Kevin Stone, chair of Mansfield City Schools’ Master Teacher Committee, looks over information about the program with two Master Teachers at Sherman Elementary: Kathy Kranch, left, and Maggie Voedisch. District educators who have master’s degrees and at least eight years of teaching experience may be eligible to apply for Master Teacher designation.
The process,
which can be completed by the end of the school year, includes an application,
recommendations and a narrative section with supporting evidence.
Kevin Stone,
a Sherman Elementary teacher and chair of the Master Teacher committee, said
benefits of becoming a Master Teacher include upgrading of a professional
license while earning one semester credit from Ashland University and nine Continuing
Education Units.
“Going through the process really brings out a candidate’s strengths as a teacher,” Stone said. “It really gets the candidate to reflect on their practices and how those impact children in the classroom.”
New this
year is a one-time $500 stipend from the district to each candidate who
successfully completes the Master Teacher process.
Eligibility requirements also include holding a valide professional teaching license or certificate; working a minimum of 120 days during the current year in Mansfield City Schools, and working under a teaching contract/employed as a teacher.
Stone said
the Master Teacher committee soon will announce the date and time of an
informational meeting to explain the program in detail.
Serving with
Stone on the committee are three members selected by the Mansfield School
Employees Association and three administrators selected by the district. They
are Amy Bradley, Sherman assistant principal; Gabe Costa, principal of the
Spanish Immersion School; Andrea Moyer, director of school improvement; and
teachers Kathryn Laser, Dawn Williams and Kris Beasley,
Applicants
must achieve exemplary scores in four out of five written criteria, supported
by evidence:
-- Consistent
leadership
-- Focused
collaboration
-- Distinguished teaching – Focus on students and environment
-- Distinguished teaching – Focus on content, instruction and assessment
-- Continued
professional growth
Stone said
applicants will have support links as they complete the detailed written
narratives from January through April.
The committee
will complete scoring of the application packages in May. A Master Teacher
designation is valid for five years but may be renewed.