Schedule

Youth Sessions

Monday - A Personal Exploration

Come explore your strengths, interests, preferences, and needs to learn more about you and self- determination. Youth leaders will engage you in interactive activities to help you gain a better understanding about yourself, and your finished product will be a tool you can share with teachers, parents, employers, and other students.

Tuesday - Good Day to Plan for a Good Day

Ever find yourself singing along to a song and it gets stuck in your head? Well in this session we are hoping to connect a song that will be the beginning of some fun ways to take a bad day and turn it around. We will share some tricks and tips on how to work through the ups and downs of a day knowing that you can change the outcome if you have the right tools. Join us as we share tools to identify what is in your circle of control and how a Good Day Plan can help you turn a day around. Hum along and explore how choices you make, people who care, and everyday routines can help you have a good day.

Wednesday - Speak into the Solution

Being able to advocate for your needs in complex social situations is an important part of being self-determined. In this virtual session, watch a video case study and interact with the thoughts, perspectives, and problem-solving skills of 6 different characters. You will be asked to become a part of the story while learning ways self-advocacy can influence problem-solving in challenging social situations. The hope is that you begin to develop a deeper understanding of self-advocacy and ways to communicate that positively impact problems occurring in social interactions.

Thursday - The Future is Yours

The future is yours and goals are what drive you there. Take a trip with the Youth Leaders and discover how to identify a goal and the steps necessary to reach that goal. We will explore a variety of tools designed to help you grow your goal setting skills. Visualize the path to your future and continue your journey toward self-determination.

Every day - Explore a Virtual Assistive Technology (AT) Lab

Discover possible assistive technology tools for students in the areas of reading, writing, math, organization, sensory, and general AT. Learn where to go to find more resources.

Parent Sessions

Parent sessions will be available all days of the week. Feel free to decide which ones you go to. We encourage you to get to all of them at some point, but realize it might be a challenge to go to a certain one on a specific day.

Alternatives to Guardianship

Dana Traynham, Senior Staff Attorney, disAbility Law Center of Virginia

dana.traynham@dlcv.org

Is guardianship the best or only option for individuals with disabilities as they enter adulthood? Come explore this topic and learn about alternatives to guardianship and why we should look at alternatives first. We will discuss different types of decision-making options for individuals who may need some assistance now or in the future (hint—this means everybody!)

VDOE Welcome to the I’m Determined Parent Summit

Hank Milward, VDOE

hank.milward@doe.virginia.gov | (804) 301-1171

This presentation is a welcome to the I’m Determined Parent Summit and will include a few comments related to special education requirements during “distance learning” and a closing inspirational remark.

Supporting Self-Determination at Home

Dr. John McNaught, Principal Investigator-I’m Determined Project, James Madison University

mcnaugjt@jmu.edu

John will discuss each of the 3 essential components of self-determination, offer the IMD youth leader’s perspective on each component, and discuss IMD tools and other strategies for parents to help support the development of each component at home and in the community. Video 1: Autonomy Video 2: Competence Video 3: Relatedness

Transition University – Who? What? When? How? and Why?

Tammy Burns, Family Support Specialist, PEATC

burns@peatc.org | 800-869-6782 | www.peatc.org

Life is full of transitions. For families of children with disabilities thinking about the future can bring mixed emotions. Some families are just trying to make it through day-to-day challenges and might not feel they have the energy to think about what happens after high school. Others may want to plan for that transition, but are confused by unfamiliar language, complex steps, and the many agencies that may be involved in adult services. Transition University is a highly successful free online course that focuses on providing parent friendly transition information to help make transition planning easier. This presentation will cover the Who? What? When? How? and Why of Transition University.

Comprehensive Transition Planning: Building the Trifecta

Sarah Bazemore, School Counseling Specialist and Student Assistance Systems Coordinator, Office of Student Services, Virginia Department of Education Sarah.Bazemore@doe.virginia.gov

Marianne Moore, Secondary Transition Specialist, Virginia Department of Education

Marianne.Moore@doe.virginia.gov

A comprehensive transition plan is much more than just another page in your student’s IEP, it is a road map to their future. Learn about the components of this essential tool and how to increase its impact on your student’s education and beyond.

Lighting the Way - The Journey With Change

Mary Beth Walsh, Director of Children and Youth Programs with NAMI Virginia mwalsh@namivirginia.org | www.namivirginia.org

Becky Silvey parent, Virginia Family Network Parent Advisory Board Member, Family Navigator with VCU’s Center for Family Involvement/ Family To Family Program

Wade Rosado, Peer Recovery Specialist

Transition is just a fancy way of saying “change is happening” and for those who are living with disabilities, and their families, these times can be filled with excitement but also lead to anxiety due to stressors around the unknown. You are not alone! Join us for a conversation with a parent and young adult with lived experience who have walked this journey. Learn about resources and tips as well as challenges met along the way. Sometimes the best resource is hearing from someone who has navigated transition and can offer a guiding light.

Explore a Virtual Assistive Technology (AT) Lab

Discover possible assistive technology tools for students in the areas of reading, writing, math, organization, sensory, and general AT. Learn where to go to find more resources.

Keynote Address

Friday - Kantis Simmons

We highly encourage everyone to come on Friday to hear Kantis Simmons. Check out his bio here.