It has been a very busy time for us since our last newsletter’s publication. Our Family Support Helpline is receiving lots of calls, especially about education, and we are happy to be of help as families navigate school reopening and more. Our Puppets in Education programs are in high demand, and we are scheduling out into the fall for schools throughout Vermont. There has been some successful advocacy around COVID vaccine prioritization for parents of children with special health needs, and we continue to encourage everyone to get their shots as the door widens for people ages 16 and up. For more information, go to the Vermont Department of Health website https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine.

After months of planning, VFN’s Annual Conference translated beautifully last week to a free virtual two-day learning and networking opportunity for families of children and youth with disabilities or special health needs, and the professionals who serve them. Our dynamic keynote speakers Rachel Callander and Karen Gaffney set such a positive tone for each of the two days, leaving us fully inspired and ready to innovate! If you were unable to participate on April 8^th and 9^th, you can still catch these wonderful speakers and more, recorded on our website (LINK). I want to express heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors, presenters, participants, and organizers, especially Rachel Boyers and Karen Price, for making this year’s Conference such a special event!

April 8^th

o  Keynote – Rachel Callander “Life, Love and Awesomeness: The Impact and Implications of Language”

o  Workshop 1 – Brenda Smith “A Good Life for All using the Charting the LifeCourse!”

o  Workshop 2 – Dr. Feyza Basoglu, MD “Building Resilience through Self-Care during Times of Trauma”

April 9^th

o  Keynote – Karen Gaffney “Today is a Journey of Hope”

o  Workshop 1 – Dr. Jacqui Kelleher “Teens and Troubleshooting and Transitions…Oh My! Lessons Learned on Transition Plans that Will Make a Difference for Your Young Adult” 

o  Workshop 2 – Derek Smith “Building on What’s Important Through the Pandemic: Derek’s Story”  

o  Workshop 3 – Dr. Andrea Green “A Child’s Team Huddle: The Care Conference”

o  Workshop 4 – VFN Puppets In Education “Anxiety/Worry Virtual Puppet Presentation”

A student with a disability on an IEP can remain in school until their 22nd birthday if there is still a need for special education services (especially as they relate to transition to post-secondary life)? Every year, some students are graduated too early and are unprepared for life after high school. The Vermont Agency of Education, with feedback from various partners including the Vermont Family Network, has developed a Graduation Readiness Tool to help IEP teams determine if a student is ready to graduate. Talk to your team about this tool when graduation is discussed.

Furthermore, there is a special education extension process which allows for school  services to continue for students turning 22 within three months of graduation with an addition pandemic-related consideration.

A student, as a result of their disability who needs to remain enrolled in school after the graduation ceremony in order to complete their high school education can still participate in the school’s graduation ceremony with their same-aged peers? The Vermont Agency of Education has issued guidance regarding graduation.

These topics and more are covered in VFN’s Transition to Adulthood Toolkit 

We have new and updated resources. Our new Fact Sheet, Supported Decision Making: A Guide for Families and Supporters can be found in our publications. If you are interested in learning more about Supported Decision Making please check out the webinar on the VFN YouTube channel that VFN recorded with Cammie Naylor, MSW, Esq., from Vermont Legal Aid.

Our Summer Camp List 2021 has also been updated. If your child has not already signed up for a summer camp, check out over 60 different summer camps. 

Assistive technology (AT) is any device or service that helps your child be more independent at home, at work, at school, or at play. AT devices include everything from pencil grips to specialized software and wheelchairs. AT services assist the child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, use and maintenance of an AT device. Services also include specialized evaluations and training for students, teachers and parents in the use and maintenance of the product. The IEP team must determine whether an individual child needs an assistive technology device or service, and if so, the nature and extent to be provided. Here are some considerations for your IEP team in deciding if AT is appropriate for your child.

Registration for the 2020-2021 school year programs has closed, we are full! Please contact karen.sharpwolf@vtfn.org to receive information about the 2021-2022 programs, which will be available in May.

VFN continues to offer virtual Support Parent Trainings for parents who are ready to give back and support other families! Our next trainings are June 8th and June 15th at 6-7:30. To show our appreciation for your time, parents who complete this training are eligible for a $50 stipend. Join us in this Zoom training to learn, self-reflect, and connect with other parents, all from the comfort of your own home. If you are interested, please fill out our Support Parent Volunteer Application.

Questions? Email molly.lawney@vtfn.org.

Resources (forms, packets, examples) from our 2021 Annual Conference that presenters shared, can be found on the VFN Conference page on our website. Over the next few weeks, we will be posting video recordings of most of the presentations on our VFN YouTube channel under the “VFN 2021 Annual Conference” playlist. Please be patient and check back as we work to get these videos posted.

In case you missed our last series of workshops, you can find a full list on our VFN website. Topics we have recently covered include: Remote Learning Tips and Tricks, COVID-19 and Your Family, A Community-School Approach to Dual Enrollment and Supported Decision Making.

We save workshops on our website and YouTube channel.