The 85 men and women on the faculty at Country Day teach in small classes, and have a great deal of autonomy in the classroom while utilizing a team approach to planning curriculum. Teachers address many facets of students' lives, and we act in tandem with parents and fellow educators to do so. Collegial behavior at Country Day takes many forms. It can be the relationship between a master teacher and a mentee, a group of teachers working on strategies to help a student write better essays, or committees deciding to change curriculum. As part of this community, teachers find themselves surrounded by supportive colleagues and involved in community life.

Professional Development
Professional Development opportunities are often fully funded by Country Day because we believe that ongoing training is crucial to teacher growth and development. $100,000 is budgeted each year for the faculty's professional endeavors. Annual ISAS and NAIS conferences, workshops in a teacher's subject or grade area and specialized training with the newest researchers in learning and child development are resources that faculty take advantage of to continue to improve their craft as teachers.

To teach in our lower school, prospective employees must have a teaching certificate that authorizes them to teach elementary school children. In the middle and upper schools, teachers are encouraged to pursue academic study and be well-versed in educational methods. Teachers are required to take courses that will qualify them to teach, according to the Louisiana Department of Education. Even though we are not a public school, the state does monitor Independent Schools to make sure that our teachers have the necessary subject area knowledge and education course work. Country Day encourages all of its teachers to become fully state certified, and sends in the necessary renewal forms and funds for any of our teachers who are state certified. Upper and Middle School teachers without a teaching certificate are required to have 24 hours of course work in their subject area and 12 hours of course work in educational theory within two years of being hired to teach at Country Day. Lower School teachers are required to have 24 hours of elementary education courses. Country Day fully pays for this course work if teachers decide to attend the University of New Orleans. If teachers attend another local school, Country Day will pay for a portion of the tuition equal to the amount it would cost to go to UNO.

On campus, opportunities for professional growth abound. Department chairs, mentors, division heads, and other administration observe classes and meet with faculty about their professional growth. At the end of each school year, every faculty member meets with the Head of School to discuss their professional development over the past year. This is an opportunity for teachers to bring up concerns with the Head, review their accomplishments, and discuss goals for the coming year. In addition to the ongoing individual professional development during the year, at the beginning and end of each school year, faculty gather to discuss important curricular matters, work together in cross-divisional groups, and meet with experts in the field of education, curriculum, diversity, and child development.

Mentors
Each new faculty member is assigned a fellow teacher as a mentor. This person functions as part of a larger support structure for new teachers, which includes the New Faculty Committee, the administration, and all other faculty members. Mentors are paired with new faculty to help new teachers learn the culture of the school and grow professionally. These experienced and respected members of the Country Day community are a "friendly face" for teachers on campus. Mentors help teachers grow professionally by partnering with them to evaluate their work. The Mentor's Roles

• maintain trust and confidentiality
• help teachers settle in at the beginning of the school year (ex., phone system, computer, keys, alarm codes, the bookstore, etc.)
• be generally available to teachers to answer questions and address concerns
• help teachers learn the culture of the school
• have formal and informal meetings with teachers regarding your professional growth
• help teachers set up observations of colleagues
• help teachers learn to use school resources (ex., AV equipment, computer labs, learning specialists, counseling, etc.)

The Role of the Mentee

• participate in the two day New Faculty Workshop just before the beginning of school, participate in all New Faculty meetings
• ask for help as needed, especially in difficult or confusing situations
• work with the mentor to learn the culture of Country Day
• work with the mentor to grow professionally
• observe the mentor at work
• set up observations of other faculty members
• when the teacher is ready, have the mentor observe the teacher in the classroom
• participate in quarterly meetings with the teacher's principal
• have fun becoming a part of the Country Day Community

Metairie Park Country Day School was founded in 1929 on a 14-acre campus located in an attractive residential neighborhood north of downtown New Orleans. The School has an enrollment of approximately 616 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade (Country Day will launch a Pre-K in August 2008) and sends its seniors to competitive colleges. Academic standards are demanding, with the result that Scholastic Aptitude Test scores are high and several National Merit Scholars are named each year. Country Day has more than 85 teaching faculty, 43 of whom have advanced degrees and a long tenure with the School. The student to faculty ratio is approximately eight to one. The School has a demanding course of study, with a number of opportunities to take electives, and it comes out of a progressive tradition that puts a premium on challenging students to excel within their own frameworks of talent and ambition in a highly interactive environment. The School has a strong co-curricular program, including successful athletic teams in which most of the Middle and Upper School students participate, a fine instrumental and choral program, and a sturdy commitment to community service, all of which are actively supported by parents and alumni. Values emphasized are a love of learning for its own sake, individual responsibility, critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, creativity and self- expression, and a strong sense of community.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Country Day provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, or any other legally-protected classification in accordance with applicable federal laws.