NEW TEACHERS

Kestrel Heights Charter School provides support, guidance, and resources to all beginning teachers who are certified as they undertake their professional duties during the first three years of their teaching career.  The Beginning Teacher Support Program offers support to new teachers so that they will meet the state’s professional teaching standards, impact the learning of all students, and remain in the profession to become future master teachers and leaders.

At Kestrel, we provide every beginning teacher with a trained mentor who is assigned to work directly with the beginning teacher.  Mentors are available to introduce and orient new teachers to our school, observe lessons, and provide an objective non-judgemental support system. Mentors who are assigned to beginning teachers have demonstrated that they are master teachers and typically take on other leadership roles within the organization.

Beginning teachers also complete monthly professional development that is led by the Beginning Teacher Coordinator or other content-specific experts.  Training includes topics such as classroom management, parent communication, and organization.  Providing beginning teachers with professional development geared towards their teaching experience allows them the opportunity to “fail forward”, and learn from others about how to best handle specific situations.

At Kestrel, we have become a regional hub for other local charters and LEAs during the peer review process.  As an organization, we consistently meet with other organizations to see how we can continue to grow and develop the program, and our Beginning Teachers.

If you have further questions please feel free to contact the Beginning Teacher Support Program Coordinator, Samantha Villegas at villegas@kestrelheights.org.