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(802) 876-5315
1-800-800-4005
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Strong Families. Strong Futures. |
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Greetings, VFN family and friends!
As we head into the holiday season, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our amazing staff and Board for their tireless commitment to VFN and the families we serve, especially as the pandemic continues. We have been through a great deal of change over the last few months, and I want to acknowledge the tremendous dedication and optimism at the core of our organization as we approach the uncertainties of the future. Our staff and Board are focused on the opportunities that change can bring. With expert technical assistance from our sister organization in New Jersey, VFN is doing some organizational self-reflection involving strategic prioritization around our space, our staff, our partnerships, and our policy/advocacy work. We have updated our mission and vision, as well: The mission of Vermont Family Network is to empower and support all Vermont children, youth, and families, especially those with disabilities or special health needs. We do this by giving a strong start, lifting family voices, and advancing inclusive communities. Our vision is that all Vermont children and youth reach their full potential.
To move our mission-focused efforts forward, we have continued to work on sustainable funding. With our annual appeal underway, we held our first virtual Strong Families, Strong Futures breakfast fundraising event on November 10th. We are so very grateful to the families, sponsors and donors who contributed to the success of this event and are in the process of tallying contributions and personally thanking everyone. A special shout-out to the VFN Thrives Team for deftly pivoting in the time of Covid, especially Claire Giroux-Williams and Katie Keidel, who lead this work with our Board, staff, and volunteers. Giving Tuesday is December 1st, if you are inspired to make a contribution! Contact Claire Giroux-Williams or visit our donation page.
We are here for you, always.
From the heart,
Pam McCarthy, M.Ed.
CEO/President
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Special Education Rules Open for Comment |
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Everyone can participate and you could provide valuable input based on your experience with the special education process which could influence the final changes to the Rules. Karen Price from VFN submitted comment in April 2020. If you have any questions on HOW and WHY you should consider participating in Rule Making, please listen to this webinar, “Preparing Families to Provide Testimony About Changes to Special Education Rules,” read these slides, and Vermont Legal Aid Suggested Changes to Special Education Rules.
VFN is also gathering information regarding proposed changes in this short survey. If you participate, we will aggregate and share the results with the State Board of Education. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Family Support at (802) 876-5315 or info@vtfn.org. The survey will be open until November 30.
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Congratulations to 22 Leadership Graduates! |
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The Vermont Leadership Series is proud to share that 22 advocates for disability rights have successfully completed their requirements for graduation. Although the ceremony was originally planned to happen on Disability Awareness Day at the Vermont State House in March, an in-person event was not possible this year due to Covid-19. The actual ceremony took place via Zoom on October 20th. Read more...
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New! Support Parent Training |
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Are you at a point in your parenting journey where you are ready to support another parent of a child with a similar special health care need or disability? Could you draw on your own experience to offer empathy, inspiration, and a listening ear in times of need? VFN is proud to announce that our new virtual Support Parent Training will begin this December! Read more and sign up...
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Transition to Adulthood Tidbits |
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If you have any questions about your high school student on an IEP, please contact Family Support at (802) 876-5315 or info@vtfn.org.
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Administrative Complaint Session with AOE |
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The Administrative Complaint is a dispute resolution tool available to families if they believe that the school district has failed to follow the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or the Vermont Special Education Rules. If you have filed a complaint, thought about filing one, or have an opinion to share about the process, the Vermont Agency of Education would like to hear from you!
Administrative Complaint session with the Vermont Agency of Education
November 20 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Or call in (audio only)
Phone Conference ID: 302 954 553#
Please direct questions and RSVP to Katy Langevin at the Vermont Agency of Education.
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Health Insurance Resources |
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If you typically received paperwork to renew your child’s Medicaid coverage, it will be rescheduled to a later month. Are you worried about paying premiums for Dr. Dynasaur? During the pandemic you will not be charged Dr. Dynasaur premiums and no one will lose coverage during this time. Once the emergency has been lifted, you should plan to pay your monthly premiums. For Covid-19 Health Insurance FAQ’s check out Vermont Health Connect. Read more...
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The Puppets are now doing virtual performances in schools! Creativity, patience and flexibility abound on the puppet team to make these high-quality shows happen. We are offering Anxiety/Worry for grades K-4 all year, and starting in January, Bullying Prevention for K-4 plus Anxiety for 5-8. To request programming for your school, please fill out this form or email Karen Sharpwolf. We are working hard to meet each school’s needs: Google to Zoom; at home days or in school days; and many things in between.
Upstate Chevrolet has committed to funding schools in Vermont, New York and Massachusetts for the 2020-2021 school year! They have been extraordinary partners and we are thrilled that they have renewed their commitment to schools in their communities. Thank you, Upstate Chevrolet!
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Did you know that the siblings of a child with special health care needs or disabilities often have experiences that mirror those of their parents? That is why we know it’s so important to include siblings in the Family Support model! If you have a child ages 6+ who is interested in joining us for our upcoming virtual (Zoom) Sibshops, please contact Molly Lawney. Learn more about our Sibshops on our Get Support web page.
December 13th 9 am - 10 am: Word Play. In this Sibshop we will get creative with our writing skills through fun with a few Sibshop MadLibs and then we will write a story as a group. The theme of this Sibshop is that words matter.
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New! Grant Funding Resource List |
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Family Support staff have updated the VFN Grant Funding Resource List, which provides both local and national financial resources for families. Our newly organized list is presented in a user-friendly format and we encourage families to contact VFN Family Support with questions or for suggestions based on your specific funding needs.
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Contact Us. We Will Listen! |
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Helping Vermont Families thrive for more than 30 years |
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Upcoming Events - Register today! |
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We are grateful for the continued support of our sponsors!
December 2 from 12 noon- 1 pm – "Family Worry in 2020. What’s Not to Worry About?" 2020 has been a challenging year for a variety of reasons. In the context of the pandemic, a divisive political landscape, and ongoing uncertainty around social justice issues, you and your family may be feeling more worried and on-edge. You are not alone as many families are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety. What might anxiety look like in your child and what are some strategies that can be helpful in managing such anxieties? Presenters: Jeremiah Dickerson, MD; Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and Aamani Chava, MD; Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow, UVM Medical Center and Larner College of Medicine at UVM. Register here.
Details Coming Soon! Date TBA – Telehealth. Presenter: TBA
If you missed any of the workshops in our Online Learning Series, you can watch them here. Help us by completing a brief survey when you’re done watching a webinar. We need this information for our funders and to make improvements.
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(802) 876-5315 / 1-800-800-4005
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Office
600 Blair Park Rd, Ste 240,
Williston, VT 05495
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