Seascoast Region

The 37 cities/towns (and 80+ schools!) that comprise our region are: Barrington, Brentwood, Chester, Dover, Durham, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Farmington, Fremont, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Kensington, Kingston, Lee, Madbury, Middleton, Milton, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, North Hampton, Northwood, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rochester, Rollinsford, Rye, Seabrook, Somersworth, South Hampton, Strafford, Stratham, Wakefield .

Joyce Epstein
Wants Effective
School Partnerships
for All

Excerpt from Interview:
The Challenge Vol. 15, No. 4

“Effective partnership programs require structure
and established processes
to be effective and sustainable.”
                                                               —Joyce Epstein

What benefits do school partnerships offer to schools and teachers?

"Education systems are very goal-oriented in terms of academic and behavioral outcomes. Schools are besieged with the ultimate outcomes of test scores and graduation rates. Family and community partnership programs that are carefully designed and implemented will help schools to improve intermediate outcomes (such as positive school climate and strong attendance) that contribute to the ultimate goals.

And, some involvement activities have direct effects on student learning, achievement, and other outcomes. In addition, teachers are more satisfied and classes more productive when families work with them.

When schools, families, and communities work well together, students see that many adults value education and genuinely want to help them succeed in school and beyond."

What do you see on the horizon for school partnerships?

"I see more school districts realizing the importance of putting a focused, organized partnership program into place. It makes a world of difference when schools give parents real options to become involved. Just wishing for, or even demanding, participation will not guarantee success. Effective partnership programs require structure and established processes to be effective and sustainable.

I see an increase in evaluation so that schools can measure their progress and further establish partnerships as a basic component of a successful school."

District leadership is necessary and an emerging area for growth. Many districts currently employ a facilitator to provide the leadership necessary to build strong partnership programs."

Joyce Epstein, Ph.D., is director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University. She also serves as director of the National Network of Partnership Schools and is a research professor of sociology, both at Johns Hopkins. She has researched school partnerships and their impact on student achievement for more than 25 years.

For more information about the research on school, family, and community partnerships or the National Network of Partnership Schools, visit the Web site: http://www.partnershipschools.org.
 

________

"A Family Guide for Special Education in New Hampshire"

What educators say:

"I give this to families at IEP meetings along with offering the procedural safeguards" Special Education Director.

"It's so colorful and easy to read " Occupational Therapists

"Can I have some more, please!" Special Education Coordinator

Contact your regional facilitator Tamara Le to get more of these guides to share with Families

Welcome!

In early November 2010, NH Connections will hold a professionally facilitated FORUM on the Seacoast on Family/School Partnerships in Special Education. This 2-3hr FORUM will bring together Special Education professionals, families and community collaborators.

At its heart, the FORUM will be an opportunity to explore and identify strategies that best support and give value to a school district’s endeavors that in turn, involve families in the Special Education of a loved one.

The goal of the FORUM will be to identify three or more subsequent specific topics that will improve family/school partnerships that individual regions or districts can connect on, work on and move forward on.

Please join us and share your thoughts!

More details on date, time and location to follow very soon. Please check back often.

Seacoast Region

If you're interested in joining the Network or being a part of the FORUM, please contact

Tamara Le
Seacoast Region Facilitator
603.848.4263 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              603.848.4263      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              603.848.4263      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
tle@picnh.org

 

Funded by the New Hampshire Department of Education Bureau of Special Education, New Hampshire Connections is equipped to provide technical assistance to Special Education Directors, Coordinators and teachers on how to be most effective in engaging parents of children with disabilities - and their families - along the path to individual learning and development.

NH Connections takes the long term view. By offering workshops, toolkits, checklists, resources and parent leadership training, relationships between every member of a child’s team are fostered and sustained.

From school administrators, to special education teachers to paraprofessionals, NHC assists school districts in designing their own model of success. Decades of research shows that when school personnel and parents work together toward shared interests, relationships develop. Relationships grow. Respect for one another is earned and students with disabilities, ultimately benefit.

What's Happening Statewide!
 

New Hampshire Connections has secured copies of the HBO Film 'Temple Grandin' 

NHC has secured copies of the HBO Film, Temple Grandin (starring Claire Daines) for your use at Special Education school/family partnership leadership events at no cost.

Special Education collaborators are scheduling screenings in conjunction with a cross section of stakeholders such as support groups, guest speakers, parent leadership groups, PTOs and community service providers. The film serves as a wonderful tool of hope for those families new to the world of special education.

Temple Grandin is an upbeat and powerful story of a woman growing up with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The 109minute film chronicles her diagnosis, turbulent growth and development during school years; the enduring support she receives from her mother and science teacher, and; her emergence as a woman with an innate sensitivity and understanding of the world.

Variety Magazine said of the film, "Tour de force...a biopic of grace and beauty."

If you would like more information on the film or ideas and details on how to schedule a screening (at no cost) in your school, please contact me via the information above.

Kindest regards,
Tamara