Webinar Highlights: What's Working in New Teacher Mentorship

Structuring Your Program and Setting Expectations

The Triad Meeting: Mentor, Teacher, and Principal in the Same Room

ND Rise runs a statewide mentorship program with clear expectations for every mentor: 15 hours of 1:1 conferences, 3 classroom observations, and one triad meeting each semester. The triad meeting is where the mentor, new teacher, and principal come together to align on progress and next steps. Here's Erin on why that three-way conversation matters and what it looks like in practice:

Check out the forms Erin uses for key meetings.

‍

Abby Smith on Building a Checklist That Fits the Year

Abby Smith at Rockwood School District grounded her mentor checklist in Ellen Moir's phases of first-year teaching, organizing support around where new teachers are at each point in the year. The goal is "just in time" support rather than "just in case" — giving mentors the right things to focus on at the right moment, rather than overwhelming new teachers with information they're not ready for. Here she explains how that thinking shaped the checklist:

Check out Abby’s checklist here.

‍

‍

Matching and Supporting Mentors

Strategic Mentor Matching Through the Four Support Areas

Sharicka explains how her district tackles new teacher turnover by training mentors in four distinct support areas—emotional, instructional, institutional, and physical—rather than just the emotional support most mentors default to. Using surveys, Clayton County strategically matches mentors based on their strengths and what each new teacher needs.

See Clayton's County's mentor/mentee matching survey

‍

‍The Right Teacher, Not the Best Teacher

Erin shares what administrators should look for when selecting mentors.

‍

Supporting Mentors Without Overwhelming Them 

Sharicka explains how Clayton County uses lead mentors as ambassadors and creates professional learning communities so mentors aren't working in silos—helping them share strategies and support each other without adding more work to their plates.

‍

‍

Monitoring Progress and Proving Impact

Proving Program Impact 

With Data Erin shares how ND RISE uses retention data to make the case for continued legislative funding—and the compelling numbers that resonate with state legislators.

‍

‍Clear Expectations, Full Visibility 

Andria Schulte demonstrates how mentors in a Rockwood-inspired setup see their expectations organized by the stages of first-year teaching, giving coordinators real-time visibility into mentor progress and the ability to offer support before mentors fall behind

Connect with your regional KickUp Partnerships Manager to talk about how KickUp can bring structure, visibility, and accountability to your mentorship program.

‍

‍

‍These insights are just a snapshot of the full conversation. Join our LinkedIn group to connect with district leaders working on mentorship programs, access resources from our panelists, and stay updated on upcoming webinars.