Paraeducator Series with Jeanine Fitzgerald
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Starting in the fall of 2026, NCES will be offering a monthly series for paraeducators focused on the behavior titled, Why Do They Do That?
Everyone misbehaves and misbehavior is not the problem, nor is the person. Behavior is a symptom of an unsolved problem and a form of communication. This series is designed To answer the two most frequently asked questions, “Why do they do that?” And “What do I do when they do that?”
Session topics:
- Turning Misbehavior into a Teachable Moment
- Why Do They Do That?
- Surfing the Emotional Waves
- Draining Off High Intensity Behavior and Emotions
- Not My Opposition
- Brains@Risk
- Freeing Children from Worry
- I Want it NOW!
Cost: Free to paraeducators employed by NCES full and associate member school districts. A school-issued email address must be used during the registration process. This series is exclusively available to districts with active NCES membership for the 2026-27 school year. You can see if your district is a member here. Staff from family serving organizations serving the communities of NCES member districts are also eligible to participate (NHS, FRC, childcare centers, etc).
Dates: Tuesdays September 22, October 20, November 17, December 15,
2026, January 19, February 16, March 16, April 13, 2027
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Location: Online via Zoom
Register: Online or by calling NCES during office hours, 603-466-5437.
 Jeanine K. Fitzgerald draws on more than 35 years of professional experience to empower teachers and parents to achieve more with children “at risk.” With experience as a certified teacher, mental health professional and mother of three grown children, she understands the promise of every child, as well as the diversity of their needs.
As a certified Human Behavior Consultant and Specialist, and Owner of The Fitzgerald Institute of Lifelong Learning, Jeanine specializes in research-based strategies in educational leadership, relationship-building, motivation, preventing the factors that compromise the fulfillment of a child’s maximum potential and implementing positive interventions in “real life” settings. She understands the daily struggles and frustrations of educators and parents, and honors the “hero within” each individual she has the privilege to work along side.
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Exciting Learning Opportunity for Biology Teachers
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 BioInteractive is excited to offer a professional development opportunity for high school biology educators in Northern New England. Join us for a free, daylong in-person workshop that explores best practices in three-dimensional teaching within a supportive environment that emphasizes student engagement, data literacy, and critical thinking.
Date: Friday, October 9; 8:30AM-2:30PM
Location: North Country Education Services, 300 Gorham Hill Rd, Gorham, NH 03581
For: This workshop is for teachers who teach any level of high school biology and environmental science, including introductory and advanced (AP/IB) courses. Any teacher from New England is welcome (not limited to NCES membership).
Cost: Free. Catering, materials, and parking provided.
Registration: See the September newsletter or click here to see if the registration link is active.
BioInteractive is part of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), a biomedical research organization and philanthropy. This workshop is being offered in collaboration with North Country Education Services and SAU 20. Learn more about BioInteractive
Lastly, BioInteractive wants to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey about your PD needs that will help us plan for this workshop.
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Discovery Education is hosting regional Days of Discovery across New Hampshire! Join them for a FUN HALF DAY of learning how Discovery Education can HELP you and SAVE YOU TIME!
There is no cost.
BRING A DEVICE!!
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 from 9:00-12:30
Location: White Mountain Regional Middle High School
Register: Online
For more information, contact Nancy Rose at NRose@discoveryed.com
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By the end of the training, attendees will have the knowledge to create and advise Middle & High school YLTA groups in their own school and fully implement the program with fidelity to the model. Participants will:
- Learn about the core components of YLTA
- Learn strategies for implementation
- Discuss fidelity as related to implementation
- Be introduced to experiential education, environmental prevention strategies and
service learning as related to the YLTA model
- Participate in and learn about culturally relevant programming
- Experience an evidence-based approach to group development
- Learn how YLTA is being implemented at other sites
- Explore the implementation readiness of your community.
Date: August 19, 2026
Location: 72 Beebe River Road, Campton, NH
Cost: There is no cost associated with this training as funding has been provided by
the Center for Excellence & The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund.
Register: Online
View/download flyer
For more information, contact: Lynn Tilden: (603) 903-8209 | lynntildenadapt@gmail.com
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WYLD Facilitator Training
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What is WYLD?
Wilderness Youth Leadership Development (WYLD) is a promising-practice experiential youth development program serving middle and high school students across New Hampshire.
WYLD blends outdoor education, prevention science, and Positive Youth Development into a structured, high-impact model. Through hiking, paddling, rock climbing, snowshoeing, mindfulness, and team challenges, students build:
- Stress management skills
- Emotional regulation
- Healthy peer connections
- Leadership capacity
- Decision-making skills
- Resistance to substance misuse
WYLD incorporates evidence-based curricula including YLTA, Project ALERT and Prime For
Life.
What You’ll Learn:
- Structure a 2-hour WYLD session (Check-In & Mindfulness → Experiential
Activity → Skill Integration → Reflection → Safe Transportation)
- Screen and refer students appropriately
- Implement risk management and transportation logistics
- Establish group norms that ensure psychological and physical safety
- Process experiential activities into meaningful life lessons
- Integrate prevention education into outdoor and skill-building experiences
Date: August 20, 2026
Location: 72 Beebe River Road, Campton, NH
Cost: There is no cost associated with this training as funding has been provided by
the Center for Excellence & The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund.
Register: Online
View/download flyer
For more information, contact: Lynn Tilden: (603) 903-8209 | lynntildenadapt@gmail.com
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NCES Awarded $268,205 NBRC Grant to Support Future Teachers in Northern New Hampshire
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North Country Education Services is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $268,205 Catalyst Program Grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) to support the TeachNorth: Teacher Internship Support Grant initiative.
The grant will help address teacher shortages across northern New Hampshire by providing financial support, and professional development opportunities for aspiring educators completing student teaching internships in NCES member school districts.
Over the next two years, the program will support approximately 25 future teachers as they complete the final stage of their teacher preparation programs. By reducing financial barriers associated with student teaching, the initiative will help more individuals complete their licensure requirements and begin careers in North Country schools.
"We are grateful to the Northern Border Regional Commission for recognizing the importance of investing in our educator workforce," said Chuck Patterson, Executive Director of NCES. "This funding will help create opportunities for future teachers while supporting the long-term needs of our schools and communities."
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NCES Job Opportunity:
Special Education Teacher
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North Country Education Services is seeking a Special Education Teacher to work at Heartwood Public Charter School in Jefferson, NH.
Heartwood Public Charter School utilizes a place-based education model, providing opportunities for our students to build valuable relationships within their community through service, experiential learning, and an integrated curriculum. Students attend grades K-8 and come from towns across the region. Heartwood operates on a four-day week for students (Monday-Thursday) with Fridays dedicated to collaborative and independent planning, professional development, and other related tasks.
Competitive salary and benefits package. NH special education certification or eligibility required. To apply please send a letter of interest, resume, and 3 references to NCES Executive Director Chuck Patterson at cpatterson@ncedservices.org or 300 Gorham Hill Rd, Gorham, NH 03581.
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Grow Your Future, through Root to Rise
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Root to Rise is a North Country based non-profit connecting and supporting schools, classrooms and farms in various ways. Whether informal farm field trips or long term relationships and curriculum development, these connections are essential in introducing schools to local agriculture and strengthening our communities. In connecting and supporting farmers and teachers, R2R encourages students to understand the potential and benefits of local agriculture from a health, science, economic and community lens. This includes potential agricultural employment as well as economic development opportunities.
For schools, funding is available for field trips to farms, teacher trainings and PD with local agricultural themes and content. There is also funding to help develop/incorporate agriculture into current curriculum standards and classes. For students, funding is available to attend conferences related to local agriculture, or any other creative ideas students wish to pursue relating to local agriculture. For farmers, funding is available to cover time spent with schools, both on the farm and in the classroom.
For more information and to apply for funding, please visit http://www.roottorise.net/ or email nhroot2rise@gmail.com.
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Food as Medicine Portable Teaching Kitchen
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Where Food Meets Health, Learning, and Community!
ACHS excited to share a fresh new way they are bringing health, wellness, and community together—one delicious meal at a time.
This hands-on program is designed to help individuals, children, and families discover how simple, affordable meals can support better health outcomes—especially when navigating conditions like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, or even just the everyday challenges of feeding a family on a budget.
Meet the ACHS Food As Medicine Portable Teaching Kitchen (FMPTK)!
Through fun, engaging cooking lessons, participants learn to plan, prepare, and enjoy tasty meals in under 30 minutes—all while building lifelong skills and confidence in the kitchen. From one-on-one coaching to group demonstrations, we’re bringing this experience wherever it’s needed most—schools, community centers, medical practices, and more.
Learn more
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Community-Based Community of Practice:
Conscious Discipline and Social and Emotional Learning
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When navigating complex challenges and it's easy to feel like you're doing it alone. But you're not. Imagine a space where we come together to share insights, build skills, and support one another through the lens of Conscious Discipline and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). That’s the heart of our Community-Based Community of Practice (CoP).
Research shows that when we feel connected and supported, our resilience grows. Shared experiences and learning in a trusted group not only reduces stress but also strengthens our confidence and capacity.
This CoP is a place to grow, reflect, and co-create change. Together, we’ll explore practical tools and compassionate strategies that build a culture of safety, belonging, and connection for the adults and children in our communities.
For: Educators, paras, and other staff from community- or family-serving organizations in Coos, upper Grafton, or upper Carroll who have participated in Conscious Discipline's Building Resilient Homes & Schools or other multi-session CD training.
Cost: Free
Dates: Third Thursday of the month. Join on months that work for you.
Time: Online from 6:30-7:30 PM
Facilitators: Anne-Marie Gagne, SEL Program Manager, North Country Health Consortium and Crystal Reed, Behavior Intervention Facilitator, Littleton School District
Register: Online or contact Anne-Marie Gagne for more information at agagne@nchcnh.org. Rolling/ongoing registration.
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Behavior Bridge for Parents and Caregivers
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Behavior Bridge offers a series of free, online programs to support children's mental health. With a team of experts including mental health professionals, caregivers, kids and teens, Dartmouth Hitchcock Department of Psychiatry has created a place to learn skills and gain knowledge through short videos, handouts, resources, and more. Grounded in real-world strategies and compassionate understanding, we will help you build confidence, reduce stress, and create positive, lasting change.
Learn more at https://behaviorbridge.dartmouth-health.org/sign-in
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NH Student Assistant Network
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The New Hampshire Student Assistance Network exists to strengthen and expand the presence and impact of Student Assistance Programs in New Hampshire schools.
Learn more
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CMTC 40th Anniversary Event
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Registration is open and early-bird registration is available through August 31st.
Learn more
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Office of Student and Educator Wellness Offerings
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NH D.A.R.E. Officers Association's Annual Conference
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NHCTE Seeking Judges for Scholastic Writing Awards
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The New Hampshire Scholastic Writing Awards is seeking judges for student submissions and welcome judges from a range of backgrounds, including:
- Educators and librarians
- Writers and editors
- College faculty and students
- Retired educators
- Community members who value young people’s voices
Judging is completed online, making it possible to participate from anywhere. Adjudication will take place between December 10 - 21, 2026.
Register: Online
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SeaPerch Submarine Building Teacher Workshop
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Interested in bringing the SeaPerch ROV program to your group or classroom? In collaboration with New Hampshire 4-H and the University of New Hampshire, WMSI is hosting the Seacoast SeaPerch Teacher Workshop! In this workshop you’ll build and test an underwater ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle).
This one day training program is open to educators, 4-H leaders, afterschool providers, community partners or others interested in coaching a SeaPerch club or team.
Participants will work in pairs to build a Seaperch from a kit. During breaks we will discuss the Seacoast Seaperch Challenge and different ways to present Seaperch to your learners.
For: Recommended for Grades 5-12.
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026 from 9:00-4:00
Location: WMSI, Littleton, NH
Cost: $25. Build materials and lunch will be provided.
More information about SeaPerch
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This training is completely free for Gr. 5-12 teachers. There is a morning session, which takes you through the basics, following by an afternoon session with more advanced concepts. You can attend one or both of them. Free classroom sets of robotics kits will be provided to take home for NH teachers!
For: Middle and high school educators
Date: August 5, 2026
Location: NHTI, Concord, NH
Cost: Free
Register: Online
View/Download Flyer
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Animation/Stop Motion Studio Teacher PD
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Bring your ideas to life one frame at a time! Join WMSI staff for a 18+ open Makerspace and explore the art of stop motion animation. Experiment with a variety of materials, props, and animation techniques as you experiment with the fundamentals of creating movement through still images. No prior experience needed!
For: Adults, 18+
Date: August 25, 2026 from 5:00-7:00 PM
Location: WMSI, Littleton, NH
Cost: $30, includes pizza.
Register: Online
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NHSTE Award Nominations are Open
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It is time to recognize the good work going on by amazing educators in New Hampshire!! Please consider nominating a deserving person for one of the three NHSTE awards!
- NHSTE Pat Keyes Technology-Using Teacher Award
- NHSTE Susan Janosz Impact/Leadership Award
- ISTE+ASCD MakingIT Happen Award
Visit NHSTE's award webpage for more details.
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Climate Education Collaborative Summit
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Over two days, the summit will move through a shared arc: grounding in where we are, imagining where we want to be, and exploring how we get there.
Climate education is entering a pivotal moment. Across the Northeast and beyond, educators, nonprofit leaders, community partners, and youth advocates are working to imagine what relationship-centered climate education can look like in a rapidly changing world.
This summit is an opportunity to reconnect with purpose and one another, and to explore what collaborative climate education can become.
Date: September 25th, with the option to attend a pre-summit workshop and dinner on September 24th.
Location: Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, VT
Cost: Thanks to the support of a private funder and Shelburne Farms, the Collaborative is able to offer the registration fee for the reduced rate of $50.*
Register: Online
More information
*Financial support is available. If this would make the event more accessible for you to participate, please contact Mariah Reed at registration@shelburnefarms.org BEFORE you register. Also, reach out to Mariah before you register if you plan to pay by check or purchase order.
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Place-Based Education Resource Day at the Billings Farm and Museum
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Staff from Billings Farm & Museum, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, and the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) will be available to collaborate with educators on developing engaging, curriculum-connected learning experiences, share educational resources and current program offerings, and discuss options for both on-site field trips and classroom visits throughout the school year.
Teachers who attend the Resource Day will receive free admission to Billings Farm & Museum for the day. Children and families are welcome and will also receive free admission for the day. Childcare will be provided from 10-12. The first 20 teachers to RSVP will receive a $20 stipend to cover travel expenses, and there will be light refreshments and raffles.
Date: Monday, August 10 from 10:00 -12:00
Register: Please email Mollie at msurprenant@billingsfarm.org if you’d like to attend.
More information
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NHSTA 2026 Annual Conference
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Nature Journaling with Heidi Colburn
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Designed especially for educators, this hands-on professional development experience introduces the practice of nature journaling as a powerful tool for observation, inquiry, creativity, and connection to place. Join Certified Nature Journal Educator Heidi Colburn for an engaging morning of exploration at beautiful Barnard Park in Goffstown, New Hampshire.
Nature journaling is a great way to spark curiosity and deepen your connection with nature using just a pen, pencil, and notebook. This simple yet transformative practice uses words, pictures, and numbers to help us slow down, notice more deeply, and develop a stronger understanding of the natural world around us. No artistic experience is necessary—just curiosity and a willingness to observe.
During the first half of the program, participants will experience nature journaling as learners, creating their own journal page while exploring the park. In the second half, participants will shift into the educator role, learning practical strategies for incorporating nature journaling into classrooms, outdoor lessons, nature center programs, and community-based learning experiences.
Whether you work in a formal or informal education setting, you'll leave with tools, inspiration, and confidence to help students engage more deeply with the world around them through observation and reflection.
Date: August 18, 2026 from 9:00-11:30
Location: Goffstown, NH
Cost: $25-$55
Register: Online
More information
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2026 North Country Outdoor Career Expo
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For more information, contact Michelle Gross, Career and College Pathway Coordinator at WMRHS at mgross@sau36.org or Ray Berthiaume, UNH Extension Field Specialist, at Ray.Berthiaume@unh.edu.
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PBS LearningMedia on Beyond America 250
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Powering Up with Mount Washington Observatory
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This hands-on professional learning workshop, rooted in VEEP/NHEEP’s experiential approach, will demonstrate how energy education can empower student agency for real-world impact. We’ll explore interdisciplinary best practices and systems thinking to integrate authentic, youth-led problem-solving into your curriculum. The session will feature examples on how educators can facilitate, rather than direct, student initiatives. Attendees will experience learning from a student perspective, seeing first hand how learning unfolds. In these trainings, participants will engage with a climate and energy focused anchoring phenomenon and teaching routines to experience the shift from “learning about,” to a more student-driven “figuring out”. We’ll provide guidance on how you can utilize these tools in your classroom. This workshop helps “power up” your existing efforts, equipping students to become active stewards and leaders in their communities.
Date: September 21, 2026 from 8:30-3:30
Location: Mount Washington Observatory Offices, North Conway, NH
For: Open to all educators. $100 stipends available for NH teachers who attend.
Cost: Free for NH and VT educators. Stipends available! There are $100 stipends for K-12 teachers in NH who participate in the day-long version of Powering Up.
More information
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Build Math Minds Free 3-Day Virtual Summit
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Build Thinkers, Not Memorizers
A free 3-day summit for elementary teachers who want students who can think, reason, and explain - not just recall steps. Structured around three days: Think, Share, Connect.
You didn't get into teaching to produce kids who can execute steps without knowing why they work. You wanted to build thinkers! Kids who can look at a problem, reason through it, and explain what they did and why.
Dates: August 10, 11 & 12, 2026
Learn more
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Disclaimer: The content provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement of any organization, individual, products, or services mentioned herein.
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Coos Coalition for Young Children and Families
Family Centered Early Supports & Services
Every day across New Hampshire, infants and toddlers are learning new skills, but they learn and grow at their own pace. Parents or other caregivers who have concerns about an infant’s or toddler’s development can get coaching and support through the New Hampshire Birth to 3 early intervention program.
Anyone can refer a Family Centered Early Supports & Services.
Learn more at dhhs.nh.gov/BirthTo3 or call 603-271-4488.
North Country Neighbors - Stronger Together
Family Resource Center of Northern NH
Resources available through FRC include:
- Prenatal and infant care
- Parenting and Co-Parenting education
- Infant growth and child development
- Childcare and preschool services
- Ages and Stages Developmental Screenings
- Growing Great Kids
- Positive Parenting Program Curriculum
- Budgeting skills to increase financial awareness and stability
- Positive discipline
- Life and stress management
- Community Resources
The Family Resource Center offers programs that are voluntary and confidential with the mission to build healthier families and stronger communities in the North Country of New Hampshire.
Learn more
Friends of Aine: Center for Grieving Children & Families
In addition to providing bereavement support services and resources to children and families who have suffered the death of a loved one, he Friends of Aine Center for Grieving Children and Families recognizes the importance of working with and educating our community about grief, what it looks like in children and teens, and how to best support those grieving. They offer resources, workshops, trainings, and consultations that include curriculum development for community workers, school staff, and students that provide essential information about acknowledging grief, making space for it, and offering concrete help.
Learn more
Court Appointed Special Advocates of NH
CASA volunteers change the stories of children who have experienced abuse or neglect by advocating for their best interests in court.
To learn more about volunteering and get your questions answered by CASA staff members or current advocates, please join a virtual information session. Learn more.
North Country Arts Calendar
Interested in arts related events in the North Country? You can view a calendar of events by clicking here. If you would like to add that calendar to your Google calendar, you can do so by clicking "Add to Google Calendar" (bottom left of the calendar).
To have an event added to the calendar, contact Samantha Dearborn at samantha@theatreupnh.org.
Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country
Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country offer a wide range of programming options including:
- Push-in programs and services
- As part of physical education to access the general curriculum
- Push-in stand-alone programs and services
- After school programs and services
- Community-based athlete scholarships
Examples of types of adaptive and accessible programs for all ages:
- Adaptive biking, including “learn to bike”
- Climbing
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Kayaking
Learn more about Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country.
Most districts in the NCES catchment area will be eligible for free programming either through support to ASP through CMF Kids and/or the Tillotson Fund. Contact ASP more details.
Support the mission of NCES
NCES collaborates with public schools and community partners to support excellent and equitable educational opportunities throughout the North Country. NCES believes that thriving public schools are at the heart of thriving communities. Your donation to support NCES' operations or a specific programming area are essential in NCES' efforts in supporting schools to provide exceptional educational experiences for all students. Whether a one-time donation, recurring monthly gift, or support through a donor-advised fund (DAF), your support of NCES will lift up public education in the North Country.
Donate or learn more at https://ncedservices.org/donate.
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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