Conference Agenda
Tuesday, November 27th
8:00-8:30 Registration
8:30-9:45 Keynote
10:00-11:15 1st Spotlight Sessions
11:15-12:15 Lunch
12:15-1:30 2nd Spotlight Sessions
1:30-1:45 Break
1:45-3:00 3rd Spotlight Sessions
New Hampshire’s 12th Annual Transition Summit
Breaking Down Barriers and Building Collaboration
The New Hampshire Transition Community of Practice is pleased to invite you to the statewide conference for training, collaboration, networking, and information that focuses exclusively on the transition-to-life-after-high-school of students with disabilities.
We are honored to feature keynote speaker Dan Habib, nationally recognized filmmaker at the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability, and the creator of many award-winning documentary films on disability-related topics.
Pre-registration is required and will not be accepted at the event. The fee is $100, which includes the keynote, 3 spotlight sessions, a full lunch buffet and refreshments throughout. THIS EVENT TYPICALLY SELLS OUT.
Check-in and continental breakfast for pre-registrants begins at 8:00 AM.
If accommodations are needed for communication access such as interpreters, CART (captioning), assistive listening devices or other auxiliary aids and/or services, please note this on your registration.
Questions about the conference? Contact event chair Heidi Wyman at 603.686-2136 or hwyman@slc.k12.nh.us.
1st Spotlight Sessions Choices (10:00-11:15)
A-1 Join Us for a Screening of INTELLIGENT LIVES
Dan Habib, filmmaker
INTELLIGENT LIVES stars three pioneering young American adults with intellectual disabilities—Micah, Naieer, and Naomie—who challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college, and the workforce.
INTELLIGENT LIVES challenges what it means to be intelligent, and points to a future in which people of all abilities can fully participate in higher education, meaningful employment, and intimate relationships.
A-2 Promoting High Expectations for Post-School Success by Family Members
Kimm Phillips, Parent Information Center
Family involvement and high expectations are evidence-based predictors of improved post school outcomes for students with disabilities. This facilitated discussion will review seven strategies and activities that school personnel can bring back to support families to increase their involvement and expectations. Folks attending are encouraged to bring ideas strategies, and materials.
A-3 Work-Based Learning: There Has Never Been a Better Time to Start! Peter Darling & IMPACCT Staff, Granite State Independent Living
Work-based learning(WBL) and paid work experience has been identified as one of the most compelling predictors of post-secondary success. And today, we are living in an incredibly unique time of far more job openings than qualified applicants.
Successful preparation of students, engaging business partners interested in utilizing our resources can make for a very powerful and successful partnership. Let’s discuss some of the resources available and how to more appropriately utilize them.
A-4 Let’s Learn Together, The Community of Practice Way NH Transition Community of Practice Members
Transition assessments, organizations that are helpful supporting students in transition, ELOs? A Community of Practice meeting is the place to ask and learn. NH Transition Community of Practice members will facilitate an interactive session of information sharing.
A-5 Paraprofessionals as Job Coaches: Skills for Supporting Students at Work-Based Training Sites. Dr. Dawn Breault & Michelle Sacco, Hollis Brookline High School
Classroom supports should look different when compared to work site supports for transition-age students. This presentation will include information about how to best support students on work sites, including concepts such as natural supports, task analysis, fading, and the prompt hierarchy, as well as social and cultural norms on the work site will be reviewed.
A-6 Transition Planning in the Area Agency System Mindy Huckins, Gateways Community Services
Why should you include them in school meetings? How soon is too soon?
The Area Agency System is for students with developmental disabilities who are eligible. This presentation will share information about this system and how timely collaboration can lead to meaningful transitions from high school.
2nd Spotlight Session Choices (12:15-1:30)
B-1 Building Resiliency in Children with Medical Illness: A Few Behavioral Strategies Jan McGonagle, M.D., Special Medical Services
Dr. McGonagle will review the current research on resiliency and the development of self-esteem. She will provide practical suggestions to encourage families and challenge you to minimize the impact of serious medical conditions on children’s long term view of themselves and their role in the world. She will also share techniques that she uses as a developmental behavioral pediatrician to connect with children with different challenges and accommodate their needs.
B-2 NextSteps-NH and BeyondClassroom, two websites to help you help students! Betsy Street & Steve Bigaj, Southwest Center for Educational Supports
Next-Steps New Hampshire and BeyondClassroom are free, multi-faceted websites available to teachers, parents, and students. These websites support all aspects of planning a successful postsecondary transition for students, and developing ELOs for students. New this year: a free online course on designing an ELO.
B-3 Building a Continuum of Mental Health Supports in NH Schools and Communities Heidi Cloutier, RENEW & MTSS Trainer, and panel
This presentation will use PowerPoint Visuals, group discussion and a panel format to explore how schools can create a continuum of supports to meet the emotional and behavioral health needs of All students AND staff by partnering with other child serving organizations, building awareness and competence of staff, students and family members and will share resources to add to your schools toolbox.
B-4 Transition Does Not Happen in Isolation: Community Connections & the IEP, a Conversation about Collaboration Sheila Mahon, Monadnock Developmental Services
Interagency collaboration is key to successful transition planning. Too often we work in silos and assume what other agencies/school can and should do, which can create conflicts and prevent teams from working together to truly support students. By creating a shared understanding of what each entities’ role and responsibility is and the real resources available, we can work together to identify resources and potential barriers and ultimately build collaboration.
B-5 Indicator 13 – What You Need to Know Heidi Wyman, Transition Consultantr
Learn the essential elements of what is required by the NH Department of Education Bureau of Special Education for Indicator 13 compliance, which monitors every high school’s compliance with transition elements of the IEP and IEP process. Be ready for your next visit AND learn about resources to help you use the process to create more effective transition plans.
B-6 Engaging Students and Transition Planning with Extended Learning Opportunities: a collaboration of students, school staff, parents, and community members. Jill Heath, MSW, MS Ed, Consultant, Strafford Learning Center
Learn how ELOs are an effective way to engage and empower youth in their education. This session will explore ELOs and how they can be an effective tool for transition. Collaboration amongst students, school staff, families, and community members will be woven in throughout the conversation.
3rd Spotlight Session Choices (1:45-3:00)
C-1 Updates from New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation Lisa K. Hinson-Hatz, M.A., CRC, Vocational Rehabilitation State Director
Learn about New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation’s Order of Selection and how students with disabilities will be served. In addition, meet our Student Transition Specialists and learn how they are working with schools and students with disabilities.
C-2 Asking the Right Questions to Build Strong Partnerships between Families, Students and Schools Kimm Phillips, Parent Information Center
Luz Santana and Dan Rothstein, co-founders of the Right Question Institute, have figured out how to teach a sophisticated thinking skill in a simple way. The Question Formulation Technique (RQT) allows anyone who uses it to produce their own questions, improve their questions and strategize about how to use them. Parents who learned the technique began to ask better questions about decisions affecting them and their children. Attend this experiential workshop to learn more about the Question Formulation Technique and leave ready to teach and share the skills with others.
C-3 Make Health Part of the Plan! Sylvia Pelletier & Karin Harvey-Olson, NH Family Voices
Transitions occur in multiple systems, with many of the necessary skills for transition in one system readily transferable to goal attainment in another. In this session, we will discuss how we can work more collaboratively across systems to not only more closely align simultaneous efforts, but to maximize the impact of those efforts.
Tips on youth engagement, capacity assessment, barrier identification, the development of self-management goals, and the supports needed to attain them, will be provided.
C-4 Let’s Learn Together, The Community of Practice Way NH Transition Community of Practice Members
Transition assessments, organizations that are helpful supporting students in transition, ELOs? A Community of Practice meeting is the place to ask and learn. NH Transition Community of Practice members will facilitate an interactive session of information sharing.
C-5 Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Behavioral Health: What Is It and How Does it Work JoAnne M. Malloy, Research Associate Professor, Institute on Disability at UNH
This session will outline the systems, data and practice features of the Multi-Tiered System of Support Framework for Behavioral Health (MTSS-B) with an emphasis on middle and high school implementation. The presenters will also demonstrate how MTSS-B implementation can relate to improved school-to-career transition outcomes for at risk students.
The Transition Community of Practice thanks the NH Department of Education Bureau of Special Education and the Parent Information Center for their support of the 12th Annual Summit.