal, Mrs. Konzelmann, and a Teacher Leader, Ms. Harding, run the program and have done an outstanding job leading our Mentors and Mentees to row together in support of one another.  They provide relevant and timely programming, while meeting the needs of Beginning Teachers based on their feedback. We also strategically use funds to give teacher leaders and mentor support over the summer months, so they’re ready to support BTs day one.”

At Eastway, supporting our Beginning Teachers (BTs) is a proactive, relationship-driven process that starts well before their first day in the classroom. Their strategies include:

• Early Engagement

• Comprehensive Onboarding

• Strategic Mentorship

• Celebrating Success

• Clear Communication

Early Engagement

Our commitment begins during the interview stage. We are transparent about expectations, school culture, and what is needed for student success. Once candidates are selected, we maintain communication, so they feel connected and supported even before their official start date. This early relationship-building helps reduce feelings of isolation and overwhelm when they arrive on campus.

Comprehensive Onboarding

Upon joining Eastway, BTs participate in a detailed onboarding process focused on expectations, communication channels, and key contacts. They receive a checklist of essential tasks such as signing up for Parent Square, registering for Remind, and creating accounts in the PBIS platform.

Strategic Mentorship

Mentor-mentee pairings are thoughtfully assigned using multiple criteria to ensure compatibility and support. Mentors understand the challenges BTs face and provide guidance alongside additional wrap-around support from MCLs, leadership team members, CMS Title I Support, and our UNC Charlotte coach.

Celebrating Success

We recognize and celebrate mentors and mentees through shout-outs, jean passes, certificates, small gifts, and thank-you notes. Feedback from surveys informs our BT meetings, which are led by Eastway staff whenever possible to model success and foster trust.

Clear Communication

Important deadlines and updates are shared through multiple channels—email, Remind, Outlook calendar invites, announcements, and our weekly newsletter. Mentors assist BTs in completing required tasks to ensure compliance and confidence.

Our Core Principle

Relationships are the foundation of our program. By investing in strong connections, we create a culture where teachers feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed. At Eastway, we are a family, and we take care of each other.