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The mission of the DDSD Mentor Program is to attract, support, and retain high quality educators.  It is uniquely designed to provide ongoing coaching for the personal and professional growth and development of teachers—both new to the profession and veterans.  With a strategic plan of instructional mentoring using the Formative Assessment System designed by the New Teacher Center, mentors will assist with building teachers' knowledge of the art and science of teaching and cause them to reflect upon their teaching practices in order to support and increase student achievement. The DDSD Mentor Program is 100% funded by grant dollars.

"The stakes are high.  Every day, we wager the future of this country on our teachers.  We are daily entrusting the dreams of our young people to those who teach them.  Whether those dreams are delayed, denied, or fulfilled is ours to decide."     No Dream Denied, National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, Jan. 2003

"When veterans and novices work together in a nurturing relationship, each gets something of real value from the other.  Veterans gain energy; novices gain inspiration.  Isolation fades, connection flourishes, pain turns into wisdom -- a joyful wisdom that makes the difficulties in our work endurable and keeps both veteran and novice coming back for more."     "A tale of two children" David Shoemaker, Phi Delta Kappan, Feb. 2003