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Statewide
Mentoring Program

The 2016 Legislature created a program to provide for the mentoring of teachers new to the profession in South Dakota school districts. The program provides new teachers access to a mentor teacher for a period of two years, along with participation in a summer workshop following the first year of employment.





Applications
Eligibility and Duration

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 2018)
  • Duration – New teachers agree to participate in the mentor program for a period of two years

Compensation

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
    • Meals, mileage, and hotel reimbursement
    • Sub reimbursement available if attending in September
  • Kickoff
    • Meals and mileage reimbursement
    • Sub reimbursement available if attending in September
  • Mentoring
    • Mileage for up to four round trips per person if in different towns
  • Summer Academy
    • Mileage and hotel reimbursement
  • 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
    • Meals and mileage reimbursement
    • Sub reimbursement available if attending in September
  • Mentoring
    • Mileage for up to four round trips per person if in different towns
  • Summer Academy
    • Mileage and hotel reimbursement
  • 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.
2019-20 Year 1 of two-year cycle in Mentor Program Information
Mentors
  • Must obtain administrative sign-off to participate in the program
  • Participate in SD Mentor Professional Learning Community
    • Attend one Face-to-face SD Mentoring Seminar in one of these locations
      • July 22, 2019 (Sioux Falls);
      • July 22, 2019 (Aberdeen);
      • July 24, 2019 (Watertown);
      • July 25, 2019 (Rapid City);
      • August 8, 2019 (Brookings)
      • September 12, 2019 (Sioux Falls);
      • September 12, 2019 (Rapid City);
    • Series of three online webinars
  • Attend one of the kick-off days with assigned new teacher in one of these locations
    • July 23, 2019 in Sioux Falls
    • July 23, 2019 in Aberdeen
    • July 26, 2019 in Rapid City
    • August 9, 2019 in Brookings
    • September 13, 2019 in Pierre
    • September 13, 2019 in Rapid City
  • 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 3 & 4, 2020 in Sioux Falls
  • Maintain mentor log
New Teachers
  • Must obtain administrative sign-off to participate in the program
  • Attend one kick-off day with assigned Mentor
    • July 23, 2019 in Sioux Falls
    • July 23, 2019 in Aberdeen
    • July 26, 2019 in Rapid City
    • August 9, 2019 in Brookings
    • September 13, 2019 in Pierre
    • September 13, 2019 in Rapid City
  • 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 3 & 4, 2020 in Sioux Falls
2019-20 Year 2 of two-year cycle in Mentor Program Information
Mentors
  • Participate in SD Mentor Professional Learning Community
    • Attend one Face-to-face SD Mentoring Seminar in one of these locations
      • July 15, 2019 in Sioux Falls
      • July 17, 2019 in Brookings
      • July 18, 2019 in Rapid City
      • August 5, 2019 in Pierre
      • August 8, 2019 in Sioux Falls
      • September 12, 2019 in Rapid City
      • September 19, 2019 in Sioux Falls
    • Series of three online webinars
  • Attend one of the kick-off days with assigned new teacher in one of these locations
    • July 16, 2019 in Sioux Falls
    • July 18, 2019 in Brookings
    • July 19, 2019 in Rapid City
    • August 6, 2019 in Pierre
    • August 9, 2019 in Sioux Falls
    • September 13, 2019 in Rapid City
    • September 20, 2019 in Sioux Falls
  • 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 3 & 4, 2020 in Sioux Falls
  • Maintain mentor
New Teachers
  • Attend one of the kick-off days with assigned mentor in one of these locations
    • July 16, 2019 in Sioux Falls
    • July 18, 2019 in Brookings
    • July 19, 2019 in Rapid City
    • August 6, 2019 in Pierre
    • August 9, 2019 in Sioux Falls
    • September 13, 2019 in Rapid City
    • September 20, 2019 in Sioux Falls
  • 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 3 & 4, 2020 in Sioux Falls
District-Run Mentoring Program

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.

Background

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.



For more information, contact Matt Gill at (605) 773-8193.