In this issue:
- Dakotas AER Conference Highlights
- Northeastern Deaf/Hard of Hearing/Deaf-Blind Professionals
- Concentration in Deaf Blindness
- Functional Sign Language
- Parent Connection
- Intervener Spotlight
- SD Hands & Voices
- Welcome Kate, SDBTBL
- New Books on Blindness
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Hi Everyone
I can’t believe I have been on the job for 3 months now! Where have the days gone? I have found there is so much to learn when starting a new job including: new students, parents, schools, agencies, paperwork, and especially all the new Deaf-Blind acronyms!
I have not yet had a chance to get out to see everyone on my Deaf-Blind Census so please reach out to me if anyone has any questions or concerns. I am available to talk either by phone, email, or even Zoom!
Amy J Scepaniak, Deaf-Blind Project Coordinator
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Dakotas AER Conference Highlights |
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AER is the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. Dakotas AER Chapter conference was recently held in Grand Forks, ND. Some of the highlights of the conference were:
*Transition Experiences for students with dual sensory loss – David Wiley
*Getting to hear stories of individuals with blindness and visual impairments learn how to navigate life and find success in their professions.
*The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) was presented by Robin Clark. She works for the Utah School for the Blind and is very excited about how to rigorously include ECC skills programing for students who are blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind.
Here are some ways to follow Robin and gain more knowledge and ideas on how to incorporate ECC into your child/students life. robbinc@usdb.org
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The Independent Little Bee: a resource blog dedicated to the ECC!
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Check out the Expanded Core website for resources for parents, teachers and students
- Let’s be social! Follow Robin @9MoreThanCore
*The Spirit group was also a hit! What a nice way to join a fitness group for any age and ability. Check it out here.
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Northeastern Deaf/Hard of Hearing/Deaf-Blind Service Professional Group |
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Newly formed group of professionals serving kids in the northeast area of SD. Several of us are new in our positions so we came together for support and most importantly provide opportunities for families to come together for networking. Pictured (l-r) Lucky Peterson, ASD Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Candice Mohn, SDSD Outreach Consultant, Sharon Jones, SDSD Outreach Consultant; Amy Scepaniak, Center for Disabilities Deaf-Blind Program Coordinator, and Lance Sigdestad, CSD Communication Service Specialist.
On November 6, we welcomed 10 families for our very first family orientated activity for students with Deafness, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blindness in the Aberdeen area. The event was held at Allevity Entertainment which is an extremely fun and exciting place. We send out a BIG Thank You to the SD School for the Deaf's Foundation for supporting the student’s tickets and providing pizza and pop!
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Concentration in Deaf-Blindness
& High-Intensity Support Needs
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Find more information here
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These courses were developed in collaboration with the National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) and are aligned with Council for Exceptional Children competencies for educators. Certified Educators and Related Service Providers can join.
Each course will be 15-weeks long and require approximately 3 hours of online work per week. Synchronous online meetings will also be scheduled throughout the semester.
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This 10 session, online course is designed to provide introductory sign language vocabulary skills for families, professionals and other community members. Participants will explore a variety of vocabulary that will promote clearer communication within the home, classroom, work or community environment.
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Parent Connection Upcoming Events |
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Tuesday, Jan 11th at 12pm Central / 11am Mountain
SD Graduation Requirements: Join SD Department of Education Special Education Programs staff to learn about the state's newly developed website on graduation, designed to help families and professionals understand graduations requirements in SD that lead to achievement of a regular SD Diploma. Impacts of the graduation requirements on students with disabilities will be discussed.
Tuesday, Mar 8th at 12pm Central / 11am Mountain
NEW Guide - Guardianship: Join SD Parent Connection staff for discussion and review of this new tool, developed for parents, to help them understand and address concerns about supported decision-making for their child with a disability.
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My name is Chloe Mayo and I am a sign language interpreter at Brandon Valley Elementary, and I have the opportunity to work with an early elementary student who has vision and hearing loss. I have a sister who has profound autism, who has taught me the importance of patience, communication, and perseverance. I always find a way for language exposure! I love working with this population because of the nuance and variety; no two kids are the same, each with their own puzzle. The right team can provide pieces to solve this puzzle to unlock success for each child. I am grateful to be a part of a great team!
Kristin VanBuskirk, Special Education Teacher, Brandon Elementary School shared this about Chloe "She is a great addition to our student's educational team. Chloe is motivated to learn and implement strategies to help the student communicate, learn, and participate in all activities. The bond that Chloe and the student have is remarkable. The student has excelled this school year with Chloe as her interpreter and intervener-in-training."
Chloe, with the support of her School District, is taking advantage of the South Dakota Deaf-Blind Project FREE training using the nationally developed Open Hands, Open Access Intervener Training Modules. If you have students with duel sensory loss or complex needs this training is a must. Contact Amy Scepaniak for more information.
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This is a group of people who have common interests connected through the community of deafness. Hands & Voices is a safe place to explore options, get unemotional support (although we can be emotional about it!), learn from one another and share what we have in common. We value diversity and honor the role of parents and family as the single greatest factor in raising a WASK, (W: well, A: adjusted, S: successful, K kid).
New Year Virtual 5K: Make a Run for It
https://runsignup.com/Race/CO/Boulder/HandsVoicesNewYear5K
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Welcome to the New Manager, Kate Kosior |
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Pictured is Katie Kosior, the new Manager at the South Dakota Braille and Talking Book Library. |
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Kate came to the library with a wealth of experience in both libraries and blindness. She was awarded an M.A. in Rehabilitation of the Blind with a concentration in rehabilitation teaching from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, AR. She did a practicum at the Lions World Services for the Blind, then completed her internship at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Boston, MA before working for three years at the Massachusetts Association for the Blind as the Rehabilitation Coordinator of the Elder Blind Program. After relocating to Virginia, she spent five years working for the state as a rehabilitation teacher with the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired. We are excited to welcome Katie to South Dakota.
More information about the Library can be found on the website here.
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New Books on Blindness
for Middle Grade Fiction
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Two new middle grade fiction books about life from a blind child’s perspective have been published by author Mary Tellefson. Blooming Besties and Two Canes on the Tundra have received high praise for their treatment of what it’s like growing up blind in today’s world. Tellefson is nationally recognized for her expertise in blindness and education, and has taught visually impaired and blind students for more than 40 years.
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SD Deaf-Blind Project
Every state in the nation has a Deaf-Blind Project and South Dakota’s is housed at the USD Center for Disabilities with an outreach office located in Aberdeen, SD. Each Project is Funded through the US Dept. of Education-Office of Special Education Programs. We provide technical assistance, training and resources for families and service providers of children (birth to 21) with varying levels of combined hearing and vision loss. Even mild losses qualify due to neither primary sensory gathering channel being able to compensate for the loss in the other sense. If you have a student with duel sensory loss you can make a referral here.
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Amy J Scepaniak, M.S., COMS®/CLVT®
Deaf-Blind Project Coordinator
NSU PO Box 991
1200 S Jay St
Aberdeen SD 57401
605-228-8742
605-357-1566 fax
www.usd.edu/cd
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Looking for resources on sensory disabilities?
Check out our
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SD Deaf-Blind Program Grant #H326T180053 |
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