Increase the Retention of Fully-Certified Special ...€¦ · Web viewMaria Nahmias maintains regular follow up for collaboration for retention by meetings, email and calls with

Increase the Retention of Fully-Certified Special

Education Personnel through Staff Development,

Coaching, and Mentoring within School Districts

2007-20081

Sunnyside Unified School District

2

A. UA/Mentoring 1. Sunnyside Unified School District

3

Describe the Sunnyside Unified School District Mentoring Partnership.

Sunnyside Unified School District has a mentoring program in place for all special education teachers, including new teachers in their first three years. Our partnership is based on communications with and meetings with the School District Administrators, Special Education directors, assistants, and mentors. We collaborated and partnered to provide additional mentoring, as requested, for some teachers in Sunnyside School District.

Each year, we contact the district in August or September and accept teacher mentee nominations. We follow up with mentoring and support to retain these highly qualified teachers in special education.

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA (Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers.

Describe evidence (include logs, outlines, contact lists, and student lists).

Elia Soler Mentored in 2007- 2008 Maria Nahmias and Sue Tillis

See attached logs, teacher and administrator contact lists and mentee lists.

See 2008 Reports.

SASEA Meeting September 25, 2008

Monica OneFeather -Mentor


4

List mentors for Sunnyside Unified School District.UA Mentors:Maria NahmiasMonica One Feather

Sunnyside Mentors:

Toni Sparks HopkinsSue Tillis


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents

Emails

Mentor / Mentee Site Visit Mileage Logs for MN


5

List mentees for Sunnyside Unified School District.

Mentee Teachers: (2)

Elia S.Juan C. (In Sunnyside this year)





6

Describe the process in place to retain mentors.To retain the mentors in Sunnyside Unified School District, the school district is responsible. Our partnership and collaboration is a retention aide as well.

To retain mentors from UA mentoring project, support, professional development, assistance, and mentoring by project director, Maria L. Nahmias, provides a process to retain mentors in this district, as well as funds from the ADE –UA Mentoring Project Budget to support the mentor(s). In 2007-2008, Monica OneFeather was a mentor; Maria Nahmias was also a mentor..

Conferences and papers are reviewed and shared among mentors at professional development meetings.

Weekly mentoring meetings are held on Tuesdays for the UA Teacher Mentoring Project. These are held in Dr. Maria Nahmias’ office.

Certificates of appreciation were prepared.



7

Describe the process in place to retain mentees.


Regular Communication and Visits

Annual Electronic newsletter with Website link began in September 2008

Email and Telephone Communications or contact at regular intervals between mentee and mentor

Emails re: Conferences, Professional development Workshops and Speakers

Website sent to mentees at least two times per year, newly updated.

Documents on Website available and updated

Coaching and Mentoring regarding challenges and solutions; Support in teaching, assessment, certifications and more

Promote professional development participation for retention and success as a Sped teacher

Communication with School District mentor(s) and administrators re: mentee teachers


Emails, Logs, Contact Lists, Mentee Lists, School District Partner Lists.

Appointment books and E-calendars for MN.


8

Describe the Sunnyside Unified School District site visits and follow up support plan.

Regular communication with mentee teacher, mentor in district, UA Mentor.

When Available, in person or electronic follow up.

Mentoring Project Forms used when appropriate for school visits and observations.


See Teacher Recruitment flyer, 2008-2009


9

Describe the workshops/presentations for Sunnyside Unified School District mentors and/or mentees.

Workshop by Maria NahmiasSpecial Education State Personnel nal .Development Mentor Conference planned .

Mentor Survey drafted by Maria Nahmias and Jody Attaway. See Portfolio.


See Workshop and Presentation Flyers, Emails

Tucson Unified School District

10

A. UA/Mentoring 2. Tucson Unified School District

11

Describe the Tucson Unified School District Mentoring Partnership.

Tucson Unified School District has comprehensive teacher mentoring programs in place for all special education teachers, including new teachers in their first three years. These endeavors are cooperatively administered by the Director of Exceptional Education and the Human Resources Departments of Tucson Unified School District.

We meet with these administrators annually now, to determine the scope of our collaborative partnership. Our partnership is based on communications and meetings with the School District Administrators, Exceptional Education directors, assistants, professional development coordinators, and mentors. We collaborated and partner to provide additional mentoring, as requested, for some teachers in Tucson Unified School District.

It is our understanding that the professional development of the mentors employed by Tucson Unified School District is conducted in conjunction with the Arizona K-12 Center and their workshops. This is at a cost to the district and supported by the Arizona K-12 Center for Teachers.

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA ( Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers.


Meetings with School District Administrators and Professional Development Personnel:

2008: Mary Neale, Exceptional Education PD Coordinator- August 2008 and January, 2008

2008: Lorraine St. Germaine, Director of Exceptional Education- September 2008

New Exceptional Education Teachers’ Orientation:

2008: See 2008 Reports.

Emails and Letter Communications to Disseminate Flyer and Website with Updates:

2008:See 2008 Reports.


12

List mentors for Tucson Unified School District. UA Mentors:Dr. Maria L. Nahmias

Tucson Unified Mentors:Brenda HannaMary NealeOthers designated by School District in 2007-2008


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents and sign in Sheets at PD and new teacher orientations



13

List mentees for Tucson Unified School District. Mentee Teachers (6)Dave M.

Teresa P.Cass M.

Cara G.Autumn R.Lona C.


Mentor / Mentee Word DocumentSheets


Mileage Logs and Forms submitted to UA


14

Describe the process in place to retain mentors.

To retain the professional development and district supported mentors in the Tucson Unified School District, the school district is responsible. Our partnership and collaboration is a retention aide as well. We do this by communicating and coordinating with the district provided mentors, offering support and collaborative efforts to retain teachers in exceptional education.

To retain mentors from UA mentoring project, support, professional development, assistance, and mentoring by project director, Maria Nahmias, as well as ADE, provides a process to retain mentors in this district, as well as funds from the ADE –UA Mentoring Project Budget to support the mentor(s).

Conferences and papers are reviewed and shared as part of Professional Development meetings.

Certificates of appreciation were prepared for Spring 2008.


Mentor / Mentee Word Document Sheets



15


Regular Communication and Visits Annual newsletter began in September 2008





Coaching and mentoring regarding challenges and solutions; Support in teaching, assessment, certifications and more




Mentor / Mentee Excel Data Sheets

Mentor / Mentee Site Visit Logs for MN

See October , 2008 Reports Attached Below


16

Describe the Tucson Unified School District site visits and follow up support plan.



17

Describe the workshops/presentations for Tucson Unified School District mentors and/or mentees.Workshop by Maria NahmiasArizona State Special Education Mentoring Conference2008 planned by all Mentoring Projects SPDG


Flowing Wells Unified School District

18

A. UA/Mentoring 3. Flowing Wells Unified School District

19

Describe the Flowing Wells Unified School District Mentoring Partnership.

Flowing Wells Unified School District has a mentoring program in place for all teachers, including new special education teachers in their first three years. Our partnership is based on communications with and meetings with the School District Administrators, Special Education directors, assistants, and mentors. We collaborated and partnered to provide additional mentoring, as requested, for some teachers in Flowing Wells School District.

Each year, we contact the district administrators in August or September and accept teacher mentee nominations. The Human resources director, Renee, is the former director of special education with whom our Project Director, Maria Nahmias, maintains contact. We follow up with mentoring and support to retain these highly qualified teachers in special education. Additionally, Email and telephone discussions, and a meeting in 2008 2010 are in place currently with the new Special Education Director, regarding mentoring program collaboration and workshops for professional development.

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA (Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers.




Sign –in Sheets at Site Visits

\


20

List mentors for Flowing Wells Unified School District.

UA Mentors:

Flowing Wells Mentors:

Others in Flowing Wells


Mentor / Mentee Word documentsSheets



21

List mentees for Flowing Wells Unified School District.Flowing Wells Mentee Teachers: (0)

None in 2007-2008

New Director of Special Education to be hired.

We plan to meet in 2009-2010. .



22


To retain the professional development and district supported mentors in the Flowing Wells School District, the school district is responsible. Our partnership and collaboration is a retention aide as well. We do this by communicating and coordinating with the district special ed. administrator, offering support and collaborative efforts to retain teachers in exceptional education.

To retain mentors from UA mentoring project, support, professional development, assistance, and mentoring by project director, Maria Nahmias, as well as ADE, provides a process to retain mentors in this district, as well as funds from the ADE –UA Mentoring Project Budget to support the mentor(s


Mileage Logs


23


Regular Communication and Visits -None in this year.

Email and Telephone Communications or contact at regular intervals between administrators, mentor





24

Describe the Flowing Wells Unified School District site visits and follow up support plan.

None planned until 2010-2011.


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents and Records on Mentor Mentee contacts, Orientation Program sign –in Sheets

Mentor / Mentee Site Visit and Mileage Logs for MN


25

Describe the workshops/presentations for Flowing Wells Unified School District mentors and/or mentees.


Amphitheater School District

26

A. UA/Mentoring 4. Amphitheater School District

27

Describe the Amphitheater School District Mentoring Partnership.

Amphitheater Unified School District has a mentoring program in place for all teachers, including new special education teachers in their first three years. Our partnership is based on communications with and meetings with the School District Administrators, Special Education directors, assistants, and mentors. We met with them semi-annually in 2007-2008. Dr. Maria Nahmias was invited and presented at August or September 2008 New Special Education Teacher orientation meetings in Amphitheater School District.

We ,may partnerto provide additional mentoring for some teachers in Amphitheater School District. This will occur at the discretion of the special education administrators.

Each year, we contact the district administrators in July, August or September and accept teacher mentee nominations. The Associate Superintendent, Pam Roberts, along with Ellen Schartz, is part of these meetings and planning conversations. Project Director, Maria Nahmias, maintains contact. We follow up with mentoring and support to retain these highly qualified teachers in special education. Additionally, Email and telephone discussions in 2007, and 2008 led to coordination in with Special Education Director, regarding mentoring and mentee teacher early career special educator professional development.

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA (Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA ( Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers.




See2007- 2008 Reports on Arizona Teacher Mentoring Project


28

List mentors for Amphitheater School District.

UA Mentors:Maria Nahmias

Amphi School District Mentors:

Ellen Schartz

Others in District


Mentor / Mentee Word Documentson Mentors, Mentees, Activities


Emails

Meeting Minutes for SASEA, AMPHI Orientations


29

List mentees for Amphitheater School District.

Mentees in Amphitheater School District: (2)

Autumn R

Brooke J.




E-mails


30


To retain the professional development and district supported mentors in the Tucson Unified School District, the school district is responsible. Our partnership and collaboration is a retention aide as well. We do this by communicating and coordinating with the School District Professional Development Specialists for Exceptional Education, Ellen Schartz and now, after her retirement, Pam Fenstamaker, 696-5095. District provided mentors are offered support and collaborative efforts to retain teachers in exceptional education.

To retain mentors from UA mentoring project, support, professional development, assistance, and mentoring by project director, Maria Nahmias, as well as ADE, provides a process to retain mentors in this district, as well as funds from the ADE –UA Mentoring Project Budget to support the mentor(s).

Conferences and papers are reviewed and shared as part of Professional Development meetings.


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents on Mentees and Activities, Sign –in Sheets


Southern Arizona SASEA Minutes, Agendas

Meeting Minutes

Mileage Logs to / from Amphi


31



Semi-Annual newsletter via email sent from School District Special Ed PD coordinator, Ellen Schartz











Emails


32

Describe the Amphitheater School District site visits and follow up support plan.



33

Describe the workshops/presentations for Amphitheater School District mentors and/or mentees.


Handout from workshop

Flyer on Presentation

Emails

Website Announcements

Altar Valley School District

34

A. UA/Mentoring 5. Altar Valley School District

35

Describe the Altar Valley School District Mentoring Partnership.

Altar Valley School District has a mentoring program in place for all teachers, including new special education teachers in their first three years. Our partnership is based on communications with and meetings with the School District Administrator, Special Education director, and principal. We collaborated and partnered to provide additional mentoring, as requested, for one teacher per year in this very small School District.

Each year,Dr. Maria Nahmias is in contact with via email, telephone and meetings at the SASEA and SASEPD meetings with the district special education administrator in August and September to discuss collaboration and accept teacher mentee nominations. We follow up with mentoring and support to retain these highly qualified teachers in special education.

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA (Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers


.


36

List mentors for Altar Valley School District.

UA Mentors:Maria Nahmias

Altar Valley Mentors:Ann Abramson


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents on Mentees and Activities



37

List mentees for Altar Valley School District. (1)

Mentee Teachers 12)Monica M. (2007-2008)


Monica Mikitish Emails

Mentor / Mentee Word Documents ( see above an excerpt from this data system)



38




39

Describe the process in place to retain mentees.Ann Abramson and Dr. Maria Nahmias work in coordination to maintain and retain mentees.




Emails

Phone Conversation Logs


40

Describe the Altar Valley School District site visits and follow up support plan.

School District Planned and Implemented

Ann A. made site visits with mentee teacher; we discuss at SASEPD meetings.Classroom Site VisitMeetings for mentoring and feedback on teaching performanceCurriculum consultationStudent Behavior and Learning SupportProvide articles and resources to mentee teacher as needed




Mentee/ Mentor Site Visit Log

Mileage Logs

UA Mileage


41

Describe the workshops/presentations for Altar Valley School District mentors and/or mentees.


Handout

Flyer

Vail School District

42

A. UA/Mentoring 6. Vail School District

43

Describe the Vail School District Mentoring Partnership.

Vail School District has a mentoring program in place for all teachers, including new special education teachers in their first three years. Our partnership is based on communications with and meetings with the School District Administrators, Special Education directors, assistants, and mentors. These include Cynthia Come, Diane Kent and John, Assistant Superintendent.

We collaborated and partnered to provide professional development, workshops and speakers, as requested, for special education teachers and related support personnel in the Vail School District.

Project Director, Maria Nahmias, maintains contact. She follows up with and provides professional development support to retain these highly qualified teachers in special education. Additionally, Email and telephone discussions and meetings were in 2007-2008, regarding collaboration and workshops for professional development.

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA (Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers and the SASEPD and now SAPD (Southern Arizona Professional Developers), into which the SASEPD group has merged in Fall 2010.


Mentor / Mentee Word documents and professional development sign in Sheets


SASEA

SASEPD MEETINGS Minutes and Agendas, Follow up emails

Flyer and Handouts from Power Point from Workshop/ Presentation

.


44

List mentors for Vail School District.

Vail School District Mentors:Diane KentCynthia Come


Mentor / Mentee Word Documentsa Sheets



45

List mentees for Vail School District. (0)

No mentees in current year. School District provided mentoring. We supported and collaborated.



46


Vail School District takes full responsibility for retaining teachers in special education in this district.


Diane Kent

Cynthia Come


47



Annual professional development day and website links sent to mentors in September 2008









Mentor / Mentee Word Document and professional development sign in Sheets


Photos from Professional Development in Vail School District, including Dr. Maria Nahmias

Emails


48

Describe the Vail School District site visits and follow up support plan.

Vail School District provides all follow up and support for teachers mentored.

Dr. Maria Nahmias maintains regular follow up for collaboration for retention by meetings, email and calls with Diane Kent.




Arizona Teacher Mentoring Project Quarterly Reports: July, 2008; October, 2008


49

Describe the workshops/presentations for Vail School District mentors and/or mentees.

Vail School District Personnel Invited with flyer


Handout from workshop (Attached)

Flyers on Power Point Presentation (Attached)

Power Point Handouts (in plastic )

Marana Unified School District

50

A. UA/Mentoring 7. Marana Unified School District

51

Describe the Marana Unified School District Mentoring Partnership.Marana Unified School District was not part of the mentoring project this year. SPDG. It has a mentoring program in place for all teachers, including new special education teachers in their first three years. Our partnership was based on communications with and meetings with the School District Administrators and Special Education directors.. The special education Administrator, Mary Ann Castelano, was contacted as was a principal, Lynette Brunderman.

.

Our partnership also involves participating in SASEA (Southern Arizona Special Education Administrators) meetings two times per year and discussing mentoring and retention of teachers via the Arizona SPDG Project and UA..


Annual and Quarterly Reports on UA SPDG Mentoring Project with SASEA meetings listed by date.


52

List mentors for Marana Unified School District.

UA Mentors: None


Quarterly Reports for SPDG UA mentoring project

Mileage Logs UA Mileage


53

List mentees for Marana Unified School District.

c) List mentees for the Marana Unified School District. 0


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents on Mentoring Contacts and Activities

Email records saved of contacts and e-mentoring


Mileage Logs

UA Mileage



54


Marana Mentors are supported by district, Mary Ann Castellano and Mary C. Miller, administrators.

UA Mentoring Project Mentors: None this year. These activities are ongoing for UA SPDG project.Coaching and Mentoring regarding challenges and solutions

Communications or contact at regular intervals between mentee and mentor

Emails re: Conferences on Topics of Interest to Mentor

Website Documents and Links Updated and Disseminated via Website Link, review

Site Visits coordinated and logged

Weekly professional development meetings to support and retain Sped teachers


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents on Mentoring Activities and Contacts

Mentor / Mentee Site Visit and Mileage Logs for MN, MO



55

Describe the process in place to retain mentees.None for Marana in 2007-2008. The following are our regular process activities.


E-mail newsletter sent









Website:

Emails to share website with SASEA Administrators , including this school district.

Mileage Logs for MN

See October 15, 2008 Quarterly Report


56

Describe the Marana Unified School District site visits and follow up support plan. None.

Describe evidence (include logs, outlines, contact lists, and student lists). None.


57

Describe the workshops/presentations for Marana Unified School District mentors and/or mentees.


Arizona School Districts in Santa Cruz County &

Maricopa County

58

A. UA/Mentoring 8. Santa Cruz and Maricopa County Arizona School Districts

59

Describe the Santa Cruz and Maricopa County School Districts Mentoring Partnership.

A teacher in Santa Cruz County, at Sahuarita School District High School, was mentored via UA SPDG Mentoring Project in 2007-2008. The partnerships have grown from the mentoring of teachers. The two special education teachers currently teaching in Maricopa County, Arizona were graduates of the University of Arizona Master’s Degree program in Learning Disabilities. As their advisor, Dr. Maria Nahmias continued as a mentor to them to supplement mentoring in their school districts.

Kyrene and Gilbert also have comprehensive, excellent mentoring programs for early career special educators. Mentors are often on site teachers as well as support provided by school district administrators in special education.


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents and Emails


Emails

A. UA/Mentoring 8.Santa Cruz and Maricopa County Arizona School Districts

60

List mentors for Santa Cruz and Maricopa County School Districts.

Monica OneFeatherMaria Nahmias



Mentor / Mentee Site Visit Logs for MN, MO

Mileage Logs

Emails

A. UA/Mentoring 8.Santa Cruz and Maricopa County Arizona School Districts

61

List mentees for Santa Cruz and Maricopa County School Districts.

c) List mentees for Santa Cruz and Maricopa County School Districts. (4)

Angela Michelle Navarro ( Santa Cruz Schoo District)

Ted Burgos-de Stephanis ( Sahuarita School District)

Tracey Levine (Kyrene School District)

Sue Muszinski (Gilbert Public School District)




Emails

Mileage Logs

Emails


62


Coaching and Mentoring regarding challenges and solutions


Emails re: Conferences on Topics of Interest to Mentor

Website Documents and Links Updated and Disseminated via Website Link, review

Site Visits coordinated and logged

Weekly professional development meetings to support and retain Special Ed teachers


Mentor / Mentee Word Documents of Mentees

Mentor / Mentee Site Visit Mileage Logs for MNand MO

Emails

Website additions per requests of teachers.


63


Electronic newsletters, Website Links Sent Periodically (2x/ year)


Emails re: Conferences on Topics of Interest to Mentee Teachers and their students’ needs

Website Documents and Links Updated

Site Visits when possible to Santa Cruz and Maricopa County

Coaching and Mentoring regarding challenges and solutions

Promote professional development participation for retention and success as a Special ed teacher


Contact List in Word.

Emails.

Website.


64

Describe the Maricopa County School Districts site visits and follow up support plan.

New Reference used in mentoring these teachers in Central and Southern Arizona.


Mentor / Mentee Wordl Data Sheets

Mentor / Mentee Site Visit Logs for MN, MO

Website

Emails

A. UA/Mentoring 8. Santa Cruz and Maricopa County School Districts

65

Describe the workshops/presentations for Maricopa County School Districts mentors and/or mentees.


66

Mentoring Website

B. UA/Mentoring 1. Mentoring Website

67

Describe the added resources to the website. Total: 4WEBSITE:

ADE/ UA Teacher Mentoring Project Website: http://www.ed.arizona.edu/mentoring/

(Website migrated later date)Main Page: 1 new resource 2007-2008; Documents: 1 new document, updated documents 2007-2008

Web Resources: 2 resources added in 2007-2008

Partners: 3 revisions edited in 2007-2008 (Raising Special Kids, ASU, UA SPCH);

Website Pages October 2008: Main Page; Documents; Web Resources PartnersWebsite Pages August 2008: Main Page; Documents;

Website Evaluation Data 2008 Approximately 40-60 teachers and mentors visited website each month in 2007-2008.

Describe evidence (printed website pages).

http://www.ed.arizona.edu/mentoring/

Partnering Organizations68

C. UA/Mentoring 1. Partnering Organizations

69

List new organizations that marketed website. (2)

NAU YUMA Mentoring Project Partner disseminated website to teachers and mentors in the project. Pat Peterson and Jody Attaway both have disseminated our website.Amphitheater School DistrictTucson Unified School District

Describe evidence (printed page from organization’s website). Provided in print form and will send as PDF.

(Attached) Sent to ADE and printed in Portfolio Notebook. See Quarterly Report October 15, 2008 .

AZ-SPDG UA Arizona Teacher Mentoring Project

University of ArizonaArizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services

Maria L. Nahmias, Ph.D.University of Arizona

Quarterly Report October 15, 2008

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education IDEA,The Arizona Department of Education 2007-2012

Abstract / Summary: This grant-funded contract is awarded to the University of Arizona Department of Disability and Psycho-educational Studies (DPS) by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), Exceptional Student Services. It has completed Year 1 of the 5-year project funded by the Arizona State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG).

70

SPDG Goal 1: To recruit, prepare, and retain sufficient numbers of ethnically diverse, fully certified special education teachers and SLPs to meet the needs of a rapidly growing special education population of students with disabilities. The Arizona Teacher Mentoring Project’s goal is to collaboratively increase and maintain adequate, fully certified, highly qualified special education personnel through staff development, teacher mentoring, and a highly effective website of resources and links. The goal has been accomplished during the first year, with capacity building in process. Retention is the emphasis as well as re-recruitment.

This project has succeeded in developing and expanding the WEBSITE: http://www.ed.arizona.edu/mentoring/ and continues to present this to school district administrators and professional developers, new and early career special education teachers, and Pima County School Superintendent’s Office Regional Resource Center in Southern Arizona. Activities for this quarter include: teacher mentoring, meetings with new special education teachers, administrators and professional developers; online & email communications with mentors, teachers, administrators; and collaboration with the Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services and SPDG Partners. Website activities: edits, expansions, and updates.. Reports to ADE on teachers in districts with emergency certifications and mentees.

Four school districts, including 20 teachers, and mentors have been impacted by the project. Evaluations and data on teacher retention are at 80%.

71


Mentee Cohorts: 2007- 2008 High School Special Education Teachers and Mentor (15 in ’07-‘08) Teachers with special education certification- new, first three years special ed.

teaching (11, Fall ‘07; 16, Spring ‘08; 18, Fall ’08) Emergency Certified special ed. teacher mentees (8 in ’07-’08)..)

School District Partnerships 2007-2008* Sunnyside Unified School District Tucson Unified School District Flowing Wells Unified School District Amphitheater School District + Altar Valley School District Vail School District **

Ha:sän Preparatory Leadership (Charter) School

* Mentoring and Collaboration 2007- 2008.

UA Mentoring Project: Teachers Mentored & Goals for SPDG \

Teachers: school districts and graduate mentees BA and MA degrees and certifications

o Cross Categorical Special Education BA graduateso LD Special Ed, EBD Special Ed MA graduates

Early Career Special Education teachers mentored. Emergency certified teachers advised for classes, certification. Fully certified teachers supported, HQ.

Maintain Website for Mentoring Special Educators in Southern Arizona/ArizonaQuarterly Report 2007-2008 October 2008

AZ-SPDG UA Teacher Mentoring Project Maria Nahmias, Ph.D.

Arizona Department of Education University of ArizonaFunded by the U.S. Department of Education IDEA and The Arizona Department of Education 2007-2012

Goal, Purpose for UA SPED Teacher Mentoring Project: Goal 1 SPDG

72

Goal: Retention

Goal 1: Recruit, Prepare, and Retain Sufficient numbers of diverse, fully certified Special Education Teachers and SLPs to meet the needs of Arizona’s growing special education population of students with disabilities.

UA Mentoring Project Activities to Achieve Goal:

To mentor and provide professional development to support and retain fully certified special educators in Arizona.

The Arizona Teacher Mentoring Project provides support and resources to early career teachers.

The activities include professional development, teacher mentoring, and web-based resources & educational approaches.

Retention through mentoring and support, professional development and collaboration with LEA’s and Pima County Superintendent’s office.

WEBSITE:ADE/ UA Teacher Mentoring Project Website: http://www.ed.arizona.edu/mentoring/

The website was migrated in spring 2008 to the new College of Education, University of Arizona server at www.ed,arizona.edu . In Fall 2008 the website was expanded, edited, and updated with partners for AZ SPDG and for the University of Arizona Teacher Mentoring Project. When you Google Arizona Teacher Mentoring, our website comes up first. Links were added in this quarter for: Resources, Main Page, and Partners.

MENTORING ACTIVITIES:We've been busy at UA Teacher Mentoring Project. Related to Goal 1, we're collaborating with Sixschool districts, we've added one more last month, Vail. This was following the results provided by SPDG evaluators in '08. I'm mentoring teachers in 3 of the districts, coordinating mentors in 2 others.I'm also collaborating with the Pima County Superintendent's Office Professional Development Staff and regional school districts' associations for special education/exceptional education.

Sunnyside Unified School District

Tucson Unified School District

Flowing Wells Unified School District

Amphitheater School District

Altar Valley School District

Vail School District

73


Dr. Maria Nahmias presented at the Amphi (August 25, 2008) and TUSD (Sept 16, 2008) school district new special education/ exceptional education teachers orientations in Fall 2008. Teachers: 14 @ TUSD. Follow up with 4 new mentee teachers who attended these meetings in TUSD, Amphi.

COLLABORATION ACTIVITIES

Pima County School Superintendent’s Office and Regional Resource Center for Teachers’ Professional Development; Collaborated with Jayme Jacobs and Lisa Caraboa to plan and participate in the Southern Arizona Special Education Professional Developers Cadre.

We've added them as partners on our website and also added some more resources for teachers, Referrals and Parent Teacher Support Groups and Agencies List. Keeping you posted on our activities. I'll also submit a quarterly report, of course. See our expanded website below:

http://www.uacoe.arizona.edu/mentoring/partners.asp

Teachers Mentored

Cohorts: Fall 2007; Winter/Spring 2008, Summer/Fall 2008, Goals 2008-2009

Teachers with special education certification: under-qualified, new, early career (11, Fall’07; 16, Spring ’08’; 18, Fall ’08 Goal:20)

Emergency Certified special ed. Teachers mentored ( 3 in ’07; 5 in Spring ’08; 9 Fall ‘08; Goal: 10 in ’08-’09

Maria L. Nahmias, Ph.D.Adjunct Associate ProfessorDepartment of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and School PsychologyThe University of Arizona

Emails sent (14) re: workshops on RTI, autism, special education

Phone calls with mentee teachers Feb.-September 2008

Direct On Site Mentoring for new teachers

Email communication with eight (8) mentee teachers Feb.-May 2008

74

http://www.uacoe.arizona.edu/mentoring/partners.asp

Mentoring Project Goals Website expanded and disseminated toSchool Districts, Partners

Teachers Mentored

Ethnic Diversity of Mentee Teachers 2007-2009

75

2009-2010 Website Evaluation Data - Visitors and Page Views

REFERENCES: ADE UA ARIZONA TEACHER MENTORING PROJECT

References and Scholarly Articles on Mentoring Teachers and Retention

Billingsley, B., Carlson, Klein (2004). The working conditions and induction support of early career special educators. Exceptional Children, 70, 3, 333-347.

76

Billingsley, B. (2007). Teacher Turnover in Special Education. Presented at CEC Conference, Louisville, Kentucky.

Brownell, M., et al. (2006). Defining Teacher Quality in Special Education: Understanding the practices, knowledge and beliefs of effective special education teachers. CEC Conference, 2006.

Pugach, M. and Blanton, L. (2008). Supporting the Next Generation of Teachers for Collaboration. Presented at CEC International conference, Boston, April 3, 2008.

Web References on Mentoring Early Career Teachers of Diverse Students Moore, M., Angell, M., Lippert, L. and Jung, E. (2006). "Supporting Early Career

Teachers: Balancing Learning Standards With Students' Diverse Learning Needs" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Jan 26, 2006 Online <PDF>. 2009-10-13 http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p35985_index.html

Books on Mentoring New Special Education Teachers & Mentoring Mason, C. and White, M. (2007). Anatomy of a Mentoring Program for New

Special Education Teachers. Council for Exceptional Children. Duffy, M.L. and Forgan, J. (2005). Mentoring New Special Education Teachers:

A Guide for Mentors and Program Developers. Corwin Press

77

http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p35985_index.html

http://www.allacademic.com/one/www/research/index.php?cmd=Download+Document&key=unpublished_manuscript&file_index=2&pop_up=true&no_click_key=true&attachment_style=attachment&PHPSESSID=7ebe6774040605ee02b7ea1810b4c863


