2026-2027: The Year I Summit for New Special Education Teachers

The NH Year I 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, suggesting that like teaching, hiking can be overwhelming at first, but with experience, familiarity, skills, confidence, and support, participants will 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. 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.