New Educator Orientation Sets Educators Up for Success

September 18th, 2024

Starting a job with a new organization isn’t easy. Even if you’ve done a similar job elsewhere, it takes time to meet your new colleagues, get familiar with your new organization’s culture and values, know where to turn for help, and feel confident tackling the duties you’ve been assigned.

That is why HCPSS developed its New Educator Orientation (NEO) program. Held annually in early August, the program is designed to acquaint new educators with their colleagues, and also provide them with essential information and resources to start the school year off strong.

This year’s NEO began with a day of activities dedicated to HCPSS’ new special educators and related service providers. Attendees were introduced to members of the HCPSS Department of Special Education (DSE) staff as well as a number of HCPSS and Board of Education policies, systems and procedures. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to meet in small groups to discuss expectations for their specific special education programs.

“We purposely centered activities around making our new special educators and related service providers feel welcome and equipping them with the information they need to feel comfortable in their new roles,” explains Dr. Emily Kinsler, HCPSS’ coordinator of Countywide Services and one of several organizers of the August event. “In the process, we aimed to start building a sense of community among our new special education staff and our existing DSE staff, so that they feel connected to and supported by one another.”

NEO continued with programming for all newly hired educators and staff. HCPSS Superintendent William J. Barnes welcomed the group, encouraging them to get to know one another and feel at home in the HCPSS community. He stressed the importance of using time effectively, adding that “It is our time to build the school system we want and our students deserve.” He also introduced attendees to HCPSS’ Equity Framework, emphasizing that HCPSS is committed to supporting all students and that the diversity of the HCPSS community is part of what makes it great. In addition, Barnes introduced HCPSS’ strategic priorities, which guide the school district’s work and will serve as the basis for his forthcoming strategic plan.

Following Barnes’ presentation, attendees heard from a student panel about teachers who had impacted them; had the opportunity to explore and reflect on how their personal experiences and perspectives impact the learning environment; and discussed the role of the student-teacher relationship in building a culture of belonging.

The next day kicked off with remarks by past HCPSS teachers of the year who shared their strategies to stay focused, inspired, and joy-filled in their roles. Later, attendees broke into groups by curriculum area for more relationship-building and to receive essential curriculum-related information and resources. Attendees also were served lunch by HCPSS Board members and system leaders.

The third and final day of NEO began with a presentation by Judith Jones, HCPSS’ director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, who spoke about creating a culture of belonging in our schools and enabling all students to feel seen, celebrated and cared for.

Following Jones’ presentation, attendees met with their curriculum and program areas to continue to build relationships with their new colleagues and to cover any other key information they would need to feel comfortable and confident heading into the start of school.

“Our goal is to have people leave NEO feeling welcomed, supported, and hopefully excited about joining our school district. We want them to head into those first weeks having the resources they need and knowing where to turn if they need help,” says Patty Otero, HCPSS’ coordinator of Comprehensive Teacher Induction and Educational Support Professional Development.

At the same time, NEO aims to help new educators and support staff understand HCPSS’ core values, says Juliann Dibble, HCPSS’ director of Teacher and Paraprofessional Development.

“We want our new hires to come away from NEO with a clear understanding of what matters to us as a district and begin to see what that looks like in their respective roles. As part of that work, we want them to understand that equity is central to everything we do at HCPSS,” Dibble says.

Andres Gordillo, Krisztina Madak, Jennifer Blunt, and Megan Gleason all attended this year’s NEO.

For Gordillo, who works as a speech language pathologist (SLP), highlights of the event included learning about HCPSS’ vision and hearing directly from the Superintendent.

“It demonstrates that [the Superintendent] is willing to get involved with teachers and students and not just represent the district from his office,” says Gordillo.

Madak, also an SLP, says she enjoyed meeting her new colleagues and program coordinators at the event, noting that NEO left her feeling comfortable reaching out to them with questions. She also came away from NEO with a better understanding of certain HCPSS practices and protocols, as well as the importance HCPSS places on documentation.

Like Madak, Lake Elkhorn Middle School counselor Jennifer Blunt says she enjoyed meeting her new colleagues in school counseling and appreciated the opportunity NEO afforded her to to ask questions and receive “vital procedural information” about being a school counselor at HCPSS.

Blunt also says her experience at NEO left her feeling supported and prepared for the start of school.

As she notes, “Our district level support team is very invested in our success. They wanted to ensure we were well prepared before the first day.”

Special Education teacher Megan Gleason shares Blunt’s feelings about the strong level of support she received at NEO.

“Transitioning from a non-public school to a large public school system could have been daunting, but the support I received during orientation quickly put those fears to rest. Knowing that there are experienced colleagues, mentors, and administrators who are not only accessible but eager to help has made all the difference in how I perceive my role within the school.”

In addition, Gleason came away from NEO with what she calls “a shared commitment to student success.” As she says, “One of the most positive aspects of my [NEO] experience was recognizing that everyone in HCPSS is working toward the same goal—student success. Whether through implementing IEPs, engaging in inclusive teaching practices, or participating in school-wide initiatives, the collective commitment to helping every student reach their potential has reinforced my belief that I joined the right community.”

While NEO serves as new educators’ primary introduction to HCPSS, it is just one of many supports in place for those new to the teaching profession and to the district. HCPSS offers support sessions throughout the year for new educators.

“We build in those touch points so that our staff have multiple opportunities to connect and learn throughout the year,” says Colleen Garrant, an HCPSS resource teacher and one of the organizers of the Special Education portion of NEO.

“NEO is not an isolated event,” Dibble adds. “It is the beginning of a responsive, three-year induction program that includes a variety of professional learning opportunities.”

As part of that Comprehensive Induction Program, new teachers are paired with instructional mentors who provide support with planning and preparation, learning environments, learning experiences, and principled teaching. Mentors also provide classroom observations, support, and feedback throughout the year to assist new teachers. In addition, new teachers have access to Teacher Development Liaisons at their school to provide ongoing, school-based support and resources to help them develop and implement best practices for instruction.

“We know that whether you are new to teaching or simply new to HCPSS, there’s a big learning curve, and new challenges arise every year. That is why we have created such a strong web of support. We not only want our teachers to feel ready on day one; we want to give them access to that support and help them be successful throughout their career with HCPSS,” Dibble says.