Teacher Induction Weekly Newsletter
October 26, 2026
Dear Induction Candidates and Mentors,
We have two work sessions set up to provide support for your ILP. Your Leadership Team Lead emailed out the times they will be available to support you. Please review their availability and get the help you need!
Have a fantastic week!
Thanks,
Trish & the Leadership Team
Work Sessions
Our Leadership Team Leads are making themselves available to support you on 10/28 and 11/4. This is a great opportunity to get individualized support and ask any questions about your ILP. It's also a perfect time to review your ILP to be sure you are on track to complete it by your scheduled Portfolio Check. Please make note of the schedule and attend as it applies to you.
Portfolio Check Sign Ups
We are at 86% for Portfolio Sign Ups! We have noticed that when people have a date to review their ILP, it helps provide motivation to get it finished!
A few reminders:
- Candidates, please work with your mentor to choose a time that works for both of you.
- Write down your time on your calendar so you don't forget!
- Be sure your ILP is completely finished 24 hours prior to your scheduled time.
- A member of the leadership team will review it at that time to ensure it is complete.
- We will send out calendar invitations for the time you selected at least 24 hours prior to your meeting time with the Google Meet Link.
- If you need to reschedule, please cancel your time using the sign up link and reschedule using that same link.
- Out of respect for the team, please don't cancel at the last minute!
Any questions? Feel free to reach out to Trish or your Cohort Lead.
Thanks! We are excited to hear about your growth!
Self-Assessment Clarification 🚩
New to FSD Induction: Once you complete your ILP, you will go back to the Self-Assess tab and complete the box marked "Post Assess" for all 6 of the CSTPs that you chose to Pre-Assess. We will expect that you will have a more thorough reflection and evidence for your focus standard(s), but that you will have some evidence of growth for all of them. If you do not feel like you showed growth, feel free to reflect on that as well. There is no shame in not growing, but often teachers grow just in the course of teaching over the last several months.
Returning Year 2: If you are using the old Self-Assess form, you do not have the Post-Assess box. You will do this on your ILP.
ILP Work
You should be continuing to make progress, step by step, on your ILP. We are here to support you and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Mentor Training
We are grateful for three really engaging Mentor Training options! It's been fun to hear about and see Cognitive Coaching in action, and hear about the great learning from Arise and Mentoring Matters. Mentors, please be sure to complete the brief reflection on your MT #1 and MT #2 tabs that demonstrate your learning. Thank you!
Induction Website
As you are getting to know one another, take a moment to check out our website (linked) or go to https://bit.ly/FSDInductionResources. Please bookmark the website as it is the easiest place to find Induction information.
Professional Learning Opportunity
One of our nearby universities has wonderful FREE professional development offerings that apply directly to new teachers and mentors. Please review Hope University's calendar of upcoming PDs. We partner with Hope University to provide you with these great resources. And did I mention that they are Free?! Be sure to register!
CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting All Students
CSTP 1, Engaging and Supporting All Students is defined as "Teachers apply knowledge about each student to activate an approach to learning that strengthens and reinforces each student’s participation, engagement, connection, and sense of belonging."
We will highlight an element each week in October.
CSTP 1D: Diversity and Equity
Teachers are responsive to students’ diverse experiences, cultures, languages, identities, interests, strengths, and needs and apply evidence-based principles that intentionally cultivate equitable access, opportunities, and positive outcomes for each student.
Element 1D Example Indicators
Teachers:
• 1D–1: Establish and maintain positive relationships with each student to promote understanding, respect, and affirmation of diversity.
• 1D–2: Recognize their own explicit and implicit biases and implement strategies and tools to counter those biases in order to create an inclusive learning community where each student’s unique experiences are seen and used as educational assets.
• 1D–3: Improve student outcomes by addressing individual student assets and needs while creating equitable outcomes for all.
• 1D–4: Close achievement and opportunity gaps among student groups, focusing on groups with disabilities and those with diverse cultural, racial, self-identity, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
CSTP 1 Instructional Strategy Support
- Thoughtful Text & Source Selection: Integrate multi-perspective literature, historical sources, or real-world problem scenarios that reflect the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of your students.
- Asset-Based Student Choice Boards: Offer tiered or choice-based assignments where students can demonstrate mastery through different modalities (e.g., oral presentation, visual storytelling, written essay, or digital project) that honor their unique strengths.
Each week we will provide several talking points that should be reviewed during your weekly meetings together.
- Strong voice 101: Review how to give instructions: the teacher stands still, squares up, strikes a formal pose, uses formal tone and word choice, and uses as few words as possible.
- Checking for understanding: The teacher monitors student work conscientiously, noting student errors, and assigns and reviews brief end-of-class mini-assessments to see who has mastered the material and who hasn’t.
- Individual student corrections: The teacher redirects students, choosing the right spot on a continuum from the least to the most invasive: proximity, eye contact, body language, saying the student’s name quickly, small consequence; the teacher anticipates student off-task behavior and rehearses what to do next; the teacher restates expectations while looking at students who are not complying.
Points to Ponder Together
GCU Opportunity
GCU has a great opportunity for a discount for the upcoming cohort. Please see the linked folder with resources/flyer and feel free to reach out to Kara Kahler with any questions.
TO DO LIST:
- Professional Learning Activities/Action Research
- Teach - Measure Student Growth
- Teach - Observation by Mentor
- Reflect & Apply (Self-Assess on all 6 CSTP elements that you previously Pre-Assessed)
- Peer Collaboration
- Triad Meeting
- Portfolio Check (SignUp Link)
- Need Support? Want to recognize someone who is awesome? Here’s the link to do that: https://bit.ly/InductionSupportShoutOut
SHOUT OUTS and/or SUPPORT NEEDED - Please use this form.
GRADUATE PROGRAM Info Folder
Click HERE to schedule an appointment with Trish - if needed!
😀 Have a wonderful week! 🔆 👍
Feel free to contact the Leadership Team if we can help in any way!
Program Coordinator: Trish Chiles - patricia_chiles@myfsd.org 714-447-2857
Cohort 1: Katie Bezayiff - katherine_bezayiff@myfsd.org
Cohort 2: Matt Mankiewicz - matt_mankiewicz@myfsd.org
Cohort 3: Linda Wingfield - linda_wingfield@myfsd.org
Cohort 4: Mike Shaffer - michael_shaffer@myfsd.org