Mascoma Curriculum Newsletter

Karen Fryer has dedicated 45 years to teaching in New Hampshire. She began her career in Lisbon, where she taught 3rd grade, and has since worked in Orford and Wentworth. For the past 18 years, she has been a valued educator in the Mascoma School District. She started at Canaan Elementary School teaching third grade before transitioning to her current role as Reading Specialist at Indian River School in 2013. We wish you the best of luck in your retirement!

After 38 years of service and being an integral part of the CES team, Sharon Lyman will leave behind a legacy of inspiration, kindness and hard work. Her willingness to offer her support and knowledge to all students and staff and her unwavering willingness to help, whether teaching, fundraising or after school special events, and the list goes on, cannot be easily replaced. She will be greatly missed.

Kevin Towle began his education career in Maine, where he spent over 30 years serving as both a teacher and administrator. In 2011, Kevin joined the Mascoma District and has served as Principal of Indian River School, only taking one year off to serve as Interim Principal at Mascoma High School. For the past 14 years, he has continued to guide and mentor the students of IRS with the same enthusiasm and dedication that defined the beginning of his career. Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Towle!

We are so is incredibly fortunate to receive funding from the Byrne Foundation to provide students with direct access to the arts and arts experiences through Experiencing the Arts (ETA). We would like to take a moment to thank the Byrne Foundation for their support!

This year we had multiple activities funded by our Experiencing the Arts program. Check out some of the events ETA funded.

Tommy James Dr. Seuss Magic Show - CES

Empty Bowls at CES & EVS

NH Dance Institute - CES & EVS

Raku Firing at Colby Sawyer College - MHS

Big Bang Mosaics - MHS

New London Barn Playhouse Performance for Kindergarten - CES & EVS

A HUGE Thank you to the Byrne Foundation for their continued support of our Experiencing the Arts program!

As my first year as Curriculum Director comes to a close, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to each of you for your support, collaboration, and dedication! It's been a year of learning, growth, and great progress across the district. I'm proud of what we have accomplished together and I'm excited to keep the momentum going in the fall. I wish you all a joyful, restful, and well deserved summer break!

UNH is offering professional development throughout the summer! Check out the list of offerings. Cost per course is $225. Click the links for more information.

July 22 | 9AM - 3:30PM | Live Online

Learn what the latest research says about ADHD and Executive Functioning in children to better understand the impacts in the classroom such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and self regulation/inhibition.

You will walk away with practical, evidence based strategies to improve these areas and specifically improve attending, organizing/planning, task initiation, managing emotions, and self-monitoring.

Since many other students often struggle with various executive functioning due to trauma, anxiety, or disabilities, these strategies can be applied for a variety of populations.

What does neurodiversity mean to you? There’s a recent movement in the neurodiverse community to celebrate our differences, and in the classroom, this means that educators need to find a balance between pushing students to grow and accepting their capabilities. Most teachers are expected to have a basic understanding of disabilities and their impacts on learning, but few teacher prep programs include this information. This course provides an introduction to the common characteristics of various disabilities, special education eligibility criteria, and the best ways to support these students.

You'll practice identifying how to prioritize skills and expectations, as well as remove barriers using neurodiverse practices so that all students can succeed to their full potential. Whether you’re new to the classroom or a veteran teacher seeking a refresher, this workshop will empower you with up-to-date information on diverse learning needs. There will be opportunities to collaborate, work through scenarios, and apply the content to your setting, ensuring you leave with strategies you can implement immediately.

This workshop is designed for both special educators and regular educators seeking to enhance their skills in behavior management. In this workshop, participants will explore the underlying reasons behind challenging behaviors, gaining a deeper understanding of why these behaviors occur. We will delve into effective preventative strategies that can be implemented to create a positive classroom environment, enabling proactive management of student behavior. Additionally, participants will learn about consequence strategies that address disruptive actions while promoting accountability and growth. By the end of the session, educators will leave equipped with a practical toolkit of strategies that can be applied immediately, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to thrive and learn in a supportive classroom setting. Join us to transform your approach to behavior management and foster a more conducive learning environment for every student!

There are several key components to effectively manage classroom behavior so that teachers can actually teach: structuring the environment, instruction that increases engagement, and building a sense of belonging. Learn how to develop these consistent systems in your K-12 setting so both expectations and the teacher’s responses are clear and predictable…because none of us do our best when we’re making it up on the fly. This workshop will give you practical, evidence based strategies to address these needs to decrease class disruptions and increase student engagement. There will be opportunities to collaborate, work through scenarios, and apply the content to your setting so you leave with strategies you can implement tomorrow.

Benefits of Attending This Workshop

• Develop units using project–based instructional models

• Develop project-based and career connected management tools for students

• Learn Agile Scrum for projects

• Embed interdisciplinary practices in project design

Revolutionizing Learning: Creating Engaging Classrooms for Competency-Based Teaching and Learning Success

Join educators, leaders, and innovators from across New Hampshire and beyond for this dynamic two-day summer conference focused on reimagining classroom instruction through the lens of competency-based education. NHLI offers practical strategies and collaborative sessions designed to empower educators to make meaningful instructional shifts that put students at the center of learning.

One Day Rate: $275/person

Two Day Rate: $450/person

Conference Topics:

• Student Agency
• AI (Artificial Intelligence)
• Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Problem-Solving in
• Mathematics
• Phenomena and Sense-Making in Science
• Competency-Based Assessments
• Collaborative Learning Communities
• Grading for Learning and Equity
• Interdisciplinary Connections
• Data Science
• PBL (Project-Based Learning)
• Grading for Learning and Equity
• Digital Literacy

OGAP is an evidence-based formative assessment system that includes professional development, resources, and routines for teachers and leaders to continually adjust instruction to meet the diverse needs of students in grades K-8 mathematics.

The discounted cost of each training is $650/participant

All trainings begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. with a 1-hour lunch break.

Please bring or buy your own lunch, lunch will not be provided.

K-2 Additive Reasoning

• Number Sense
• Counting & Subitizing
• Number Composition
• Number Lines & Magnitude
• Addition & Subtraction
• Basic Fact Fluency

3-6 Multiplicative

• Properties of Multiplication
• Problem Structures
• Meaning of the Quantities
• Algorithms & the Open Area Model
• Division
• Fact Fluency

6-8 Proportional

• Proportional Relationships
• Ratios
• Percents
• Similar Rectangles
• Problem Contexts, Structures, & Types
• Understanding Cross-Products

3-5 Fractions

• Visual Models
• Equivalence
• Comparing & Ordering
• Equipartitioning
• Number Lines
• Problem Solving

For more information check out: https://www.markcubanai.org/teacherfellowship

The Mark Cuban Foundation Teacher Fellowship is a yearlong professional development program designed to empower high school educators—regardless of subject area—to learn about AI and thoughtfully introduce it into their teaching. This paid national fellowship offers training, mentorship, and a network of like-minded peers, providing educators new to AI with the resources they need to integrate this technology thoughtfully.‍‍‍The fellowship runs from June 2025-May 2026.

• Summer 2025: Classroom policies for AI use
• Fall 2025: AI foundational skills and student bootcamps
• Winter 2025: Incorporating AI into your curricula and teacher-led projects
• Spring 2025: Sharing projects and conference preparation

Fellows will develop classroom policies, explore AI ethics, machine learning, computer vision, and navigate AI-generated content, all while gaining hands-on experience as facilitators for MCF AI Bootcamps in November 2025.

Don't Wait - Apply Today!

If you’re passionate about expanding your knowledge in AI and supporting your students’ growth, apply today.

Application deadline: May 15, 2025

UNH Tech for Teachers Institute, July 14-25 – Applications Now Being Accepted!

The UNH Tech for Teachers Institute is a dynamic, paid professional development program open to middle and high school teachers from across all STEM subject areas. The focus of the program is two-fold: Building knowledge of an emerging technology—this year regenerative medicine and biofabrication—and the transformation of instructional practice through project-based learning.

The Institute will take place July 14-25 on the UNH Durham campus. Upon completion, participants will receive:

• a $1,500 award,
• CEUs,
• classroom supplies and
• ongoing support from UNH faculty and graduate students.

Click here for more information or to apply.

My Students, Your Students, Our Students: The Promise of Inclusive Special Education (1 hr) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGGN4hUhss0

Don’t Stop Believin’: How AI Can Help You Thrive as an Educator (1 hr)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlvZKLDpNt8

Trauma in the Classroom: How to Support Students (1 hr)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nksSQPVf68

Managing Student Mental Health While Navigating Social Media (55 min)

https://mediaspace.plymouth.edu/media/Managing+Student+Mental+Health+While+Navigating+Social+Media/1_z3xodrxf

Keeping your PD records updated is essential. Taking a few minutes now to update your hours will save time later and ensure your hard work is accurately reflected.

Log into your Frontline account and check on the status of your PD activities under your Learning Plan. Do you have outstanding activities waiting for approval? Have you submitted the appropriate documentation? Did you remember to mark it as complete?

It's also important to sign up for professional development activities when they are available. Activities do not stay in the catalog forever, and we are unable to reopen them if you didn't sign up for them before they closed.

Tutor.com is a free resource available to New Hampshire students in grades 4-12, providing one-on-one academic support. This platform connects students with tutors who assist with homework, test preparation, and varies subjects. It's also a valuable tool for preparing for SAT and AP exams. Students can easily access Tutor.com through their Chromebooks by clicking on the waffle icon in the top right corner of the page. More details about Tutor.com can be found below.

The instructions on how to log in. Students will need to be logged into their MVRSD Google Account.

Planning to use a website, web app, or educational software for your next lesson or project? Make sure it's approved before you start! All resources must go through the App Vetting Process to ensure compliance and accessibility.

Here's how it works:

1. Submit a request: Complete the Google Form to begin,

2. Principal Review: Your building principal reviews and approves (or denies) the request.

3. CIA and IT Review: Our Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Director along with the IT Director conduct the next round of reviews.

4. SDPC Approval: If the app isn't pre-approved by the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC), additional steps may be required. This can take months, so plan ahead.

5. Denied by SDPC? Unfortunately, the app cannot be used.

❗❗Reminder: This process takes time, so submit your requests early to avoid delays. For more details, check out the mandatory training video. ❗❗

• NH CIVICS has partnered with NHED to share resources with educators via NHED’s Canvas platform. Using the public NH Civics course on Canvas, educators can stay updated on upcoming professional development, public events, in-class programs for students, the NH Civic Learning Coalition and more.
• Keene State College, Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies: We believe that Holocaust and Genocide Education has much to contribute to civics education. Although this is difficult and traumatic material, we teach to ensure consistent engagement with the pressing questions of individual and group responsibility towards the other. By exploring values, attitudes, skills, knowledge, and critical understanding of these complex issues and forces, we enable responsible civic engagement. As we remember, we seek to prevent genocide and crimes of mass atrocity by finding points of leverage, intervention, and empowerment.

• “Moose on the Loose” is a social studies curriculum for the State of New Hampshire. Created by the New Hampshire Historical Society, it explores the Granite State’s history, economics, geography, and civic life, introducing students to the state’s rich cultural heritage. The site was designed for kids in the upper elementary grades (Grades 3-6), but much of the material is adaptable for students in other grades. "Moose on the Loose" provides many ways for kids to connect what they learn about the past to current, statewide issues. It also provides a foundation for lifelong learning about New Hampshire, America, and the democratic traditions that unite us all. So dive in and find out more about the state we all love!
• Civics Fundamentals takes the one hundred questions asked by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on the naturalization test for U.S. citizenship and explores the “WHY?” to help the student discover their meaning and importance. We have created a two-minute video for each of the one hundred questions that can be turnkey lessons in civics education classes nationwide. Our goal is to move beyond the rote memorization of facts that dominates the current civics curriculum toward “inquiry-based instruction” that engages learners and is becoming more prevalent in education today. This video based product is available – at no cost to any educator or student – via online streaming.

This video shows how the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) may be used as a formative assessment — to determine students’ understanding of a concept or their knowledge of a topic. Educators can use the QFT to assess their students at the beginning of a unit, as seen in this video, in the middle of the unit, and toward the end of the unit.

There are other creative ways to use the QFT, including as a summative assessment (see: “Making Questions Flow” to read more about how to use student questions).

In this video, Lucy Canotas, a fourth-grade teacher in Manchester, New Hampshire, uses the QFT for formative assessment purposes. “I’m interested to see what they can bring as questions to make me understand where they’re still stuck or what they still don’t know,” she explains. To elicit students’ questions about fractions, she designed a visual Question Focus (QFocus). She found that using the students’ questions and work helped her better understand what they knew about this mathematical concept. This video shows each step of the QFT in an elementary-school classroom, and it shows how Canotas uses the QFT to collect information that helps her fine-tune lessons.

Math Running Record videos - There is an introduction video and then one for each operation where I interview students and explain how I coded the running record. Teachers can download the recording sheets from the site www.mathrunningrecords.com for free and practice while watching the videos.

Daily Routine Videos - There are separate videos for Kinder through 4th grade. All links to the daily routines shared are on my padlet: https://tinyurl.com/RecordElementaryMath

Teachable Courses - Teachers will go to the link and click in the upper right hand side of the site where it says "All products". They will then see all the courses I currently offer on the Teachable site- Cuisenaire Rods, Problem Solving K2, Fraction Essentials, and Place Value.

Please see the Mascoma Curriculum Google Classroom for the code.

• 🖍️ Kindergarten
• 📏 First Grade
• 🎲 Second Grade
• ⏲️ Third Grade
• 🧮 Fourth Grade
• ✏️ Fifth Grade
• 📐Sixth Grade
• 📊 Seventh Grade
• 📉 Eighth Grade

IM Professional Development slides by Jess Jacques

Working with Jess Jacques, the Merrimack Valley School District Math Coach, we have developed pacing guides based on Mascoma I Can Statements laying out the quarter by quarter plan for teaching the IM curriculum. Each document includes helpful suggestions and links.

Check out our Mascoma Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Google Classroom for professional development materials, Grit materials & new videos, K-8 math pacing guides, scope and sequence documents, and more. 📚 📏 📖

Course Code: cshmptt