District 15 welcomes 60 new teachers
District 15's two-week New Teacher Orientation program began Monday, Aug. 1, at Carl Sandburg Junior High, and is providing 60 new teachers many opportunities to get to know the district's education program, its staff, and its community.
The program kicked off Monday morning with a welcome from Scott Thompson, Ed.D., superintendent of schools. Then the District 15 board of education hosted its annual New Teacher Luncheon on Tuesday.
Most of the district's New Teacher Orientation program is comprised of a variety of carefully planned seminars, workshops and training sessions that provide new teachers essential information for beginning their District 15 careers.
Sessions cover such topics as math, literacy, and science instruction, components of response to intervention (RTI) and positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), special education and second language programs and instructional technology.
The program also introduces new teachers to the mentors provided for them through the district's mentor/induction program, and provides them with time to work both independently and with their mentors, principals and other professional colleagues in their classrooms and school buildings in preparation for the first day of school on Wednesday, Aug. 17.
These mentor-mentee relationships will carry on throughout the entire school year as a means of supporting the new teachers as they begin their careers in education.
"It is our hope that our mentor/induction program will provide meaningful information and support to help our new teachers continue on their learning journey as education professionals," said Benicia Colon, New Teacher Induction facilitator.
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