[September 21, 2011]

Apple Partners with Fairfax County Schools to Provide Unique Teacher Enhancement Program

Apple (News - Alert) Federal Credit Union Education Foundation announced today that it has partnered with Fairfax County Public Schools to provide the Great Beginnings program to incoming teachers within the county. Through a $525,000 grant, and an additional $175,000 each year over the next two years, the Apple Foundation is providing much needed funding during a time of budget cuts, as well as leadership expertise to work side by side with program leaders.

With studies showing that 50 percent of new teachers leave the classroom by the end of five years, Great Beginnings trains the 1,800 new teachers in the Fairfax County school system this year on the expectations of the school system, teacher best practices, managing a classroom, and provides them with coaches whom they can go to with questions and for support throughout the school year.

"With our mission to serve teachers and the educational community, Fairfax County Schools is a logical partner for us," says Mike Engley, executive director, Apple Education Foundation. "We were able to step up and fund this important program and we continue to meet monthly with the program planning committee to make improvements. We also are funding a three-year independent study to identify other ways to improve the outcome of the program."

According to Fairfax County Public School System data, 62 percent of beginning teachers are still employed in Fairfax County schools five years after their induction into the Great Beginnings program. This is 12 points above the national average. In addition, survey data reveal that 83 percent of beginning teachers surveyed who are part ofthe program say they "definitely plan to be teaching five years from now."

The program begins with a week-long summer institute where teachers gather prior to the first day of school. They are broken into cohorts with other new teachers and coaches who teach the same grades to learn skills they can apply to the beginning weeks of school. Later they meet each month for seminars, and with their coaches throughout the year for further support and to answer questions. The program runs for a total of three years. According to a June 2010 study by Mathematica Policy Research, three years of a comprehensive induction program yielded a "positive and statistically significant impact on student achievement, equivalent to increases of 4 percentile points in reading and 8 percentile points in math."

"I began in the Great Beginnings program when I was a new teacher 12 years ago and I got so much out of it that now I am a coach and I still reap rewards from being involved," says Jamie Sawatzky, 7^th grade US History teacher at Rocky Run Middle School in Chantilly. "Part of what I love about the program is that we are providing practical information to teachers that they can use tomorrow in their classrooms and the information is not something that you get in college or graduate school. I've seen for myself the advantage that Great Beginnings has given to teachers and students alike." In fact, Mr. Sawatzky was named Fairfax County Teacher of the Year for 2011 and is one of eight candidates for the state honor, whose winner will be announced shortly. Mr. Sawatzky credits his involvement with Great Beginnings as one reason he received this honor.

"The Great Beginnings program is not just good for our new teachers, but they are good for me as a program mentor and 21-year veteran teacher," says Lauren Tredinnick, a first grade teacher at Canterbury Woods Elementary School in Fairfax County. "I meet with coaches in other schools and share stories and best practices. This makes us aware of how others are doing things, and of better ways to boost student outcomes. It provides fresh perspectives from outside our own schools."

"For students to be successful, teachers need to be well prepared. We set up our teachers and our students for success," says Kathleen Walts, director of professional practice, department of professional learning and accountability, Fairfax County Public Schools. "Apple's partnership has allowed us to reorganize our program and improve it. We look forward to more success this school year."

Mr. Engley will be part of a panel presenting the Great Beginnings program at the upcoming Learning Forward 2011 Annual Conference in Anaheim in December. The program is being held up as a national example of how to successfully support teachers and how to build collaboration between businesses and the educational community.

Apple Federal Credit Union's Mission: Through a lifelong partnership with anyone touched by education, Apple FCU helps members achieve their dreams by offering competitive financial solutions, with dedicated personal service. Apple exists, not for profit, but for the benefit of its members.

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