NC ELSSP-VI Newsletter
February 2020
Each child will be honored, respected, and empowered to achieve success in school and life.
North Carolina Early Learning Sensory Support Program for Children with Visual Impairments
Exceptional Children Division
Email: bethany.mayo@dpi.nc.gov
Website: www.ncelssp.com
Location: 6371 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699
Phone: (984) 292-3063
Jaidyn
Feeling the cool green gel bag on a lightbox with his dad
Teacher: Hitty C.
Contents
Amazing Kids - Staff
National Board Certified Teachers - Paula Roten
Regional Meetings - Staff
Professional Development Opportunities - Lin Causey
Staff Birthdays for February
Photo/Video Credits
Congratulations to National Board Certified Teachers
Meg Libby has worked with ELSSP-VI for 5 years. She is a COMS, a CTVI, and has a Masters in Education with a concentration in Visual Impairment. This is her 15th year teaching for the State of North Carolina. She and her 13 year old son, Nate, live in Asheville. She has 2 labs, Dolly and Cash, and one outdoor cat named Nelson. She is an avid CrossFit athlete and rides a mountain bike. She is interested in nutrition, cooking, true crime, and drawing. She likes the outdoors and is always down to try new things. She enjoys taking risks and having fun! Her friends describe her as funny, outgoing, caring, and loyal. She is Catholic and goes to an adult faith class on Sunday after mass. Some goals she has set for 2020, include Olympic Lifting 1 time a week and getting a muscle up, which is a gymnastic strength movement. She is very interested in self-improvement and being a better person. Meg received her National Board Teaching Certification in 2018 in the area of Exceptional Needs Specialist; Early Childhood through Young Adulthood.
Heather Bradford is an Ohio native who moved to North Carolina in 2000 with her husband Todd and two children Mac and Hadley. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (K-6) from Youngstown State University and a Masters degree in Reading (K-12) from the Ohio State University. Heather is also certified in Exceptional Children; General Curriculum as well as Visual Impairments. She taught in the elementary school setting for 22 years as an elementary teacher and reading specialist. She then served as a K-12 Teacher for the Visually Impaired within the school system before accepting a position with the Early Learning Sensory Support Program/Visual Impairments in 2016. She recently received National Board Certification in the area of Exceptional Needs Specialist; Early Childhood through Young Adult.
ELSSP-VI Regional Meetings
Raleigh & Morganton, NC
Professional Development Opportunities
Here are upcoming professional development opportunities. Contact hours obtained from attending these professional development opportunities may be used towards the maintenance of the ITF certificate. Click on the links to find out more information.
February 4, 2020: Dads Matter! Why and How to Include Them into Routines-Based Intervention, FREE Webinar
February 7-8, 2020: 2020 Feeding Conference, Raleigh (See flyer attached for more info)
March 7, 2020: Treating a Child with Sensory Issues and Autism Spectrum Disorder Across Settings, Raleigh
• This training covers various age ranges so it will need to be prorated.
May 5-7, 2020: Registration is now open for the 20th National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute.
Last year, the Inclusion Institute sold out more quickly than ever before. You can read more and sign up for the 2020 Inclusion Institute at http://inclusioninstitute.fpg.unc.edu/
Ongoing: Developmentally Appropriate Practices Online Learning Modules, FREE
If it is discovered that a training does not offer a certificate, the learner needs to attach the following to their “NC ITP Documentation of Continuing Professional Development” form to obtain ITP credit: available slides, handouts, documents, and other training materials associated with the training; a statement about how the training supports evidence-based practices for infants and toddlers; and a write-up of how you will apply the information learned from the training in your work.
DEC Early Intervention Community of Practice FREE Webinars
The webinars below do not offer a certificate, the learner needs to attach the following to their “NC ITP Documentation of Continuing Professional Development” form to obtain ITP credit: available slides, handouts, documents, and other training materials associated with the training; a statement about how the training supports evidence-based practices for infants and toddlers; and a write-up of how you will apply the information learned from the training in your work.
• Ongoing: The Impact of Trauma and the Experience of Young Children in the Child Welfare System
• Ongoing: Harness Sensory Preferences to Guide Everyday Life: Everybody wins
• Ongoing: Helping Families Meet Resource Needs and Achieve Self-Sufficiency
Lisa Cloninger, the director of Charlotte CDSA is a presenter!
Birthdays
Maryam Griffin - Feb 12
Lori Blaney Persinger - Feb 17
Malikata Blakey - Feb 27
Angel Wallace - Feb 27
Photo/Video Credits
NC ELSSP-VI Staff