Caldwell County Schools is proud to offer a beginning Teacher support program for 1st, 2nd & 3rd year teachers.  This program provides beginning teachers with the assistance needed to ensure their success in teaching.  The program is unique to Caldwell County in that BT's are provided access to district level mentors who meet individually with each beginning teacher and discuss challenges, successes, and answers to questions as they arise.

The program is provided by the Human Resources Department and includes the following components:

• Orientation:  Caldwell County Schools provides a multi-day orientation in late summer for all beginning teachers.  The orientation sessions ensure that all new teachers have the knowledge and common understanding of our county's programs, policies, and curriculum while getting to know other teachers and district leaders.  
• Mentor:  A mentor will be assigned to beginning teachers upon employment. The mentor will provide BTs with useful information and assistance.  Learn more about the mentors here or contact them by using the Contact directory.  
• Observations:  Beginning teachers will be observed at least three times by a qualified school administrator and at least once by a peer. Beginning teachers will also be informally observed by their mentors.  These observations will serve as a basis for professional growth through reflection and are not evaluative.
• Professional Development:  Beginning teachers are required to attend a 1/2 day Beginning Teacher Conference each semester.  Each conference is held from 11:30AM - 4:00PM with substitute coverage provided by the district. Click here for additional information.
• Optimum Working Conditions: The State Board of Education has adopted guidelines for optimum working conditions for beginning teachers: Beginning teachers should:  
  
  • be assigned in their area of licensure
  • have a limited amount of preparations
  • be given only a limited number of exceptional or difficult students
  • have minimal non-instructional duties
  • have no extracurricular activities unless requested in writing. Because beginning teachers are protected by state law from having extra duties, it is a requirement that anyone wishing to take on extra responsibilities such as coaching a sport or sponsoring a club must make a request to do so in writing.  A Template is provided for your assistance. These requests must be updated annually until you are no longer a beginning teacher.

To learn more about our plan for supporting beginning teachers in their first three years, read our plan document that has been approved by the CCS Board of Education.