Project Description

The New Hampshire Department of Education implemented a three-year (2006-2008) dropout prevention grant called APEX II (Achievement in Dropout Prevention and Excellence). This project was extended into 2009.  APEX II builds on a previous dropout prevention and school improvement program (APEX I) implemented in two NH high schools from 2002-2005.  APEX I demonstrated the promise of strategically combining three powerful school improvement strategies to reduce dropout rates, and improve individual student success and overall school climate.  These strategies are:

  • Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a systemic, data-driven behavioral support and improvement process.
  • Rehabilitation, Empowerment, Natural supports, Education and Work (RENEW), an intensive individualized school-to-career service for the most at risk students.
  • Student Leadership, including a student-led needs assessment and action project program where students work with PBIS Universal Teams to assess and improve school climate, safety, and learning.

APEX II
From April 2006 through September 2009, APEX II staff members are working with students, families, teachers, and administrators at 10 high schools and their sending middle schools to adopt and implement these three strategies. Some schools are also implementing an 8th to 9th grade transition system in order to reduce the schools’ annual dropout rate, create consistency and predictability in the school environment, develop pro-active strategies based on data and designed to prevent problem behavior and reduce failure rates, create a positive learning environment, use data to make decisions,  foster student leadership, and implement a research-based individualized school-to-career intervention for the most at risk students.  The APEX II school staff members provide training and technical support to the 10 high schools to implement these strategies:

PBIS
The primary drop-out prevention component within the APEX Dropout Prevention Model is a comprehensive systems change model called Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).  PBIS is a systemic, data-driven behavioral support and improvement process that consists of three elements, each specifically designed to prevent disruption and address the behavioral support needs of students at risk of school failure: 

  • School-wide Level:  A School-wide Leadership or “Universal” team is formed in each APEX school, and consists of approximately 10-12 teachers, administrators, special educators, parents, and students. An APEX staff member guides the Universal team in its work to evaluate and re-design the discipline systems using the Positive Behavior Supports model; to assess the school’s current behavior profile; to redesign the school’s behavioral expectations; to sharpen the school’s data collection and retrieval systems; and to design and implement school-wide interventions that will benefit all students. Universal Team initiatives are designed to address the needs of the majority of the student body that have the fewest social, behavioral, or academic challenges.
  • Secondary Level: APEX schools also develop a secondary level or “Targeted Team” of specialists and administrators that focuses on those students who exhibit challenging behaviors and who are at risk for school failure due to academic, social, or behavioral issues. The goal of this team is to design interventions for the student or group of students based upon a functional and contextual assessment or Functional Behavioral Analysis (FBA). These “function-based” interventions have been proven highly effective in the reduction of problem behaviors and the associated negative consequences.
  • Intensive Level: An APEX II facilitator trained in an individualized, school-to-career service model called “RENEW” works with staff members at each high school and with specialists from community-based organizations to identify individual students who are struggling to complete their program or who have already dropped out of school. A support team is formed around each student and works with the student to develop individualized, student-directed school-to-career plans designed to help the student earn credit toward graduation through appropriate alternative means.

RENEW - Rehabilitation, Empowerment, Natural supports, Education and Work
The intensive component in a PBIS model typically includes wraparound services for students whose support needs extend beyond the capacity of the school. At the high school level, APEX II uses a model for high risk youth that has proven effective in helping students graduate, find employment and post-secondary education, and make the transition into adult life.  This model, RENEW (Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural supports, Education and Work), supports students to develop personal futures plans and alternative high school graduation plans, provides the supports they need to complete their coursework, and assists with finding employment and with making those connections with resources in the community.

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Conference Presentations

14th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health - November 3, 2009

2009 Mental Health in Schools Conference - October 5, 2009

2009 APEX Conference - August 18-19, 2009

2008 APEX Conference - August 20-21, 2008

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Research & Published Materials

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Project News & Events

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Project Staff & Contacts

Robert Wells, Ph.D.
APEX II Project Director
NH Department of Education
Phone: (603) 271-1536
Email: rwells@ed.state.nh.us

JoAnne Malloy
APEX II Project Co-Director
UNH/Institute on Disability
Phone: (603) 228-2084
Email: jmmalloy@aol.com

McKenzie Harrington
APEX II Program Specialist
NH Department of Education
Phone: (603)-271-3739
Email: mharrington@ed.state.nh.us

Donna Couture
APEX/RENEW Facilitator
Phone: (603) 723-4125
Email: dcouture@sau3.org
Region: Berlin

Tara Veit
RENEW Facilitator
Phone: (603) 628-7681
Email: Taraacs@Hotmail.com
Region: Nashua

Jonathan Drake
RENEW Master Trainer
Phone: (603) 228-2084
Email: jonathon.drake@unh.edu
Region: Seacoast

Maria Agorastou
APEX Facilitator
Institute on Disability
Phone: (603) 862-0318
Email: Maria.agorastou@unh.edu
Region: Seacoast

Maureen Tracey
APEX Facilitator
Phone: (603) 628-7681
Email: maureentracey3@hotmail.com
Region: Nashua, Manchester

Nancy Cristiano
Family Resource Connection
Phone: (603) 271-1188
Email: ncristiano@library.state.nh.us

Trishia Jacobson
APEX/RENEW Facilitator
Phone: (603) 986-9175
Email: Trisharx@aol.com
Region: Conway

Betty S. Santerre
APEX/RENEW Facilitator
Phone: (603) 991-3315
Email: Betsan9@hotmail.com
Region: Woodsville

Rebecca Boutot
Facilitator
Phone: (603) 788-0991,
Email: rcboutot@msn.com
Region: North Country

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Resources and Links

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