Veteran teachers mentor rookies

The Fairfield Community School District Board of Directors met briefly Monday in a special meeting to approve personnel hires before the start of the school year.

Two special education associates? resignations were approved; one special education associate?s position was eliminated; a special education associate was hired for Fairfield High School; and 11 substitute bus drivers were approved.

Lauren Judickas, a first-year teacher, was approved as a fourth grade teacher at Washington Elementary School. She is replacing Heather Buckley. Judickas will be hired at step one with a bachelor?s of arts degree at $34,264 for the 2013-14 school year.

A list of teachers around the district was approved as mentors for first-and-second-year teachers for the school year. It is Iowa law that veteran teachers mentor new teachers for two years. Each mentoring teacher will be paid $1,000.

Fairfield teachers mentoring second-year teachers are: Pat Rhinehart, Heidi Bowman, Patti Johnston, Nancy Diers, Taryn Ryan, Ann Johnston, Scott Slechta, Heidi Grunwald and Brandi Strickler.

Fairfield teachers mentoring first-year teachers are: Cole Boatright, Samantha Freeman, Brandi Adam, Tari Eeling, Amber Earnest, Billy Strickler, David Owen and Molly Mosinski.

Slechta was approved as district mentoring coordinator and will be paid a stipend of $1,500 for the 2013-14 school year.

?Scott continues to provide outstanding visioning, organization and guidance for all teachers new to Fairfield,? Curriculum Director Marci Dunlap wrote in comments on the recommendation to the board.

?Scott is now a certified mentor through the state of Iowa. The district will train its own mentors.?