Mentoring In Our Schools
As a mentor in Wicomico County Public Schools you'll spend time one-on-one with a student or with a small group of students, provide personalized support, share advice, and encourage students to help grow academically and personally. Mentorship is proven to directly influence a student's academic and personal growth. The Wicomico Mentoring Project offers training and a Mentor Guide which covers expectations, general rules, mentoring tips, and addresses safety issues.
About the Mentoring Project
The Wicomico Mentoring Project is a part of the Student & Family Services division for Wicomico County Public Schools.
Wicomico Mentoring Project
2424 Northgate Dr Suite 100
Salisbury, MD 21802
Office: 410-677-5266
Fax: 410-677-4445
Mentoring Program Coordinators
Linda Mullen
James Hesen
Tamyra Foreman
The Mentoring Project Staff
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Mentoring Project provide training?
Yes, we do! Each year initial mentor and renewal training will be available beginning in August. As a new mentor you will attend an initial training session. You will actively participate in mentoring scenarios that you may typically encounter while mentoring in our schools. We will also provide additional training, as required by WCPS and Safe Schools, including bloodborne pathogen and mandatory reporting procedures. You may also meet other mentors and learn why they have decided to become a mentor as well.
How long will it take for me to become a mentor?
The mentoring onboarding process takes approximately two weeks to complete from when the application is received. Application processing, background/reference checks, and mentee parent permission forms are sometimes delayed due to response time and other factors; however, if onboarding takes longer than expected we will contact you or you can contact us at 410-677-5226 or email at bamrhein@mywcps.org
What do I have to do to become a mentor?
New mentors – Complete the online mentoring application and submit the form online. We will review your application and begin the onboarding process. The mentoring application is located here at this Link. Paper copies are available as needed. Once your information is received, we will contact you to set up your initial training.
Existing mentors – Each year we will perform a background check and will hold a refresher training on expectations, Safe Schools information, and any updates.
WCPS Employees – The WCPS employee mentoring application can be found at this LINK. Complete, scan and send to bamrhein@mywcps.org. Paper copies are available as needed. We will review your application with your building administration. Pending administrative approval, you will be paired with a mentee. Any requests to mentor at a building other than your assigned location will require approval from administration at both locations.
The time commitment is simple – spend at least one hour with your mentee each week during the school day. Consistency is the key to building positive relationships with students.
Should I be a Mentor?
Of course!
Mentoring, at its core, offers our students an additional person who cares about them, assures the students that they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on students in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Mentoring connects students with opportunities for personal growth and social development.
Being a consistent adult presence in our student's lives allows mentors to offer advice, share their life experiences, and help our students navigate challenges.
Additional benefits of our students having mentors include:
Those students who meet regularly with their mentors are 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking (Tierney, Grossman, & Resch, 2000).
Those students who have a mentor are more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities than those who do not. (Mentoring.org, 2014).
Studies showed that “the strongest benefit from mentoring, and most consistent across risk groups, was a reduction in depressive symptoms - particularly noteworthy given that almost one in four youth reported worrisome levels of these symptoms at baseline.”(Herrera, DuBois, & Grossman, 2013).
Mentoring promotes positive social attitudes and relationships. Mentored students tend to trust their parents more and communicate better with them (Herrera, DuBois, & Grossman, 2013).
School-Based Mentoring
Mentoring at all WCPS schools, whether by mentor volunteers from the community or school personnel, brings additional caring adults into the lives of our students in Wicomico County. The school setting may be seen as an opportunity for reaching large numbers of our students in a controlled environment that also allows access to educational, recreational, and developmental supports to enhance the mentoring relationship. Our school-based program can provide the following structures and goals:
Mentors and mentees can participate in one-on-one, group, and team mentoring formats that allow for a variety of activities based on the number of available mentors and the resources available at the school. Each school has resources available through the Wicomico Mentoring Project for mentors to build rapport and successful relationships with students.
The school setting provides emphasis on academic gains, improvements in school connectedness, discipline, and attendance by participating students. The Wicomico Mentoring Project is a cost-efficient way of increasing the positive relationships students have in their lives, while also having the potential to boost factors that may lead to short- and long-term educational success.
WCPS Employee Mentoring Application - Click the "Employee Application to Mentor" above for the WCPS application for Mentor services. Download, complete, scan and e-mail to bamrhein@mywcps.org