This year's Discover Conference at the Perkins School for the Blind will be held on Saturday, October 24th. Registration is currently open online.
The Discover Conference brings families and professionals from several states to the Perkins' campus. For many parents, this is the first opportunity to meet others with school age children (ages 6-22) who are blind, visually impaired, and deafblind, including those with additional disabilities. Everyone leaves with new skills, strategies and, above all, hope for their children’s future success.
The keynote address, "Equals in Partnership in Education; Parent’s Voice; Parents’ Strengths," will be delivered by Susan LaVenture from the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI) and Katharine Shepherd, Project Director of Parents as Collaborative Leaders, University of Vermont.
There will also be workshops on a range of topics, including…
- How families can find balance in their lives
- Strategies to help parents be heard
- Making the most of assistive technology
- Developing effective IEPs
- Daily living skills
- Transition planning
- Father’s forum
- Young adults talk about transportation
The closing remarks, "Achieving Balance in Your Life," will be presented by Mike and Djenne Morris, Family Specialist at the North Carolina Project for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind. Mike and Djenne have a son of their own who is deafblind.
For those of you thinking about traveling to the conference, hotel accommodations are available at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Newton at a special conference rate of $149 a night. Reservations need to be made by October 14th. Call 1-877-227-6963 and reference the Perkins School for the Blind Discover Conference.