By now, most of you have heard the news that I’ll soon be transitioning out of my role as Induction Coordinator for the TR@TC program.

The past (almost) four years have been some of the most rewarding of my career, and I offer my sincerest gratitude to all those who have mentored, encouraged, challenged, and supported me as I endeavored to contribute to TR@TC’s mission to develop a network of compassionate teachers who are committed to educational equity and social justice.

Today, as I prepare to embark on the next phase of my career, my heart is full of hope and excitement, not just for the work I am about to engage in, but for the future of this program. In just a few months, it will be 12 years since the very first cohort of TR@TC preservice teachers answered the call to teach in NYC public schools, and despite an unusually high turnover in the teacher workforce, our alumni retention rate for classroom teachers remains in the high 80s, while our overall retention rate in education-related fields surpasses that number!

Our impact continues to grow exponentially, with several TR@TC alumni taking a variety of teacher development and leadership roles, including mentoring and research. I personally believe that we now have a unique opportunity to work together to develop more clusters of TR@TC teachers, school leadership partners, and affiliates who are aligned with the program’s vision and mission to create rich and nurturing learning environments for K-12 students AND their teachers.

So, I leave you with this call to action: Regardless of the nature of your relationship with the program, stay connected, share about the work you are doing, offer feedback, and ask how you can be a part of the vision. The Induction program was created with the intention of supporting our expanding network, and that can only happen if we continue to stay in touch!

With loving gratitude always,

Julissa