The NNECN Center provides technical assistance to schools, districts, and organizations in the areas of science or mathematics mentoring, instructional coaching, formative classroom observations of new teachers, learning communities that include new teachers and their mentors, and innovative strategies for supporting new teachers of science and mathematics. In addition, a variety of workshops are offered through the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance that target content-specific needs of mentors and new teachers. Visit the MMSA Calendar of Events for a listing of professional development workshops and conferences.

Support for New Teachers
While many schools have general induction programs, few offer specialized, content-specific support found to be critical to the success, development, and retention of new middle and high school science and mathematics teachers. Nationally almost 50% of new teachers leave teaching after five years at a cost of $11,000 each to replace them, not including the indirect costs related to a school's lost investment in professional development, curriculum and school specific knowledge. This is a heavy price for not providing the professional support needed for their success.

The NNECN Center recognizes the unique challenges novice science and mathematics teachers face and goes beyond simply developing the day-to-day "survival skills" by:
  • Linking high accomplished science and mathematics teachers with novice teachers;
  • Providing resources, tools, and strategies to help teachers examine effective mathematics and science practice;
  • Enhancing content knowledge
  • Building professional networks




NNECN Center New Teacher Support Services

Option A: New Teacher Support Network
$400 per teacher (mathematics or science)


Services include lending library, new teacher list serv, new teacher web forum, one professional publication of choice, and 50% discount on annual New Teacher Conference registration.
  • Lending Library- up to 8 math or science professional resources would be (as available) loaned per year (August through June) with a lending time of up to 4 weeks and no more than 2 resources at a time.
  • New Teacher Weekly Listserv- Informational bi-monthly listserv for new teachers announcing opportunities, teaching tips, web links, etc.
  • New Teacher Forum- an electronic forum for new teachers in Maine and New Hampshire to converse with other new teachers, moderated by MMSA science and mathematics specialists.
  • Annual New Teacher Conference- a statewide conference especially for new science and mathematics teachers. NNECN Center New Teacher Support Network members receive a 50% discount on registration.
  • Professional Publication- members will receive one professional publication of choice
Option B: Electronic Mentoring for Student Success (eMSS) $650 per teacher (science only, space is limited) electronic Mentoring for Student Success (eMSS)- access to a dedicated e-mentor and participation in facilitated teaching dilemmas, inquiries, content discussion threads, and state-specific forum with a national group of mentors and mentees (graduate credit is available for inquiries). Additional information about the NSF-funded eMSS program can be found at http://emss.nsta.org.

Option C: E-Mentoring and New Teacher Support Network
$1000 per teacher (science teachers only for 2007-08)

Click on the option to register

Support for Mentors
  • Coming Soon!
Support for Induction Programs
  • Coming Soon!


For information on technical assistance and consultation services, please contact our staff.




Northern New England CoMentoring Network Center- A Project of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, 2007