Teacher of the year
Christian Cheetham, a teacher at Alvirne High School in Hudson, has been named New Hampshire’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education, Cheetham was presented with the award during a surprise celebration on Oct. 24. Selected out of 44 nominees, he will now serve as an ambassador for teachers throughout the state and is in the running for the title of National Teacher of the Year. “I think kids and adults are desperate for real experiences,” Cheetham wrote in his application essay. “Technology is robbing us of our humanity and I strive every day to bring the humanity back. … In my opinion, our students are desperate for real mentoring relationships.” Cheetham also wrote that his motivation as a teacher is to teach students how to live their lives in ways that truly make them happy, according to the release.
QOL score: +1
Comment: Cheetham will join New Hampshire 2023 Teacher of the Year semi-finalists and finalists and other distinguished educators in the state at a Leadership in Education Banquet in December to celebrate their accomplishments.
Rental assistance
New Hampshire Housing has put its NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program on pause after the U.S. Treasury announced that New Hampshire will not receive any additional resources to continue the program beyond Dec. 29. According to a press release, new applications will not be accepted as New Hampshire Housing reviews pending submitted applications, the level of federal funding available and the status of New Hampshire’s existing requests to the U.S. Treasury for additional funding. Visit nhhfa.org/emergency-rental-assistance for updates.
QOL score: -2
Comment:More than $230 million in assistance has been provided to more than 23,000 households across the state through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program since March 2021.
Library for all
Nashua Public Library has opened a new sensory-friendly space for adult programs and events. According to a press release, the library consulted with community organizations that provided information about how to create a more comfortable atmosphere for visitors who are neurodiverse or on the autism spectrum or living with an intellectual or developmental disability. “We recognized that we weren’t serving the neurodiverse community as well as we could be during our adult events,” library director Jennifer McCormack said in the release. “As we learn more about their wide range of needs, we’ve started taking steps to ensure that everyone can enjoy and benefit from our programs in an environment where they can thrive.” Events and programs held in the space are presented with softer lighting, less noise, moveable seating and other sensory-friendly considerations. Visit nashualibrary.org.
QOL score: +1
Comment: The library is looking into additional ways to support the neurodiverse community in the future, the release said, such as offering sensory kits for adults to borrow during library visits; providing a social script with details and illustrations to help adults on the autism spectrum understand what they can expect when visiting the library; and hosting sensory-friendly film screenings.
QOL score: 83
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 83
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