Mentorship and Administration: Supplying the Missing Link

Mentorship and Administration

Supplying the Missing Link

By NAfME Members Kathy Stefani and Dr. Lori Conlon Khan

In building a mentorship program, it seems only reasonable to put effort and attention into finding new teachers and matching them with mentors who can best help. As the Idaho Music Educators Association (IMEA) mentorship program grew, we realized that without the support of administrators, we were missing a big part of the equation. In year three, the “Administrator Liaison” was added to the mentorship committee. As new directors were identified, their administrators and their contact information were included on the roster, right beside their teacher. The goal was to make principals and superintendents aware of the program and to encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities offered to their new teacher.

It was a bit of a public relations campaign, first letting leaders know that IMEA was more than the organization that hosted All-State and State Solo events. Though familiar with these activities, they were unaware of professional development opportunities to support their new hires. We were chosen to present a workshop at the annual Idaho Association of School Administrators in early August, sharing details about the program and how it could assist leaders in supporting their new teachers. Our first year found sixteen administrators attending the workshop, many attending specifically to get help finding a last-minute hire to be ready to start the school year. Though that is not a position we wanted to put ourselves in on a regular basis, we were able to find teachers for each of the administrators who asked for our help. Two years later at our second workshop, the room was filled with 60 school leaders, hoping to find help in eliminating the “revolving door” effect that was happening with their music programs. Again, we were able to make sure that mentors were assigned to all the districts who met with us that day, supporting them throughout the next year.

Getting help spreading the word “from within” gained ground, and with each year, this new relationship has become an established partnership in the mentorship journey. As administrators learned that teachers were available to help with curriculum implementation, effective rehearsal techniques, classroom management, and so much more, they were on board and appreciative of the specific help that was available to their teacher, who was often the only music teacher in their building. Our liaison, Dr. Lori Conlon Khan, has agreed to share her blueprint used to include this important arm of the mentorship program.

The Mentoring Team—Administrator Liaison

My part in our Idaho Music Educators Association Mentorship Committee was to be the connection between our mentorship team and the administrators of our new music educators across the state.

I began the school year working to identify our brand-new music educators and their current administrator(s). A simple task, yes? Well . . . not so simple locating our newbies as you have heard from Kathy, and once I had a name and a school, I found that the administrator listed on the website of the school was NOT necessarily the current administrator. Several had shifted to other schools in their districts or in other locations around the state or beyond. Getting correct emails for everyone was the biggest challenge of this job right away.

Once I knew whom to contact, I sent emails to administrators to congratulate them on their newly hired music educator (a herculean task in some smaller districts!) and to let them know about IMEA: who we are, as well as the mentorship program and how it can help to support their newbie. I encouraged them to have their music educator sign up for the Fall Kickoff and the mentorship program (free for them). I also briefly mentioned our January IMEA conference and that it would be a wonderful professional development opportunity. I planted the seed, letting them know that there would be no charge to them or their music educator for conference fees, but they might plan ahead to support the travel and lodging costs for their teacher and provide professional leave time.

Once we enrolled the first-year teachers in our program and they attended the Fall Kickoff, I sent official letters to those administrators congratulating them on the efforts of their music teachers and the extra work they put in on a Saturday to be well-prepared for their students! Hard copy letters work wonders in this time of quick electronic mail. It makes a difference!

Our IMEA Professional Development Conference is held at the end of January, so right after the winter break I set about sending emails to our enrollees’ administrators to, once again, mention the conference with more details, including a link to our IMEA conference page where they could see the workshops available, the conference performing groups, the All-State student ensembles, and the local hotels. Letting administrators know that IMEA can take care of their new music educators’ professional development for the year is a real plus! How often can they provide something specific for their music educators and how much might it cost?? Pointing out these benefits was a positive strategy. I was contacted by some of the administrators and my team members reported that others were contacting them and saying, “I got an email from someone about the mentorship/conference opportunities, and I’d like to . . . ” The word was out!

I greeted and connected with as many of our new music educators at the conference as I could. Putting a friendly face to an email address encourages our young educators to reach out when they need ideas, assistance, or a listening ear.

Once the conference was an inspirational memory, I again sent emails and hard copy letters congratulating the administrators on their music educator’s attendance at the workshops and their perseverance in continuing to learn new strategies and content for the benefit of their students.

The key to the position of Administrator Liaison on a mentorship committee is communication, connection, and congratulations—getting the word out to the appropriate administrators about the mentorship program; detailing information about upcoming events and registration deadlines; and passing along positivity on their efforts and the efforts of their new music educator. A winning formula!

About the authors:

Lori Conlin Khan has been happily involved in music education for 44 years, including teaching preschoolers to advising PhD candidates. She enjoys all the ages but has a love for the elementary grades. She taught in the Boise School District for more than 30 years, at Boise State for two years, and is currently at the University of Idaho in her eighth year. Lori is sort of retired, only teaching a few classes remotely each semester. She is enjoying spending more time with family and friends at their mountain cabin in Lowman and hopes to travel far and wide in the future. She has presented many professional development sessions with her friends and is thrilled to do so again here at the 2025 conference with her besties.

A Moscow, Idaho, native, Kathy Stefani has taught both elementary and secondary music for many years. She received her Bachelors of Music and Masters in Music Education from the University of Idaho. She plays numerous instruments, is an Orff Level I specialist, and is a Past President for the Idaho Music Educators Association. Stefani is the recipient of numerous grants, and she and her programs have been recognized by the GRAMMY Foundation. The love of music came late to Stefani, and her hope is to instill that love in her students early on.​

Stefani has received the NFHS Music Teacher of the Year, Section 8, 2023, the Governor’s Award in the Arts, 2022, and the Music Teacher of the Year from the Idaho Music Educators Association—2021 for her work as a member of the organization, establishing the IMEA mentorship program, and as a music instructor in a small town.

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