Red River teachers are getting the training to help their fellow teachers improve their classroom skills. The Journal spoke with Renee’ Hester, the Talent Pipeline Lead for the school board. Hester said there are two trained mentors and seven others undergoing training this year. And Hester told us that nine mentors would be trained next year.
Those who are completing their training are Nicole Bailey, Ashley Dees, Darlene Martin, Samantha Sullivan, and Kenyotta Williams. Ellie Drew and Renee’ Hester had been trained earlier.
The mentors are classroom teachers who will work with other teachers to help them develop and sharpen their teaching skills. Hester said some are new teachers and some are teachers who took an alternate route to teaching other than traditional college training.
Hester said, “We actually have nine new mentors added to our team for next year. We are very pleased to announce the addition of Jamie Antilley, Erica Bonner, Patience Danzy, Intha Fields, Yasmine Jason, Peggy Key, Sherry Pickett, Brian Ross, and Rachael Williamson, who will begin training in New Orleans in May. They will continue to train and practice as mentors to new teachers in the 2018-2019 school year.” That training will begin during the Teacher Leader Summit in New Orleans on May 30th. It will continue throughout the 2018-19 school year.
In addition to the mentors, Red River Schools will have two instructors training to be Content Leaders. Currently Debora Babers and Alvester Barfield are serving the parish as Content Leaders. Hester said that Kelley Lee and Trina Brown will train next year to also be Content Leaders
The Louisiana Department of Education said Lee and Brown will join 700 teachers from across the state that have been selected to serve as Content Leaders. Education Department spokesperson Syndi Dunn said, “They will provide high-quality, content-rich and curriculum-specific professional development to new and current teachers in their school systems. The selected teachers will participate in special training during the 2018-2019 school year that prepares them for this responsibility and culminates in a professional distinction, as well as career advancement opportunities.
