Watertown, April 27th, 2019. For parents and professionals in to network, share ideas and strategies for helping children with visual impairments from birth to age 7. There will be a Resource Fair throughout the day.
* The Key Note speaker will be Dr. Jerry G. Petroff, Professor at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) School of Education in the Department of Special Education, Language and Literacy.
* Dr. Petroff’s specific focus for the past 40 years has been in the area of development and education of infants, children and youth with deafblindness.
* Dr. Petroff is also the Executive Director of TCNJ’s Center for Sensory & Complex Disabilities and Faculty Director of the Career & Community Studies Program at TCNJ.
***Childcare is provided for free to all parent or guardian registrants, however the conference requires prior arrangements. See the webpage for more details.
Fees Apply. Registration is required to https://www.perkins.org/get-involved/events/early-connections or contact Teri Turgeon at 617-972-7331 or email Teri.Turgeon@Perkins.org 
- Advocacy: Building an effective team – Tom Miller, Educational Consultant
- Come and play with me: A guide to play-based activities and adapted physical education, Maebh Barry, Adapted Physical Education Teacher at Perkins School for the Blind, Megan O’Connell-Copp, Teacher at Perkins School for the Blind
- Conscious teaching practices for deafblind – Susan DeCaluwe, Itinerant Teacher of the Deafblind
- Alexandria Nadworny, Special Needs Financial Planning Specialist at Shepherd Financial Partners
- Orientation and mobility for early learners -Chris Brosnahan, TVI/COMS at Perkins School for the Blind
Jess Pratt, Orientation and Mobility Specialist at Perkins School for the Blind - Student panel – hear from the experts! Participants will hear from a student-led panel made up of middle and high school students who attend public schools. They will share their first-hand experiences, hopes and dreams, and what they think parents should know to support their own child. This session will allow for questions, so come prepared to ask what you’ve always wanted to know.
- AAC for young children with vision impairment and multiple disabilities -Amelia Willcox, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist at Perkins School for the Blind,Erin Calder, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist at Perkins School for the Blind
- Dads only. With Dr. Jerry Petroff, Professor of Special Education, Language and Literacy at The College of New Jersey.
- Getting ready for school: Developing an IEP. Brenda Allair, Coordinator for Infant Toddler, Community Programs at Perkins School for the Blind Jessica Brown, Assistant Education Director, Community Programs, Perkins School for the Blind
- Misdiagnoses of CVI. Ellen Mazel, M.Ed, CTVI, CVI Project Manager at Perkins School for the Blind
- Person-Centered Planning: An effective transition planning process for all students. Betsy Bixler, Educational Programs Project Manager at Perkins School for the Blind
- How Perkins can help you and your child -Amy Ferreira, Director of Enrollment at Perkins School for the Blind
