July 2009 Key Messages

American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA)

ARRA Competitive Grant Working Committee

A group of educational leaders have been chosen to help coordinate and provide guidance to the Governor's Office with respect to applications for various educational competitive grant opportunities under ARRA. More information and a list of members can be found on the ARRA Web site at www.education.nh.gov/recovery.

Contact: Paul Leather, (603) 271-3801, pleather@ed.state.nh.us

Accountability, Assessment, Curriculum, and School Improvement

A. Statewide Assessment Information for School Year 2009-2010

The Annual Assessment Memo that includes a calendar of important dates and a synopsis of important information on four areas, NH Statewide Assessment System (NECAP, NH-Alt, and ACCESS for ELLs), Accountability and AYP, NAEP, and (new this year) Arts Assessment in NH, was e-mailed to Superintendents and Test Coordinators on Tuesday, June 16. It has also been posted on the Assessment Web site (www.education.nh.gov) under Notices. Please post for reference throughout the year and make sure the appropriate personnel get the information.

Contact: Tim Kurtz, (603) 271-3846, tkurtz@ed.state.nh.us

B. Electronic Mentoring for Student Success (eMSS)

Through Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) funding, the NH DOE is pleased to announce the availability of electronic mentoring through the New Teacher Center and the University of California at Santa Cruz. This program is available for middle and high school mathematics and science teachers who are in their first through third year of teaching. NH has trained online mentors who have been participating in this program for the past few years. Funding for new mentees is available through the MSP funding and NH DOE. There are a certain number of slots available so act quickly. To learn more about the eMSS program, use the following link:

www.newteachercenter.org/eMSS/menu.php?p=home.

Contact: Christine Downing, (603) 271-3844, christine.l.downing@edstate.nh.us

C. Mathematics & Science Summer Learning Experience (MSSLE)

A list of presenters and descriptions of sessions for MSSLE is available using the following link: www.education.nh.gov. Please check the link periodically for updates related to MSSLE. All MSSLE participants must be registered through the DOE. More information regarding registration, lodging, and meal arrangements can be found using the link above.

Contact: Christine Downing, (603) 271-3844, christine.l.downing@ed.state.nh.us or
Jan McLaughlin, (603) 271-3856, jmclaughlin@ed.state.nh.us

Data Issues

A. i4see Submission Schedule

• May 15 - July 15 - Sped Public Submission and EOY Enrollment for sped nonpublic students
• June 8 - July 15 - Final EOY Submissions (both enrollment and academic) - submissions should be district verified by July 15 - Do NOT certify at this time
• July 15 - August 1 - All state anomalies MUST be resolved
• August 1 - Superintendents "certify" EOY submissions and print, complete, sign, and send "Tuition Report Receiving," "Nonpublic 08-09 Special Education Students (A13N)," and "Nonpublic 08-09 Non-Special Education Students (A13 Other)" reports
• August 1 - October 31 - The DOE will review all submissions and contact schools with questions
• November 1st - Superintendents should print, sign, and submit remaining end of year reports (including Determination)

Contact: Sandy Hyslop, (603) 271-2831, shyslop@ed.state.nh.us

Funding Issues

A. School Building Aid

a. Please submit Form A24F and any other missing documentation as soon as construction projects are complete. We cannot make the final payment on any project with missing documentation.

b. $3.5 million remains in the state allocation for Qualified Zone Academy Bonds. Go to www.education.nh.gov/recovery for information and application forms.

Contact: Marjorie Schoonmaker, (603) 271-3620, mschoonmaker@ed.state.nh.us

Grants and Requests for Proposals

A. Healthy Schools Program

The NH Department of Education has partnered with seven other public and private programs in New Hampshire to develop the cost-free Healthy Schools Program to provide school districts with assessment, training, technical assistance, and mentoring to address school environment and asthma management needs in their schools. In addition, the NH Asthma Control Program will make grants available to support implementing healthy school improvement plans developed through the program. More information can be found at www.education.nh.gov.

Contact: Ed Murdough, (603) 271-2037, emurdough@ed.state.nh.us

ALL RFPs Can be Found on the Department Web site at www.education.nh.gov

B. Statewide Annual State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) and Community Rehabilitation Provider (CRP) Survey Module

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals for conducting a Statewide Annual State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) customer satisfaction survey module and the Annual Community Rehabilitation Provider (CRP) survey module of the New Hampshire Department of Education, Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation's primary customers. The Department wishes to obtain information from its customers that can contribute to enhanced services. The survey module instruments must be designed to account for the different types of customers to be surveyed and how the survey will be tested and validated. Deadline: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 4:00 p.m.

Contact: Kenneth Young, kyoung@ed.state.nh.us

C. Youth Programs

The Department of Education, under its contract with the Workforce Opportunity Council, is seeking proposals for Year-round in-school and out-of-school youth programs. These programs are being funded by the 2009 Formula and/or Stimulus funds, and must meet the criteria attached to the funding stream. Eligibility and program requirements, as well as funding restrictions, are provided on the www.nhworks.org Web site. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis. The next deadline is July 30, 2009.

Contact: Bonnie St. Jean, (603) 271-3805, bst.jean@ed.state.nh.us

Hearings

A. Ed 700 Adult Education

There is a public rulemaking hearing, Wednesday, August 12, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. in the State Board Room at the Department of Education, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301. Deadline for written comments is August 26, 2009.

Contact: Mary Mayo, (603) 271-3189, mmayo@ed.state.nh.us

NH High School Redesign

A. Fourth Annual Apex II Summer Leadership Institute

"Systemic Reform and Redesign to Improve High School Outcomes: APEX II and Beyond" is being held August 18 and 19, 2009 at the Attitash Inn and Conference Center in Bartlett, NH. This year's institute will be open to teams from high schools that are interested in the following: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS); Improving school culture and climate; Student Leadership and participation; Intensive school-to-career interventions; Data-based decision-making; Creating multiple and individualized pathways to graduation; and Function-based assessment and interventions. For more information and to register go to www.iod.unh.edu/events.html#apexsi.

Contact: McKenzie Harrington, (603) 271-3739, mharrington@ed.state.nh.us or
Bonnie St. Jean, (603) 271-3805, bst.jean@ed.state.nh.us

B. NH Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Summer Institute

The 2nd annual ELO Summer Institute, July 21 - 22, is now open to anyone interested in extended learning opportunities or competency assessment. The keynote speakers include Larry Rosenstock, CEO of High Tech High and Phyllis Tashlik, NY Performance Assessment Consortium, as well as training and demonstration in performance assessment by students from Rhode Island high schools. Topics addressed will include High School Redesign and ELOs, the ELO assessment and moderation process, engaging youth in Competency-Based learning, designing ELOs for groups, individuals, and others. The Institute will be held at the Radisson Hotel, 11 Tara Boulevard, Nashua, NH. For more information and to register go to www.plustime.org/upcoming_events_training.asp.

Contact: Mariane Gfroerer, (603) 271-6691, mgfroerer@ed.state.nh.us

School Approval Standards
This section applies to both public and nonpublic schools

A. Approval Packets

School approval packets for public schools expiring June 30, 2010 will be mailed in early July. Packets for nonpublic schools will be sent in the fall.

B. School Approval Designations

Final school approval designations for schools expiring June 30, 2009 have been mailed. Schools that are conditionally approved or that have been granted a delay in Full Compliance by the State Board of Education will be changed to approved upon receipt of documentation indicating that all standards have been met.

C. School Calendars

Minimum Standards reminder: The following information is provided for clarification about school calendars in days compared to hours:

(1) Any district or school wishing to have a calendar with fewer than 180 days of instruction, regardless of the number of hours of instruction, must first have written approval from the Commissioner of Education per RSA 189:1 and Ed 401.03.

(2) The Bureau of Data Management will not accept school calendars of fewer than 180 days of instruction from any district or school that has not received written approval from the Commissioner.

(3) All public and private elementary schools must provide at least 945 hours of instruction annually, regardless of the number of days, per Ed 306.18 and Ed 401.03.

(4) All public and private middle and high schools must provide at least 990 hours of instruction annually, regardless of the number of days, per Ed 306.18 and Ed 401.03.

(5) The Commissioner may approve reductions in the number of days or hours of instruction due to weather or other emergencies upon receipt of a written request from the district school board or governing body of a private school per RSA 189:2 and Ed 401.03.

(6) In the event of days shortened due to weather, the entire number of hours of instruction that were scheduled for that day may be counted toward the total annual requirement provided that at least 3.5 hours of instruction were provided in elementary schools and 4 hours of instruction were provided in middle and high schools.

(7) Public schools are required to have an additional ten days in their calendars to be used for staff development and/or to reschedule days lost due to weather or other emergencies, per Ed 306.18.

Contact: Marie Morgan, (603) 271-4125, mmorgan@ed.state.nh.us
Leslie Higgins, (603) 271-3759, lhiggins@ed.state.nh.us

D. Summer Tips

Schools which are closed for the summer need to be checked for leaks following heavy rain storms. Wet areas must be dried completely within 48 hours to avoid the growth of mold. When cleaning carpets using wet methods, try to avoid very humid days and Fridays. Provide as much ventilation as possible to dry the carpet quickly. Do not close up a school with wet carpet longer than overnight.

Monthly fire drills are required in schools that conduct summer sessions.

Contact: Marjorie Schoonmaker, (603) 271-3620, mschoonmaker@ed.state.nh.us

Special Education

A. New Hampshire Special Education Information System (NHSEIS)

The New Hampshire Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education will provide on-site training for school districts who would like to use the Individualized Education Program (IEP) component of NHSEIS.

NHSEIS Training	August 2009
Administrators as users regarding federal State reporting	Thursday, August 13, 2009 NHDoE - Room 15 9:00am-12:00pm
CAT AID Chapter 402	Tuesday, August 25, 2009 NHDoE - Room 15 1:00pm-4:00pm
Teachers as users regarding IEP development	Tuesday, August 25, 2009 NHDoE - Room 15 9:00am-12:00pm

Contact: Santina Thibedeau, (603) 271-6693, sthibedeau@ed.state.nh.us

B. New Hampshire Special Education Information System (NHSEIS) Weekly Forum

The New Hampshire Department of Education and PCG conduct weekly forums via conference call on the New Hampshire Special Education Information System (NHSEIS).

The forum has two purposes:

• communicate approaches and resolution of common support issues.
• provide a forum for districts to raise issues and seek input from all parties (district, NHDOE, and PCG).

Conference line number: 1-888-742-8686
Conference ID: 1745834

• Thursday, July 16, 2009 - 3:00p.m. - 4:00p.m.
• Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 10:00a.m. - 11:00a.m.
• Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 3:00p.m. - 4:00p.m.

Contact: Terry Hersh, (603) 271-3775, Terry.Hersh@ed.state.nh.us

C. Enrich a Child's Future

Would you like to make a difference in the education of a child with special needs? The Educational Surrogate Parent Program is looking for caring individuals who are committed to children and understand the importance of education. There will be a training session on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at Granite State College, Conway, NH (9a.m. - 5p.m.)

Contact: McKenzie Harrington, (603) 271-3739, mharrington@ed.state.nh.us

D. 11th Annual Autism Summer Institute

The goal of the Show Me the Evidence: Evidence-Based Practices for Supporting Students with ASD in Schools and Communities Institute is to provide strength-based perspectives about students with Autism Spectrum Differences (ASD) to improve the quality of education in inclusive settings. Participants will gain knowledge and skills to evaluate and select supports and strategies based on research evidence that will enhance the full participation of students with ASD in their schools and communities. This Institute taking place August 10-13, offers a unique combination of keynote presentations, breakout sessions, and "home" work groups. For more information visit www.iod.unh.edu/events.html#asi.

Professional Development

A. Math-in-CTE Professional Development Summer Training Workshops

This professional development is designed to improve student outcomes and increase awareness of mathematics as an essential workplace skill, while developing a community of practice among CTE and academic teachers. Teams of CTE teachers in Culinary Arts, Marketing, Building Trades, and Automotive Technology, along with mathematics teachers from their school or region will work together to identify and enhance the mathematics that students experience in CTE programs. This event will be held on July 20-24, 2009, from 7:30a.m.-3:30p.m. each day and will constitute the first five days of a year-long professional development program, provided at the Seacoast School of Technology, Exeter, NH.

Contact: Patricia Tormey, (603) 271-3893, ptormey@ed.state.nh.us

Resources

A. Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers

NH DHHS recently updated their Disease Handbook and has included a variety of new resources that are applicable to schools, not just childcare. This resource shares disease fact sheets for a variety of illnesses, each including exclusion criteria. This handbook can be found at www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/CDCS/handbook.htm.

B. NHDOE-ETNews Listserv

The Office of Educational Technology (OET) at the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) has a new "NHDOE-ETNews" listserv which we invite interested educators to join. It was created as a supplement to the OET blog at www.nheon.org/oetb as another means of rapid e-mail distribution of notices about upcoming grants, tech survey deadlines, research, and current trends. OET provides leadership and assistance to schools regarding the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into the teaching and learning process. To subscribe to the list, please visit maillist2.nh.gov/mailman/listinfo/nhdoe-etnews. To view other lists managed by programs within state agencies, visit maillist2.nh.gov/mailman/listinfo.

C. Under YOUR Influence

Under YOUR Influence is a new resource focusing on empowering parents to influence their teen drivers to drive safely. Visit www.underYOURinfluence.org for more information.

Other

Adventures in Babysitting

Adventures in Babysitting is a two-night weekend camp open to both military and civilian youth which will be offered July 17-19. The program utilizes the 4-H/Army Child & Youth Services Babysitting curriculum, and participants will receive an official Certificate of Completion at the program's end. Topics include safety, first aid, child development, nutrition, entertaining children, and the business of babysitting. The course will be taught by youth development professionals and group leaders formally trained in the babysitting curriculum. Course graduates will be expected to provide childcare at military events and/or for individual military families on at least two occasions. For more information, visit www.nhomk.com or call the Operation Military Kids (OMK) office at 862-2297.

Certificate in Historic Preservation Courses

Plymouth State University is offering 3 courses this summer that lead to a Certificate in Historic Preservation. Heritage Studies: Foundations (3 credits, taught at PSU with an online component); New Hampshire & New England (4 credits, taught online and includes mandatory field trips on July 16 and 22); and Rural Culture Environment: Architecture & Landscape (3 credits, taught online). To learn more, visit www.plymouth.edu/graduate/heritage/historic_preservation.html or contact Stacey Yap, program coordinator, at staceyy@plymouth.edu, (603) 535-2333.

School-Based Clinics

NH DHHS will be hosting two 3 hour workshops geared to school nurses this summer about school-based clinics, H1N1 preparedness activities, infection control and 2009-2010 School Immunization Requirements. The first workshop will be on July 28 at Southern New Hampshire University and the second will be held on July 31 at the North Conway Grand Hotel. Both workshops are from 9:00a.m. - noon. Registration is required. To register please e-mail nhip@glengroup.com, or call (603) 356-3030.

Contact: Katherine Rannie, (603) 271-3891, krannie@ed.state.nh.us

The School Nurse Institute Keynote

Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, is an international speaker on this subject. Join Dr. Wansink on August 4, from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH, as he presents his revolutionary Mindless Eating Solution and discusses ways to mindlessly eat better in your home, work, or client base. Learn how to identify hidden persuaders in your immediate environment that lead you to overeat and gain weight. Dr. Wansink also shares his fascinating research into everything from "100 calorie" packs and mouthwatering descriptions on menus to getting pre-k children to eat more fruits and vegetables and parents acting as nutritional gatekeepers. For more information or to register go to www.education.nh.gov.

Contact: Katherine Rannie, (603) 271-3891, krannie@ed.state.nh.us

Watershed Ecology Institute: Opportunity For Teachers and Community Leaders

Science teachers, conservation commission members and environmental educators interested in exploring watershed ecology can sign up for a ten-day course offered this summer on July 20-24 and 27-31, 2009, at the Meredith Community Center. The Watershed Ecology Institute is sponsored by an alliance of organizations, including NH Fish and Game and UNH Cooperative Extension. It can be taken on a non-credit basis, or for undergraduate or graduate credit. For registration forms, contact information and more, www.huntnh.com/Newsroom/News_2009/News_2009_Q2/watershed_ed_summer_wkshop_09.html.