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NH PIRC Meets
NH Literacy Day | |
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| NH Partners for Education Conference Now Available on Video! | |
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| Conway Elementary School Takes Second in the "ED"ies |
 "Of course I would have preferred placing first," Brian Hastings, principal of Conway Elementary commented recently, but getting the silver is something we can all be proud of! Placing second gives us recognition, for a job well done, which our school deserves. It also makes us work even harder for our students. I cannot say enough about this staff and how hard they work. This certainly gives us all something to celebrate!" Read the entire article here!Conway El. has been involved with PIRC and the Solid Foundation program since 2007! For information about their program see this page or click here to read the Conway Cougars Newsletter. |
| Horseplay with a Purpose in Candia |
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Pauline Meridan, owner of Cover Girl, helps Stella Keating get to know the miniature horse at Moore School in Candia.
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Cover Girl visited the Henry W. Moore School as an initiative of the Parents Involved in Raising Candia's Children (PIRCC) a new group dedicated to fostering parent involvement in education, especially reading. PIRCC grew out of Moore's School team who participates in NH PIRC's Solid Foundation Program. Students who read three books with a parent or guardian were treated to a visit from Cover Girl and Stella's older brother and sister qualified. To read more about Cover Girls visit this page. |
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| WELCOME! |
Welcome to the first Parent Information Center (PIC) bulletin In Touch. In Touch is designed to provide updates on PIC activities, and keep members up-to-date on the services we offer.
Would you like to become a member and make a difference in helping New Hampshire's children increase their success in school and, as productive citizens? Your tax deductible donation to PIC will help make that happen. PIC has continued to provide services without a charge to families throughout the State.
By becoming a PIC member you'll receive fantastic benefits such as this bulletin, access to over 290 workshops statewide, a list of PIC publications, an IEP organizer and more. To read more information or make a donation click here! Members also have their name entered to receive a free age appropriate children's book. Read on and if you see your name at the bottom of this eLetter- contact us to claim your prize!
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| Farmington Mom Returns from Mom Congress! |
Driven by the ever-increasing role that parents play in advocating for positive change in the education system,
Parenting magazine launched the Mom Congress initiative to celebrate and connect moms fighting for better schools. Marni Fennessy is a Farmington NH mom, who had recently returned from the Mom Congress.  | | Budget Committee member Ann Titus, School Board Member Joe Pitre, Art Teacher Kim Severance |
The night before our meeting, Marni Fennessy was hosting a reception for the school board, budget committee and town selectmen at Valley View
Community School. The art teacher, Kim Severance, puts the show on every year, and this year the reception was added specifically to invite the school board to see the school and children's art work, as they make program funding decisions.  | Marni Fennessy
NH Mom Congress Representative |
Marni had just come back from Parenting Magazine's second annual the Mom Congress on Education and Learning at Georgetown University in Washington DC when I sat down to interview her. At the Congress, Marni and 50 other mom's around the country attended a plethora of workshops ranging from literacy and bullying to obesity, parent engagement and advocacy. Although the workshops she attended were helpful, for Marni the real inspiration came from the panel discussions. With new resources, encouragement, and allies across the country, Marni came home ready to pour more energy and program ideas into Farmington. Read more about Marni's experience and parent involvement here. |
| News from the Board | |
The Parent Information Center (PIC) Board recently appointed five new members: Marcia Bagley of Nashua, Preschool Coordinator, Nashua District; Stacey Dailey of Hampton Falls, Owner, Dailey Educational Consultants; Paula Ferenc of Rumney, Program Director, The Circle Program; Belinda Jean Melanson of Marlborough, parent and former Product Operations Manager, New England Business Services; and Susan L. Regan, esq. of Regan Law, P.L.L.C. of Hampstead.
On May 26th, four Board members: Stacey Dailey, Paula Ferenc, John Moulis, Shirley Salach and the Parent Information Center (PIC) leadership team met to review our current strategic initiatives. Among the priorities jointly developed by the Board and Staff:
- Increase external partnerships and collaborations.
- Strengthen internal working relationships within the PIC family of major projects, including: the Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC); Parent Information Center on Special Education (PTI) project; NH Connections; SSECT (Supporting Successful Early Childhood Transitions); M.I.C.E. (Multi-sensory Intervention through Consultation and Education); NH Family Voices: and Prevention Makes Cents.
- Develop a comprehensive fundraising plan.
If you are interested in possibly serving on the PIC Board of Directors or volunteering for a Board Committee, please contact: Kevin Lew-Hanson, Executive Director, 224-7005 or e-mail: k.lew-hanson@picnh.org.
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| Nominations for the NH Parent Involvement Awards Are Now Open (deadline September 9) | |
Do you know of a parent, educator, volunteer, parent-teacher group, or community organization that has made an extraordinary contribution to promoting parent involvement in education? You can help them get the recognition they deserve while advancing the cause of strong family-school partnerships in NH. Just download the Nomination Form here , complete, and return to us by September 9 by fax 224-4365, email 2011nominations@picnh.org, or mail. We recommend that you send in your nominations right away to receive fullest consideration and to allow us to give accepted nominees sufficient time to plan for the October 3 event.
Finalists (and their guest and nominators) will be celebrated at the NH Parent Involvement Awards on the morning of October 3 in Hooksett. Further details about the event will be posted later this summer on www.picnh.org, www.nhpirc.org, www.nhspecialed.org, www.nhconnections.org, and www.NHParentsMakeTheDifference.org.
The Awards are organized by the Parent Information Center of NH (PIC) to coincide with October as Parent Involvement in Education Month in NH. Governor Lynch has signed a proclamation to promote family engagement in education, both at school and at home. For more information, call PIC at (800) 947-7005 .
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| Take Action: Ask Your Members of Congress to Cosponsor Bipartisan Family Engagement in Education Act of 2011 |
On May 10, The Family Engagement in Education Act OF 2011 (S 941/HR 1821) was introduced in the US House of Representatives by Congressman Todd Platts (R-PA) and Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and in the Senate by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Christopher Coons (D-DE).
These Congressional champions need our help! Ask your member of Congress to show their support by becoming a cosponsor of this important legislation.
Click on this link to support their efforts!
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| See Your Name Here? |
Alison Huntington - Contact PIC for a free age appropriate children's book!
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| 2011 PIC on Special Education Awards: Sharing Our Strength! Remember the Past, Celebrate the Present, Look towards the Future! |
 | | PIC on Special Education |
NH Parent Information Center (PIC) hosted the three day 2011 North East Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team (NE-PACT) at the Crown Plaza in Nashua in early May.
During the conference, PIC on Special Education honored the following 16 individuals whose work has improved the lives of persons who have disabilities:
- NH Senator Nancy Stiles
- Santina Thibedeau, State Director of Special Education
- FredaSmith, former state representative
- Don Shumway, former director of the Division of Health and Human Services
- Roberta Gallant, a vocal advocate for persons who have disabilities and member of People First NH
- John Kitchen an attorney and founder of Enhanced Life Option
- Donna Woodfin, first Executive director of the Disabilities Rights Center
- Lou Goscinski, Special Education Administrator for Moultonborough
- Dick Cohen, Executive Director of the Disabilities Rights Center
- Terry Ohlson-Martin and Martha Jean Madison, co-directors of NH Family Voices
- Beth Dixon, Coordinator of the Leadership Series through the Institute on Disabilities
- Janice Weirs, Maureen Shields and Dr. Anat Eshed three of PIC's Volunteer Educational Advocates
- Gordon Dubois, best known as a film maker and historian for his video "Lost in Laconia"
To read more about the honorees please click here.
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| Northwest Kindergarten Facilitators Promote Readiness |
 Recently children entering Northwest Kindergarten and their parents this fall were given an introduction to the school, curriculum, and teacher staff at the school. Teachers who had completed the PIRC-EC Kindergarten Readiness and Kindergarten Readiness Language and Literacy training sessions, administrators at the school and several community partners put together an evening combining fun with education for local families. A walking tour for parents and children to see the classrooms and become familiar with their new surroundings was the basis of the event; where they visited kindergarten classrooms and stations set up with a different theme; the Writer's Workshop Center, Everyday Math Center, Phonological
Awareness, and Reader's Workshop/ Snack Center. Each station offered take home activities including a crayon box with pencils, crayons, scissors, name tag chart with an alphabet line and number line, a deck of cards, a blank die and foam die and various handouts to go along with each of the centers. Children were also given a free book and NH PIRC "Ready Here I Come" KinderKids DVD. Families left with lots to do together over the summer as they prepare for their first year of school!
Teachers at Northeast also used their NH PIRC training to offer parents a "kid free" evening. A parents only Kindergarten Readiness workshop with detailed information about activities to practice over the summer was offered that many local parents attended.
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Free NCLB Online Course for Parents - Plus Earn a Free Video or CD!
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Have you ever wondered just what the No Child Left Behind law means for your child and your school? Are you curious about why so many schools in NH are "failing" under this law? As a parent do you want to know more about this law and your rights? NH State PIRC has created a free online course to answer these questions and more. The course covers such topics as: - NECAP Testing
- Your School's NCLB Report Card: Where to Find It, How to Read It
- Title I Law and the School's requirements to involve and help parents
- Parent Options: School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services
- How Parents Can (and Are) Partnering with Schools in NH
- Why More and More Schools are "Failing" under No Child Left Behind
When you complete the course, you will be eligible for one of four free DVD or CD products, each aimed at helping you prepare your child for a lifetime of successful educational experiences. The products are: 1) Parent Power: Supporting Your Child's Academic Success DVD (Grades 1-5); 2) Ready Here I Come! Kindergarten Readiness DVD; 3) Talk With Me, Read With Me, Sing With Me (Early Language and Literacy) DVD; and our Nursery Rhyme Songs CD. This course does NOT address issues related to special education and No Child Left Behind. For such questions, please call PIC on Special Education at 224-7005. For more information about this course or to get started with it, please visit http://tinyurl.com/NH-NCLB-Course. |
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Hope you enjoyed this edition of In Touch. Please consider becoming a member of PIC if you haven't already, and if you are a member, thanks for your support! Contact PIC if you have questions about our programs.
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