Strong Families. Strong Futures. |
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Greetings to our VFN Family and Friends.
WARNING: Content refers to the school shooting in Nashville, March 27, 2023.
It’s hard to put into words. When the breaking news came in that there was a shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, my reaction was sickness and stillness. My heart dropped forty feet as I imagined the moments of terror in the elementary school and the horrific anxiety of families waiting to hear about their loved ones.
My purpose in this month’s letter is not to offer a political stance, a position statement from VFN, nor a stance of hopeful optimism that if we all rally as a nation to combat the unacceptable reality that there were more school shootings than there were school days in 2023, we can eradicate this horror. This is not a position piece on mental health. This is not advocacy for ensuring caring, connected, inclusive school communities. I am not pontificating on factors that have emerged as patterns and trends since Columbine. At least not this time.
My purpose is to recognize that families have had enough. We are tired. Our children react and recover based on how their caregivers react and recover. Children turn to their parents for support, comfort, and reassurance when these tragic events occur – we need to be at our best. Our fatigue given the number and nature of shootings does not position ourselves to be constantly and effectively addressing the feelings of anxiety and fear, often about the safety of others or that another shooting will occur. We know we need to be talking to our children, helping them feel safe, and limiting their media exposure as the story plays out time and time again. There are many characteristics in our kids we need to monitor to make sure the latest tragedy is not impacting their behavior, emotions, relationships, and engagement. Yet, as we hear often when we compare difficult situations to the airlines delivering their safety messages in the unanticipated event of a water landing – you must put the oxygen mask on yourself before helping others. Our oxygen mask gets harder to put on – the fatigue may cloud our judgment and we may not put it on properly or not at all.
So, this message is a reminder to our parents and caregivers that during times of tragic events such as school shootings, which have become all too common in our daily lives, parents need to acknowledge the fatigue, recognize the frustration, and make sure they are taking care of themselves. At Vermont Family Network, we are here to support you and your families as you navigate the complexities of educational and health care systems; we can offer guidance and resources. But we are reeling ourselves from the ongoing, random, senseless gun violence that occurs within school communities – we feel deeply for the families, neighbors, administrators, school-based personnel, first responders, and others who experience these traumatic events. And as viewers bearing witness, wondering if this will happen to our own community, we need to find ways to support each other.
We would like to offer some national resources for families who are tired – resources that provide guidance on how we support our children during tragic events such as school shootings. When we get this worn down as caregivers, we may struggle to find the right words and actions. Let’s help each other engage in dialogue. We welcome you to contribute to this resource list if you have found an effective one that others will find beneficial.
From the heart,
Jacqui
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Thank You for Another Great Conference!
"Inclusion and Well-Being"
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Our 2023 Annual Conference “Inclusion and Well-Being” was held on April 11th at the University of Vermont (UVM) Dudley H. Davis Center and attended by 140 parents, professionals, and individuals with disabilities. We offered a livestream option to increase our reach and enable participants for whom physical attendance was not possible.
We are truly grateful to all of you who came out for a fun day of learning and networking. We thank our many exhibitors for their support and for bringing valuable information about their services to our community.
Thank you to our generous sponsors:
- Children with Special Health Needs at the Vermont Department of Health
- HireAbility Vermont
- Office of the Provost, University of Vermont
- SD Associates
- Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council
- University of Vermont Health Network
- Stern Center for Language and Learning
for supporting us to bring Dr. Jacqui Kelleher and Dr. Joelle van Lent to share words of hope and practical steps as we all work together to create inclusive communities while making sure we take time for wellness activities and strategies that can help to fill our buckets as we support others.
A very special thank you to the UVM Center on Disability and Community Inclusion for partnering with us and for bringing Dan and Samuel Habib to share their films and experience as they build a culture of inclusion in their family and community.
We hope you all came away with some new ideas and strategies that you can use and share with others.
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Graduation Ceremony Participation for
Students in Special Education
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Vermont's "Walk with your Class" law applies to all students who, because of their disability, need to remain enrolled in school after graduation to complete their secondary education, including transition-related services. This means that even if your high schooler will be remaining in school beyond their senior year, they can participate with their peers in the graduation ceremony.
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Happy National Volunteer Month! |
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The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members. ~ Coretta Scott King
April is National Volunteer Month, and we want to take the opportunity to share our sincere gratitude to all of VFN’s amazing volunteers! Our work would not be possible without the wonderful people who share their time, energy and expertise! We thank VFN Board members, volunteer puppeteers and programming specialists, Sibshops facilitators, Support Parents and all the families that share their story through our Family Faculty Program. We are so grateful to you all!
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2023 Annual Youth Summit
Driven for Youth by Youth
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The Youth Advocacy Council, a group of youth and young adults with disabilities, supported by VFN and other partners, are inviting youth and the adults who support them to attend the 5th Annual Youth Summit virtual event “Education, Empowerment, Equity.” The inspiring Keynote will be presented by Eli Clare, an American writer, activist, and educator. Hear members’ stories around self-advocacy and join in the conversation to help effect change on pressing issues as identified by Youth Advocacy Council members.
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Hello Friends!
The puppets are officially in full-spring swing! The last few months of the spring school year tend to be some of our busiest. That’s also when we have the most fun!
March saw us having shows across Vermont and New York. We visited Winhall, Morrisville, Underhill, Glens Falls (NY), Clifton Park (NY), and Fair Haven. In addition to our Kindness and Stress program and Anxiety workshop, we dusted off our Kindness/Bullying Prevention script—and puppet favorite Bernard the Monkey—for the two New York schools.
Here are some memorable quotes from March’s performances:
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“I will remember the kind and gentle presenters from today.” - The Sara Marie School, PK teacher
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“Kindness is the way to go.” - Harrison Avenue Elementary School, 1st Grade Student
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“I will remember the way you held the children’s interest for this length of time, and the questioning of students about their feelings. I would like to see you go into all schools at least a couple times a year.” - Fair Haven Grade School, Foster Grandparent
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“I get worried a lot, but I never knew I could talk about it.” - The Mountain School at Winhall, 5th Grade Student
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“If someone is unkind, you can tell a grownup, but you can also tell the person, ‘I don’t like what you’re doing’ and then tell someone.” - Underhill Central School, 2nd Grade student
This April has our Puppet Mobile continuing its sprint across the state and into New York and Massachusetts, with shows in Cambridge, Lanesborough (MA), Weathersfield, and Coxsackie (NY). Members of the PiE team will also be presenting a workshop entitled “Powerful Puppetry!” at the Vermont Kindergarten Conference.
We still have a waitlist of schools looking for help to fund a day of programming. If you’d like to help one of these schools, help a school in your area, or have inquiries about booking us for the 2023–24 school year, please contact Karen Sharpwolf at karen.sharpwolf@vtfn.org.
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VFN has two respite funds available to families who are not currently receiving respite funding from other resources. Respite is a planned break for parents or caregivers, which allows time to spend with other children, to schedule necessary appointments, or to have an opportunity to rest and recharge.
VFN’s Family Support Fund is for Vermont families with children up to 21 years of age who have a chronic physical, medical, or developmental condition. A family’s annual income must be at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level. They can access up to $1200 per grant year (maximum initial respite request is $600).
This fund is made possible through a generous grant from the Vermont Department of Health’s Children with Special Health Needs (CSHN) program.
Our Vermont Respite Support Program is a respite fund intended to provide short-term relief for parents or primary family caregivers to attend to their own and other family members’ health, social, or emotional needs. It is a preventive strategy that strengthens families, protects their health and well-being, and allows parents and/or caregivers to continue providing care at home. Families who are not currently using respite funding, that have a child (up to the age of 19) with a chronic physical, medical, mental, or developmental condition OR:
- are experiencing circumstances such as: homelessness, economic hardships, and/or DCF Family Services involvement.
- are suspected of a diagnosis and waiting for an evaluation.
- require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children and youth generally.
You may also be eligible if you are:
- a parent/caregiver with a disability that has a child (up to the age of 19) living at home.
- a relative caregiver with a child(ren) living with them.
- a parent/caregiver of an adopted child(ren).
Families may access up to $1000/year through a voucher reimbursement process. This fund is made possible through a generous grant from the Vermont Department of Children and Families-Child Development Division.
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Sibshops
Sibs get Outside at Catamount!
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The sibs gathered in March at Catamount Outdoor Family Center to explore the Catamount Community Forest on snowshoe. Other fun Sibshops outings have included Get Air, MetroRock, Whitcomb Farm Corn Maze and hanging out at our new space at the Essex Teen Center. Sibs decorated cookies, made puppets and have plans to create flower arrangements in May.
Registration opens for 2023-24 enrollment next fall. Anyone interested in checking out Sibshops is invited to join us for our end of the year ice cream social on June 17th. Please contact Mindy.Deibler@vtfn.org if you have any questions about Sibshop or would like to attend the end of year ice cream social.
Sibshops is a national program that provides fun and connection for school age children who have a sibling with a special health need or disability.
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VT’s Notorious Fifth Season!
As little delights of color pop up around us ready to embrace the spring, one other color tends to be everywhere. Brown. Yes, the lovely shade of mud, that is soon to be upon us no matter where you live in VT. Despite the extra laundry and it being tracked through your home, there are some benefits. Did you know that some research suggests that mud is good for the immune system? Just make sure to check the area for any signs of animal droppings before your child plays in it. Mud can also be a sensory experience that some may love or hate. Mud can be dry or wet, try experimenting with what your child prefers, or offering some gloves or tools to play in so that hands don’t have to get dirty! Another benefit of mud is that kids can be creative, whether it’s just running through fingers or toes, making mud pies or searching for worms, the possibilities are endless. If you are curious about other benefits or some tips and tricks check out this article.
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We are currently seeking applicants for the following position:
A part-time Family Support Consultant - Mental Health (Outside of Chittenden County) to provide family centered information, referrals, and assistance to families of children with special health needs, individuals, and professionals individually over the phone and in person, and through trainings and workshops. The Mental Health specialist supports families whose children are experiencing mental health or emotional behavioral issues.
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Vermont Family Network
is now on Instagram!
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It is official! We are now on Instagram!
Use the QR code or use the link below
to give us a follow.
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Upcoming Events - Register today! |
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Events
The Youth Advocacy Council, a group of youth and young adults with disabilities, supported by VFN and other partners, are inviting youth and the adults who support them to attend the 5th Annual Youth Summit virtual event “Education, Empowerment, Equity.” For more information, contact Denee MacKenzie at Denee.MacKenzie@vermont.gov.
Free Workshops
Our last workshop "Transition Mapping" was cancelled. Stay tuned as we get that rescheduled!
This workshop is intended to explain how someone applies for developmental disabilities services in Vermont. We will also review the eligibility criteria for these services and what types of supports are available to people with developmental disabilities.
Presenter: Melanie Feddersen, DDSD Services Specialist Supervisor
Join us for three VFN/Agency of Education Virtual Town Hall Sessions where we will discuss the July 1, 2023 Special Education Rule changes. Each session will cover a different area and will be held Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.
- May 17 - "Rule Implementation"
- May 24 - "Special Education Evaluation/Eligibility Changes"
- May 31 - "Specific Learning Disability Eligibility Changes"
Participants will register once and can use the same Zoom link for any of the three sessions they would like to attend.
Presenters: Representatives from the VT Agency of Education and VFN
If you are unable to attend, you can still register and we’ll send you a recording of the workshop which you can watch on your own time.
In case you missed our last series of workshops, you can find a full list on our VFN website. Stay tuned as we add more workshops to our fall schedule!
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VFN Workshop Topics/Speakers Survey
We want to hear your ideas for our upcoming online workshops. What topics interest you? Are there presenters you would recommend?
Let us know your thoughts.
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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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Office
600 Blair Park Rd, Ste 240,
Williston, VT 05495
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