Mentor/Mentee Program approved

CLINTONVILLE – The Clintonville Board of Education has approved a three-year Mentor/Mentee Program covering the 2026-2028 school years.
The board approved the program by a 5-2 vote at its July 13 meeting. Board members Christopher Hoffmann and Laurie Vollrath voted against approving the program. The board had taken no action on approving a three-year Mentor/Mentee Program when the board met June 8.
When the board approved the Mentor/Mentee Program at the July 13 meeting, the approval included some changes from the proposal that was presented to the board. The proposal presented to the board included compensation of $800 the first year, $500 the second year, and $300 the third year for mentors. The original proposal also included compensation for mentees. The program that was approved by the board included compensation for mentors of $1,100 the first year, $700 the second year, and $400 the third year. Mentees will not receive compensation in the approved program.
Also of note, the three-year Mentor/Mentee Program will be for teachers new to teaching. Teachers with experience are mentored for one year.
During the discussion, Elly Brzezinski, director of Curriculum and Instruction, told the board that the updated proposal for a three-year Mentor/Mentee Program that would run from 2026-28 included some “major differences” when compared to the district’s current one-year program. She said the district would require more from the mentors and mentees.

“The biggest thing is more observation and more meetings with each other,” Brzezinski said.
Vollrath questioned the pay a mentor would receive from the district considering more would be expected from them.
“The mentee has more to do than a mentor,” Brzezinski said.
She added that she modeled the pay to programs of other school districts.
Board President Ben Huber asked for more information about a grant the district could apply for to help cover the cost of the Mentor/Mentee Program.
“I think we can get around $26,000 (from a grant) to cover our mentoring program yearly,” Brzezinski said.
But Brzezinski said for the district to be eligible for the grant, it needs to have a three-year mentor program approved by the district.
“If we don’t have that, it’s not even worth applying for,” Brzezinski said.
Board Vice President Kris Strauman asked why a mentee in the program would receive extra compensation for being in the program.
“Because we are expecting more of them,” Brzezinski said.
“That’s their job,” Strauman responded. “That’s their job, and if they need help, we’re giving it to them.”
Brzezinski said the pay schedule was a suggestion and asked the board what it wanted the pay schedule to be.
“I think we’re in the business of education and we’re paying our athletic coaches more than we’re paying somebody who’s coaching or mentoring a teacher,” Vollrath said.
Huber suggested adding the compensation for the mentee compensation to the compensation for the mentor.
Strauman said the district should keep the pay the same as the district’s current one-year mentor program, require the mentor and mentee to do more, and not compensate the mentee for being in the program. She said the district should also look into grant availability but not guarantee the program in case the district would not be approved for the grant.
Clintonville Superintendent Troy Kuhn said to apply for the grant, the district would need to provide a three-year mentor program proposal.
Vollrath said there is no guarantee that new teachers would stay with the district for three years.
Brzezinski said, “They aren’t prepared when they come here. And at the end of year one, they just dipped their toes in the water. They’re overwhelmed. They’re learning a curriculum, but actual classroom management and all the stuff that comes there, they’re not even close to it.”
Hoffmann asked Brzezinski if she thought the district’s one-year mentor program has been effective.
“I don’t think so,” said Brzezinski, before saying it has been “partially” effective.