The mentor provides frequent, ongoing support to a beginning educator during his/her first two years in the teaching profession.  The mentor supports the beginning educator in developing knowledge and skills in each of the Iowa Teaching Standards and in acclimating to teaching.  The mentor builds a supportive environment that promotes professional growth, promotes the personal and professional well-being of a beginning educator, develops reflective practitioners, enhances student achievement, and increases the retention rate of promising beginning educators. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

Adheres to Board policies, district procedures, and contractual obligations.

Makes an ongoing, regular commitment of time to support and meet with a beginning educator—an average of one hour per week and a minimum of 15 hours per semester outside of contract time.  Includes time that is initiated and structured by the mentor and after-school meetings scheduled as part of the mentoring program. 

Demonstrates professional and instructional leadership, models professional and ethical behavior, and maintains professional confidentiality.

Conveys enthusiasm about learning, models and supports the belief that all students can succeed, and fosters excellence in teaching and learning.

Supports the beginning educator in planning and implementing learning projects to engage the educator in developing knowledge and skills in the Iowa teaching standards.

Applies effective mentoring practices from mentor training to foster development of a reflective practitioner.

Engages in learning-focused conversations with the beginning educator, practices effective listening and communication skills, and models and supports problem-solving, reflection, and analytical thinking.

Observes the beginning educator in a non-evaluative way a minimum of once per semester to support the educator’s learning project goals and holds pre- and post-observation conferences connected with each observation.   

Helps the beginning educator network with other educators.

Communicates frequently and regularly with the beginning educator, including but not limited to face-to-face meetings.

Follows and meets all mentoring program expectations, requirements, and deadlines.

Attends and actively participates in training and all scheduled mentoring activities.

Completes and submits required documentation, including a log of mentoring activities to track and document completion of mentoring program requirements, meetings, and activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, education and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Minimum qualifications include a valid Iowa teaching certificate or professional license with an endorsement in counseling, a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with a major in education or an appropriate content area, and a minimum of three years teaching experience with at least one year of experience within the District. Must possess proper state certification and licensure for position. Employee is expected to demonstrate continued professional growth.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

The mentor retains the regular teaching contract issued in accordance with Iowa Code Chapter 279 and shall be issued a supplemental contract for a one-year assignment to the mentor role. The supplemental contract will be for 30-40 hours beyond contract hours, two days for Intra to Mentoring training, and one day of mentoring orientation the first year the beginning educator is in the district.  The mentor will be expected to initiate and schedule face-to-face meetings regularly with the beginning educator.  The mentor will receive a $750 stipend each semester for the additional contract hours, training and orientation days. The scope of the work to be completed for the additional contract time will be defined by the district’s mentoring and induction program and includes scheduled mentoring activities and time scheduled by the mentor. The mentor will also be provided release time during the contract day to participate in selected mentoring activities, observations, and training. 

EVALUATION

Job performance will be evaluated following the district’s evaluation procedures and will be included in the employee’s evaluation cycle.  This evaluation will be completed by the administrator assigned to complete his/her career evaluation, and the District’s Mentoring Facilitator may also provide evidence of the mentor’s performance to be included in the employee’s evaluation.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Strong verbal and collaborative communication skills are critical to the success of this position.  Must possess the ability to communicate effectively with a beginning educator, colleagues, and administrators.  Individual must have effective listening skills. 

POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

Promotes the District and mentoring program through positive support, modeling, and conversations. The Mentor will be a collaborative team member who speaks positively and in a supportive way about education, teaching, learning, and the District.

COACHING & CONSULTING SKILLS

Position requires the ability to support the beginning educator in his/her own development as an educator, which requires coaching and consulting through questioning and facilitation rather than telling. Mentor will support the teacher in becoming reflective as a practitioner.

PLANNING & PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS

Must have the ability to plan and schedule regular time for meeting with a beginning educator. Must also have the ability to lead the beginning educator in planning and problem-solving conversations to assist him/her in planning lessons and in responding to challenges and needs that arise.

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

Position requires organizational skills and the ability to assist a colleague in organization. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Normal office physical demands.  May be required to lift up to 50 pounds infrequently. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Generally employee works inside.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

Will perform other duties as may be assigned by the superintendent or designee, necessary and appropriate to achievement of the program and/or District goals and objectives.

RECORDS

Applicants would need to download the form from our Records system, located under Available Forms. In order to do this, applicants would need to log into Unified Talent: https://siouxcityschools.tedk12.com/sso/Account/Login