DESE Contract Manager: Dawn Benski
Arts Content Support Lead, MA DESE
Dawn.M.Benski at mass dot gov 
A|L Program Coordinator: Dr. Erin Zaffini
Phone: (508) 433-6325, ext.1
zaffini at artslearning dot org 

Are you seeking to connect with others like you in your new arts teaching career?

Then great news! You can now join a community of peers and receive support in this FREE opportunity!

Second Cohort 2023-2024

Through a contract from the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Arts|Learning will connect up to 80 arts (music, theater, dance, visual arts, media arts) teachers across Massachusetts who identify as novice-level in their careers with ten experienced arts-education mentors for this professional development opportunity.

This is a DESE-approved, free induction and mentoring program, and fulfills 25 hours of new teacher induction and mentoring program requirements as found in DESE’s 2015 Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring Programs. New arts educators from across Massachusetts will have the opportunity to advance their skills in curriculum and instruction and receive support for the specific challenges visual and performing arts teachers face.

Call For Mentees

We invite all arts educators who identify as novice-level in their careers to join a free community of peers and mentors to support high-quality arts programming and strengthen their impact through reflective practice. Participating new arts educators from across Massachusetts will have the opportunity to advance their skills in curriculum and instruction and receive support from veteran mentors for the specific challenges visual and performing arts teachers face. The Arts Mentorship Network can be used to partially satisfy district-level induction and mentoring program requirements up to 25 hours.

A|L is accepting teachers new to the Mentoring Network, as well as 2022-23 participants who wish to further in-depth work on improving their teacher skills and effectiveness.

Enroll now!

Please fill out the Mentee Registration Form.

For additional information, Please click here.

Regional Cohort Schedules (Subject to Change)

Greater Boston Cohort* 

Date 

Time 

Location 

10/19

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Mentee Orientation

Shore Educational Collaborative
100 Revere Beach Parkway
Chelsea, MA 02150  (617) 887-2930

OR

Henry Owen School, 38 Lash Street
Chelsea, MA 02150  (617) 370-6221

11/14 

4-6 pm 

Online 

12/5 

4-6 pm 

Online 

1/9 

4-6 pm 

Online 

2/6 

4-6 pm 

Online 

3/5 

4-6 pm 

Online 

4/16

4-6 pm 

Online 

5/9

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Shore Educational Collaborative
100 Revere Beach Parkway
Chelsea, MA 02150  (617) 887-2930

OR

Henry Owen School, 38 Lash Street
Chelsea, MA 02150  (617) 370-6221

Southeast Cohort* 

Date 

Time 

Meeting Type 

10/26 

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Bourne Middle School (in the library)*
77 Waterhouse Road
Bourne, MA 02532    (508) 759-0690

OR

The Education Cooperative
141 Mansion Drive, Suite 200
East Walpole, MA 02032    (781) 352-5700*

11/14 

4-6 pm 

Online

12/5 

4-6 pm 

Online 

1/9 

4-6 pm 

Online 

2/6 

4-6 pm 

Online 

3/5 

4-6 pm 

Online 

4/16

4-6 pm 

Online 

5/21 

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Bourne Middle School (in the library)*
77 Waterhouse Road
Bourne, MA 02532    (508) 759-0690

OR

The Education Cooperative
141 Mansion Drive, Suite 200
East Walpole, MA 02032    (781) 352-5700*

*The total number of mentees enrolled, and their locations, will dictate the exact location for meetings for those is the Southeast cohort

Northeast Cohort* 

Date 

Time 

Location 

10/24 

4:30-7:30 pm 

Collaborative for Regional Educational Services and Training
20 Shattuck Road
Andover, MA 01810     (978) 685-3000

11/14 

4-6 pm 

Online 

12/5 

4-6 pm 

Online 

1/9 

4-6 pm 

Online 

2/6 

4-6 pm 

Online 

3/5 

4-6 pm 

Online 

4/16 

4-6 pm 

Online 

5/14 

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Collaborative for Regional Educational Services and Training
20 Shattuck Road
Andover, MA 01810     (978) 685-3000

*In the event that we have a small number of mentees in the Northeast cohort – All mentors and mentees will follow the calendar and locations of mentoring sessions for the Greater Boston cohort

Western Cohort* 

Date 

Time 

Location 

10/17 

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Collaboration for Educational Services
97 Hawley Street
Northampton, MA 01060    (413) 586-4900

11/14 

4-6 pm 

Online 

12/12 

4-6 pm 

Online 

1/9

4-6 pm 

Online 

2/13 

4-6 pm 

Online 

3/11 (MONDAY) 

4-6 pm 

Online 

4/9 

4-6 pm 

Online 

5/16 

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Collaboration for Educational Services
97 Hawley Street
Northampton, MA 01060   (413) 586-4900

*In the event that we have a small number of mentees in the Western cohort – All mentors and mentees will follow the calendar and locations of mentoring sessions for the Central cohort

Central Cohort*

Date 

Time 

Location 

10/25

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Central MA Collaborative
14 New Bond Street 
Worcester, MA 01606    (508) 538-9100

11/14 

4-6 pm 

Online – Classroom Management

12/12 

4-6 pm 

Online 

1/9 

4-6 pm 

Online DEI

2/13 

4-6 pm 

Online 

3/11 (MONDAY) 

4-6 pm 

Online 

4/9 

4-6 pm 

Online 

5/23

4:30 – 7:30 pm 

Central MA Collaborative
14 New Bond Street
Worcester, MA 01606    (508) 538-9100 

*In the event that we have a small number of mentees in the Central cohort – All mentors and mentees will follow the calendar and locations of mentoring sessions for the Western cohort