Orientation
New teachers need a thorough orientation into the policies and the expectations of the school division, the school, and the administration. It is important that there be no surprises for them. They should be totally immersed in the first few days learning about available resources and given appropriate training.
They should be afforded the opportunity to tour the school district, and in particular, the attendance area that corresponds to the school in which they are teaching. Through discussion with the administration, they should be made aware of the school’s demographics and any of the “political hotspots or topics” that are present. This will allow new teachers to begin work cognizant of any potential problem areas and free to go about their work armed with this knowledge.
New teachers should be made aware of the policies that govern the grading/evaluation of students, the handling of money, the evaluation system/protocol for teachers, the attendance policies, the information on payroll, and any other areas that he/she will be responsible for in the course of their duties. Armed with this knowledge, new teachers can begin preparation for students free from the worries that accompany uncertainty, and a lack of communication and information.
