Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1470295
professional development, access to district technology, paid sub days and guaranteed employment upon successful com- pletion of the program, in addition to an entire network of experienced educators working together to help them succeed. Fresno State Professor Heather Horsley says the power of the program is evident in the 87 percent retention rate experienced by Fresno Unied School District, Fresno State's lon- gest-standing teacher residency partner. "is is almost tripling national retention rates, so we're feeling really encouraged with the out- comes we're seeing with the residency model," says Horsley, Fresno State teacher residency pro- gram coordinator. Nalchajian is a graduate of the Fresno Teacher Residency Program who now serves as a mentor teacher in the program, working to provide the same support she received as a new teacher. She says being a resident teacher in Fresno Unified made her more confident and comfortable navigating her rst couple years of teaching, while the $13,000 stipend helped her support herself. Nalchajian appreciated the three-year commitment to the district, students and community, "so you know you're doing this for a purpose." Current resident teacher Jade Muñoz says she has experi- enced a tremendous amount of support as she learns to be the educator her students need. "Fresno State and Fresno Unied have gone above and beyond to help me be successful during my residency," she says. "e Fresno Teacher Residency Program creates supportive and lov- ing teachers that strive to provide an education to all students, focusing on creating safe envi- ronments for resident teachers so we all have opportunities to learn from each other." Fresno sixth grade teacher Scott Holm first served as a mentor teacher 10 years ago, which he continues today to help prepare the educators of tomorrow. "It's hard for me to imagine a world where beginning teachers aren't hooked up with a vet- eran teacher," says Holm, an FTA member. "is residency program makes beginning teachers so much more successful and more condent than they would've been otherwise." BEING INTENTIONAL TO MEET STUDENTS' NEEDS Everything is deliberate in SFUTR, from the recruitment of res- ident and cooperating educators to partnering educators with similar values to grounding their eorts in a student-centered approach. e process has led to a high success rate for the pro- gram, according to Jaramillo-Woo. " We a r e b e i n g v e r y i n t e n t i o n a l a b o u t b u i l d i n g n e w Mentor teacher and resident teacher in a Fresno Unified School District video on teacher development. 22 cta.org Heather Horsley Feature