Crotched Mountain School in Greenfield will remain open under new ownership, the school announced Sept. 1. According to a message on its website, Gersh Autism, which provides educational and support services for children on the spectrum, will assume full operational and financial responsibility for both the day and boarding schools starting Nov. 1, which is the day the school had been scheduled to close. The school had planned to close after the pandemic put further strain on what was already “a challenging financial situation.”
Score: +1
Comment:“[The] closing announcement left many families saddened and deeply concerned for their children’s education, development, and future,” Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut said in the message. “This … is welcome news for the State of New Hampshire and the families and students we serve.”
Nashua kids can Learn United
Hundreds of volunteer tutors are ready to help students in Nashua “Learn United” through a new program being offered by the United Way of Greater Nashua, according to a press release. With the anticipation that thousands of students will need extra educational support this fall due to the quick transition to remote learning in the spring followed by summer vacation, the United Way is matching tutors with students who are referred through the Nashua school district. The tutoring will take place at locations like the Boys & Girls Club, Nashua PAL, Girls Inc., and the Adult Learning Center or the YMCA of Greater Nashua.
Score: +1
Comment:Also through Learn United, a “School Supply and Tech Pantry” has been created, with backpacks and other school supplies, plus refurbished laptops and tablets for low-income students and teachers.
West Nile virus detected
The first batch of mosquitoes to test positive for West Nile virus in New Hampshire this season was found recently in Manchester, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Humans can contract West Nile virus if they are bitten by an infected mosquito. It was first identified in New Hampshire in August 2000, according to the release, and virus activity has been detected every year since then, the most recent human case being in an adult in 2017. Symptoms usually appear within a week after a bite and can include fever, muscle aches, headaches and fatigue.
Score: -1
Comment: You can help prevent mosquito-transmitted infections by using bug spray, avoiding being outdoors between dusk and dawn, and removing standing water from around the home, New Hampshire State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in the release.
QOL score: 54
Net change: +1
QOL this week: 55
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
Here’s our annual look at what lies ahead for the Patriots as they begin the quest for another Super Bowl title on longer odds than they’ve had in quite a while.
2020 Schedule: With all the division games likely to be tougher and Pat Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson on the docket, along with 2019 top pick Kyler Murray and Jimmy G, it’s challenging. Though a Jimmy G-vs.-Tom game would have been fun.
Coronavirus Defections: With a league-leading nine guys including key cogs Dont’a Hightower, Pat Chung and Marcus Cannon they got hit hard.
Secondary: Everyone is back from the league’s best secondary but Chung and the traded Duron Harmon, for whom untested but versatile 2019 No. 2 pick Joejuan Williams will step in. But with versatility, depth and having the NFL’s best corner, Stephon Gilmore, it should be a major strength again.
The O-Line: With anchor Dave Andrews back at center, Shaq Mason healthy and after finally seeing what Isaiah Wynn can do, this looked to be a real strength after being such a disaster much of last year. But with Cannon opting out there’s a question at right tackle with no obvious answer. Jermaine Eluemunor has the inside track, but he played just 29 snaps last year, so it bears watching.
Running Back: On paper there’s depth with the most reliable being outstanding third down back James White. But there are issues. Sony Michel is wildly up and down, Rex Burkhead is brittle, I wonder why Damien Harris never played last year and free agent Lamar Miller had success in Houston but is coming off ACL surgery. Plus, I don’t see a goal line and short yardage back, do you?
Linebacker: Their top four linebackers — Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts and Jamie Collins — are gone and, sorry, that’s a bigger loss than the 2019 version of Brady. And I just don’t see their production being replaced by Ja’Whaun Bentley, two high draft picks and a bunch of who-the-heck-are-they free agents. Chase Winovich had his 2019 moments, but until I see more consistency, he’s just a guy with Mark Gastineau-esque “hey, look at me” gyrations after he occasionally does something good.
Receivers: Beyond Julian Edelman who knows what they’ll get here and at 34 I’m expecting a tick down from him. Mohamed Sanu? N’Keal Harry? Jakobi Meyers? The rookie tight ends? Two had better emerge or they’ve got big problems. OK, cross off Sanu, who got cut already after giving up a second pick for him.
The Draft: They need players to contribute from both the 2020 and 2019 draft classes. But with just five guys left from the three before that, I’m not filled with confidence.
Kicking Game: They’ve had two kickers in 24 years. Will rookie Justin Rohrwasser make it three in 36? Or will he lose out to the capable Nick Folk to break the string?
X-Factor – Cam Newton: Not sure what he’s going to be. But I do know if they want to make the playoffs he’s got to be good because the O must carry a bigger part of the load this year than last year.
AFC East: For 20 years the Pats have mostly had a giant edge in coaching during division play. But that’s not likely the case vs. Sean McDermott and Brian Flores in Buffalo and Miami at least. So with that gap smaller and all three teams dramatically improved in the second half last year, I expect a more tense race than usual with everyone bunched between 11-5 and 8-8.
Prediction – Because he’s reduced his TO’s considerably and can make enough plays to win with their defense I’m a believer in Buffalo QB Josh Allen. SoI’m picking Buffalo to win the East followed by NE, Miami and NY.
Departure of You Know Who: Thanks for the memories, but based on what he did just last year the bar is not set all that high for his replacement.
Bill Belichick: The real “was it Tom or Bill?” battle begins, where I suspect, with his rep in doubt to a degree, we’ll be reminded of just how much more impact a good coach in football has over the top guys in other sports.
The New Hampshire Department of Education and the Community College System of New Hampshire have created a program that allows high school seniors to earn their diploma and work toward an associate’s degree or certificate simultaneously over the course of two years at no cost to the student. The first New Hampshire Career Academy class, consisting of 12 students in pursuit of degrees in criminal justice, finance and accounting, culinary arts, cyber security and other fields, will begin courses at community colleges around the state on Sept. 12. Nathaniel Greene, bureau administrator for the Bureau of Educational Opportunities and department liaison for the Career Academy, talked about the new educational opportunity.
How does Career Academy work?
It functions kind of like a dual enrollment program, except, rather than the student getting their high school diploma with some college credit, they’ll be enrolled in a full community college program. They’ll do an additional year [of high school] — they’ll be a fifth-year senior — and at the end of the program, they’ll come out with both a high school diploma and a certificate or associate’s degree from a community college.
How is this being funded?
We set it up through one of our charter schools, because the state makes payments to a charter school, as opposed to traditional public schools, which receive the bulk of their revenue from local property taxes, so we don’t have control over what they do with that money. By having a student enrolled in a charter school while taking courses at community college, the state can give the money that it would normally give to the charter school to the community college system instead, to cover the cost of tuition. It’s actually the same amount of money that the state would pay for a student to attend a charter school … so, in effect, there’s no cost to the student. … I think that’s the biggest benefit of this program, by far; it gives our low-income students across the state an opportunity to get their associate’s degree, which will open up more doors for them when they get out into the workforce.
What kind of student would be a good fit for this program?
It’s a great option for kids who have already figured out what they want to do and want to fast-track to that next step of getting a certificate or associate’s degree. … I think the kinds of kids who are going to be attracted to a program like this and going to be successful are kids who are interested in academics, self-motivated and responsible … and understand that this is going to be a challenge.
What will a student’s day look like?
They’ll be enrolled just like any other adult community college student. They’ll attend all of their courses at the community college … including the high school courses they need to get their diploma. … They’ll move through the [degree] program just like the other community college students do.
Would they be missing out on their high school experience?
We set up the program so that students can still take part in the normal things they would do as a senior in high school. If they want to attend their senior prom or participate in extracurricular activities at the school, they can do that. … They wouldn’t necessarily be graduating with their [senior] friends since they have to do that fifth year, but we have suggested that schools let that student participate in the ceremony and walk with their friends. They’ll just be given a blank diploma and will receive their real diploma after their fifth year.
What are some of the challenges students should be prepared for?
One of the things we stress to students and parents is that they’re entering an environment that is not the same as their high school environment. They’re entering the adult world. They’re going to be taking courses with adults, some [of whom] are in their 30s, 40s or 50s. … Things aren’t as structured, so there’s going to be more personal responsibility placed on the student. … There will be some guidance resources, but it’s not the same as the guidance counselor at their high school, and there won’t be access to the same kinds of social and emotional support and services that exist for students within a high school.
How does Career Academy set students up for success?
I think one of the biggest ways is the partnerships we’re creating with the businesses and industries that the students are going into. … We’re working with the [Health Care] Administrators Association for students coming out with nursing and medical degrees. We’re working with a couple different manufacturing companies for students getting degrees and certificates in mechanical engineering, engineering technology, advanced manufacturing and robotics. We’re reaching out to accounting associations for students who want to go into the financial field. … The intent is not only to get kids into the programs, but also to connect them with New Hampshire [employers] who want to hire them and keep them here in the state.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
On Aug. 31, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 66, extending Emergency Order No. 52, which had been issued on June 15. Emergency Order No. 52 is an order regarding public health guidance for business operations and advising Granite Staters they are safer at home. Emergency Order No. 66 extends that advisory through Oct. 1. During a Sept. 1 press conference, Sununu announced the launch of an online Covid-19 case dashboard specific to schools in New Hampshire. The dashboard, which can be accessed by visiting nh.gov/covid19, features real-time data on current virus cases that is sorted by schools in the state. You can also search for any specific school’s data by town or by academic level.On Sept. 3, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 67, an order establishing the Remote Learning Center Verification program. During a press conference, Sununu explained that the program ensures that parents with children enrolled in a school district that has gone remote has safe options available to them. During the same press conference, Sununu announced a new addition to the online jobs portal at nhjobs.nh.gov, specific to schools. “We know that some schools have had difficulties filling … some of their openings as they begin to reopen,” he said, “and so, interested folks can apply for those current job openings through this new portal.” Sununu also announced that Jerry Little would be leaving his post as Director of the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery and returning full-time back to the Banking Department. Taylor Caswell, the Commissioner of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, will replace Little as GOFERR director. On Sept. 6, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services issued a press release announcing the investigation of a potential outbreak of Covid-19 at the University of New Hampshire’s Theta Chi Fraternity in Durham. Eleven people associated with the fraternity have tested positive for the virus as of Sept. 6, according to the release. Officials are advising anyone who visited the fraternity since the end of August to seek testing.
MPD chief retires
Manchester Police Chief Carlo Capano announced on Sept. 1 that he will retire after nearly 25 years. “For nearly twenty-five years, Chief Carlo Capano served the City of Manchester with distinction,” Mayor Joyce Craig said in a statement following the announcement. “In his time as Police Chief, he has led the men and women of the Manchester Police Department with honor, addressed challenges head-on, and proved time and time again the safety of our community was his number one priority.” Craig noted that Capano was responsible for implementing body cameras for officers, increasing the number of training opportunities for officers, increasing the police complement and adding more community officers downtown.
Masks for schools
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide 229,925 cloth masks to public and private schools in New Hampshire, meant for students who are low-income attending schools that are providing in-person instruction, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education. In August, schools in the state also received 100,000 reusable cloth face masks that were distributed by the New Hampshire National Guard and New Hampshire Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “In our communications with New Hampshire educational leaders, securing adequate supplies of PPE has been a top concern,” Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said in the press release. “Health and Human Services has identified masks as one of the important layers of protection that make it possible for our students to return to school safely, along with hygiene, social distancing, and other recommended practices.” Some of the masks will be set aside for schools that are currently providing remote instruction for when they move to in-person instruction.
Rocking the vote
Stay Work Play is encouraging young residents to vote in November through its NH Rocks the Vote nonpartisan campaign, according to a press release. The initiative will use digital media to provide young people with information about how to register to vote and how to vote. The campaign was scheduled to kick off Wednesday, Sept. 9, with a webinar about how to vote absentee, open to anyone interested via stayworkplay.org. Then, on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3), there will be a virtual “get out the vote” live broadcast, also accessible via the website, starting at noon and featuring live entertainment and music, speakers and messages from local leaders.
The public is welcome to attend the public memorial service for former Attorney General and Governor Stephen Merrill, outside the Statehouse Plaza in Concord on Friday, Sept. 11, at 12:30 p.m., according to a press release.
The New England Heart & Vascular Institute at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester has implanted the first Watchman Flx in New England, according to a press release. The release said that the device reduces the risk of stroke in patients who have non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
Londonderry High School has been named the fifth National Banner Unified Champion School in the Granite State, having “demonstrated a commitment to inclusion,” according to a press release from the Special Olympics. The school met the Special Olympics’ 10 standards of excellence to achieve national banner status.
Four-year-olds in the greater Nashua area can now take advantage of a free at-home kindergarten readiness program called Waterford Upstart, funded by a Preschool Development Grant awarded to the United Way of Greater Nashua, according to a press release. The program is designed for children and families who could use extra support.
We are appalled by the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on our world. While we see most of it is bad, oftentimes devastating, I’m convinced that in the long run our world and our lives will be better.
Maybe not so if I’m in the cruise ship business, office space business, brick-and-mortar retail or any of so many other businesses that will be permanently impacted. But education is one of those entities that will be permanently changed and, in my opinion, for the better.
Trying to get schools back to normal anytime soon will be nearly impossible. As a result, our schools will increasingly become better at delivering distance learning. And the more they do, the more they will like it, and the more they’ll be hooked on keeping it as a permanent component of how they deliver learning.
They’ll learn what I’ve learned, that from a strictly learning standpoint, established platforms for distance learning, like New Hampshire’s Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS), generally speaking, deliver better results than traditional classroom learning. You can do the research, as I did. The results are clear. Students retain more of their learning online and it’s cheaper. The cost for VLACS is about half the price of a traditional school. While it may not be right for every student, make no mistake, online learning is here to stay.
But there’s more change coming. There is a growing agreement that a high school diploma is no longer sufficient to prepare young people for the world of work and that there needs to be a greater connection between school and preparation for careers. This, too, is going to change the nature of K-12 learning. Internships, apprenticeships, Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) and making business a clear partner in the education of our students will become a greater part of the high school experience. More students are going to be able to receive college degrees and work-related credentials while they’re in high school.
As a result, the cost of college value proposition will continue to diminish and colleges will continue to struggle to attract students. While this was already happening, the pandemic will only speed up the number of colleges that will close.
All of this will translate into not only a shift in how our system delivers learning, but a shift in how we use resources in this new model. Our public schools will be better than ever! Trust me, it’s coming!
–Fred Bramante is a past chairman and memtber of the New Hampshire State Board of Education. He speaks and consults on education redesign to regional, state and national organizations.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
The number of hospitalizations in New Hampshire due to Covid-19 continues to be low. During an Aug. 25 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said that while just under 20 new infections per day were reported in the previous week, there were fewer than 10 people hospitalized with the virus the day before, on Aug. 24 — the lowest number since early March. “We continue to see good trends in our numbers. But we believe this represents low but persistent community transmission in many areas of our state,” Chan said.
During the same press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu announced that FEMA had accepted New Hampshire’s application to participate in the Lost Wages Assistance Program, just days after the state submitted it on Aug. 21. The program, which was issued through an executive order from President Donald Trump on Aug. 8, provides additional federal unemployment relief of $300, retroactive to Aug. 1. Sununu also announced that the minimum amount of unemployment is being raised to $100 for all Granite Staters, making all filers eligible for the federal benefits.
On Aug. 26, the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery announced that it is recommending a plan submitted by Sen. Lou D’Allesandro and Rep. Mary Jane Wallner to establish rapid testing sites at community health centers across the state. The following day, during a press conference, Sununu announced that the state will be purchasing 25 rapid Covid-19 test machines to be placed at each community testing center. “The machines are called Quidel Sofia Antigen Rapid Covid test machines,” he said. “We’ve already started looking into buying these machines. … Depending on the backlog, it may be weeks or maybe even a month or so before these devices might be up and running.”
During an Aug. 27 press conference, state Department of Health & Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette announced that all long-term care facilities in three New Hampshire counties — Belknap, Coos and Grafton — have entered into Phase 3 under reopening guidelines that were outlined on Aug. 13. Phase 3, Shibinette said, begins once all non-outbreak facilities in that county see a continuous drop in coronavirus cases over a 14-day period, criteria that Belknap, Coos and Grafton all met. “What this really means is the lifting of restrictions around visitors, so having up to two visitors, and then also lessening the restrictions around communal dining and activities,” she said.
On Aug. 28, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-17, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another three weeks through at least Sept. 18. It’s the eighth extension he has issued since originally declaring a state of emergency on March 13.
Details of all of Sununu’s Emergency and Executive Orders can be found at governor.nh.gov.
Masks in Concord
The Concord City Council nearly unanimously approved a city-wide mask ordinance during an Aug. 31 meeting via Zoom. After hearing public testimony for nearly two hours, councilors voted 14-1 to require people to wear masks in city buildings and businesses such as retail stores to attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Violators of the ordinance would receive a warning, followed by a fine of $15 for each additional offense. Masks are not required for children under the age of five, nor for those with underlying health issues that would prevent them from wearing one. The ordinance is in effect now through Jan. 2, 2021.
Opioid response
New Hampshire will receive funding for the second phase of the State Opioid Response Program from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. The grant will cover the first year of funding as part of a two-year, $56 million award that will help the state continue the success of its first two years of SOR funding, which totaled more than $55 million and helped create a better access and delivery system for residents with an opioid or substance use disorder. The first phase established The Doorways-NH, opening up access to services to ensure that no one in the state has to travel more than 60 minutes to begin the recovery process.
According to the release, a CDC survey estimated that about 13 percent of adults have increased their use of substances during the pandemic. “The Doorways continue to see increasing requests for services, with almost 1,000 residents seeking help last month alone,” DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette said in the release. The new SOR funds will help expand the Doorways program, and other needs like overnight respite, stimulant misuse and expanding recovery support services will be addressed.
Safe voting
The New Hampshire National Guard is delivering personal protective equipment and election materials to towns and cities to use at polling places in the upcoming elections, according to a press release. The PPE includes masks, face shields, gloves, hand sanitizer and single-use pens and pencils. Other precautions, such as social distancing and sanitation measures, are being taken for anyone who wants to vote in person on Election Day for both the primary and general elections. According to a press release from the Secretary of State’s office, informational mailers have been sent to every household in the state as part of a public awareness campaign to inform voters about their voting options. There are resources for checking registration status, requirements for absentee voter registration, information about how to obtain an Absentee Voter Registration Packet and more. The mailer can be viewed online at bit.ly/2Fjchhi.
5K civil action
The State of New Hampshire has filed a civil action to prevent the Worldwide Push Foundation based in California from promoting or conducting road races in New Hampshire and to refund race registration fees from races that were canceled in 2019 and 2020, according to a press release from the office of Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald. Worldwide Push Foundation promoted the “Margarita Madness 5K,” scheduled to take place in Loudon on Oct. 12, 2019, and the website and social media posts said the race would benefit the “Worldwide Push (Push Until Success Happens) Scholarship Foundation,” according to the release. The organization allegedly collected thousands of dollars in registration fees but did not obtain the necessary permits and licenses and failed or refused to refund registration fees. In late 2019, WWPF began advertising Margarita Madness 5Ks races at Rollins Park in Concord on July 11 and in Northfield on Oct. 24. “The race on July 11 did not take place, and WWPF has failed to obtain the necessary permits and licenses for the October race. To date, WWPF has collected a total of over $30,000 in registration fees,” the press release reads. The lawsuit claims that WWPF has committed nine violations of New Hampshire charitable trust laws and the Consumer Protection Act, each of which carries a civil penalty of up to $10,000. Anyone who has registered for the Margarita Madness 5K Run/Walk in New Hampshire and has not received a refund can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Bureau online at doj.nh.gov.
Concord Hospital employees who want to work toward an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree can now get a significant tuition discount at Granite State College, according to a press release. The college also offers a Surgical Technologist Training Program at the hospital that can translate to credits toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at Granite State.
The Derry Garden Club recently presented the Community Star award to the Marion Gerrish Community Center, which provides 192 nonprofit organizations rooms for their meetings and is involved with community events such as Derry Fest and Frost Fest, and Derry’s farmers market and annual road race, according to a press release.
NASA has selected proposals from the University of New Hampshire in Durham and Dartmouth College in Lebanon to better understand the sun’s interaction with the space around Earth, according to a press release. Each school will receive $1.25 million to conduct a nine-month mission concept study, and NASA will implement up to two out of five proposals, the results of which will help protect astronauts, satellites and communications signals, according to the release.
A second full-service retail office of St. Mary’s Bank in Nashua is expected to open in mid-October, according to a press release. Part of the Westside shopping plaza, the office will feature new technology in the form of four interactive teller machines, with representatives at the credit union’s remote center in Manchester offering live assistance before, during and after normal branch hours.
