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NH Connections
Strengthening Family-School Partnerships in Special Education

NH Connections
NH Connections is a project of the Parent Information Center, and is funded by the Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education to work with school district personnel and parents to build systems to support family-school partnerships in special education.
NHC Staff 
SEPTEMBER IS ATTENDANCE
 AWARENESS MONTH!
Parents and families are essential partners in promoting good attendance because they have the bottom-line responsibility for making sure their children get to school every day. Just as parents should focus on how their children are performing academically, they have a responsibility to set expectations for good attendance and to monitor their children's absences, so that missed days don't add up to academic trouble. The Attendance Works parent handbook outlines strategies including:

Make getting students to school on time every day a top priority.

Alert schools and community agencies to barriers that keep kids from attending class.

Ask for and monitor data on chronic absence.

Demand action to address systemic barriers that may be causing large numbers of students to miss too much school.

Check out
Attendance Works for more great ideas and resources.
months a year children.
 
Greetings,

As the new school year kicks into full gear, NH Connections wants to remind you that October is NH Parent Involvement in Education Month and we've compiled a list of several family-school partnership events happening around the state. Let us know what family-school partnership events or successes you've had and would like to share with others.
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: A SHIFT IN MINDSET

With the new school year starting, families and school staff across the state are gearing up for another busy year. This is a great time to consider ways that families and school staff can work together in partnership. Whether you are new to partnership work or have established practices, it is important to remind yourself that "family engagement is an essential, fundamental component of proficient and effective teaching and learning practice" (Karen Mapp). So, take some time to look at your efforts - is your work designed to make the shift from an add-on to a fundamental component of your practice? Need some help making this shift? NH Connections has strategies and supports to assist you in applying the components of the dual capacity-building framework for family-school partnerships in special education. Contact us today!


OCTOBER IS PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION MONTH

Once again Governor Hassan has proclaimed October as Parent Involvement in Education Month. On October 1st, individuals and teams from across NH who were nominated because of their outstanding accomplishments with parent-school partnerships will gather in Concord to be recognized.

How can your school team recognize the month and increase parent-school partnerships year round?
  1. Identify staff development sessions that families could attend. Publicize the opportunities and personally invite families.
  2. Involve parents in getting input to create, recreate and update your website and other technology used to communicate with parents.
  3. Work with your technology teacher or department to videotape a program your school is offering and offer it to parents who aren't able to attend or have it aired on your local cable station.
  4. Poll staff to see who might be interested in developing a family-school partnership group and contact NH Connections for support in providing support, training and ongoing coaching to parents and staff.
 Want help to implement some of these ideas? Let us know!  


Interested in learning more about how you can build stronger family-school partnerships in special education?  NH Connections can help!  For more information on how we can support your efforts, contact us

We look forward to hearing your stories of family-school partnerships in action! Visit our website to see more and to contribute your best practices! www.nhconnections.org 
 
Sincerely,

NH Connections Facilitators 
Parent Information Center 

NH Connections is a project of the Parent Information Center
 and is funded by the NH Department of Education,
Bureau of Special Education
54 Old Suncook Rd., Concord, NH 03301
(603) 224-7005 | (800) 947-7005 | | Info@nhspecialed.org

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