Mentor Coordinator Report
Number of Current Matches: 39
Highlights:
All pairs were on the schedule for March and most were able to meet weekly! Annie has been diligently working on scheduling through the end of the school year so that I (Stacey- LC coordinator/ Ferndale sub) can assist her by making sure that reminder emails go out weekly and daily notes can be made for students. We have teamed up nicely to make sure all the bases are covered. We only have about eight weeks left of mentoring this school year and a few new matches to come.
Annie made two new matches in March and we have been working to vet mentors as quickly as they come in. Annie does the interviewing and I do reference checks and the behind the scenes data inputting. While new matches are becoming less likely as the year presses on if the right mentor and mentee come along we won’t hesitate to make the match! Two new matches have been no small feat. We have a little pool students and mentors, but it is about finding the right match that will be able to connect and build a relationship.
Lynden hosted two identical Mentor Equipping sessions on focused on Social Media. Debbie Hull a current school psychologist intern at Lynden School District was the presenter. A nice collection of mentors from each school were able to attend including those from Ferndale.
In March, we managed to get nearly all of the pair photos taken which is really exciting because we are able to get a visual of just how many people are being reached in Ferndale’s BTO program.
Upcoming:
End of Year: Photos, interviews, celebration
Stories & Quotes To Share:
A mentor says “yes” again!
A mentor recently told me that his plan was to take this year off of mentoring after several years of having students. However, in the fall Michele called him and asked if he would consider another student because she just thought they would hit it off. She was right, and the mentor is so glad he decided to start with this new student. They have a lot in common and are never short on conversation!
Additional support
Loss is difficult at any age, but there is an added level of difficulty through the adolescent years. This month a student was dealt two losses in one week and sometimes that calls for two meetings with their mentor. Typically, our model is one hour, once a week, but sometimes there are exceptions. The mentor knew about the different things the student was facing and made time in their schedule and offered to meet a second time. It was needed and appreciated. Mentors can bring calm when students are facing chaos.
Submitted by Annie Anderson – annie.anderson@ferndalesd.org