Mentors

Experienced Illinois principals who have demonstrated success as instructional leaders will be selected to serve as mentors for Illinois public school administrators who are in their first year of service as building level principals.  Mentors will be selected by mentoring providers through a fair and open process.

New Principal Mentor Qualifications

• A minimum of three years of  experience as a building principal in Illinois
• Support of three professional educator references which includes:
1. One letter from a certified staff member who is not an administrator and has served for at least one full school year under the principal’s supervision
2. Each principal shall submit one letter from another principal who has knowledge of the individual’s work
3. One letter from a district superintendent or assistant superintendent under whose supervision the principal has served for at least one full school year, or from a regional superintendent who has knowledge of the principal’s work
4. Each required letter of reference shall include:
• The nature of the working relationship between the letter-writer and the principal in question
• The letter-writer’s reasons for believing that the principal in question is of ethical character and possesses strong interpersonal skills
• One or more specific examples of the principal’s accomplishments related to particular aspects of the Illinois Professional School Leader Standards
• No individual shall serve as a mentor if more than five years have elapsed since his or her last date of service as a principal in an Illinois school or service in some other educational capacity that routinely requires interaction with principals and familiarity with the issues and challenges they face.  Evidence of the latter type of service shall be a contract, job description, or other document generated by the employing provider.
• Click here for the INPM Frequently Asked Questions
  

Mentor Expectations

• Successfully complete the initial mentor training and all ongoing professional development activities
• Dedicate sufficient time to mentoring to meet program requirements and serve the needs of the new principal (50 hours minimum)
• Be available to the new principal as specified by mentoring provider expectations and the needs of the new principal (minimum of three face-to-face meetings at the beginning, middle, and end)
• Create, develop and maintain an effective, professional mentoring relationship with the new principal
• Assist the new principal in adjusting to his or her new role and in developing skill as an instructional leader
• Coach, observe, and provide feedback to the new principal on aspects of organizational management
• Help the new principal identify significant problems and issues that act as barriers to school improvement, as well as meaningful solutions to these
• Provide structured opportunities for the new principal’s reflection on his or her educational practice
• Document the types and duration of mentoring activities and any outcomes (click here to download the mentoring log)
• Make regular reports of status and progress in the mentoring process to the appropriate mentoring provider
• Complete final evaluation and verification reports as required by the mentoring provider. Click here for Verification Form due to Mentoring Providers by June 30th of each year.
• Click here for the INPM Rules and Regulations

Would You Like To Mentor?

If you would like to mentor a new principal, please contact a Mentoring Provider in your region to learn more about the application process and mentoring requirements.  Mentoring Provider contact information can be downloaded by clicking here.  Or, contact the INPM Program Manager with additional questions.

INPM Resources

Mentor Resources
Refresher Materials (2009 Online resource)

LPPW (Leadership Performance Planning Worksheet for New School Leaders

The above link is provided to help new principals and mentors for use in a leadership setting or for dialogue purposes during the mentoring process.

2011 Mentor Refresher Training

- Press Play button above to begin the training. It may take a few moments to begin loading.
- To view in full screen mode, click here.
- If the program is blocked or fails to connect, contact your IT Professional or call 217-525- 1383.

Click here to download the Completion and Evaluation form and submit to lynne@ilprincipals.org or fax the form to 217-525-7264.

A pdf copy of the Mentor Refresher Training handout can be downloaded by clicking here.