Lansing USD469 Pilots Successful KNEA Association-Led Mentoring Program
Lansing USD 469 has made some prolific changes to its mentoring program in the last couple of years. Under the direction of Lansing Middle School English teacher Kathy Baughman, the district piloted KNEA's ALMS (Association Led Mentoring Program) to provide better training to new educators in the profession. The number of teachers that leave within the first five years of entering the profession is staggeringly high, and this program is hoped to help with retention.
"Lansing School District has played a forward-thinking attitude with the mentoring program," said Ms. Baughman. "We are providing teachers with the tools for sustainability. It has been fantastic to hear other teachers collaborate about what they have learned from the program. The conversations are so deep."
In 2020, KNEA approached Lansing about piloting this mentoring program. Kathy attended training that summer, and a handful of teachers started the program in the 2020-2021 school year. After recognizing the need for this work, the district decided to go all in and make it officially our mentoring program to have as many qualified and "certified" mentors to work with new teachers joining USD 469.
Kathy was assisted by two representatives from KNEA that helped her get acquainted with the program and its many facets - Dr. Jill Bergerhofer, KNEA ALMS and Blended Learning Virtual Coach, and Idalia Shuman, Teaching and Learning KNEA Director.
Dr. Bergerhofer said that Ms. Baughman did an excellent job leading the program in Lansing USD469:
"Partnering with Kathy to pilot the KNEA ALMS program has been a wonderful opportunity. Kathy is dedicated to ensuring that district teachers who serve as new teacher mentors receive the professional learning and year-long support needed to help new and existing teachers have the best year possible. Kudos Kathy!"
Ms. Shuman is also pleased with how the program has been implemented in our district:
"Lansing mentor training has been a great opportunity for KNEA to support veteran educators to meet the needs of new-to-teaching educators. This is critical in retaining ensuring success in teaching."
The sign of a good program is how teachers respond to it. Several of our Lansing High School teachers had wonderful things to say about this pilot program:
"It was a great program that provided ways to collaborate with other mentors in the district. It made my teaching practice better."
- Megan Bone, Social Sciences Teacher
"The mentoring training program helped me not only meet people where they are but helped us begin genuine conversations about growth."
- Aaron Edwards, Director of Bands.
Ms. Baughman said the goal is to retain great teachers because great teachers equal successful students. Our Lansing USD469 students deserve well-supported teachers, and it is the hope that this program will lead to academic success across our district.