Lyonel B. Tracy Mary S. Heath

Commissioner of Education Deputy Commissioner

Tel. 603-271-3144 Tel. 603-271-7301

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

101 Pleasant Street

Concord, N.H.03301

FAX 603-271-1953

Citizens Services Line 1-800-339-9900

Date: September 24, 2008

To:Christopher Andriski, Principal

Newmarket Jr/Sr High School

From: Santina Thibedeau, State Director of Special Education

Administrator, Bureau of Special Education

Re: NH RESPONDS: Professional Development for Excellence in Education

High School Demonstration Sites - Request for Applications

DearChristopher Andriski:

The New Hampshire Department of Education is inviting your high school to consider applying to be a high school demonstration site with our statewide grant NH RESPONDS: Professional Development for Excellence in Education. This project will assist your school in aligning with NHDOE statewide initiatives such as Follow the Child, High School Redesign, and the implementation of Senate Bill 18.

One of the goals of the NH RESPONDS project is to include a few high schools as PBIS/RENEW demonstration sites. Eligible secondary schools must have demonstrated a level of readiness and implementation in the area of positive behavioral interventions and supports. Therefore, eligible high schools include those schools that have been part of a New Hampshire Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports (NH CEBIS) cohort, the Achievement for dropout Prevention and Excellence Project (APEX I & II) and those high schools within the

5 NH RESPONDS Demonstration Sites. NH RESPONDS will provide technical assistance, and training over the next 4 years to assist selected high schools to:

  • Form and support an SAU-wide dropout prevention/positive school culture leadership team.
  • Implement with fidelity school-wide primary prevention systems of PBIS; secondary level supports for students at risk, and Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural Supports, Education, and Work (RENEW) secondary transition services.
  • Implement staff training programs.
  • Develop school wide data collection and analysis of high school outcome data including data on dropouts, attendance, grade promotion, suspensions/expulsions, and additional data as identified by the school leadership team.
  • Reduce problem behaviors, suspensions & expulsions for all students.

Newmarket Jr/Sr High School

September 24, 2008

Page 2

  • Reduce dropout rate for all students.
  • Increase the percent of all students who graduate with a regular diploma.
  • Increase the percent of all students who are competitively employed, enrolled in some type of postsecondary school, or both within one year of leaving high school.

If your high school is interested in applying, we strongly encourage you to attend an informational session for eligible high schools on October 16, 2008 from 1:00-3:00PMat the Department of Education, room 12. Please see Application Submission Requirements including Faculty Vote on page 3 of the attached application.

cc: Superintendent

Attachment: Request for Applications -NH RESPONDS:

Professional Development for Excellence inEducation

High School Demonstration Sites

TDD Access: RelayNH 711

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER- EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES