New Teacher Mentor - Differential (2025-26 SY)

ROCKFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT #205
Job Description
 
Job Title: New Teacher Mentor - Differential
                                                                                                                                                           
Job Code: 0005
Department: Talent Development
Supervisor: Director of Teacher Effectiveness
Date: March 1, 2019
FLSA Status: Exempt
Stipend: $2,250 - 3,500                                                                                                                                                   
 
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION: The In-building New Teacher Mentor will support new teachers during their initial years in the profession to establish proficient practices and continually discuss adjustments for professional growth. This role will support assigned new teachers through collaboration sessions and participation in program events while working to collaborate with other mentors district-wide.
 
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None
 
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. In addition to the requirements listed below, regular attendance is an essential function of this position.
 

1. Ensure that all actions are in concert with the Board policies as well as the mission statement, beliefs, objectives and parameters found in the Board’s strategic plan.
2. Participates in job training and professional growth opportunities in order to enhance ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
3. Performs other related duties as assigned for the purpose of ensuring an efficient and effective work environment.
4. Provide continuous mentoring support to new teachers (mentees) in the RPS 205 New Teacher Mentoring Program.
5. Use Collaboration Minutes forms and the Collaborative Log to record one-on-one mentor collaboration session discussion items and set goals for continual growth and advancement of practice.
6. Maintain the confidentiality of the mentor – mentee relationship.
7. Supply mentee(s) with honest and constructive feedback, encouragement, and positive reinforcement through meaningful classroom observation and discussion aligned to the Framework for Teaching.
8. Actively participate in a professional learning community to improve mentor practices.
9. Represent Current District Policy/Procedure.
10. Attend scheduled collaboration sessions, observation, and Check and Connect professional development opportunities with new teachers.
11. Qualified mentors will enroll in the Teacher Leader Pathway with a mentoring emphasis, including Mentoring Change in Practice during their initial year as a New Teacher Mentor.
12. Attend up to 5 days of summer training and development in addition to attending New Teacher Orientation, if requested.
13. Complete and submit program paperwork and reports on time.

 
QUALIFICATIONS:
The Mentor must hold or have retired while holding a Standard or Master certificate that should, to the extent possible, be the same type of certificate held by new teachers during any given school year.   Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching; required teacher leadership training mandated by the District.  The Mentor must be tenured, have received a rating of “Proficient” or above on last evaluation, and be in good standing with the District.
 
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
The Mentor understands and can address: content knowledge and pedagogy, adult learning theory, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, attributes and styles of positive critiques, classroom observation skills related to assessment of performance aligned to the RPS Rubric for Teacher Evaluation [based upon Charlotte Danielson’s 2013 Framework for Teaching], strategies for providing constructive feedback and social support, problem-solving skills, and formative assessment and self-assessment.

Benefits: This is not a benefits-eligible position. 

WORKING CONDITIONS: 
Moderate in-district travel as well as intermittent in-state and out-of-state travel.  Intermittent prolonged and irregular hours of work.
 
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS: Meet ISBE requirements.
 
OTHER:
This job description describes duties and responsibilities which are representative of the nature and level of work assigned to the position. The identified duties and responsibilities are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position. 
 
The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the school district and employee and is subject to change by the school district as the needs of the school district and requirements of the job change.
 
Physical Aspects of the Position (Check all that apply)
 

1.	X	Climbing – Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
2.	X	Balancing – Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces.
3.	X	Stooping – Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist.
4.	X	Kneeling – Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
5.	X	Crouching – Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
6.	X	Crawling – Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
7.	X	Reaching – Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
8.	X	Standing – Particularly for sustained periods of time.
9.	X	Walking – Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances.
10.	X	Pushing – using upper extremities to press against something with steady force order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
11.	X	Pulling – Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
12.	X	Lifting – Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and required the substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
13.	X	Finger use – Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with the fingers rather than the whole hand or arm as in handling.
14.	X	Grasping – Applying pressure to an object with the fingers or palm.
15.	X	Talking - Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken word. Those activities in which you must convey detailed or spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly or quickly.
16.	X	Hearing – Perceiving the nature of sounds. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make fine discriminations in sounds such as when making fine adjustments on machinery.
17.	X	Repetitive Motions – Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.

 
 
The Physical Requirements of the Position (Check one)
 

1.	-	Sedentary Work – Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary Work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
2.	X	Light Work – Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of force greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rate for Light Work.
3.	-	Medium Work – Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
4.	-	Heavy Work - Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
5.	-	Very Heavy Work – Exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

 

 
The visual acuity requirements including color, depth perception and field of vision   (Check one)
 

1.	-	Machine Operations – inspection, close assembly, clerical, administration. This is a minimum standard for use with those whose work deals largely with preparing and analyzing data and figures, accounting, transcription, computer terminal, extensive reading, or visual inspection.
2.	-	Mechanics – Skilled tradespeople – This is a minimum standard for use with those whose work deals with machines such as power tools, lathes and drills.
3.	-	Mobile Equipment – This is a minimum standard for use with those who operate cars, trucks, forklifts, cranes, and high equipment.
4.	X	Other – This is a minimum standard basis on the criteria of accuracy and neatness of work for janitors, sweepers, etc.

 
The Conditions the Worker will be subject to in this position (Check all that apply)
 

1.	-	The worker is subject to inside environment conditions.
2.	-	The worker is subject to outside environment conditions.
3.	X	The worker is subject to both environmental conditions. (Activity occurs inside and outside)
4.	-	The worker is subject to extreme heat or cold for periods of greater that one hour.
5.	-	The worker is subject to noise which would cause them to have to shout.
6.	-	The worker is subject to hazards: Includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, electrical current, chemicals, etc.