The 2021-2022 seminar and kick-off dates/times will be released later this school year. Complete the application below. You will be contacted by the DOE with more information.

• New Teacher Application


• Mentor Application


• Administrator Sign-Off Form

Mentors

• Eligibility - Teachers can request participation in the program by meeting these criteria:
  • At least five years of teaching experience, one of which is within the last seven years in a school or other education related field
  • Must hold a valid or expired teaching certificate
  • Must attend a Mentor Seminar prior to the beginning of each year in the program
• Duration - A mentor will be selected to work with a beginning teacher for a period of two years

New Teachers

• Eligibility - Must be a first year teacher employed by a South Dakota public school (or started teaching no sooner than January of 2020)
• Duration – New teachers agree to participate in the mentor program for a period of two years

• New Guidance for Business Managers
• Business Manager Informational PPT

Mentors – Compensation

• Annual payment per new teacher per year for completion of all mentor requirements (Matches made throughout the year may be pro-rated based upon match date.)
• Mentor Seminar
• Kickoff
• Mentoring
  • 34 hours throughout the year
• Summer Academy
  • June 1-2, 2022 - Sioux Falls
• Upon completion of two-year program, certified teachers who have a teaching certificate will have met the requirements to renew their certificate.

New Teachers - Compensation

• Kickoff
• Mentoring
  • 34 hours throughout the year
• Summer Academy
  • June 7-8, 2022 - Sioux Falls
• Upon completion of two-year program, certified teachers who have a teaching certificate will have met the requirements to renew their certificate.

Alternative Certification Requirements

• Participation in the mentor program both years will satisfy the mentoring requirements for alternative certification teacher.
• Participation in the mentor program and purchasing credit both years will satisfy the mentoring requirements for CTE alternative certification teacher.

Mentors

• Must obtain administrative sign-off to participate in the program
• Participate in SD Mentor Professional Learning Community
  • Complete SD Mentoring Seminar
  • Series of three online webinars
• Attend kick-off with assigned new teacher
• Provide 34 hours of mentoring based on mentor guidelines to include focus on South Dakota Framework for Teaching (minimum of 18 hours face-to-face)
• Attend Summer Academy
  • June 1-2, 2022 in Sioux Falls
• Maintain mentor log

New Teachers

• Must obtain administrative sign-off to participate in the program
• Complete one virtual kick-off with assigned Mentor
• Participate in 34 hours of mentoring based on mentor guidelines to include focus on South Dakota Framework for Teaching (minimum of 18 hours face-to-face)
• Attend Summer Academy
  • June 1 & 2, 2022, 2022 in Sioux Falls

Mentors

• Must obtain administrative sign-off to participate in the program
• Participate in SD Mentor Professional Learning Community
• Complete virtual SD Mentoring Seminar
• Series of three online webinars
• Attend virtual kick-off with assigned new teacher
• Provide 34 hours of mentoring based on mentor guidelines to include focus on South Dakota Framework for Teaching (minimum of 18 hours face-to-face)
• Attend Summer Academy
  • June 1 & 2, 2022 in Sioux Falls
• Maintain mentor log

New Teachers

• Must obtain administrative sign-off to participate in the program
• Complete virtual kick-off with assigned Mentor
• Participate in 34 hours of mentoring based on mentor guidelines to include focus on South Dakota Framework for Teaching (minimum of 18 hours face-to-face)
• Attend Summer Academy
  • June 1 & 2, 2022 in Sioux Falls

• July 21, Sioux Falls
• July 21, Aberdeen
• July 26, Rapid City
• Aug. 5, Rapid City
• Aug. 9, Brookings
• Sept. 9, Rapid City This is only for late hires (after August 5)
• Sept. 14, Sioux Falls
• Sept. 14, Watertown

• July 22, Sioux Falls
• July 22, Aberdeen
• July 27, Rapid City
• Aug. 6, Rapid City
• Aug. 10, Brookings
• Sept. 10, Rapid City This is only for late hires (after August 5)
• Sept. 14, Pierre

• July 14, Sioux Falls
• July 19, Brookings
• July 20, Rapid City
• Aug. 4, Pierre
• Aug. 4, Sioux Falls
• Aug. 9, Rapid City
• Sept. 9, Rapid City Make-up
• Sept. 20, Sioux Falls Makeup

• July 15, Sioux Falls
• July 20, Brookings
• July 21, Rapid City
• Aug. 5, Pierre
• Aug. 5, Sioux Falls
• Aug. 10, Rapid City
• Sept. 10, Rapid City Make-up
• Sept. 21, Sioux Falls Make-up

If a South Dakota public school district would like to receive funding to handle mentoring locally, the district must complete the following requirements:

• Mentors must participate in the SD Mentor Professional Learning Community as outlined in the mentor requirements.
• Inform the state of mentor/teacher assignments
• Send the State an overview and details of the mentoring program
• Provide new teachers with at least 40 hours of mentoring support throughout the school year (a kick-off can count for six of these hours)
• Participating teachers and their mentors attend the Summer Academy

Districts that choose this option will receive state funds for mentoring directly. District-run mentoring programs will be funded based upon remaining statewide mentoring program dollars.

Download application to the mentoring program.
Download excel template for teacher and mentor assignments.

Following the passage of SB 133 in 2016, a work group was created to assist the Department of Education in the development and implementation of the South Dakota mentoring program.

• Mentoring Work Group
• May 11, 2016 Meeting Notes
• Development Team

Requirements/Benefits for Each Year of the Two-Year Program	State Mentor Program		District/State Mentor Program		State Approved Local Mentor Program
	Public	Non-Public	Public	Non-Public	Public	Non-Public
REQUIREMENTS
Mentor Attends Mentor Seminar each year	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Mentor and Mentee attend Kickoff (State or District run) each year	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Mentee receives 34 hours of support per year	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Mentor and Mentee attend Summer Academy each year	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Mentee receives 40 hours of support including a kickoff each year	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Mentee receives 40 hours of support each year	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Submit Application for District Run Mentor Program	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Submit State-Approved Plan for Local Mentor Program	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
BENEFITS
Mentor receives stipend each year	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Mentor/Mentee meet renewal requirements for teaching certificate after both years	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Mentor/Mentee can receive 3 transcripted credits each year	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Alt Cert Teacher meets mentoring requirement	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Application for State-Approved Local Mentoring Program
Local Mentoring Assignments
Local Mentoring Progress Report
Mentoring Time Log