Each year, the district welcomes first, second, and third year teachers to an August orientation program of three days, two days, and one day, respectively. Not only do these sessions enable us to connect new faculty members in a supportive cohort; they enable us to convey the district’s instructional priorities through carefully-chosen agendas and formats.

Each year since 2008, we have provided a copy of The Skillful Teacher to all new teachers at the time of hiring. Since its publication in 2012, we have also provided a copy of Opening Minds by Peter Johnston to all new teachers. We draw upon both texts during the orientation program in order to convey the following big ideas:

• Teaching is a craft; effective teachers seek to expand their repertoires continually.
• The district seeks to inculcate a growth mindset in and among faculty, students, and families. Intelligence and ability are not fixed; rather they are malleable and develop in response to effort over time.
• To that end, new teachers can expect frequent and friendly drop-in visits from administrators, some of which will constitute mini-observations with oral and written feedback.
• Faculty members are invited (and expected!) to participate actively in professional learning opportunities from the get-go; we value the fresh perspectives that new hires contribute to our professional community.