News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Van Buren County Board of Education using Title Two funding to hire local teachers to help coach and mentor other teachers.
Title Two is a federal grant the school system receives every year to spend on teacher mentors. Van Buren County Director of Schools Jared Copeland said the school system already spends a lot of the funding every year for mentors from outside companies.
“They recommended us to think about it instead of spending it on an outside company why don’t we use good folks that we know we have as teacher leaders to help coach and mentor,” Copeland said. “And kind of be a part of that ELA and math coaching process.”
Eight positions will be created and teachers who mentor will receive a $2,000 stipend once obligations are fulfilled. Copeland said the move is an attempt to improve the school system’s math and ELA scores.
“This is an additional layer of support and help to our teachers,” Copeland said. “You know, from their own people. Not a punitive thing or a come in and gotcha, and sometimes that’s what the other side feels like. They need some of their own to come in and help guide them.”
Copeland said this is another step forward to improve the school system.
“We have had a lot of discussion in leadership about we are a great school system, but how can we get better? I think if we are not aiming to get on that road and make improvements all the time then we are on the wrong path. We are on a good path but we want to encourage our own people.”
Teachers who take the leadership role will be working with other teachers for 50 hours throughout the school year. Copeland said Van Buren County School’s third-grade teachers finished at the top of the Upper Cumberland in test scores this past year. Copeland said there is still more room for improvement.
