Checklist and General Timelines for Your First Year

Mentor – Mentee Activities Checklist and General Timelines

Introduction/Welcome From the start, please engage in regular check-ins. Take turns to set up more structured times activities for mentoring partnership that will occur throughout the school year. Use your Time and Activity Log to document and track your joint mentor – mentee activities. This form can be downloaded from the ISD Distirct 287 online mentor program resources.

First week Back to School

Connect with and welcome new staff first week back

Participate in Program or Site new staff activities

First Weeks

Engage in regular check-ins / dialogues with mentor / mentee

Initial inservicing on pertinent site and district information

 Site Handbook – parking, bathrooms, smoking, etc.  Review/answer questions re: job description, email access, phone, lunch breaks, mail  AESOP  Complete On-line Mandated Trainings  Fill out Circle of Support form  MA Billing/Easy IEP (in Special Education)  Van Trip Logs  Community Image  Serving and Supporting Students  Transcripts received within 30 days

Get to know the students you will be serving through file review

Familiarize mentee with program curriculum, scope and sequence, how to / where to access it, instructional / implementation strategies

Connect mentee with program / site staff and their special interests, knowledge and resources to share

Review Self Care Tips – (at the end of this checklist) Discuss other ideas you may have for healthy self care

Review district’s online forms and activities that both of you determine would be useful or meaningful Use Time and Activity Log to document and track your joint mentor activities – for mentors, this is necessary for receiving your stipend – submit to mentor lead by May 15 (can download this form on district’s online mentor information and resources section)

First Month - September

Participate in September’s Mentor – Mentee Activity

Check-in with questions, concerns, and any feedback after participating in the mentor-mentee activity

287 Who’s Who – complete the “My Circle of Support” “sheet – download online form

Review 287 forms and procedures

Discuss Professional Learning Communities by using online information on district website – located under Staff Development

Special Education IEP and Data Collection (use one of the students you serve to learn / review)

Special Education Behavior Intervention Plans and Social Learning Profiles (forms on Special Education web page)

October

Participate in October’s Mentor – Mentee Activity

Continue to check in on a regular basis re: information, questions, concerns and any feedback after participating in the mentor-mentee activity

Teaming Process – review basic information about working as a team in serving students and their families

Check in on PLC team and individual goals - revisit and review, see what is needed

Review and discuss implementation / application after a shared inservice / learning opportunity. (see Implementation Tools for Staff Development) How will you use the information following a shared learning opportunity? Decide how the two of you can apply the learning at a site, program, district level.

Use Time and Activity Log to document and track your joint mentor activities – for mentors, this is necessary for receiving your stipend – submit to mentor lead by May 15 (can download this form on district’s online mentor information and resources section) November

Participate in November’s Mentor – Mentee Activity

Check-in with information, questions, concerns and any feedback after participating in the mentor-mentee activity

In Special Education Programs review and discuss various disabilities and disorders

Consider impact of medications on student learning if applicable

Review philosophy regarding teaching and learning in your program and review/discuss two or three pertinent instructional areas, curriculum, assessment tools.

December & January

Participate in December’s Mentor – Mentee Activity: Touch-base session with Supervisor, Program Facilitator and Mentor Lead

Revisit PLC team and individual goals and progress

Create and engage in a joint rejuvenating activity as mentor-mentee partners

Check in on Professional Development options: what they can do, access to broaden their knowledge and expand their experience base.

Participate in January’s Mentor – Mentee Activity

Use Time and Activity Log to document and track your joint mentor activities – for mentors, this is necessary for receiving your stipend – submit to mentor lead by May 15 (can download this form on district’s online mentor information and resources section) February

Participate in February’s Mentor – Mentee Activity

Review at least two more instructional areas, resources, assessment tools

Review other electronic or hard copy curriculum resources

Engage in ongoing dialogue and support regarding professional development

Participate in March’s Mentor – Mentee Activity

Check in on PLC activities and individual and team learning, what is yet to do; what resources are needed, what has been accomplished

Track and record using Professional Development Log other non-PLC professional development activities

Create and engage in a joint rejuvenating activity as mentor-mentee partners

Use Time and Activity Log to document and track your joint mentor activities – for mentors, this is necessary for receiving your stipend – submit to mentor lead by May 15 (can download this form on district’s online mentor information and resources section)

Participate in April’s Mentor – Mentee Activity: Touch-base session with Supervisor, Program Facilitator and Mentor Lead

Engage in reflection on the year, your experiences and how things are aligning with tapping mentee’s knowledge, interests, gifts, talents and passions.

Review 287 Programs and who to contact if desired

Give feedback to Mentor Leads for continual program improvements May

Participate in May’s Mentor – Mentee Activity

Review your Mentor-Mentee partnership – what worked / what didn’t / what learned / goals for next year based on this year

Celebrate your journey of learning with and from each other!

Use Time and Activity Log to document and track your joint mentor activities – for mentors, this is necessary for receiving your stipend – submit to mentor lead by May 15 (can download this form on district’s online mentor information and resources section) Self Care Tips

o Know it is initially appropriate and expected of you to say “I don’t know” and “I need help.”

o It is important for you to take your 30 minute lunch break. You are better for it and so are the staff and students that you work with and serve each and everyday.

o Take a step back when you feel the need. In an emotionally charged situation ask another staff to take your spot or take a few minutes’ breather while another staff monitors and supports the student(s).

o Let others know your interests, strengths, gifts and talents. We all have something to contribute.

o Take time to reflect, journal and dialogue with your colleagues. It allows you to move to a health perspective and keeps you in a more caring and objective place.

o Encourage or participate in “Taking 5 or 10” after students leave. These few minutes to debrief about the day can increase your understanding, expand your knowledge and perspective and help you leave work in a more healthy and enriched state of mind.

o Clarify – don’t make assumptions. Communicate directly with those involved. Third partying or gossiping erodes teams and their ability to effectively function in a manner that best serves our students and their families.

o Be an advocate for yourself. ASK who, what, where and how to get what you need – information, skill development and resources. Student success depends on me!

Other Ideas that work for me: