Teacher Educator and Mentoring

TEAM ( T EACHER E DUCATOR A ND M ENTORING) DISTRICT SUPPORT PLAN

WETHERSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

YEARS COVERED BY THIS PLAN 2011-2014

District Facilitator: Sally Dastoli

Interim Superintendent: Dr. Thomas McDowell

Revised April 2011 TEAM Coordinating Committee 2010-11: Sally Dastoli, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Timothy Howes - Director of Human Resources Michele Cirillo - English Teacher - Silas Deane Middle School Ashley Cole – Grade 1 Teacher – Charles Wright Elementary School Steve Cook – Principal – Silas Deane Middle School Marie Gray – Supervisor of Teaching and Learning Pauline Greer – Grade 6 Teacher – Webb Elementary School Pam Guida - Reading Consultant - Silas Deane Middle School Andrea Haas – Art Teacher – Wethersfield High School Maresa Harvey – Principal – Highcrest Elementary School Cynthia Hunt - Social Studies Teacher - Silas Deane Middle School Carol Paskiewicz - Teacher - Wethersfield High School Maria O’Rourke – Grade 1 Teacher – Charles Wright Elementary School Patty Wright – Reading Consultant – Charles Wright/Hanmer Elementary Schools

2 Table of Contents

The Mission of the TEAM Program...... 4 The Mission of Wethersfield Public Schools...... 4 Beliefs of the Wethersfield Public Schools...... 4 Wethersfield School District’s TEAM Support Plan...... 5 I. Wethersfield’s Three Year Team Objectives and Supporting Activities...... 5 II. Wethersfield’s TEAM Coordinating Committee (TCC)...... 6 III. Process to Select and Recruit TEAM Mentors...... 7 IV. Process for Reviewing Reflection Papers...... 8 V. Process for Collecting Beginning Teachers Two-Year Support Plans and Ensuring Collaboration on Professional Growth Action Plan (PGAP) and TEAM Modules...... 8 VI. Procedures for Handling Special Circumstances...... 10 VII. Process for Providing Resources Necessary for Supporting TEAM Activities...... 10 VIII. Year-end Evaluation...... 11 APPENDIX A...... 12 T E A M Mentor Application...... 13 Summer Letter - Mentors...... 14 Mentor Letter...... 15 Mentor Thank You Letter...... 16 TEAM MENTOR STIPEND AUTHORIZATION FORM...... 17 APPENDIX B...... 18 NEW TEACHER SURVEY...... 19 Summer Letter - New Teachers...... 19 Category 2 letter...... 21 Category 1 letter...... 23 TEAM TWO-YEAR BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT PLAN TIMELINE...... 25 Please submit this plan to the Director of Curriculum and Instruction (TEAM District Facilitator) within 30 days of your entry date into the classroom...... 25 BT Completion Letter...... 26

3 The Mission of the TEAM Program To promote excellence, equity and higher achievement for Connecticut students by engaging teachers in purposeful exploration of practice through guided support and personal reflection.

The Mission of Wethersfield Public Schools Education in Wethersfield is the shared responsibility of schools, students, families, and other community agencies working together so that Wethersfield students may realize their full potential. Accordingly, the mission of the Wethersfield Public Schools is to ensure that all students will: ● Acquire skills and knowledge for life-long learning, enabling them to compete in a global economy; ● Develop a positive sense of self, enabling them to set high expectations; ● Develop self-discipline and function as responsible citizens of society; and ● Develop and understand their ethical, cultural, aesthetic, and intellectual values and respect those of others.

Beliefs of the Wethersfield Public Schools The Wethersfield Board of Education believes that: ● All Wethersfield students should be educated in a safe and secure learning environment that provides appropriate facilities, personnel, and programs; ● The curricula of the Wethersfield schools should be designed, implemented, and assessed to enable all students to realize their full potential; ● While the schools bear the primary responsibility for the formal education of Wethersfield youth, the family and the community share in that responsibility. To meet that common obligation, the Wethersfield schools should foster a partnership with the community; ● All educational programs should be operated in a fiscally responsible manner; ● The Wethersfield schools should employ and train personnel who will meet the instructional needs of students; and ● All educational programs and services should incorporate current practices and contemporary research, materials, and equipment.

4 Wethersfield School District’s TEAM Support Plan

I. Wethersfield’s Three Year Team Objectives and Supporting Activities

Objective: Develop and support the TEAM Program

Supporting Activities:  Appoint K-12 teachers and administrators to the TEAM Coordinating Committee (TCC) and establish process for appointing new members;  Establish meeting times, roles and responsibilities, and procedures for TCC;  Develop a “TEAM in Wethersfield” booklet, outlining TEAM support in the district, for new teachers who will be participating in TEAM;  Update policies and procedures relevant to TEAM;  Review TEAM mentor list to ensure a representation of different content areas and grade levels;  Schedule and/or provide opportunities for teachers and administrators to be TEAM trained (i.e. update training, administrator overview, mentor training, and reviewer training);  Identify and recruit additional mentors to meet district needs; and  Develop a feedback mechanism to monitor TEAM program effectiveness (i.e. online surveys, exit interviews).

Objective: Support beginning teachers to ensure professional growth, development, and retention

Supporting Activities:  Survey new hires to better understand their previous experience and professional development needs;  Assign mentors to beginning teachers within a month of their hire date;  Provide staff training and professional development to meet TEAM requirements and address new teachers’ needs;  Provide on-going systematic professional learning opportunities for new teachers and mentors;  Update the New Teacher Institute to include the following: . An overview of the TEAM program requirements; . An overview of district core areas; . A baseline CCT performance profile self-assessment; . A professional development schedule for new staff matched to district initiatives;

5  Provide timelines (TEAM Two Year Support Plan Timeline – Appendix) to assist beginning teachers and mentors with the planning of professional growth activities related to the TEAM modules, so that year one (1) and two (2) induction will include: . Monthly district support meetings for mentors and beginning teachers; . Regularly scheduled meetings between mentor and mentee; and . Release time provided for classroom observations. . Support teachers in videotaping and critiquing recorded lessons.

Objective: Support and develop a representative K-12 team of effective and knowledgeable TEAM Mentors

Supporting Activities:  Provide staff training and professional development to meet TEAM requirements; and  Recruit new mentors for initial TEAM and/or reviewer training.

II. Wethersfield’s TEAM Coordinating Committee (TCC)

The TEAM Coordinating Committee will consist of: . District TEAM Facilitator (DF); . Director of Human Resources; . One (1) principal; . A maximum of nine (9) TEAM mentors with at least one (1) from each of the elementary, middle and high school levels; . One (1) new teacher currently participating in TEAM; . One (1) teacher who has successfully completed the TEAM requirements in the last three (3) years; . At least one (1) Instructional Supervisor and up to two (2) Instructional Supervisors; . A WFT union representative; and . Up to three (3) additional members assigned by the District Facilitator.

Selection to the committee will be based on the recommendations of building principals. Criteria for selection will be based on recent (within past three years) training and mentoring experience.

All TEAM Coordinating Committee members will serve a rotating three (3) year term with the exception of the District Facilitator and Director of Human Resources. The rotation will be such that at all times at least three (3) TCC members will have had previous experience with the committee.

The TCC will establish a monthly schedule for after school meetings to review and oversee the implementation of the district TEAM plan.

6 The District TEAM Facilitator will meet with the Superintendent no later than February 1, each year, to provide an update of TEAM activities, including the progress of new teachers completing modules.

III. Process to Select and Recruit TEAM Mentors

In order to have qualified, trained mentors at the elementary, middle and high school levels, Wethersfield will select mentors using the following process:

1. Teachers will be invited to participate in the mentor program based upon five (5) years of teaching experience and tenure in Wethersfield. They should have at least three (3) years of experience in their current grade level or content area specialty and the recommendation of their building administrator;

2. All interested teachers will complete the Mentor Application (see appendix A) stating their interest in serving as both a mentor to beginning teachers and as a cooperating teacher to student teachers. Although mentors will not be required to take on both a student teacher and a beginning teacher in the same year, the district will expect a trained mentor to serve in either role for a minimum of one (1) year. An administrator recommendation is required as part of the mentor application process;

3. The district facilitator and/or the TCC will review the mentor applications annually and select teachers to be trained as mentors. Teachers will be selected to serve as mentors based upon their interest and experience, recommendation of their building administrator, and their grade level and content area;

4. The district will budget for mentor training for teachers who accept the responsibility of mentorship, and seek opportunities to collaborate with surrounding districts and CREC to update mentors on best practices and essential knowledge. Newly appointed mentors will be provided with Initial Support Teacher Training. The district will also plan for subsequent update training of mentors every three (3) years;

5. The district facilitator in collaboration with the building principal(s) will assign mentors to beginning teachers to match as closely as possible grade level and teaching assignments. Whenever it is possible, beginning teachers will be assigned a mentor in their same building assignment; and

6. The district facilitator will upon the hire of a beginning teacher send a letter of introduction to the new teacher and his or her assigned mentor. Whenever possible, this letter will be sent over the summer to provide the beginning teacher support as soon as possible.

7 IV. Process for Reviewing Reflection Papers

Wethersfield will participate in the Regional Review Process.

The criteria and process for selecting individuals to review reflection papers will be as follows: 1. Mentors and administrators who have participated in TEAM initial or update training will be considered in the selection of reviewers to participate in the regional review; 2. Consideration will be given first to active mentors, their current grade level and teaching assignment, and previous experience in the TEAM program; 3. Reviewers will participate in the reviewer training prior to reviewing papers and will receive update trainings in subsequent years; 4. If more reviewers are needed, Wethersfield will survey all mentors to determine interest in being trained and serving as a reviewer the following year; 5. Reviewers selected to participate in the review process are expected to review approximately five (5) to seven (7) papers as part of the regional review committee. This will include:  Reviewing papers from outside the Wethersfield school district;  Reviewers will be paid one (1) hour (contracted curriculum hourly rate) for completing the on-line reviewer requirements for each TEAM reflection paper reviewed and submitted;  Reviewers will select papers to review through the ctteam.org website; and  Reviewers are also expected to attend one (1) to two (2) after school meetings to provide informal feedback to teachers working on their reflection papers.

V. Process for Collecting Beginning Teachers Two-Year Support Plans and Ensuring Collaboration on Professional Growth Action Plan (PGAP) and TEAM Modules

Collection of Beginning Teacher’s support plans will occur as follows: 1. The beginning teachers and mentor will arrange a meeting with the building administrator to review the Beginning Teacher’s two-year support plan timeline (see appendix) within thirty (30) calendar days from the start of the school year. For teachers hired after the start of the school year, plans will be reviewed within thirty (30) days of hire; and 2. The new TEAM teacher will forward the plans to the District Facilitator.

8 To ensure that mentors and beginning teachers are working together to complete the beginning teacher’s Professional Growth Action Plan (PGAP), and are participating in the module process, the following will occur: 1. Beginning teachers will communicate with the building administrator approximate dates that the PGAPs for a given module will be ready to share and discuss; 2. The building administrator will review beginning teacher and mentor progress and, if deemed necessary, address concerns with both parties; 3. The building administrator will meet with the beginning teacher and mentor at least four (4) times during the school year to facilitate the sharing of professional growth activities, successes, resources, and/or to facilitate professional development related for new teachers; 4. TCC will provide supportive professional development to help new teachers with the module process; and 5. The District Facilitator will meet with the Superintendent no later than February 1 each year to provide an update of TEAM activities, including the progress of Beginning Teachers completing Modules.

The Beginning Teacher timeline will adhere to the State Department of Education's schedule for module completion. The TCC recommends that the first module be completed no later than January 1st of each school year. In addition, the TCC recommends the following schedule for module completion:

 If a TEAM participant has two (2) modules to complete in a year, it is recommended that the modules are completed by: . January 1 . May 1

 If a TEAM participant has three (3) modules to complete in a year, it is recommended that the modules are completed by: . December 1 . February 1 . May 1

 If a TEAM participant enters the TEAM program midyear, it is recommended that the modules are completed by: . May 1 (year 1) . December 1 (year 2) . February 1 (year 2)

. May 1 (year 2)

9 . December 1 (year 3)

VI. Procedures for Handling Special Circumstances

The procedure for dissolving mentor/mentee placements will be as follows: 1. Mentor or mentee who believes the match is ineffective will meet first with their building administrator, and/or seek representation or support from a TCC member or union representative, to explore possible resolutions to the situation; and 2. If the situation is not resolved the building administrator will consult the DF.

Requests for special accommodations will be submitted in writing to and reviewed by the District TEAM Facilitator on a case-by-case basis.

______

VII. Process for Providing Resources Necessary for Supporting TEAM Activities

Resources, time, and opportunities needed for beginning teachers and mentors to experience success are supported as follows:  New teachers to Wethersfield will be provided a district introduction and professional development transition support for up to five (5) additional days beyond the contracted year;  Beginning teachers and mentors will be able to request substitute coverage for meetings and classroom visitations for up to four (4) days of release time over the two (2) year period (substitute budget);  Schools will provide video recording equipment and support so that teachers can videotape lessons and critique with mentor or another teacher leader;  Teachers will be provided substitute coverage, as appropriate, in order to attend TEAM training and /or serve on module review committees;  Teachers will have the opportunity to attend initial or mentor update training in TEAM;  Teachers interested in serving as a module reviewer will be provided the appropriate training;  As appropriate, teachers will participate in any in-house training/ district professional development opportunities that are available;  Teachers will have access to online resources including webinars, videos, and journals from www . ctteam .org ;  Mentors will be funded through the state budget; and

10  Reviewers will be compensated for scoring reflections papers through the district budget.

While the district has limited resources, as has been done previously, to the extent possible the district will budget for mentor training and support in the Title IIA grant and/or the district budget.

VIII. Year-end Evaluation At the end of each year, the District Facilitator will complete the Annual Activity Report, which will be given to the Superintendent. This report will serve to evaluate the implementation of the three-year plan annually to inform changes as necessary for the following year. The Annual Activity Report is a culminating report and is not part of the three-year support plan but informs future plans.

11 APPENDIX A

12 WETHERSFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT T E A M Mentor Application

NAME: ______DATE: ______

Current Teaching Assignment: ______School: ______

Certification (Please list all endorsements): ______

How many years of teaching experience do you have? ______

Do you have tenure in the Wethersfield School District? Y N

The expectation is that trained mentors will help to support either beginning teachers or student teachers. Are you willing to provide support to both beginning teachers and student teachers? Y N

In order to help the TEAM Coordinating Committee and/or the District Facilitator select candidates for TEAM mentor positions, please respond to the following questions. If you need more space, you may attach your responses to this application.

1. Why do you want to be a mentor for beginning teachers? ______

2. What experiences have you had that will help you in this role? ______

Administrator approval of the application:

______Name Signature Building Date

13 Summer Letter - Mentors

Dear ______

Thank you for agreeing to mentor a new teacher during the coming school year! I appreciate your willingness to help mentor a new teacher and assist them with their professional growth goals.

The TEAM (Connecticut’s Teacher Education And Mentoring) Program Guidelines identify the following mentor responsibilities: ● Each mentor is required to provide minimally 50 contact hours to each beginning teacher over the course of the five-module program or 20 hours for the two-module program. This reflects an expectation of providing approximately 10 hours of support per module. ● Mentors must attend appropriate trainings in order to be able to guide their mentees through the professional growth module process.

In addition, TEAM guidelines also explain how mentors qualify for stipends: ● Each mentor is required to provide a minimum of 50 contact hours to each beginning teacher over the beginning teacher’s two years, with the expectation of providing approximately 10 contact hours per module. ● Mentors will receive a $500 dollar annual stipend for each beginning teacher to whom they provide mentorship for the majority of a school year (assigned to a beginning teacher with a September 1 entry date). Mentors who are assigned to a beginning teacher with a February 15 entry date will be eligible for a $250 stipend. ● Mentors must be TEAM trained to serve as a mentor and to be eligible for the mentor stipend.

Your assigned mentee is ______Phone Number: ______Email: ______

I am encouraging you to contact your mentee as soon as possible to help him or her transition to the Wethersfield School District. New teachers often have a multitude of questions and having someone that they can turn to for answers can make them feel a part of our school community and have a successful start to the school year.

An informational session for mentees and mentors will be scheduled for early in the school year to review the TEAM process and expectations.

I want to personally thank you for mentoring a new teacher. It is very important that we have high quality support and mentoring for our new teachers. I appreciate your willingness to share your time and expertise to support a new teacher.

Sincerely,

Sally Dastoli, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

14 Mentor Letter

Dear ______

Thank you for agreeing to mentor a new teacher during the 2011-12 school year! I appreciate your willingness to help mentor a new teacher and assist them with their professional growth goals.

You are invited to attend an informational meeting with your mentee, ______, on ______at 2:30 for high school and middle school teachers or at 3:30 for elementary teachers. Please RSVP to Pam Bongiovanni to let you know if you will attend.

Sincerely,

Sally Dastoli Director of Curriculum and Instruction

15 Mentor Thank You Letter

______, 2011

Dear _____,

On behalf of the Wethersfield Board of Education, I would like to thank you for serving as a mentor during the 2010-11 school year for a teacher participating in the TEAM (Teacher Education and Mentoring) program. I am aware that you have probably spent countless hours planning, discussing and supporting your mentee beyond the minimum contact hours required. Know that through your support and help our new teachers were able to participate in the new TEAM process successfully.

I also recognize that your collaboration with new teachers does not end once they have completed the TEAM requirements. It is great teachers like you that make Wethersfield Public Schools an outstanding learning community.

You will be issued your stipend of _____ after you submit the enclosed Team Mentor Stipend Authorization Form to my office.

Sincerely,

Sally Dastoli Director of Curriculum & Instruction

16 WETHERSFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT TEAM MENTOR STIPEND AUTHORIZATION FORM

The TEAM (Connecticut’s Teacher Education And Mentoring) Program Guidelines identify the following mentor responsibilities that need to be satisfied for stipends:

● Each mentor is required to provide minimally 50 contact hours to each beginning teacher over the course of the five-module program or 20 hours for the two-module program. This reflects an expectation of providing approximately 10 hours of support per module. ● Mentors must attend appropriate trainings in order to be able to guide their mentees through the professional growth module process.

Mentors will receive a $500 dollar annual stipend for each beginning teacher to whom they provide mentorship for the majority of a school year (assigned to a beginning teacher with a September 1 entry date). Mentors who are assigned to a beginning teacher with a February 15 entry date will be eligible for a $250 stipend. Mentors who provide at least 10 hours of support for only one module will be eligible for a $250 stipend.

Mentors must be TEAM trained to serve as a mentor and to be eligible for the mentor stipend.

Name: ______

Mentee: ______

TEAM Entry Date – Circle one: September or February School Year: ______

My signature certifies that I completed all of the requirements listed above with my mentee.

______Mentor Signature Date

My signature indicates that I have monitored the activities of this mentor and mentee and agree that all activities were conducted as required.

______Principal Signature Date

Authorization for payment:

______Director of Curriculum & Instruction Signature Date cc: Director of Human Resources & Financial Operations Payroll (95081022-61112) Amount to be paid: ______$500 ______$250

17 {curric/new drive/TEAM/TEAM2010-2011/Mentor Stipend Authorization Form} Revised 1/26/11

18 APPENDIX B

19 WETHERSFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT NEW TEACHER SURVEY

Congratulations on your appointment as a teacher to the Wethersfield School District! In order to determine your needs for the TEAM process and/or first five (5) days of your contract year, please complete the following survey.

Name: ______School: ______Subject area: ______Grade level: ______Date:______

What is your current certification level? ______

TEAM Status: ____ I will be beginning ____ I have partially completed the requirements ____ I have completed TEAM requirements ____ Other: Explain ______

______

Have you been tenured in another school district? Y N

How many years of teaching experience do you have? ______

Have you been trained as a TEAM mentor? Y N

To help plan for the New Teacher Initiation Training in August, please check the following areas if you are unfamiliar with or need training in these programs:

____ DRA2 (elementary schools) ____ Performance Plus ____ UbD (Understanding by Design) ____ Readers/Writers Workshop Model ____ District Curriculum ____ Differentiation ____ Performance Tasks ____ Common Formative Assessments ____ Power Schools ____ Responsive Classroom (elementary schools) ____ SRBI ____ ELL Strategies ____ Smart Board Technology ____ Other: ______

Please return the completed form as soon as possible via email to [email protected] or to Director of Curriculum and Instruction Stillman Building, 127 Hartford Avenue, Wethersfield, CT 06109

20 Summer Letter - New Teachers

Dear ______

First, let me welcome you to the Wethersfield School District. We are excited to have you begin your career as a Wethersfield School teacher.

As part of the TEAM process, you have been assigned a mentor for the coming school year. You should expect to hear from him or her soon, but you are also encouraged to contact your mentor if you have any questions.

Your assigned mentor is ______Phone: ______Email: ______

You are expected to attend New Teacher Initiation training on the following dates: ______from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. At this time, we will review important information regarding teaching in the Wethersfield School district.

Enjoy the rest of your summer. I look forward to seeing you on ______.

Sincerely,

Sally Dastoli Director of Curriculum and Instruction

21 Category 2 letter

Office of Curriculum & Instruction 127 Hartford Avenue Wethersfield, CT 06109 Tel. 860-571-8142 – Fax: 860-571-8128

Thomas Y. McDowell, Ed.D. Sally Dastoli Interim Superintendent of Schools Director of Curriculum & Instruction

TO: ______ENTRY DATE: September 1, 2010

FROM: Sally Dastoli, Director of Curriculum and Instruction TEAM District Facilitator DATE: October 19, 2010 SUBJECT: TEAM Registration Confirmation

Welcome to the TEAM Program.

As a teacher serving under an initial educator certificate, interim initial educator certificate or 90- day certificate, you are required to participate in the TEAM Program. TEAM has been designed as a program of support and professional growth that provides a four step module process that will enable you to examine a small slice of your teaching practice with the goal of eliciting a positive outcome for yourself as a teacher as well as for your students. There are five separate modules. They are aligned to Domains 2-6 of Connecticut’s Common Core of Teaching.

Because you are certified and teaching in one of the following endorsement areas: business education, vocational agriculture, agriculture, home economics, technology education, partially sighted, hearing impaired, blind, marketing educator, occupational subjects in technical high schools, trade and industrial occupations in a comprehensive high school, health occupations – comprehensive high school, health occupations – technical high schools and unique endorsements in dance, theater and Montessori, you are required to participate in Category 2, the Two Module Program (see the TEAM Participation Timeline Chart enclosed).

Participation in this category requires the completion of two modules (of your choice from modules 1-4) during the 2010-11 school year. You may select two of the following four modules to complete: modules #1 - Classroom Environment, #2 – Planning, #3 - Instruction, and #4 - Assessment.

22 Although this schedule is recommended, you will be given a full two years from your entry date (as noted at the top of this letter) to complete the requirements of the TEAM Program. (Please refer to Entry Dates for Beginning Teachers attached for details regarding entry date assignment.)

You have been assigned a mentor to assist you throughout this process. Your mentor’s name is:______

We have scheduled an introduction to the TEAM Program for November 4, 2010, Stillman Building, Lower Level Meeting Room. Secondary teachers will meet at 2:30 p.m. and elementary teachers will meet at 3:30 p.m.

You will also find resources and information on the TEAM website at: www . ctteam .org. In order for you to participate in TEAM, you must sign-up as a USER on ctteam.org to create an account. Your mentor will sign-up as well. You will then be able to access the Module Workspace that will allow you to begin work on a Professional Growth Module (sign-up directions are also enclosed).

As TEAM District Facilitator for Wethersfield, I am your first contact regarding information on TEAM or questions about your status. I may be reached by email or at 860-571-8142.

PLEASE RETURN THE TEACHER SUPPORT PLAN TIMELINE TO ME BY 11/4.

Enclosure: TEAM Participation Timeline Chart for Category 2 Entry Dates for Beginning Teachers How to Sign-Up on CTTEAM.org Instructions

{curric/newdrive/TEAM/TEAM2010-2011/category2 letter-final}

23 Category 1 letter

Office of Curriculum & Instruction 127 Hartford Avenue Wethersfield, CT 06109 Tel. 860-571-8142 – Fax: 860-571-8128 Sally Dastoli Thomas Y. McDowell, Ed.D. Director of Curriculum & Instruction Interim Superintendent of Schools

TO: ______ENTRY DATE: September 1, 2010 FROM: Sally Dastoli, Director of Curriculum and Instruction TEAM District Facilitator DATE: October 19, 2010 SUBJECT: TEAM Registration Confirmation

Welcome to the TEAM Program.

Because you are certified and teaching in one of the following endorsement areas: bilingual education, elementary education, English language arts, health, mathematics, science, social studies special education, music, physical education, visual arts, world languages and teachers of English as a second language, you are required to participate in Category 1, the Five Module Program (see the TEAM Participation Timeline Chart enclosed). Participation in this category requires the completion of the five modules over two years by completing modules #1 - Classroom Environment and #2 – Planning, in year one; and modules #3 - Instruction, #4 - Assessment and #5 - Professional Responsibility, in year two. Although this schedule is recommended, you will be given a full three years from your entry date (as noted at the top of this letter) to complete the requirements of the TEAM Program. (Please refer to Entry Dates for Beginning Teachers attached for details regarding entry date assignment.)

You have been assigned a mentor to assist you throughout this process. Your mentor’s name is: ______

24 We have scheduled an introduction to the TEAM Program for November 4, 2010, Stillman Building, Lower Level Meeting Room. Secondary teachers will meet at 2:30 p.m. and elementary teachers will meet at 3:30 p.m.

As TEAM District Facilitator for Wethersfield, I am your first contact regarding information on TEAM or questions about your status. I may be reached by email or at 860-571-8142.

PLEASE RETURN THE TEACHER SUPPORT PLAN TIMELINE TO ME BY 11/4.

Enclosure: TEAM Participation Timeline Chart Entry Dates for Beginning Teachers How to Sign-Up on CTTEAM.org Instructions

{curric/newdrive/TEAM/TEAM2010-2011/category 1, 5 modules letter-final}

25 WETHERSFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT TEAM TWO-YEAR BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT PLAN TIMELINE

Date: ______

Name of Beginning Teacher: ______School: ______Subject area: ______Grade level: ______

Name of Mentor: ______Mentor’s School and Grade Level: ______

Anticipated timeline of participation: Entry date in classroom: ______Number of Modules Required: ______TEAM “Entry Date”: ______September 1 (hired on or before Oct. 31 of this school year) ______February 15 (hired between Nov. 1 and Feb. 14)

First TEAM participation year: Circle Modules (at least two required) that will be completed this year:  Classroom Environment, Student Engagement, and Commitment to Learning  Planning for Active Learning  Instruction for Active Learning  Assessment for Learning  Professional Responsibilities

Second TEAM participation year: Circle modules that will be completed in the following school year:  Classroom Environment, Student Engagement, and Commitment to Learning  Planning for Active Learning  Instruction for Active Learning  Assessment for Learning  Professional Responsibilities

Please indicate below if it is anticipated that a third year will be needed due to any extenuating circumstances, such as a planned leave of absence (ie. Maternity leave, planned medical leave, midyear hire): ______

Beginning Teacher: ______Date: ______Mentor: ______Date: ______Building Administrator: ______Date: ______

Please submit this plan to the Director of Curriculum and Instruction (TEAM District Facilitator) within 30 days of your entry date into the classroom.

26 BT Completion Letter

Dear ______,

On behalf of the Wethersfield Board of Education, I would like to congratulate you for completing the TEAM (Teacher Education and Mentoring) program requirements. As the first group to complete a full module, I recognize that you have worked extra diligently through the new TEAM process. I also know that in order to complete the final TEAM reflection paper you have spent countless hours planning, discussing, reflecting and documenting your growth and your teaching practice.

Although TEAM is now behind you, having a strong desire to improve your instruction and the ability to reflect on your teaching will enable you to become successful teachers here in Wethersfield. I look forward to hearing from you, community members and other administrators about all the great things you continue to share with the students in Wethersfield.

Sincerely,

Sally Dastoli Director of Curriculum & Instruction

District Curriculum Office\TEAM\TCC 2010-11\TEAM District SupportPlan_WethersfieldApril 19 2011