Mentoring Matters

The Murrieta Valley USD Induction Program is so excited to welcome aboard Jill Buschhausen as our new coordinator! She takes over for Sue Hall, who retired last June. Jill's diverse background in education will be of incredible value in support of our newly hired teachers. Most importantly, her expertise in the area of supporting English Learners will help this essential focus of the induction experience. Jill will be the go-to person for all of our elementary candidates and their mentors while Sean McCarthy will be the lead for secondary support.

We look forward to an amazing year with Jill co-leading the program!

It's now operational! All mentoring for teachers in our district is now taking place under the mantle of the Teacher Support Network (TSN). This is a new, teacher-friendly name for the same great services we have always provided, with a few new updates to reach some segments of our population who previously did not qualify for support. Just to provide a quick overview of our TSN services:

Induction:

This is the mainstay of our mentoring program, where we serve our newly hired teachers who have recently obtained a preliminary credential from their university and need to earn their clear credential during their first two years "on the job." This is the most common, traditional pathway to onboarding teachers.

Interns:

Our district can hire intern candidates only when a fully credentialed teacher is not available to fill a position. Intern candidates are currently enrolled in a preliminary credential program and typically take a position in lieu of student teaching. They receive combined support from a district mentor, their school site, and their university supervisor.

STSP (Short-Term Staff Permit) and PIP (Provisional Internship Permit) candidates are those staff who don't yet qualify for an internship but due to the extraordinary need, are able to be hired temporarily. Such candidates receive the same support as an intern as they work to qualify for either an internship or induction.

TPSL:

TPSL(Teaching-Permit for Statutory Leave) candidates are long-term substitutes who do not possess a credential in the area of the teacher they are replacing. They must take an online preparatory course we have created for them and receive one-hour per week of lesson planning support from an on-site mentor.

Voluntary TSN:

Formerly Voluntary PAR, this is the program we are most excited about. We hope that the inviting title might encourage more veteran teachers to consider reaching out for support when they are experiencing a challenge, such as a change in placement. The other exciting development is that Voluntary TSN is now available to non-permanent teachers new to the district. Previously, such teachers did not qualify for any support unless they were interns or induction participants. This gap in support is now covered, and we are excited to be able to provide up to 20 hours of mentoring for any such teachers who may be struggling. While you can't require such teachers to participate, administrators may suggest that teachers consider applying for the support.

Referred TSN

Like Referred PAR, this program is instituted automatically based on the evaluation process.

Our Induction Program Accreditation Site Visit schedule has just been confirmed by the visiting team from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The visit will take place virtually from Monday, October 11 through Wednesday, October 13, and during that time, they will be conducting online interviews with our various stakeholders to ask questions about their role in supporting the MVUSD Induction Program. All principals will be interviewed, as indicated in the earlier email sent out. The current schedule for the site visit with interview can be accessed HERE. We will send an Outlook invitation with a link to the meeting platform soon.

We have the following paid trainings coming up over the next few weeks:

Ideas for Instructional Engagement (Grades 4-12), Tuesday, October 5, 4:00-6:00pm

Technology Tools for Equity and Access (All Levels), Wednesday, October 6 OR 13, 4:00-5:00pm

Incorporating the 8 Standards of Mathematical Practice (All Levels), Thursday, October 7, 4:00-6:00pm

Math Journals (All Levels), Thursday, October 14, 4:00-6:00pm

External Tools, Text Boxes, and URLs (Elementary), Wednesday, October 26 OR 13, 4:00-5:00pm

Introduction to Mindfulness (All Levels), Thursday, October 28, 4:00-6:00pm

You can learn more about the trainings and registration for the above sessions, as well as access our asynchronous paid online workshops by clicking HERE. We also have online training resources on a wide array of topics that can be accessed on demand 24/7 from the "Professional Development Buffet" in the Canvas PD Course HERE.

**Don't hesitate to recommend these or any of the above resources to teachers or other staff members who could benefit!**

We continue to hear about the need for SEL for Teachers. To support the many staff members who have taken the initial Introduction to Mindfulness training over the past few years, we have created a Wellness Wednesdays follow up program to help support their practice. It has been a challenge to develop a time and platform to connect with teachers and staff that meets all needs. We are experimenting with an asynchronous format via a Wellness Wednesdays newsletter that will include a video practice and tips that will attune to the current challenges and circumstances and hopefully provide an "on demand" access level of convenience to meet current needs. If you would like to sign up to receive this weekly self-care nugget, please email Sean McCarthy.

Additionally, Education Services will be re-offering our Introduction to Mindfulness training next month on Thursday, October 28, at 4pm. All teachers AND administrators are welcomed to attend, even if they have attended previously. Please encourage your staff members who may be experiencing a little emotional overload to join. It is a great way to find some strategies to find balance while getting paid! Registration information in the Workshop Opportunities section below.

As you may have heard, our program is far bigger than expected this year! Here are the current numbers:

Assigned Mentors: 74

Year 1 Induction Candidates: 38

Year 2 Induction Candidates: 19

Intern Candidates (Including STSP & PIP): 12

TPSL Candidates (Long-Term Subs): 6

CTE Clear Credential Candidate: 1

Modified Induction Candidates: 1

Please don't hesitate to contact us for assistance with staff!

Sean McCarthy
smccarthy@murrieta.k12.ca.us
ext.1280

Jill Buschhausen
jbuschhausen@murrieta.k12.ca.us
ext. 5024

Erica Franklin