Innovative Plymouth State University Programs and Partnerships Build New Hampshire’s Teacher Workforce
Plymouth, N.H. (September 3, 2025) – Plymouth State University’s (PSU) Holmes Center for School Partnerships and Educator Preparation is training the state’s future educator workforce and supporting K-12 teachers and schools in the Granite State, with remote and on-campus professional development programs and innovative partnerships in Franklin, Littleton, Moultonborough and Tilton.
For the fourth consecutive year, two PSU graduate education students will be embedded in the Littleton School District as resident special education teachers, gaining immersive, real-world teaching and work experience under the guidance of a licensed special education mentor and general education teacher.
This year’s cohort includes 2025 PSU graduates Jessica Falconer of Colebrook, New Hampshire, who will co-teach in 4th grade, and Kacie Collins of Plymouth, New Hampshire, who will co-teach in 6th grade. Both are graduates of PSU’s Elementary Education program; they have begun graduate coursework on the PSU campus and started working in Littleton in August.
“We are excited to continue this successful program in Littleton and we’re equally excited about the opportunities Jessica and Kacie will find there in continuing their careers in education,” said Holmes Center Director Brian Walker. “They represent the best that Plymouth State has to offer as part of our ongoing commitment to teacher education.”
Participants receive full tuition, a $1,000 monthly living stipend and local housing and utilities for the duration of the 10-month program.
After an initial three-year federal grant period for this innovative program concluded, the Littleton program continues this year with financial support from the Crotched Mountain Foundation.
Falconer and Collins will benefit from PSU’s newly updated curriculum, which is more efficiently aligned with New Hampshire state education standards. The new curriculum better supports students and educators in New Hampshire on site-based licensing plans to help them meet state-required teacher competencies.
The program not only helps to cultivate the next generation of special educators, it also supports classrooms in Littleton, and in some cases, the program participants have become full-time additions to the district after they graduate.
The Littleton School District already employs two other Plymouth State alumni of the residency program. Elena Register, a member of the first cohort of program participants, now works in the Mildred C. Lakeway Elementary School, while Makenna Allen, a member of the second cohort, is now a fourth-grade teacher at the same school.
Holmes Center Initiatives
A similar partnership initiated in 2023 is underway in Franklin. The school district is covering the cost of graduate education courses and professional development workshops for its teachers and PSU faculty members are providing in-classroom literacy and math curriculum support for the town’s elementary and middle schools. To date, about a half-dozen Franklin teachers have been accepted into the PSU’s master’s in education program; five teachers earned their master’s degrees this spring. This fall, PSU will offer an on-site course in Franklin open to all teachers in the district. The Franklin program also offers opportunities for PSU undergraduate education students to work in classrooms, giving them firsthand exposure to elementary teaching.
Two new programs are being piloted in the Moultonborough School District and in the Winnisquam Regional School District in Tilton to replicate the successes in Littleton and Franklin.
“At the Holmes Center, we’re meeting the educator workforce needs of New Hampshire’s elementary and secondary schools while giving Plymouth State students real-world, on-the-ground teaching experience,” added Walker. “We will continue to find new opportunities and build new partnerships to benefit the schoolchildren of New Hampshire.”
Further Holmes Center initiatives include ongoing professional development programs for elementary and secondary teachers, including workshops and conferences, webinars and licensure pathways. These free programs have included offerings in Special Education, Art and World Languages, and a conference for English and Social Studies Education. Recently the Holmes Center held a training on artificial intelligence in education and how teachers can confidently bring this knowledge to their schools, as well as a K-12 two-day literacy conference.
The Holmes Center for School Partnerships and Educator Preparation at Plymouth State University announces the fourth cohort of PSU graduate education students embedded in the Littleton School District as resident special education teachers, gaining immersive, real-world teaching and work experience under the guidance of a licensed special education mentor and general education teacher. From left are PSU graduate students and 2024-2025 Graduate Residency Program participants Elisabeth Muzzey, Lauren Beitler, Lauren Aparo and Caitlin Feltus.
About the Plymouth State University Holmes Center for School Partnerships and Educator Preparation: The Holmes Center is responsible for the internship in teaching that leads to teacher certification in New Hampshire and collaborates with school district partners, the state department of education and other educational agencies to maximize the learning experiences of teacher candidates. Its internships in teaching are characterized by collaboration, accountability and professionalism, with a focus on continually improving learning environments. The Holmes Center works with the PSU Council of Educator Preparation (CEP) to ensure the effectiveness, accreditation and approval of teacher preparation programs. The Council of Educator Preparation is responsible for overseeing educator preparation programs and ensuring their alignment with state and national standards. PSU’s teacher certification programs are accredited by Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). For more information on the Holmes Center for School Partnerships and Educator Preparation, please click here.
About Plymouth State University: Established in 1871, Plymouth State University serves the state of New Hampshire and the world beyond by transforming our students through advanced practices where engaged learning produces well-educated undergraduates, and by providing graduate education that deepens and advances knowledge and enhances professional development. The Plymouth State Cluster Learning Model emphasizes open, integrative and project-based experiences. With distinction, we connect with community and business partners for economic development, technological advances, healthier living and cultural enrichment with a special commitment to service to the North Country and Lakes Region of New Hampshire. To learn more about Plymouth State University, visit www.plymouth.edu.
