The Summit for New Special Education Teachers

1^st and 2^nd Year Special Educators Are Invited to Attend this Innovative Professional Learning Experience

The NH Summit for New Special Education Teachers is designed for those who are in their 1st and 2nd year of teaching. The goal of the Summit is to increase retention of NH’s newest special education teachers by giving them the skills, tools, and ongoing support they need to survive and thrive in their first years in the classroom. This two-day summit commits to providing early career special educators with an opportunity for professional development, peer to peer experiences, networking, collaboration, confidence building and laying the foundation for a successful school year. After the 2-day Summit, there will be virtual monthly after school networking sessions, and a mid-year reconvening of the Summit attendees to re-charge, check-in and prepare for the second half of the school year.

The Summit is centered around the theme of “hiking” terms, hiker speak and hiker lingo. Like teaching, hiking can be overwhelming at first, as you gain experience, become more familiar, more comfortable, gain skills, confidence and join some hiking buddies for support, eventually you make it to the summit! Summit participants will have an opportunity to participate in interactive large and small group discussions focused on topics such as:

• Preparing for a successful school year
• Identification of Support Networks
• Roles and responsibilities for IEP teams
• Communication and Collaboration
• Family Engagement
• IEP Writing
• And other essential topics necessary to support new special educators

The NH Summit for New Special Education Teachers is available to special educators who will begin their first or second year of teaching special education in the fall of 2024. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, and special educators currently on an NHED approved site-based plan for special education are welcome. The Summit is open to 1st and 2nd year teachers currently employed in traditional public schools and approved private provider special education schools and must have no more than two years of special education teaching experience in total (including previous positions) to be eligible to attend.

The cost is $50.00 per teacher and will include:

• 2-day Summit to be held in Concord, NH. Breakfast and lunch provided
• Monthly virtual networking sessions
• One-day mid-year follow up session in Concord, breakfast and lunch provided
• A copy of The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers, published by Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
• A copy of High Leverage Practices for Students with Disabilities, published by CEC and CEEDAR
• One year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
• Additional valuable resources

Registration for the Summit is open, and is on a first come, first served basis with a limit of two teachers per district/private provider. Enrollment is limited to 50 attendees total, after that a waiting list will be compiled.  Registration for the Summit must be approved by the Special Education Administrator of the SAU, (not the teachers), on-site, walk in registration cannot be accepted. More information on overnight accommodations will be provided following registration. Conducting this summit is dependent on funding approval from the NH Governor and Executive Council. Registrants will be notified of any changes in July.

Session Dates and Times:

July 22 and 23, 2024, 9:00-3:00pm - In Person, Concord, NH

The Summit for New Special Education Teacher Brochure