Incoming Teachers Pair With Mentors for 2023
LOWER POTTSGROVE PA – Three educators who are either new to the Pottsgrove School District, or new in their teaching positions, will be assisted during the coming year by veteran teachers who can serve daily as mentors, answer questions, or just talk things out whenever needed.
The program, described as an “educator induction plan” and created in 1987 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, is intended to ensure incoming teachers feel comfortable in and get help to grow with their jobs. Like dozens of others in the years before their arrival, all three were assigned mentors this month (January 2023) with approval from the district Board of School Directors.
They are:
- Teacher Amanda Spaar, at Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School, who is working with mentor teacher Beth Taylor;
- Teacher Ally Mahan, at Pottsgrove Middle School, with mentor Alixandra McKown; and
- Teacher Courtney Becker, at Lower Pottsgrove, with mentor Vanessa Barnaik.
School board members authorized mentorships for Spaar and Mahan during their Tuesday (Jan. 24) meeting; and for Becker during their Jan. 10 (Tuesday) meeting.
All districts statewide must submit induction plans to and have them approved by the education department. They also are required to be updated every six years. State guidelines say plans must be written by district committees that consist of teachers, education specialists, and administrators. Induction activities must in part focus on “on teaching diverse learners in inclusive settings.”
On its website, Pottsgrove has earlier said it considers the induction program “to be a solid foundational way of providing professional education, building support systems, and establishing relationships among new and experienced staff members.”
Photo by Artur Verkhovetskiy from Deposit Photos, used under license
Other coverage of the Pottsgrove school board Jan. 24 meeting:
Incoming Teachers Pair With Mentors for 2023
Pottsgrove school board members this month, as they have during many previous years, approved the pairing of newly arrived educators with district veterans. The goal is to help newcomers feel comfortable and grow in their jobs.
Pottsgrove Directors Appoint Business Administrator
Newly appointed Pottsgrove School District Business Administrator Deborah Klahold was welcomed with applause Tuesday, as the school board introduced her as its chief financial executive.
PCTV Live-Streamed Pottsgrove’s Jan. 24 Meeting
The Tuesday (Jan. 24, 2023) meeting of the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ meeting was live-streamed by Pottstown Community Television, and then archived on YouTube.
