According to a report by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, the average cost for a school district for each first year teacher that does not return the following year is $15,385. In an effort to retain new teachers, Dale Blackmon, Duval County Public Schools supervisor of the Teacher Induction Program, and
the entire team of district cadres who work with new teachers, developed the district's first Mentoring Academy.
The four-day academy, held over the summer at the Schultz Center, provided experienced teachers with the skills they need to mentor new teachers. Participants learned how to use the skills of effective mentors, identify the needs of the new teachers and provide support, and use various tools for formative assessment and continued growth of the beginning teachers.
The academy used the curriculum "Foundations in Mentoring" from the New Teacher Center at the University of California in Santa Cruz. Additionally, schools that previously participated in a district mentoring program displayed their successes with pictures and presentations.
District officials are planning to host another Mentoring Academy next summer, targeting the schools with high teacher turnover.
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