Information24-25 Dual Applications   Early consideration closes March 15, 2024 | Learn more

A+ A A-

Search Policies & Procedures

5641 (P) - Student Teachers

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE No. 5641

STUDENT TEACHERS

Student Teachers, Student Practicum’s, and Classroom Visitations

The Walla Walla School District places college students in its classrooms from Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, Whitman College, and Walla Walla College. Occasionally students from other Washington colleges and out-of-state colleges are placed in the district.

To provide a meaningful learning experience for these college students; to provide an orderly process for making assignments to supervising teachers, buildings, and grade levels; and to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the district's students the following procedures will be in effect:

1.   Student teacher supervisors from participating colleges should make their initial request to place student teachers in Walla Walla Public Schools to the District Personnel Office. The Personnel Office will clear the assignments with building principals and provide the college supervisor with a tentative list of school assignments for student teachers.

2.   The college's student teacher supervisor will then be asked to contact the designated building principals to discuss the opportunity for assigning student teachers to their buildings.

3.   Building principals will use the following criteria for selection of supervising teachers:

      a.   Three years teaching experience,

      b.   Placement commensurate with the training and experience of the candidate,

      c.   Compatibility with the personality of the student teacher,

      d.   Consideration of any special needs or techniques of the candidate which might be enhanced through association with a particular supervising teacher,

      e.   Consideration of the frequency of service as a supervising teacher, and

      f.    When feasible, provide opportunities to work with different teachers.

4.  Each student teacher is expected to introduce himself/herself to the building principal and schedule a meeting with the principal and the supervising teacher prior to the first day of student teaching. Student teachers should not report to their assignment without making these contacts.

5. The Personnel Office shall maintain a continuous record of all student teacher placements which will be made available to the building principals.

6.   Each student teacher must have been fingerprinted, have a state patrol background check, and have participated in Bloodborne Pathogens training prior to actually working in a classroom. They must also have on record with the district a signed volunteer disclosure statement. The volunteer disclosure statement may be obtained at the building to which the student teacher is assigned.

7.   If there are complications in the student teaching experience that relate to the assignment, then the college supervisor will work with the building principal and the Personnel Office to rectify the situation.

8.   During the student teaching process, the Personnel Office will provide an orientation program covering such topics as interview information, application procedures, and certification questions.

9.   The college will provide a minimum of twelve (12) hours of on-site supervision, which could include one-on-one conferencing.

Student Practicums/Classroom Visitations

1.   College supervisors may request placements for students in practicums or classroom visitations directly with the building principal.

2.   If the practicum or classroom visitation is approved, the college supervisor should provide a letter to the building principal which details the following: the purpose of the practicum or classroom observation, the total hours of the practicum or observation, and the names of the students along      with the dates and times that they will be in the building participating in the practicum or classroom observation.

3.   If the college students are observing a teacher or a class for a short period of time and have no direct contact with the students, only building principal approval will be required.

4.   All college students who will be interacting with children must sign a volunteer disclosure statement at the building principal's office and have Washington State Patrol clearance on file with the district prior to participating in any activities with children.

5.   College students shall check in to the principal's office prior to their first classroom visit. At that time they will receive instructions for parking and being on campus.

Issued: September 2003

WALLA WALLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS • 364 South Park St. • Walla Walla, WA 99362 • Phone: 509-527-3000 • Fax: 509.529.7713

Vector Solutions - Vector Alert Safe Schools Tip Line: 855.976.8772  |  Online Tip Reporting System