The Last Weeks of School: Ending the School Year Well
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We all know how important the first weeks of school are. We understand the importance of building a positive community of learners, of helping students know and become independent with routines, of setting a tone of excitement and anticipation about the academic work of the year.
But what about the last weeks of the school year?
This is also an incredibly important time of transition for students (and teachers!). What if we gave the same kind of time, attention, and intentionality to the last weeks of school as we do the first?
Eligibility: This series is FREE for educators working in NH SAUs 3, 7, 9, 20, 23, 35, 36, 58, 68, 77, 84 and Campton School District.
Dates/Times: Wednesdays, March 17, 24, 31, and April 7, 2021.
Choose one timeslot for each date:
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PreK-5 educators, choose either 8:00 - 9:15 AM or 3:00 - 4:15 PM
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Middle/high educators, choose either 11:00 AM -12:15 PM or 6:30-7:45 PM
View/Download flyer for additional details
Register: Online or by calling 603-466-5437 Mon-Fri, 8-4.
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Planning for recovery and resiliency:
Focus group for North Country educators
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As the North Country region continues to experience disruption and devastating losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, North Country Council wants to provide a space for sharing stories, strengthening relationships, and building resiliency so that we can co-create a more sustainable future together.
NCC is hosting a series of conversations specifically focused on education. This is a space for people working in education to come together to share assets, ideas, and solutions to recover the system from loss and challenges associated with COVID-19 and build a plan for resiliency moving into the future. Educators are invited to attend the following (all three sessions if possible):
For K-8 educators:
Mondays, March 8, 22, and 29, 2021 at 3:00 PM
For grade 9-12 educators:
Wednesdays, March 10, 24, and 31, 2021 at 3:00 PM
Download/view flyer
Note: There are also focus group conversations that will be conducted for the following sectors: healthcare; child & family services; arts & culture; small business; communities; food & ag; and recreation, tourism,& environment. See NCC's website for more information.
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Teacher Computer Science & Engineering Design Series
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WMSI and Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) are collaborating on a series of three professional development workshops that will explore facilitating hands-on computer science and engineering activities in K-8 classrooms. In each session, we’ll be doing activities that you can do with your own students. There will be two weeks between sessions so you’ll have time to try activities with your students. The workshop will be virtual, but these activities will be able to be implemented with students virtually or in-person. The workshops will support teachers in developing engineering/STEM practices for their classrooms that can benefit hands-on learning and collaboration both during the pandemic and beyond.
Dates/time: Thursdays • March 18th, April 1st, April 15th • 3:30-5:00PM EDT
Location: All classes will be conducted virtually
Cost: $200
Learn more
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For the next school year, there will be an opportunity for other North Country schools to join Gorham, Groveton, and Littleton schools in participating in the Mikva Challenge initiative being coordinated by the NH Institute for Civics Education.
We live in an increasingly politically polarized nation where incivility and distrust in government is at an all-time high and young people report record high levels of cynicism about their government. Yet most students lack access to engaging civic education. Low income students and students of color are least likely to have access to high quality civic instruction to help them develop the skills, knowledge and dispositions to be informed and engaged citizens.
Action Civics provides students with engaging, rigorous, project-based learning about the democratic process. This instructional process invites real world issues into the classroom and students learn how to analyze, research, dialogue, collaborate, and take informed action on community problems they want to see addressed.
Participating schools receive free licenses to the Action Civics curricula (see sample), professional learning workshops and hands-on coaching and technical support.
Learn more about the Mikva Challenge
North Country teachers interested in learning more about how to participate can contact Lori Langlois (lori@ncedservices.org) at NCES or Martha Madsen (martha.madsen@law.unh.edu) at the NH Institute for Civics Education.
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NH Historical Society Virtual Field Trip
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The New Hampshire Historical Society has announced a new virtual field trip experience, "5 Granite State Icons." It's perfect for students who can't take field trips because of the COVID-19 pandemic or for kids who live too far away to visit us in Concord. This program ensures that every student can participate in a Granite State experience that generations have shared.
Designed for kids working from their homes or in a classroom, this program will engage elementary school students in an exploration of what it means to be a Granite Stater. It includes series of short videos, with each video followed by a live, interactive virtual session with a museum educator.
Bookings for spring 2021 are now being accepted on the Society's website or by contacting Assistant Director of Education Jenn Walton at jwalton@nhhistory.org or 603-856-0645.
Video overview
Learn more
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NH Drinking Water Festival
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The New Hampshire Drinking Water Festival has educated and inspired fourth graders to conserve and protect our water resources for 27 years. To keep everyone safe, the 2021 festival is moving online. And, to support teachers, students and parents these FREE online resources will be available March through July.
Major themes include the water cycle, watersheds, groundwater, wildlife, the human water cycle and a Water Poetry Contest! Lessons connect with student’s daily lives and explore how they can keep water clean. The online lessons and activities are designed for students in grades 3-5, but with the timeless importance of clean water, students in other grades can also benefit from them.
If you would like to learn more, please contact Lara Hooper at lara.hooper@des.nh.gov.
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Beat Teacher Burnout: Small Changes = Big Gains
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A self-paced online course designed by Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson has made course one in his Beat Teacher Burnout Institute available for free. North Country educators, if you complete the free course and are interested in the full institute, contact Lori Langlois (lori@ncedservices.org) at NCES by the end of February to learn about a discount for purchasing access to the rest of the series.
A Bit More Info About These Courses...
- Lessons are short, videos are engaging, thought-exercises are practical and powerful.
- Exercises are invitational, and many offer choice.
- Courses apply to educators in all roles (teachers, paraeducators, administrators, etc.) in all settings (in-school, remote, hybrid).
- There are no papers to write or quizzes to take. These courses are meant to be a support, not a burden.
- Certificates can be printed after completing each course.
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Creating Youth Entrepreneurs throughout New Hampshire
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Offered through the UNH Cooperative Extension in collaboration with the UNH Sustainability Institute, the Community Changemaker Challenge is an annual program that engages high school students, teachers, and community members throughout New Hampshire in a process to increase entrepreneurial and innovative thinking and collaboratively solve the challenges their communities face. The program is an idea-stage competition where entrants identify a social, environmental, or economic problem in their community, region, or somewhere else in the world, and use an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to address it.
Download the Community Changemaker Challenge flyer to learn or contact Jared Reynolds (Jared.Reynolds@unh.edu) about other opportunity to encourage entrepreneurship in your classroom.
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North Country Young Writers' Festival
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 The North Country Young Writers' Festival is scheduled for May 13, 2021, at White Mountains Community College, Berlin campus, COVID permitting (the festival will migrate online if the pandemic continues). This event is geared toward 7th-12th graders from Coos County and surrounding communities; students from the region are given priority registration, with secondary registration given to youth from more southern regions.
The festival director is Alexandria Peary, New Hampshire Poet Laureate. Students will have the opportunity to practice a variety of creative writing techniques, including poetry and fiction; participate in fun games; and meet published writers and the youth poet laureates. This festival is about more than creative writing: it's also about community building and leadership for North Country youth. Students will have the opportunity to decide what will be offered as workshops; they'll have a say in the logo and T-shirt design; and post-festival they can serve on an online student literary magazine as editors, under the mentorship of Alex Peary. North Country students will be in charge of who from the state is published in the magazine.
The festival and these opportunities are made possible through the generous support of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund, the Carnegie Mellon Foundation and the Academy of American Poets, and a New Hampshire Humanities Collaborative grant.
Learn more or contact Alexandria Peary, NH Poet Laureate at apeary@salemstate.edu.
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New Hampshire Energy Education Program
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 The New Hampshire Energy Education Program (NHEEP) has developed new resources, for teachers and students, that are still interactive and NGSS-aligned, but can be adapted to fit virtual, hybrid, or in-class models. Teachers can connect with a NHEEP Energy Teaching Partner who can provide support, guidance, virtual presentations, and more for their classes. NHEEP also provides professional development, which they have adapted to a virtual platform. These resources are offered at no charge to teachers thanks to generous funders.
Contact Anna Hamilton, anna@veep.org, with questions.
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Weathervane Tickets for Coös High School Seniors
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 New Hampshire’s award-winning Weathervane Theatre is pleased to announce it has received a $20,000 grant from the Local Grants Program of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund through the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to provide current and rising high school seniors in Coös County with a pair of tickets to a production of their choice for this season. The intent of the gift is to increase the next generation’s exposure to live professional theatre as well as participation in the performing arts.
Students eligible for this program must be graduating from a high school in Coös County in 2021 or 2022. To claim tickets students must show proof via school ID. Students may start claiming tickets as early as May 15, 2021. For more details or to be included on a mailing list with additional info regarding this program, please contact Weathervane’s Box Office at boxoffice@weathervanenh.org or Jorge Donoso at jorge@weathervanenh.org. For a full list of Mainstage productions at the Weathervane Theatre, click here.
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Free Mathematics Professional Development
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Teaching and Learning Mathematics:
Transforming Challenges into Opportunities to Move Forward
New Hampshire Teachers of Mathematics (NHTM) Afterschool Virtual Conference and Spring Business Meeting
Date/Time: Thursday, March 18, 2021 from 4:30- 8:00 PM
Keynote Speaker: Trena Wilkerson, NCTM President
During these unprecedented times the teaching and learning of mathematics has taken on new challenges and in the midst we have explored effective ways of empowering and engaging our students in mathematics. Let’s share challenges and effective teaching practices for engaging students in rich mathematics and consider the recommendations for PK-12 mathematics in NCTM’s Catalyzing Change series to initiate critical conversations and consider actions that will move us forward in 2021 and beyond.
Register
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Help Students Own the Math:
Effective Instructional Strategies for Every Learning Setting
For K-8
Math is Personal and Fun with Dr. Nicki Newton
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 from 3:30-4:30 PM
Workstations provide opportunities for students to explore the edge of understanding together
and gain deeper understanding of mathematics. In this webinar, Dr. Nicki will share practical tools and tips to setting up and implement effective and engaging workstations for your classroom.
Math is Student Centered with Cheryl Tobey
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 from 3:30-4:30 PM
With an emphasis on student-centered learning intentions, you’ll understand how to uncover student misconceptions, gather ‘in-the-moment’ knowledge data, and confidently deliver active differentiated learning to facilitate the how and why of mathematics for all students. Participants will learn how to achieve this by aligning success criteria to learning targets.
Learn more
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Learn how to apply to New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year by visiting www.nhcf.org/scholarships. There are new deadlines for adult students and students of any age pursuing a 2-year degree. Applications for students under the age of 24 pursuing a four-year degree are due April 16, 2021.
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CS Principles and CS Discovery, free to NH educators
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 Did you know that students who study computer science perform better in other subjects, excel at problem-solving, and are more likely to attend college? That's why now is the best time to attend Code.org’s Professional Learning Program, which will prepare you to bring CS to your students by this fall. No previous experience with CS is required.
In New Hampshire, CS Principles and CS Discoveries workshops are offered at no cost to teachers who meet the scholarship requirements and are accepted into the program - so apply today!
Learn more
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Youth in middle and high school (grades 5 - 12) are invited to submit creative pieces about their experiences with mental health in New Hampshire. The creative pieces will be showcased to help raise awareness, decrease stigma and discrimination, and affect change. Youth are invited to:
- create a short film (2 minutes or less);
- write an essay or poem (1000 words or less);
- design another medium of expression such as a painting, song, or sculpture.
The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2021. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges with varied expertise according to their grade (5 - 8th and 9 - 12th). Prize money will be awarded.
Download flyer
Learn more
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Frost Place Young Poets' Contest
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 The 2021 Voices above the Notch Young Poets’ Contest is for children and young adults who either attend school or are homeschooled in the North Country of New Hampshire. They can participate in one of three age groups as listed below:
Grades 5-6
Grades 7-8
Grades 9-12
Theme: Your life, your place, your poems--your home has a rich poetic tradition. Add your voice to the chorus.
Guidelines: Poems should be about you, your community or the landscape around you. Poems should be your original creative work. There are no restrictions on form or line length, but the poems should be no longer than one page in length.
The deadline for the 2021 Voices Above the Notch Young Poets’ Contest has been extended until March 15, 2021.
Learn more
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Grant Seeker Information Session:
Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund
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Organizations providing services in Coos County and bordering communities in Vermont, Quebec, and Maine are encouraged to apply for funding from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund. Come and learn more about the Tillotson Fund’s strategic framework which includes revised priorities and the grant application process for the Local Grants program. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and meet program staff.
Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
To register to attend the information session, please contact Jean Clarke, Tillotson Funds Manager at email jc@nhcf.org or call 603-225-6641 X238.
Learn more
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Universal Design for Learning
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The New Hampshire Department of Education has partnered with the nonprofit, CAST, to provide NH educators with a free credential opportunity. This credential is meant to support your pursuit of equitable classroom design, especially given current restraints and barriers.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) credential is “competency-based,” meaning you have the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and skills without a specific learning pathway requirement or a specific course. You will also have free access to the Mini-course: UDL Associate Credential – Level 1 which is directly aligned to this Level 1 UDL credential. Any time, when you possess the required knowledge outlined in the rubric, you can move directly to the assessment.
- The UDL Associate - Level 1 Credential is free for all NH educators.
- Find the specific registration code for your school system on the NH UDL Associate – Level 1 Registration Code list.
- You and your school can choose the path and timeline that works for you while acquiring the UDL Associate - Level 1 Credential.
- Self-study materials are freely available through CAST’s Learning Designed online platform.
Visit the CAST website for more information about the New Hampshire UDL Innovation Network.
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Community Conversations on School Funding
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Learn about the Commission to Study School Funding in New Hampshire's final report at one of three listening sessions open to the public. The sessions will cover how schools are funded in New Hampshire, potential changes to your schools and taxes, and how to be part of the dialogue around schools in New Hampshire.
March 10, March 15, or March 25, 2021 at 5:30.
Learn more
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Find resources in Northern NH with AskPetra.org
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AskPETRA for information on–or about recovery from–Substance Use Disorder and other resources you may need for your own individual path to wellness.
And during the COVID-19 crisis, AskPETRA is also helping people cope with problems resulting from social distancing, illness, and other hardships.
Visit askPETRA.org or call 603-259-1729 or text “TALK” to 603-259-4820 (Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM)
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North Country Partnership for SEL Practices
Follow NCP4SEL on Facebook for more tips, resources, and announcements.
Zoom a Scientist!
Free 45 to 60‐minute presentations and discussions about a wide variety of research topics designed for elementary, middle, or high school levels are available through Hubbard Brook Research Foundation.
Learn more about scientists and topics.
For more information, contact educator@hubbardbrookfoundation.org.
NHTM New Membership Structure
New Hampshire Teachers of Mathematics (NHTM) welcomes all who are interested in mathematics education to join the our organization. Basic membership is now free. Members receive occasional updates about professional development opportunities and PD provided by others with an interest in mathematics education. The basic membership also includes membership in the New England affiliate, Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New England (ATMNE), with all of its privileges.
Learn more
Join the New Hampshire Science Teachers' Association for free during 2020-21!
The NHSTA is a volunteer group of educators who seek to improve and coordinate science education at all levels of instruction, to increase scientific literacy, and to help students realize the crucial importance and relevance of science in their lives. NHSTA typically hosts three conferences per year, one dedicated specifically to elementary teachers. Membership keeps you informed, provides you with discounts at our events, and helps support the development of New Hampshire science education!
Learn more
Free On-Demand Professional Development on Fostering Civil Discourse in the Classroom
Among the numerous free online webinars provided by Facing History and Ourselves are several on the topic of fostering civil discourse. A printable certificate is available upon completion.
These one-hour, on-demand webinars, include:
Talking to Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Educators
Christa McAuliffe Sabbatical
Are you a teacher with a great idea about education? Each year the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation's Christa McAuliffe Sabbatical program awards a year-long leave of absence to an exceptional New Hampshire public school teacher. The sabbatical provides the teacher with the time, space, and funding to explore, through a self-designed project, new ideas and ways to enhance classroom teaching.
The Christa McAuliffe Sabbatical provides funding directly to the school district to release a teacher for one academic year. School districts are reimbursed for total salary plus FICA, and the teacher is reimbursed directly for up to $12,000 of project-related expenses.
Learn more
Job Openings in North Country Schools
There are several dozen openings in school districts throughout northern NH. TeachNorth is your one stop spot to find links to current job postings.
- New services in adult education
- Online assessments for HiSet preparation
- In-person math tutoring (9th grade level and up. Available to college students as well)
Call 752-1927 or email gthebergecoosals@myfairpoint.net for more information.
Opening for a part-time HiSet Examiner for the Coos AEL location. Call the office for details.
Support the mission of NCES
Your tax deductible donation will support NCES' mission. NCES collaborates with public schools and community partners to support excellent and equitable educational opportunities throughout the North Country.
NCES seeks exceptional educational experiences and realized potential for all students.
NCES believes that thriving schools are at the heart of vibrant communities!
The core values of NCES:
Contact Information
North Country Education Services
300 Gorham Hill Road
Gorham, NH 03581
ncedservices.org
603-466-5437
nces@ncedservices.org
NCES is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
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