Standard 2: Candidate Recruitment & Support

Item 1: Induction Program Handbook

Item 2: Induction Candidate Roles and Responsibilities

Item 3: Induction Candidate Agreement

Item 4: Link to Burbank Unified School District Induction Website

Item 5: Candidate Advisement

Induction cohort participants are offered guidance and assistance at multiple checkpoints along the two year pathway.  At the point of hire, Human Resources staff offer program information to qualifying candidates and alert them that the Induction Coordinator will be in contact with them about registering. Some candidates elect to apply immediately and others wait to be contacted.  Once the new hire list is generated from Human Resources it is shared with program coordinators who then perform outreach and advisement about joining the program.  

All new cohort members must attend the Induction Orientation meeting where they meet program staff, learn about the program requirements and their role and responsibility within the program, and have the mentor/mentee relationship defined.  A review of the program goals is done and participants are allowed to ask questions and receive first line support and guidance before beginning in earnest. Program coordinators then work diligently and quickly to match new teachers with an appropriate mentor-ideally a teacher on their campus who teaches the grade and subjects they teach.  When that is not possible, we aim to find either a site match or a subject match.  

Once matched, mentors reach out to introduce themselves to new teachers and to set a weekly meeting schedule and establish communication preferences. During weekly meetings, mentors offer just in time and long term support and guidance.  Mentors submit activity logs detailing the specific conversations, topics, and actions the mentor/mentee are engaged in. Program coordinators read these logs and respond to the mentors with specific feedback or guidance based on their mentee’s progress. 

All year 1 teachers are visited and observed by program coordinators who offer positive initial feedback and establish a communication link for future issues/concerns.  Each week, program coordinators send a Monday Mentor Memo and a Tuesday Tip Sheet to mentors and mentees with information, checklists, and helpful content to guide them for the week ahead.  Monthly, in our PLC meetings, mentors and mentees are provided valuable content as well as opportunities for collaboration and discussion which all act as added support for new teachers.  

Professional development offerings by our district are tailored to the new teacher’s needs & align with the CSTPs. Mentors often suggest PD’s for their new teachers to attend as well as attend workshops with them. Each teacher’s Individual Learning Plan is guided by the oversight of the mentor and then reviewed twice: first by their mentor who offers guidance and feedback and finally by program coordinators who use the rubric to assess quality and who also offer feedback.  Should there be issues or concerns at any point, we have grievance and mentor re-matching forms available for new teachers. Program coordinators review grievances and mentor match issues with the Induction Advisory Committee who respond and guide as needed. Finally, all cohort participants are surveyed at the mid-year and end of year and this information is used by program coordinators to adjust, refine, and improve the induction experience for all.  

Item 6: Induction Support Personnel