Running head: MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 1

Mission, Interviews, and Orientation

Laura A. Krcelic

American College of Education

EL 5623 Developing Teachers

Dr. Audrey Donaldson

MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 2

Mission, Interviews, and Orientation

Hiring new teachers that are not only qualified for their position but passionate about

their career choice is a primary goal for school districts. However, now that you have hired the

new teacher, it is important to feed the passion and professionally develop teachers to best meet

the needs of the students. If new teachers are unprepared for their position, it could lead to a

decrease in academic success in the students along with earlier teacher burn out from being

overwhelmed. If time and effort is placed in the hiring and recruiting process, it is the

responsibility of the leaders in the district to prioritize ways to retain the teachers hired and build

a successful team. In this application, we will develop a mission statement for new teacher

induction, along with interview questions reflective of the mission Marzano’s domains and

Haberman’s dimensions and an agenda for a new teacher orientation.

Part 1: The Mission Statement

The purpose of a mission statement is to clearly state goals and objectives for an

organization. As a school district, it is vital to have a mission statement that could be consistent

across grades levels and throughout years of teaching. Making your organizations mission

statement clear allows for an induction program to educate incoming teachers of where the

district is currently at and where they aim to head. According to Wong (2004), new teachers

“success will determine the success of an entire generation of students” (page 41). Therefore, it

is essential that educational leaders are orienting new teachers to reach their greatest potential in

order to best meet the needs of students.

MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 3

What is our mission?

The mission of the new induction program for teachers hired in Warren City Schools is to

prepare them to work our unique set of students. It is important to educate new teachers of

certain aspects that students may bring with them in their indivisible backpack of emotions. We

want to prepare teachers to be empathetic towards students without being sympathetic in order to

believe that students are capable of success academically. Warren City Schools prioritizes the

role of social-emotional learning through direct instruction of the skill set in the classrooms and

intentionally embeds the concepts into lessons. We want to provide a safe and supportive

learning environment for our students in order to help them reach their greatest potential.

Who are we trying to reach?

Warren City Schools aims to meet the needs of a wide demographic of students in

different parts of town. For instance, Jefferson pK-8 is a building within the Warren City School

district that has 100% of students considered economically disadvantaged. Therefore, it is vital

that they are not only working towards meeting their needs academically but providing support

for those students outside of the classroom as well. Educating and caring for the whole child is a

fundamental part of working for Warren City Schools. Ensuring students basic needs are met

before trying to educate them academically is a necessity within our school district. Developing

teachers that are educated and prepared to meet the needs of the whole child is a key role of the

induction program.

What do those we are trying to reach value?

We are trying to reach newly hired teachers in Warren City Schools that have a passion

for educating young minds. In addition to educating them academically, we also take pride in the

amount of compassion and support we provide for our students as well. For many of our
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 4

students, our teaching staff is the consistency needed in our students lives which makes it even

more important that we are practicing what we preach in terms of social-emotional skills. We

believe in the role of directly teaching soft skills in order to be successful in all aspects of life.

What results do we anticipate?

By preparing our teachers through the induction process, we aim to have new teachers

that are prepared to educate students social-emotional needs. This skillset in mind will lead to the

development of their classroom management plan and achievement for students academically.

Through discussion of what students within Warren City Schools needs are, we are able to hold

professional discussion to prepare new teachers for their first weeks within the classroom.

Throughout the year, it would be important to follow-up with teachers on their progress in the

class and troubleshoot any areas of concern that develop.

What is our plan?

Our plan is to educate new teachers on the environment where our students come from.

Having open discussion on social-emotional learnings role in our classroom and why we hold it

to such high esteem is necessary in order to have new teacher buy-in. Providing support to new

teachers in the development of their classroom management plans along with being a continuous

resource for teachers to bounce ideas to and troubleshoot areas of concern that arise.

Mission Statement:

Warren City Schools Induction Program aims to provide a safe and supportive learning

environment for all students to reach success through the development of passionate, hard-

working teachers.

Part 2: Interview Questions

MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 5

Determining appropriate questions to ask in the hiring process is a necessity in ensuring

the best professionals for your district are hired. Questions allow an interviewer to have insight

into the potential of the teaching candidate which also allows them to see if the educational

philosophies align between the candidate and the district. The following is a table of possible

interview questions in alignment with Marzano’s domains and Haberman’s dimensions.

Marzano’s Domain Job-Related Interview Questions

Selection of Content 1. Explain how you use state standards to
determine the direction of your
teaching?
2. What specific strategies help in the
instruction of your specific content?
3. How can you work with colleagues in
other content areas to enhance your
content area?

Selection of Instructional Strategies 1. What role does reading have in your

content area? How can you best
embed this into your instruction?
2. What strategies do use to provide a
real-world connection in your
instruction?
3. What specific instructional strategies
do you continuously intend use in
your classroom? Is this flexible based
on students?

Use of Assessment for Learning
1. How can you progress monitor student
achievement?
2. What role does data collection have in
informing your instruction?
3. What do you do when the data from
an assessment shows that a key
concept has been missed?

Classroom Management 1. How can you best make students feel

safe and supported in their learning
environment?
2. How would you prepare your
classroom for the first days of school?
3. How can you promote students
learning from corrective actions from
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION
Student Motivation
Haberman’s Dimension
Persistence
Protecting Learners and Learning
Application of Generalizations
Approach to At-Risk Students
6
their behaviors rather than
punishment?
1. How do you plan to encourage
students to be actively engaged in
their learning?
2. What do you believe motivates
students to learn?
3. How can you engage a struggling
reader in their learning?
Job-Related Interview Questions
1. Our students are in inclusion
classrooms at every level, what could
you do to meet the needs of the
diverse learners in the class?
2. How can you make a real-world
connection for our students in your
classroom to make their learning
relevant?
3. What examples of engagement do you
believe are most effective in drawing
students into the learning process?
1. How can you create a desire to learn
in our students?
2. What role does continuous learning
have in your daily life?
3. Beyond textbooks, what learning
opportunities can you bring for our
students?
1. What role does reflective practice
have in teaching?
2. If we were to observe your classroom,
what might we see that shows that you
believe all students have the potential
to learn?
3. What role does professional
development have in building your
instruction?
1. How can you be empathetic to our
students who come from severe
trauma while still pushing them
academically?
2. How can you provide support
academically to students that have
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 7

consistently performed below grade

level?
3. What role does the teacher have in
providing support to our students?
Professional versus Personal Orientation to 1. How much do you need to know about
Students your students to best educate them?
2. What is your philosophy on the
potential for students to be
academically successful?
3. How can you demonstrate control in
your classroom while also showing
respect and care towards our students?
(Reaction to) Teacher Burnout 1. What role do colleagues have in your
own success in the classroom?
2. How do organizational skills impact
the teaching environment?
3. What role does administration have on
your success as a teacher?
Fallibility 1. What role do mistakes play in your
development as a teacher?
2. In Warren, we believe in the power of
yet, what does this sentiment mean to
you?
3. How can you promote students
learning from their mistakes rather
than accepting failure?
Part 3: New Teacher Orientation

New teacher orientation is different depending on the district which you are hired.

However, it is clear that providing a new teacher orientation is essential in the success of those

teachers. Preparing our teachers for their new position is essential in order for them to be

prepared and ready for the first weeks of school. The following overviews the current new

teacher orientation program at Warren City School’s along with a survey of orientation

experiences and a plan for a new teacher orientation.

Warren City Schools New Teacher Orientation Program

Currently at Warren City Schools, the new teacher orientation program is union based

and aligns with the Ohio’s Resident Educator Program. Prior to the start of the school year, there
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 8

is a meeting with the leaders in the Warren Education Association to discuss the regulations of

the district. From here, new teachers are assigned a mentor teacher to meet with throughout their

first year of teaching to discuss how their classes are going along with any areas of concern. The

orientation for individual buildings tends to happen on convocation day where they are

introduced to the staff in their building, but mainly their assigned pod (example: 6th through 8th

grade is a pod of teachers). Discussion for classroom management strategies and discipline plans

does not occur in a formal orientation meeting but rather during the meetings two days prior to

the start of the schoolyear.

Best Orientation Experiences

Colleague number one, Roy Ryser, that was surveyed discussed their orientation

experience at Jefferson pK-8 in Warren City Schools that occurred five years ago. This was a

year when a substantial number of teachers were hired for the Jefferson building which may have

been the reason for the formal meeting. At this orientation, my colleague recalls going on a bus

tour of the southwest side of town where our students reside. The bus ride was an enlightening

experience because typically we do not have the time to truly explore the community where we

work, or feel safe enough to at times. The tour provided prospective as to what our students bring

into the classroom emotionally which is why it is vital to educate the whole child beyond their

academics.

Colleague number two, Nicholas Dean, discussed the role of veteran teachers in their first

few weeks in the Jefferson building. They do not recall a formal meeting for new teachers to be

oriented within the building or develop a plan of action within the first few weeks. However,

they did say colleagues reached out to introduce them to other teachers in the building and

familiarize them with where their students are at throughout the day. As a physical education
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 9

teacher, they were able to discuss classroom management plans for middle school students with

the co-teacher in the physical education environment. The teacher noted that they struggled to

figure out the specialized schedule for physical education teachers and could have benefited from

further orientation with administrators.

Colleague number two, Jaclyn Davia, came to Warren City Schools from an online

district. At each district they were instructed with how to set up their grade books and other

fundamental aspects of their district. The online district appeared to have a more clear and

concise orientation process that discussed the various programs of their school, whereas, Warren

City Schools held short and to the point meetings covering the basics. Being introduced to the

technology expected to be used in each of the districts made the organizational process easier for

record keeping sake. However, there was no further discussion on classroom management or

other expectations prior to convocation day for the district, which is two days prior to the start of

the school year.

New Teacher Orientation Plan

The following table discusses the components of the new teacher orientation plan

including the goals of the program and how they will be presented.

Component Component’s Goal How will the component be

Expectations This component will discuss both teacher
and student expectations. Teachers should
model what is expected from our students.
Our students need to follow the
W.A.R.R.E.N. acronym (Work ethic,
Accountability, Respect, Responsibility,
Effective behavior, and No excuses).
presented?
A norms agreement will be
developed to discuss what
should be expected of
teachers, administrators could
add in any additional needs
that are left out. New teachers
will be provided a folder with
a copy of the W.A.R.R.E.N.
acronym matrix that shows
expectations for each
component.
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION
Materials Based on the teachers content area, they will
be provided with curriculum materials that
will be used to develop instruction. New
teachers will be familiarized with where
necessary equipment and materials are along
with to whom to make material requests
from.
Important Teachers will be introduced to all
People administrators in the building along with
their first year mentor. Important people for
new teachers to meet are Carrie Boyer (head
principal, k-2), Gary Israel (6-8 principal),
Sonya Marshall (3-5 principal), Mesa
Morlan (Supervisor of Special Education),
Heidi Cope-Barker (Supervisor of School
Improvement), Stacey Frederick (Lead
Secretary) along with any staff in their
designated pod that they will be working
with that is available in the building.
Activities Based on classroom scenarios, teachers will
determine a route of action following the
behavior matrix provided by the district.
Teachers will discuss possible corrective
responses for the students.
Rituals Teachers will be walked through their
schedule for students and discuss rituals to
embed in their daily schedule (things to
consider: attention getters, movement
throughout the building, bell work, etc.)
10
Materials will be distributed
based on their content area
assigned. A tour of the
building will educate new
teachers on the location of
equipment, materials, and
other important rooms.
Administrators will introduce
themselves. Then, new
teachers will join their pod
principal to meet any
additional people available in
the building that they will be
working with.
Teachers will participate in a
gallery walk where they read
through a possible classroom
scenario. Using their behavior
matrix, they need to make an
informed decision for how to
respond to the situation.
Teachers will also determine
possible corrective responses.
At the end of the gallery
walk, teachers will share out
their thoughts and actions.
Pod principals will discuss
rituals for movement
throughout the day along with
the bell schedule. Open
discussion will occur about
which rituals need to be in
place in your classrooms
starting the moment they
walk into the individual
classrooms.
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 11

Action Plan for Orientation

Delegating tasks as a team leads to the success of the entire school building. Allowing

leaders to take on larger tasks grants the opportunity for multiple perspectives to be used and

new teachers to be better prepared for the first weeks of school.

Tasks/Action Steps Responsibilities Resources Timeline

What will be done? Who will do it? Using what? By when?
Folders of new hire Carrie Boyer (head Carrie Boyer will Materials must be
materials organized principal) will determine necessary determined two
(must include determine materials materials. Stacey weeks prior to new
behavior matrix and necessary for new Frederick and Miss hire orientation
WARREN acronym hires to have access Gretchen will sort
matrix) to at orientation. and organize new All folders must be
Stacey Frederick hire folders; Folders done by a week prior
(lead secretary) will to store materials, to orientation meeting
get together all copies of necessary
materials for the items for new
folders, folders will teachers
be organized by Miss
Gretchen once the
materials have been
gathered
Materials for content Academic Coaches Academic coaches Materials must be
area instruction and heads of and heads of gathered and
(including teacher departments will departments available for Carrie
manuals) must be collect required (dependent on Boyer to check one
collected for the new materials (teacher content area) will week prior to
hires to use and manuals, content area gather and organize orientation meeting
familiarize maps, etc.) for new materials for new
themselves with hires; they will be hires in their content
organized based on
teacher and content
Communication with Carrie Boyer will Email and newsletter Emails and newsletter
pod principals and reach out to pod to staff and new hires must be sent two
staff about new hire principals about new informing of week prior to
orientation date for hires and orientation; orientation orientation; earlier
availability Pod principals will communication is
reach out to staff for welcome to occur
availability for
introduction along
with sending a
welcome email to
MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 12

new hires informing

them of orientation
Student Service SSC staff will Chart paper and post Must be done three
Center (SSC) Staff develop scenarios it notes to respond to weeks prior to
will organize along with potential scenarios based on orientation meeting
potential scenarios corrective responses; behavior matrix
for behavior response send behavior matrix
and organize gallery and corrective Email Carrie Boyer
walk response sheets to necessary sheets for
Carrie Boyer for folder from SSC staff
folder
Pod principals and Carrie Boyer, Gary Meeting of Must be done one
SSI determine rituals Israel, Sonya administrators to month prior to
that need to be Marshall, Heidi discuss rituals and orientation meeting
addressed at Cope-Barker, and classroom
orientation along with Mesa Morlan will management plan
classroom meet to discuss
management plans rituals new hires need Graphic organizer
to ensure they have in developed for new
their classrooms; hires to organize their
graphic organizer plan of action for in
developed for new their classrooms
hires to document
their action plan (in
new hire folder)
Conclusion

The process of hiring new teachers can be both exciting and overwhelming. Finding

passionate educators to work within your district is a wonderful opportunity to bring in fresh

ideas and perspectives for our students. However, it is essential to prepare new teachers for their

first weeks in order to set them up for success rather than failure or potential burn out. The goal

in hiring teachers is to retain them and keep the teacher growing professionally over the years.

Which is why the development of a clear new hire orientation is necessary in order for your

school’s mission to be clearly illuminated to the freshly hired teacher.

MISSION, INTERVIEWS, AND ORIENTATION 13

References

Davia, J. (2019, October 9). Personal interview.

Dean, N. (2019, October 9). Personal interview.

Haberman, M. (1995). Selecting 'star' teachers for children and youth in urban poverty. Phi Delta

Kappan, 76(10), 777.

Ryser, R. (2019, October 9). Personal interview.

Wong, H. K. (2004). Induction programs that keep new teachers teaching and

improving. National Association of Secondary School Principals.NASSP

Bulletin, 88(638), 41-58.