Spaulding Youth Center Celebrates Continuing Education Achievements
September 29, 2016
Pictured above: Spaulding Youth Center School Staff who recently earned NH Department of Education Paraeducator II certification.
Northfield, NH – Spaulding Youth Center is proud to celebrate our dedicated staff’s recent and ongoing professional development achievements. In the education industry, professional development and continued knowledge advancement are fundamental components of a successful and thriving campus community. As a special education facility, Spaulding Youth Center continues to strive toward providing our students with educated and compassionate staff in order to provide positive outcomes for those children in our care.
In Spaulding School, a large majority of our 41 staff aides were awarded New Hampshire Department of Education Paraeducator II Certifications as a result of demonstrating a higher level of education and knowledge. The Paraeducator II Certification requirements align with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and qualify an individual for employment in a Title I or Title II school. Therefore, this certification level includes higher standards than the Paraeducator I Certificate in order to ensure that students who need the most help are taught by highly-qualified teachers and paraprofessionals. Spaulding Youth Center has included this certification in our Professional Development Master Plan presented to and renewed with the NH DOE every three years.
In our Residential program, nineteen of our residential staff recently earned the Residential Counselor Core Training Certificate from Granite State College. This program is offered twice a year through Granite State College and includes focused study in topics such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Caring for Children with Emotional Disorders, Understanding Trauma, and Promoting Positive Behavior in School-Age Children. By completing this intensive certificate program, our Pictured above: Spaulding Youth Center School Staff who recently earned NH Department of Education Paraeducator II certification. Residential staff are equipped to provide the highest quality support to the students who reside on campus.
In addition to these program-specific accomplishments, Spaulding Youth Center staff are also invited to utilize professional development initiatives. Spaulding Youth Center offers up to $5,000.00 grants for individuals enrolled in degree programs. In the past year, twelve staff members applied and were awarded grant funds for this purpose towards a variety of degree programs, including Masters of Psychology, Masters of Special Education, Masters of Speech Language Pathology, Masters of Education, and Doctorate of Education. In addition, Spaulding Youth Center offers College of America funding for individuals in pursuit of an advanced degree. Currently, six employees are working towards Associate and Bachelor degrees with another three employee requests currently pending approval. Finally, Spaulding Youth Center consistently organizes on-campus trainings throughout the year to support everyday interactions and positive reinforcement with students.
All of the continuing education opportunities and achievements above support our mission to support exceptional children and families toward a successful future.
ABOUT SPAULDING YOUTH CENTER
Spaulding Youth Center is a leading provider of services for children and youth with neurological, emotional, behavioral, learning and/or developmental challenges including Autism Spectrum Disorder. Services include academic, behavioral health, residential, foster care, health and wellness and family support. Spaulding Youth Center Foundation is a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. For information about Spaulding Youth Center, visit www.spauldingyouthcenter.org.
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