The Teacher Mentor Program was created and built upon a foundation of values and beliefs.

The values are the fundamental building blocks upon which all the work we do with new teachers and mentors is based. The values are on the compass, symbolizing the direction they provide as well as always aligning us to our "Professional True North."

The beliefs are what we hold as truths and rely upon as we make decisions for all stakeholders in the TMP.

We believe:

1. Mentors exemplify excellence in teaching.
2. Assistance for mentees should be embedded in the workplace.
3. New teachers need help to balance immediate concerns with long-term development.
4. Mentoring encourages teaching as inquiry, which leads to continuous improvement.
5. Mentors can learn to articulate their knowledge of best practice instruction and instructional strategies.
6. Mentors can clarify curriculum concepts and help to access resources.
7. Mentoring addresses specific aspects of lesson preparation and delivery.
8. Mentoring allows formative peer assessment to gather evidence which leads to continuous improvement.
9. Mentoring as a collaborative partnership promotes the growth of professional learning communities.
10. Mentoring can offer avenues for a variety of teacher leadership roles.
11. It is important to retain quality teachers and maintain continuity of the teaching staff within buildings, departments and programs.