Level playing field in Caroline schools By Terry L. Norton
Caroline County teachers are taking part in a pilot program meant to
attract and retain the best teachers in rural communities.
On Nov. 24, Superintendent of Schools Stanley O. Jones presented
monetary awards to 57 Caroline High School and Middle School Teachers.
They took part in Teacher Incentives Pilot Project of Governor Mark
Warner’s Education For A Lifetime Initiative.
Caroline County Schools is one of two school districts taking part in
the pilot program, Assistant Superintendent Rosa Atkins said. It
capitalizes on the concept of offering training and pay incentives to
highly qualified, experienced teachers in middle and high schools.
Research shows rural schools, such as Caroline, have high turnover
rates and a high percentage of relatively new teachers, Atkins said.
This makes it difficult to maintain stability and develop a strong
organizational culture that supports learning.
Due to Caroline’s rural nature, the schools have trouble hiring and
retaining teachers away from the higher paying school districts in the
immediate area.
High turnover rates mean spending on extra resources each year in
training and re-training.
The pilot program not only provides a pay incentive but also funds for
training. The Caroline School Administration allocated time for the
extended training, so local teachers are not giving up their free time
to improve their job skills.
As a targeted school division, Caroline will receive funds to provide
support for beginning teachers.
The governor wants to improve the environment for new teachers through
mentoring programs.
Governor Warner’s Education for a Lifetime Initiative includes three
reforms aimed at recruiting and retaining quality teachers,
particularly in schools and subject areas that are experiencing
qualified teacher shortages, such as Caroline.
The initiative would also replace principals in consistently
low-performing schools with “turnaround specialists.”
The program funding will also provide three Mentor Advisors for all new
teachers. The job of the mentors is to provide support in instruction,
community, observation, instructional strategy and lesson planning,
Atkins said.
