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This 5 minute Mentoring Program orientation is a high-level overview of the new mentoring program. Meant as a companion to the mentoring handbook, this summary talks about the three Cs of the mentoring program: connect, coach, and cultivate.
The Utah Association of Public Charter Schools is a non-profit organization that promotes excellence in Utah's public charter schools through advocacy, training, and technical support. Our podcast is produced, hosted, and edited by Gina James. Original music was composed by James Valentine.
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Welcome. This podcast is a quick introduction and orientation to the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools mentoring program. If you're listening to this, thank you for choosing to serve as a mentor with UAPCS. Whether you've mentored for many years or this is your first time serving in this role, we want you to know how grateful we are for your willingness to invest your time and experience in helping other charter school leaders. This year, we're introducing a refreshed mentoring program. While much of what you've been doing has been incredibly successful, we've created a more consistent framework so every mentor has a common understanding of what mentoring looks like at UAPCS. Why mentoring matters. Leadership can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be isolating. Many of the people we mentor are navigating situations they've never encountered before. Sometimes they simply need an answer to a question. Other times they need someone who understands the unique challenges of leading a Utah charter school. The greatest value you provide isn't simply answering questions, it's helping another leader feel supported, encouraged, and confident. Our goal isn't to create dependence, our goal is to build leadership capacity across Utah. The three C's of the UAPCS mentoring program. Everything we do is built around three simple principles. Connect, coach, cultivate. Connect. Take time to build trust. Listen before leading. Seek to understand before offering advice. Because every successful mentoring relationship begins with a connection. Coach. Rather than solving every problem, help leaders think through their options. Ask questions, share your experiences, encourage confidence, because the best mentors don't create followers, they develop leaders and cultivate. Leave every leader stronger than you found them. Share resources. Introduce people to experts, recommend additional professional learning, and help leaders build systems and relationships that will continue benefiting them long after your mentoring assignment has ended. We have two types of mentoring. One of the biggest challenges this year is recognizing that not every mentoring assignment looks the same. Sometimes you'll receive an introduction email, answer a question, share a document or template, and the assignment is complete. That's great mentoring. Other times you'll mentor someone over several months. You might check in monthly, visit the school, answer questions as they arise, and help them navigate a variety of leadership challenges. That's also great mentoring. Whether your mentoring lasts one conversation or one year, our expectations remain the same. Connect, coach, and cultivate. So, speaking of expectations, there are just a few things we ask every mentor to remember. Respond to the new mentoring introductions within 24 hours. Document every mentoring interaction using the Google Tracking document. The link can be found in your handbook. It will also be included in the calendar invite on the day that reports are due. And reach out proactively if you're working with someone over an extended period. If you think additional mentoring hours would benefit a school, simply contact Shannon Greer, our director of training, before exceeding the approved hours. And most importantly, don't underestimate the value of encouragement. Sometimes a 30-minute conversation changes the trajectory of an entire school year. In closing, thank you again for agreeing to serve. Utah's charter schools are stronger because experienced charter leaders are willing to help those who are just beginning their journey. I hope you'll view this opportunity as more than answering questions. It's an opportunity to build relationships, develop leaders, and strengthen Utah's charter school community. Thank you for being part of the UAPCS Mentoring Program. Together, we'll continue to connect with purpose, coach with intention, and cultivate leadership.
