Mentor Teacher Overview

What is Mentor Teacher?

Developed in the 2016-17 school year, Mentor Teacher is a way to recognize faculty who demonstrate highly proficient skills as measured by the Danielson Evaluation Rubric.  This recognition comes as a result of faculty curating artifacts and providing reflection on their craft in order to meet the standards set in the distinguished category of the rubric. 

Who can apply for Mentor Teacher?

Any teacher with a total of nine (9) or more years of successful teaching experience may provide evidence of highly effective instruction to the district’s Teacher Quality Panel (TQP). The TQP will review evidence against Danielson’s domains and make recommendations to Assistant Superintendent for any faculty member judged “Distinguished” in all of Danielson’s domains. There is no limit to the number of teachers who may achieve mentor teacher status. 

What are the benefits to being a Mentor Teacher?

In addition to earning the title that comes from demonstrating distinguished work in their craft, Mentor Teachers receive a stipend equal to 8% of their interval salary.  ​

Any teacher who has successfully completed benchmarks in fifteen out of the twenty-two Danielson components will earn a stipend equal to 4% of their teacher interval salary. At least six of fifteen components must be priorities. The teacher must complete the remaining seven components within two years according to TQP application deadlines. Any Conditional Mentor Teacher who has not attained the Mentor Teacher status within two years will no longer be eligible to receive the Conditional Mentor Teacher stipend. 

Mentor Teachers are listed on this website and provide mentoring, support, and professional development for colleagues across the district. Through these methods, Mentor Teachers collect the evidence used to show their professional contributions to their school and district. 

What are the responsibilities of Mentor Teachers?

Responsibilities for those who have achieved full mentor teacher status shall include:

• Support fellow teachers in developing skills in planning, instruction, and classroom management. Share your own experiences, ideas, beliefs, and management procedures to help the teachers to gain classroom confidence.

• Encourage fellow teachers to reflect on each lesson to gain further insights from his/her successes and challenges.

• Set up a specific time/day with fellow teachers to review future lesson plans. Make sure this gives the teacher ample time to modify accordingly.

• Mentor teachers will participate in district or school level committees, professional development planning, and help to review school policies and best practices.

• Mentor teacher classrooms will be open for observation for other teachers’ growth.