BVI Family Newsletter Archive

*Please note that every newsletter edition from the 2025-2026 school year includes family publications from PaTTAN, community organizations that support families, a family feedback survey, and additional topics to those listed.

The January 2026 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Winter Camp Abilities Delaware
• PDE Conference 2026
• ECC at Home: Career Education

The December 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Transition Talks Family Workshops from Perkins
• Summer Academy for Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired
• Mobility Matters 2026 Conference
• ECC at Home: Social Interaction Skills

The November 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• PaTTAN Technology Adventure for Students with Vision & Hearing Needs
• Schools Engaging Families Webinar Series
• NFB of PA State Convention
• ECC at Home: Independent Living Skills

The October 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• PaTTAN Technology Adventure for Students with Vision & Hearing Needs
• NFBP State Convention
• ECC at Home: Orientation & Mobility
• Family Support Groups

The September 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Back-to-School Resources
• Technology Adventure for Students with Hearing & Vision Needs
• MSB's ECC Monthly Challenge

*Please note that every newsletter edition from the 2024-2025 school year includes family publications from PaTTAN, community organizations that support families, a family feedback survey, and additional topics to those listed.

The May 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• End-of-Year Resources
• New webinars from APH
• PaTTAN's "AAC Talks 2025"

The April 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• "Bridging Knowledge to Know-How" PaTTAN conference details, plus additional training opportunities from community organizations
• Summer camp offerings
• ECC at Home: Social Interaction Skills

The March 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Upcoming trainings from community organizations
• The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children annual Seminar
• Summer camps and seasonal programming
• ECC at Home: Self-Determination & Advocacy

The February 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Announcements from community organizations
• Early Connections Conference from Perkins
• Bridging Knowledge to Know-How conference from PaTTAN
• ECC at Home: Assistive Technology

The January 2025 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Ways to celebrate Braille Literacy Month
• Programming and scholarship opportunities from NFB
• Upcoming camps for winter and summer
• Internships with NASA
• ECC at Home: Compensatory and Academic Skills

The December 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Important Federal Quota Program updates
• Upcoming events from community organizations
• Parent scholarships for the 2025 PDE Conference
• BBVS 2025 Summer Academy information
• ECC at Home: Sensory Efficiency

The November 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• FAMILIES TO THE MAX upcoming events
• Making Meaningful Mobility Routines--A Team Approach: Students with Complex Needs including DeafBlind 3-part virtual training series
• NFB of PA Convention 2024
• Camp Abilities NJ @ Rowan University Fall 2024 Camp
• ECC at Home: Career Education

The October 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• PaTTAN Technology Adventure for Students with Vision & Hearing Needs
• SibShop Facilitator Certification Training (sibling support group)
• ECC at Home: Orientation & Mobility

The September 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Back to School Tips
• IEP Resources

*Please note that every newsletter edition from the 2023-2024 school year includes family publications from PaTTAN, community organizations that support families, a family feedback survey, and additional topics to those listed.

*Editions prior to Sept. 2024 may have broken links due to website updates.

The May 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• End of School Year Tips
• Extended School Year (ESY) Services
• Preschool to Kindergarten Transition & Secondary Transition
• Community of Practice Transition Conference
  

The April 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Family Learning Conference
  
• ECC at Home: Recreation & Leisure
  

The March 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Summer Camps
  
• ECC at Home: Independent Living Skills

The February 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Summer Academy, BBVS
  
• PA Braille Challenge
• ECC at Home: Social Skills
  

The January 2024 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Important Federal Quota Program Updates
• PA Regional Cane Quest
  
• ECC at Home: Self-Determination and Advocacy

The December 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• National Coding Symposium
• Family Recharge Zone
  
• PA Department of Education Conference
  
• ECC at Home: Assistive Technology
  

The November 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Teaching Touch and Exploratory Skills to Prepare for Tactile Graphics Learning
• Winter Camp, Camp Abilities Delaware
  
• ECC at Home: Compensatory or Functional Academic Skills, including Communication Modes such as Braille
  

The October 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• White Cane Safety Day
• Creating a Legacy for Your Family
• Student-Led IEP Resource Hub
  

The September 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• HELIX Conference
• Resources for Transitioning to New Educational Programming
  
• Conflict Resolution for Schools and Families

The May 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Family Activities to Try This Summer
• Family Learning Conference
• PA Computer Science for All Summit

The April 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• CVI Literacy Awareness Month
• Resources for Transitioning to New Education Programming
• Extended School Year (ESY) Services
• Summer Camps

The March 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Penn-Del AER Annual Conference
• Unified English Braille (UEB) Impact Study
• Summer Camps
  

The February 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Low Vision Awareness Month
• Benefits of Audio Description in Education (BADIE) Contest
• Conflict Resolution for Schools and Families
• Health Matters: Supporting Children & Youth with Disabilities

The January 2023 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Universal Design for Learning
• Framework for Access and Belonging
• Summer Academy, BBVS
  
• IEP Team Member Video Series

The December 2022 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Considerations for Educating Students with CVI
  
• Seeing Sadie and CVI
• PA Department of Education Conference
• PA Secondary Transition Roadmap
  

The November 2022 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• IEP Team Member Video Series
• PaTTAN Pods:
• Assistive Technology
• Parent Consultants
• Family Information & Engagement

The October 2022 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Parent Scholarships for PaTTAN Conferences
• The Literacy Project and Seedlings
• Digital Eye Strain: Symptoms and Solutions

The September 2022 Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Vision Therapy and Educational Visual Impairment Services: What's the Difference?
• Youth Ambassadors, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
  
• Due Process Guide for Families
• National PTA Parent Checklist

This Welcome Newsletter includes the following topics:

• Community Organizations for Families
• Special Education Information for Families:
• Special Education Process
• Students with Complex Needs
• Early Intervention Technical Assistance

PaTTAN East - 333 Technology Drive Malvern, PA 19355

• Jenifer Edgar - jedgar@pattan.net - Educational Consultant; BVI Initiative Lead

PaTTAN Central - 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112

• Greg Gerhart - ggerhart@pattan.net - Educational Consultant

PaTTAN West - 3190 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

• Tim Knight - tknight@pattan.net - Educational Consultant
• Greg Lazur - glazur@pattan.net - Educational Consultant

PaTTAN Statewide

• Tess Nasehi - tnasehi@pattan.net - Statewide BVI Family Support Specialist