November 4, 2009
Nashua Telegraph
Vigil to Honor Domestic Violence Victims

By KAREN LOVETT, Staff Writer

MANCHESTER – Three New Hampshire women – including one from Hollis – will be remembered tonight in a vigil and community forum on a recent spate of domestic violence in New Hampshire....More.

October 30, 2009
Best Buy Mobile Donates $2,000 to YWCA Manchester

Chris Williams, General Manager of Best Buy Mobile presents Monica Zulauf, YWCA New Hampshire Executive Director, with a $2,000 check as a part of their grand opening at the Mall of New Hampshire. Best Buy Mobile selected YWCA New Hampshire for the excellent work they do in providing services to women, children and families.

October 26, 2009
Family Education Collaborative Proposal Voted Priority by New Hampshire Child Advocacy Network

New Hampshire Child Advocacy Network, a program of the Children’s Alliance of NH, voted for four 2010 priority issues for children, which will include the Family Education Collaborative’s proposed priority to reduce bullying in NH schools by strengthening the roles and responsibilities of school personnel in the prevention of bullying and cyber bullying. Priority Leaders, Monica Zulauf and Dr. Malcolm Smith, proposed changes to Chapter 193-F, “The Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention Act” which would strengthen NH school’s rights and responsibilities in dealing with this growing trend.

Among the proposed changes that do not currently exist, are:

• Clear definitions to both bullying and cyber bullying;
• Procedures for recordkeeping and reporting incidents;
• Victim assistance;
• Protection for victims, bystanders and perpetrators from retaliation;
• Training recommendations; and,
• Clear immunity from prosecution for school personnel who report bullying.

An ad hoc committee has been meeting, consisting of parents, educators, legislators, researchers and social service professionals to draft the proposed changes. Representative Donna Schlachman will be the prime sponsor of the legislation. The Family Education Collaborative, along with a parent group, called Bully Free NH, will also be actively involved in supporting this priority. By supporting this legislation, NH CAN will be contributing to the safety and well being of every school student in NH.

The other three priority areas will include: To protect and expand children’s access to health insurance (Priority Leader, Lisa Kaplan Howe of NH Voices for Health); to establish guidelines for the appropriate use of TANF funds (Priority Leader, MaryLou Beaver of Family Assistance Advisory Council); and to maintain and improve essential services for our most vulnerable children and assure that changes are based on the needs of children and not on budget shortfalls (Priority Leader, Jack Lightfoot of Child and Family Services).