From left: Abby Keeton, David Slone, Sarah Yancey and Taylor Garris
Inspiring the Next Generation of Educators The University of Pikeville Patton College of Education has received an American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief subgrant to offer professional development opportunities to first-year educators in Pike County School System’s New Teacher Academy. The grant will help UPIKE continue to make a difference in the lives of teachers and their students.
According to UPIKE Associate Professor of Education David Slone, M.A., the New Teacher Academy is open to all beginning teachers in the Pike County School District.
Slone, who has seven years’ experience at UPIKE, previously worked in the school system as a principal and a district supervisor for a combined 29 years. Thanks to 38
UPIKE MAGAZINE | SPRING/SUMMER 2022
the subgrant, he is serving as a mentor to three PCOE graduates during their first year as teachers.
“This program is similar to an internship program for beginning teachers we previously had in Kentucky,” said Slone. “It’s different from observation. It is a mentoring program. I meet with the new teachers and advise them to think about their professional growth plan and the resources they need.”
