Branches

There’s no such thing as average. Of course, that’s speaking neurologically. Learning about the variability of human brains was just one of the takeaways from TRRE’s Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Institute, attended by teaching residents from cohorts I and II, teaching mentors, and members of the TRRE management team. Participants gathered at North Country Education Services (NCES) on June 27 th and had the opportunity to learn about UDL, neuroscience, and what learner variability means for instructional curriculum and design.     Led by Allison Posey, curriculum and design specialist from CAST, the Institute focused on learning the core principles of UDL and applying them to design lessons and classroom environments to meet the needs of all learners. Rooted in concepts from architecture and technology, as well as neuroscience, UDL focuses on proactive design to allow for flexibility, and emphasizes that barriers to learning are often social, instru...

T he school year may have just started, but districts in the Lakes Region are already looking to the future, and the possibility of supporting new math and science teachers in local schools over the next several years. In May 2019, future teachers enrolled in the University of New Hampshire’s Teacher Residency for Rural Education (TRRE) will begin a 15-month program based in Lakes Region community organizations and area schools. These “teaching residents” will live and teach in rural New Hampshire communities while earning their graduate degrees. After graduation, they will commit to teaching in rural, high-need New Hampshire schools for at least three years. TRRE, a grant-funded teacher education program supported by the United States Department of Education, has recently confirmed a planned expansion into the Lakes Region. Conway Elementary, Kenneth A. Brett School, Pittsfield Elementary and Middle Schools, Ossipee Central Elementary School, Farmington Valley View and H...

TRRE Cohort Update - Saplings and Seedlings TRRE Cohort I is moving on to the first year of teaching and the new cohort has survived the first Summer Institute. The school year is just about to start and 80% of cohort I is preparing to teach in district partner schools. The hiring school districts include Colebrook, Gorham, and Berlin. Our new teachers are excited to set up their classrooms and launch their career with continuing support from TRRE. Cohort II is twice the size of our first group and more diverse. We have a wider age range and a combination of men and women teacher residents. Three of the new TRRE program participants have moved to the North Country to participate in the program; one from Vermont and two from other parts of New Hampshire. TRRE residents in Cohort II have chosen the following certification pathways: two high school science, one middle school science, one middle school science/elementary, and six elementary. Members of cohort II ar...

Michael J. Kelle y Superintendent SAU 58, Northumberland - Stark - Stratford I am the Superintendent of Schools for SAU #58 in Groveton, NH. The district consists of four small schools; Stark Village School, Stratford Public School, Groveton Elementary School, and Groveton High School. This is my third year in the role of superintendent; previous to that I was a principal for eight years, assistant principal for ten years, and high school social studies teacher for four years. After twenty years of public school administration, it feels like I have seen and done it all!! I have been involved with the TRRE program since its inception in the North Country; first as a listener and now as an advisory board member and advocate. The TRRE program has several dimensions that are mutually beneficial for   university studen...

Meet a TRRE Teaching Resident "If teaching in a rural school setting is of interest to you, and your morals align with those of the TRRE program, the opportunity is priceless!" - Aidan Aidan Wiggin has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a minor in large animal science from Delaware Valley College. She worked in environmental compliance for three years in Pennsylvania and returned to her native New Hampshire in fall 2017. She is passionate about small town living and giving back to the community. Her two favorite hobbies are horseback riding and hiking with her two dogs. Since she completed her summer community-based internship at 4-H-UNH Cooperative Extension, Aidan accepted an invitation to continue her community involvement and she joined the Advisory Council for Cooperative Extension in Co ӧ s County. Aidan is enrolled in the secondary science certification pathway with concentration in life science. Her residency school placement this year is at ...