For Alice Smith and Kaylee Justice, creating a mentor program at Meridian District Schools wasn't just about teacher development—it was about building a community that lasts. With decades of combined experience and complementary skills, these two educators have established a program that addresses one of rural education's most persistent challenges: teacher retention.

Recognizing the Need

"We have a lot of new people coming in and we have a huge problem with retention. We get teachers, we don't keep them," Justice explained. With over twelve years of teaching experience, including eight years at Cairo High School and two years in Hawaii, Justice recognized a familiar pattern at Meridian when she arrived three years ago.

Smith, now in her fourth year at Meridian after teaching for ten years in Franklin, Tennessee, saw the same issue from another angle. "One of the first things the kids asked me was, 'Are you gonna be here next year?'" she recalled. "It broke my heart. I was like, 'What do you mean, am I gonna be here next year?' And then I realized why they asked that question."

Both educators identified the same primary challenge: teachers leave Meridian after short tenures, often due to the rural location. But they also recognized something special—a "family" culture worth preserving and building upon.

Bridging the Gap for New Teachers

The mentor program specifically addresses the growing number of teachers entering the profession through alternative certification pathways.

"Because of the teacher shortage, there are a lot of teachers getting certified in a non-traditional way," Smith explained. "They're not going to college or a university and getting training on things like classroom management."

Justice, who completed her administrative degree while at Meridian, agreed: "We have a lot of teachers coming through alternative certifications that have never had formal classroom training. That's something that Alice and I can help provide."

Their program began with a comprehensive new teacher orientation, covering practical details from securing substitutes to understanding the school's technology systems. Monthly meetings follow, addressing topics like student learning outcomes, classroom management strategies, and state assessment requirements.

Creating a Support System That Works

What makes the Meridian mentor program unique is its whole-group approach. Rather than assigning individual mentors, Smith and Justice facilitate group sessions where new teachers can learn from each other's experiences.

"At a lot of these mentor meetings, I start with 'What's happening? What are you having issues with? Or what did you do that worked really well?'" Smith said. "The benefit of it being a whole group is that teacher A might say, 'Seventh grade drove me nuts today,' and then teacher B might say, 'They were a little rowdy today, but this is what I did, and it worked.'"

Justice highlighted a critical communication tool—a group chat for mentees. "That's one set place that they can go anytime they need information," she explained. "They don't feel stupid asking the question because it's a group of all people that probably have the same question."

The program's most innovative moments come when the mentors find creative ways to boost teacher morale. Before Thanksgiving, they surveyed students about their new teachers and created personalized slides showing positive feedback.

"We listed the things that the kids had said about each of the new teachers to say, 'Hey, you are making an impact,'" Justice shared. "Because I know it's tough the first year. Some days you get down on yourself and think, 'I'm not making any kind of difference here.'"

Different Paths to the Same Mission

Though they arrived at Meridian through different journeys, both educators bring valuable perspective to the mentor program.

Smith comes from a family of educators—her grandfather was a regional superintendent, her grandmother taught in a one-room schoolhouse, and her mother specialized in education law. After working at Dell Computers and realizing corporate life wasn't for her, Smith earned her teaching certification and spent a decade teaching physical education in Tennessee before meeting her future husband (a Meridian graduate) during the pandemic.

Justice, who grew up in small-town Odin, Illinois, with just 14 students in her graduating class, began teaching immediately after college. Her classroom management skills were honed in challenging environments, including managing classes of up to 60 students during her time in Hawaii.

Looking to the Future

Currently in its pilot year with seven middle school and high school teachers and two elementary school teachers eligible to participate, the program is already showing positive results. The mentors hope to expand it into a two-year program, though they're still determining what the second year should look like.

"At the end of the school year, the goal is to see the growth in the mentees enrolled in the teacher mentor program," Smith explained. "By growing our teachers in the classroom, we are working toward student achievement and success."

For both Smith and Justice, the ultimate goal is creating an environment where teachers want to stay despite the challenges of working in a small, rural school.

"I think the environment here is a big factor in getting people to stay because of how close-knit it is and how well we work together," Justice said. "We function pretty good as a unit."

Smith agreed: "This district operates more like a family. We are striving to build these kids up for success, and through training these teachers, it's a revolving door—you train the teachers to be great educators, and in return, they're great in the classroom, which turns into student success."