Criteria for selecting your mentor

Program for the preparation of school principals and supervisors process for selecting a mentor

Please apply the following procedure in locating a suitable mentor:

• If you already have followed this process and have an approved mentor or mentor arrangement, you may ignore most of the following, but please read this document and complete the attached form.

• Do not ask anyone to serve as your mentor until you have that person approved by one of the cohort managers.
• Think about what you want in a mentor. Read the article by Smith on the characteristics and behaviors of mentors. You can access it directly through the following URL: (External Link)&db=ehh&AN=16471639&site=ehost-live&scope=site . Study the points made in class and posted on Blackboard as a PowerPoint. Make a list of the characteristics and behaviors you expect in a mentor. Use these to guide the selection of two or three possibilities in your school division or neighboring school divisions. Make a list of these in the order of your preference.

• Talk with any of the faculty about the possible choices to get his, her, or their perspectives.

• Talk with your cohort manager or campus supervisor once you think you have made a selection. Get that selection confirmed or denied by one of them.

• Share information on the internship and expectations for mentors (a copy of the objectives, guidelines, the entire manual, or a specifically prepared document for the occasion) with the chosen person. Don’t overwhelm him or her with the“full bale of hay.”Provide the essential information. Do this in a face-to-face meeting. Get an appointment. If there seems to be a fit between your expectations and those of the mentor, ask the person to serve as your mentor. But, be sure the fit is present. A reluctant mentor is not an acceptable mentor.

• If the person accepts, please complete the attached information sheet. This is the formal record of information on interns and mentors. Send the information sheet to your cohort manager as an email attachment.

• Set up your internship log and begin working toward the achievement of the objectives.

• When the date is set, invite your mentor and home school principal to the Mentor and Home-School Principal Reception. There will be two receptions, one for the Roanoke cohort and one for the Abingdon cohort.

• You are on your way.

Mentor information form

Please complete the following information and return to your campus supervisor as an email attachment. Thank you.

Your form follows: