Month: November 2023

School funds

The Manchester School District has been awarded a new GEAR UP grant totaling $4.8 million, to be distributed over seven years. According to a press release, this grant from the U.S. Department of Education will support college and career readiness programs, with an emphasis on serving students from middle school through high school graduation. The funding enables the hiring of full-time staff for programming, training and professional development. The GEAR UP NH project, managed by Campus Compact for NH, focuses on early academic readiness, career exploration, dual enrollment and postsecondary persistence. Interventions include academic tutoring, out-of-school activities, college visits, financial literacy workshops and more, aiming to close the state’s equity gaps and aid students in realizing their aspirations. The district will have access to the funds starting January 2024.

School contracts

In other Manchester school news, the Manchester Board of School Committee recently endorsed tentative contract agreements with five unions representing a broad array of District employees, including educators, principals, support staff and administration. According to a press release, the next step for these agreements is obtaining approval from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Negotiations, which started in the fall, are part of the District’s strategy to bolster recruitment and retention as current contracts are due to expire by June 30, 2024. The agreements will proceed to the aldermen for a vote scheduled for Dec. 5, following approval by union members and the School Committee.

Goodwill

Tripp Harrison has been appointed as the new president and CEO of Goodwill Northern New England, succeeding Richard J. Cantz. Bringing experience from his previous role as President and CEO of Goodwill of South Mississippi, Harrison joins at a pivotal time as the nonprofit expands services and advances sustainability efforts, according to a press release. Goodwill Northern New England, serving Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, operates 29 stores and provides various programs supporting more than 17,000 individuals annually. Harrison’s track record includes growth, complex problem-solving and partnership-building. He said in the release that he aims to enhance the organization’s community impact, employee support and customer service, building on his past successes in retail operations, mission services and community partnerships across different regions. Goodwill NNE, an autonomous nonprofit, focuses on services for adults with disabilities, workforce development, and sustainability, contributing to local community needs.

Committee openings

The New Hampshire Insurance Department has announced the reactivation of the Mental Health and Addiction Services Advisory Committee, which had been inactive since July 2021 due to Covid-19 challenges. According to a press release, the committee will resume advising the Insurance Commissioner on improving access to mental health and substance use disorder services through private insurance and aims to enhance service delivery, advise on regulatory actions and implement new legal requirements. There are still vacant positions, and the Department invites interested individuals to apply. The Insurance Department remains a resource for the public regarding insurance marketplace matters.

Feedback wanted

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in collaboration with the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) and the UNH Center on Aging and Community Living, is seeking public input on the state’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for older adults and people with disabilities. According to a press release, this initiative, funded by the CMS “Money Follows the Person” Demonstration Expansion award, aims to evaluate and enhance New Hampshire’s system of long-term services and supports. Public forums, both in-person and virtual, are scheduled for December to gather stakeholder input. The findings will contribute to a final report due in June 2024, offering recommendations to improve community integration and independence for service users. DHHS encourages individuals, caregivers and stakeholders to participate in these sessions and provide feedback via email or attend the listening sessions detailed in the announcement. Email [email protected].

Political praise

House Speaker Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) has been named the 2023 recipient of the Tom Thomson Defender of Liberty Award by the state chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP), according to a press release. In his second term as speaker, Packard’s leadership has been pivotal in a closely divided New Hampshire House, through efforts that include the voice vote passage of the state budget, the accelerated repeal of the state’s interest and dividends tax and bipartisan efforts in bail reform and housing, the release said. The award will be presented at the AFP Christmas Party on Dec. 19.

Lincoln Avenue Communities (LAC) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for The Residences at Chestnut in Manchester on Nov. 29. According to a press release, the event marked the start of construction on the affordable housing development, addressing Manchester’s housing shortage. Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and LAC Vice President Scott Shaw were among the speakers. LAC, a subsidiary of Lincoln Avenue Capital, develops affordable housing across 26 states.

Bridge preservation work was set to begin Nov. 29 on the Patten Hill Road bridge over Route 101 in Candia, according to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. The work will require a lane closure, with traffic controlled by alternating stop and yield signs on either side of the bridge. Weather permitting, the project is expected to take about five months. Motorists are encouraged to consider signing up for real-time construction and traffic updates via text or email from newengland511.org.

Mount Pleasant Elementary School in Nashua, a recipient of a 2023-2024 CLiF Year of the Book grant, hosted an event on Nov. 28 with children’s author Matt Forrest Esenwine and Nashua Public Library, marking the occasion of approximately 50 students receiving their first library cards. Funded by the Children’s Literacy Center of Waterbury Center, Vermont, the school was awarded a $25,000 grant for literacy programming, which includes supporting author visits.