Vermont Family Network

Lanesborough Elementary School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-02 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Puppet presentations generously sponsored by Bedard Brothers Chevrolet

Crossett Brook Middle School Puppet Workshop
2024-05-07 08:00 - 17:00
Bullying Prevention Workshops generously sponsored by Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation

Doty Memorial School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-09 08:00 - 17:00
Puppet presentations generously sponsored by National Life Group Foundation

Bethel Elementary School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-14 08:00 - 17:00
Puppet Program & Workshop

Watch: Sharing Information with Siblings
2024-05-14 13:00 - 14:00
Watch the recording of the “Sharing Information with Siblings” workshop here.
Join us for a panel discussion with parents and adult siblings about their experiences discussing disability, challenges, benefits, and everything in between! Emily Holl, Director of the Sibling Support Project, will provide tips for sharing key information at different stages of life with young siblings, teens, and adults to create positive outcomes for the entire family.
Presenter:
– Emily Holl, Director of the Sibling Support Project
Emily is a social worker, author, trainer, and sibling. Since 2003, she has worked in the disability field and has provided workshops, training, and groups for siblings, families, and individuals with disabilities. She has presented and written extensively on sibling issues, has conducted and published sibling research, and has facilitated future planning workshops for adult siblings and their families, and co-facilitated Sibshops for school-age brothers and sisters of children with disabilities.
Emily has served as a board member of the national Sibling Leadership Network (SLN), and she founded sibsNY, the New York state chapter of the SLN. Emily has written about her own sibling experiences in blogs, magazines and books such as Thicker than Water. Emily was an author and a co-editor of The Sibling Survival Guide: Indispensable Information for Adult Brothers and Sisters of People with Disabilities, published by Woodbine House in 2014.
Emily and her husband Tom reside in the Greater Seattle area and have two young sons. Emily is the primary family support for her brother, and she is grateful for the “village” of people who help.

Kensington Road School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-16 08:00 - 17:00
Puppet presentations generously sponsored by Whiteman Chevrolet

Braintree Elementary School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-21 08:00 - 17:00
Puppet presentations generously sponsored by VT Department of Mental Health

Highgate Elementary School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-23 08:00 - 17:00

St. Monica - St. Michael School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-28 08:00 - 17:00

Molly Stark Elementary School Puppet Presentation
2024-05-30 08:00 - 17:00
Puppet presentations generously sponsored by Bennington Chevrolet

Shelburne Community School Puppet Presentation
2024-06-05 08:00 - 17:00

CP Smith Elementary School Puppet Presentation
2024-06-06 08:00 - 17:00

Watch: Supports Intensity Scale-Adult (SIS-A) Assessment Overview
2024-06-06 14:30 - 15:30
Watch the recording of the “Supports Intensity Scale-Adult (SIS-A) Assessment Overview” workshop.
This workshop includes a review of:

the current SIS-A referral process
the different sections of the assessment
the questions asked during the assessment
tips for understanding the rating key and how to read the report

This presentation may be helpful for anyone interested in understanding more about the SIS-A or to feel more prepared for the assessment. The assessment is currently for youth and adults aged 16 and older who receive Developmental Services Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), also known as Waiver services.
Presenter:

Jessica Bernard, M.A. – Deputy Director of Payment Reform, Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living. Jessica has been with the State of Vermont for 8 years, 3 ½ with DAIL working on Payment Reform. Prior to that, she worked in the Human Services field for over 15 years as a Case Manager, Community Support Worker, Youth Behavioral Interventionist, Employment Counselor, and Children’s Crisis Bed support. Additionally, she also holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Saint Michael’s College.

Watch: 6/13/24 Health Literacy: Making Communication More Understandable and Accessible
2024-06-13 13:00 - 14:00
Watch the “Health Literacy: Making Communication More Understandable and Accessible” workshop here.
In this workshop, we will:

Define health literacy
Understand why it is important to make communication more understandable and accessible
Learn about health literacy techniques and resources to develop and share information with your audience

Presenter:

Chrissy Keating – UVM Health Network (UVMHN) Health Literacy Specialist. Chrissy has worked in Community Health Improvement at UVMHN for over 11 years. In her role as Health Literacy Specialist, she works with departments across the Network as a consultant on projects and initiatives to make sure communication is accessible and inclusive to our patient population. Chrissy received her Health Literacy Specialist Certificate from the Institute for Healthcare Advancement in 2022 and is currently studying for her CPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies) from the International Association for Accessibility Professionals. In her free time, she enjoys year-round outdoor activities with her family, listening to her favorite podcasts, and sharing great food with family and friends.

Fletcher Free Library Puppet Presentation
2024-06-24 10:15 - 10:50
Puppet presentation generously sponsored by VT Department of Mental Health
10:15 – 10:50 a.m. Anxiety puppet presentation for mixed ages

Waterbury Library Puppet Presentation
2024-06-26 10:30 - 11:30
Puppet presentation generously sponsored by VT Department of Mental Health
10:30 a.m. Anxiety puppet presentation for mixed ages

Aldrich Library Puppet Presentation
2024-06-27 13:30 - 14:30
Puppet presentation generously sponsored by VT Department of Mental Health
1:30 p.m. Anxiety puppet presentation for mixed ages

Watch: 7/11/24 Parents’ Guide to Services for Babies and Toddlers with Special Health Needs
2024-07-11 13:00 - 14:00
Watch the recording of the “Parents’ Guide to Services for Babies and Toddlers with Special Health Needs” workshop here.
If your infant or toddler – ages birth through two years of age – receives a medical diagnosis before or at birth, or is experiencing developmental delays, they may be eligible for services. Join us for this workshop on Children’s Integrated Services – Early Intervention (CIS-EI) to learn about what Vermont offers our youngest children. As the parent of young child who receives, or is eligible to receive CIS-EI services, learn about the process, plan and parental rights.
Presenter:

Karen Price – Co-Director of Family Support – Education at Vermont Family Network

Watch: 8/1 Vermont Center For Independent Living (VCIL): An Overview of Supports and Services
2024-08-01 10:00 - 11:00
Watch the recording of the “Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL): An Overview of Supports and Services” workshop.
Please join us for this overview of the supports and services that the Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL) can offer. VCIL works to promote the dignity, independence and civil rights of Vermonters with disabilities. Like other independent living centers across the country, VCIL is committed to:

services for all disabilities;
promotion of active citizenship;
and working with others to create services that support free-choice and full participation in community life.

Presenter:
• Peter Johnke (he/him) is Deputy Director of the Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL). He’s been part of the Independent Living Movement for over 30 years, advocating for accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Peter is hard of hearing and has low vision and doesn’t drive. He is a carless traveler and advocates for better public transportation services. He is an adept user of assistive technology, and a member of the Vermont Assistive Technology Advisory Council. In his role as Deputy Director, he is the leader for VCIL’s Community Access Team. The team provides ADA technical assistance throughout Vermont. Peter lives in an off-grid geodesic dome, in East Calais, with his wife Helen and occasionally a cat.

Watch: 8/20 Unpacking Vermont’s New Literacy Law, Act 139, to Teach All Students to Read
2024-08-20 15:00 - 16:00
Watch the recording for the “Unpacking Vermont’s New Literacy Law, Act 139, to Teach All Students to Read” workshop here.
With the May 2024 passage of Act 139, an act relating to supporting Vermont’s young readers through evidence-based literacy instruction, educators in both public and independent schools eligible for public tuition are required to conduct reading screening and provide evidence-based classroom instruction, intervention, and services in the five components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The structured-literacy framework, dyslexia screening, parental notification, and state reporting are among the legislative provisions that Dr. Dorfman unpacks for Vermonters in this presentation. Ms. Lovejoy discusses the law as it relates to the real-life experiences of students, parents/caregivers, and their advocates with the goal of improved literacy proficiency.
Presenters:

Dorinne Dorfman, Ed.S., Ed.D., OG/A, has served as a teacher and principal for nearly 30 years in Vermont’s schools. As a postdoctoral Fulbright Scholar, she taught at the Technical University of Berlin and conducted research on democratic education in Germany. In 2023, she traveled to Mississippi to observe structured literacy in PreK-5 classrooms and interview school and state leaders. With support of the International Dyslexia Association, she presented her findings in, “Improving Reading Performance: What Northern New England Can Learn from Mississippi.” Since completing an Education Specialist Degree in Reading and Literacy Instruction, Dr. Dorfman has taught evidence-based literacy to struggling readers at Barre Town Middle School.
Brittany Lovejoy, M.Ed., OG/A, served as a special educator in northern VT and as an Adjudications Officer with the Dept. of Homeland Security. Currently, she is a private literacy tutor working towards the Orton Gillingham Certified Level, and is a special-education advocate focusing on equity for diverse learners and their families. She is a board member of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA Northern New England Alliance – Serving Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire). She has completed various workshops with The Dyslexia Training Institute, the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, and the Snelling Center for Government – Early Childhood Leadership Institute (Class of 2017).

Alburgh Community School Puppet Presentation
2024-09-19 08:00 - 17:00

Turning Points NFI Puppet Presentation
2024-09-25 08:00 - 17:00

Watch: 10/03 HireAbility Pre-ETS services in Vermont Schools
2024-10-03 13:00 - 14:00
Watch the recording of the “HireAbility Pre-ETS services in Vermont Schools” workshop here.
HireAbility transition counselors work with high schools to provide pre-employment transition services (pre-ETS) to students with disabilities who are eligible for HireAbility services. The intent of pre-ETS services is to improve the transition of students with disabilities from school to postsecondary education or employment. Pre-ETS activities include job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, counseling on enrollment in post-secondary education programs, workplace readiness trainings and instruction in self-advocacy. In this workshop, learn about how HireAbility may be working with your teenager’s high school and what programs may be available.
Presenters:

Kara Haynes, HireAbility Transition Program Manager
Tia Tallman, HireAbility Transition Counselor (Morrisville)
Diane Knichel, HireAbility Transition Counselor (Bennington)

St. Albans Town School Puppet Presentation
2024-10-09 08:00 - 17:00

First Branch School Puppet Presentation
2024-10-16 08:00 - 17:00

Hyde Park School Puppet Presentation
2024-10-23 08:00 - 17:00

Watch: 10/24 Digital Wellness Series - Workshop 1: Building Digital Resilience
2024-10-24 13:00 - 14:00
Watch the recording of the “Digital Wellness Series – Workshop 1: Building Digital Resilience” workshop here.
“Empowering Families in the Online World” is an online empowerment series presented by Grow Digital Skills.
In this first workshop, information is shared about “Building Digital Resilience” which includes:
– Coping with online negativity
– Developing a healthy relationship with technology.
– Encouraging offline hobbies and social connections.
Two other workshops in this series will be presented on November 21st and December 12th at 1:00. There is a separate registration for each.
Presenter:
– Emmy Hilliard, VFN Co-Director of Family Support – Health and Grow Digital Skills Coordinator

Rick Marcotte Central School Puppet Presentation
2024-10-30 08:00 - 17:00

Jay/Westfield School Puppet Presentation
2024-11-14 08:00 - 17:00
New Friendship Puppet Program Debut
