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Region 10 VI Newsletter

August 2021

Region 10 VINewsletterAugust 2021

Welcome Back, Everyone!

I hope you each have had time to rest and refresh during your summer break. You truly deserved the time off. While you were off, Region 10 Special Populations has made some changes to streamline services. We also have new staff to introduce.


Please welcome Elaine Sveen, TVI and Alexa Poynor, COMS.


Elaine is a VI consultant who specializes in Deafblind services and supports. Elaine has mentored and coached vocational rehabilitation counselors working with families and is knowledgeable of federal and state policies aligned to vision and students who are Deafblind. Lastly, she is a great support in creating and sustaining partnerships with outside agencies, such as TWC, HHSC, and other entities supporting students and families with vision impairments based on her tenure with TWC. Elaine's position is new based on the needs the region and feedback from you!


Alexa Poynor is not new to Region 10 as she worked with the direct services team as a COMS. Alexa brings 22+ years of experience in the field of vision. She has helped teams realize the need for multi-disciplinary collaborations and served students with visual impairments in the home, campus, and community. Alexa has mentored new vision professionals in the field, coached parents, and maintained strong connections in the vision community, such as serving as an advisor for DART.


Vision impairment assistive technology supports will fall under Elaine's and Alexa's scope of work, so please reach out to them regarding AT for VI. If you are wanting to check out resources and/or trial devices before you buy, please contact Dianne Jordan (dianne.jordan@region10.org) to see if we have the item you are seeking available.

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Alexa Poynor, COMS

VI Consultant

alexa.poynor@region10.org

972.348.1568

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Elaine Sveen, TVI

VI & DB Consultant

elaine.sveen@region10.org


972.348.1654

2021 Fall Professional Development for VI & DB
Please click on link to discover PD opportunities Region 10 has available this fall. Added are SAVE the DATE for future evens as well as links to to the 2021 SWOMA Conference & 2022 TAER Conference. Keep watching this link as updates are made often!
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22nd Annual Sports Extravaganza!!

The 22nd Annual Sports Extravaganza has something for everyone. This event gives athletes opportunities to compete with their peers on a level-playing field in a variety of events. Both competitive and non-competitive events are available for school-aged children 5-22 with vision impairments and complex needs. Families have time to network with other families and agencies with a vision focus throughout the day. As an added bonus, a free lunch is included! Please plan to attend Sports Extravaganza where memories are created and kids excel.


Goalball Tournament (Friday, October 22, 2021)

South Grand Prairie High School
Dr. Vern L. Alexander Building
305 W Warrior Trail
Grand Prairie, TX 75052


Sports Extravaganza (Saturday, October 23, 2021)

Nimitz High School
100 W. Oakdale
Irving, TX 75060


Flyers & Registration Information



Questions?

Need more information?

Email: sportsextravaganza@region10.org

National Registry for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments Launches

Success Beyond Sight, (SBS), a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization, has created a FREE National Registry for TSVIs/TVIs (NRTSVI) to empower a national voice for TSVIs/TVIs and to provide a means to reach, on a national level, TSVIs/TVIs with free resources and important professional information.


Success Beyond Sight recognizes the crucial role that Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs/TVIs) play in the long-term success of their students. Strong instruction and mentorship by TSVIs/TVIs are common denominators for many highly accomplished adults who were born without vision or who lost their vision as children.


Because TSVIs/TVIs are licensed/credentialed/certified/endorsed in their state of practice, there has not been a Registry recognizing them as a nationally important profession demonstrating the power of their numbers. SBS formed an Advisory Board to help guide the development of the NRTSVI. Advisory Board members are Dr. Laura Bozeman, Dr. Rona Pogrund, Dr. Amy Parker, Dr. Cheryl Kamei-Hannan, Jill Brown and Dr. Nicole Johnson.


SBS is providing FREE access to the Journal of Vision Impairment & Blindness (JVIB) for all Registrants. JVIB is the resource for peer-reviewed research and articles for professionals serving individuals who are blind or have low vision.


TSVIs/TVIs will be able to be directly engaged with, and have a voice in, national discussions regarding:


  • the funding needed to train current and future professionals and to secure the survival of this very important profession
  • efforts to ensure sufficient funding for all students who require specialized services from a TSVI/TVI
  • the sharing of important information and opportunities to be included in relevant surveys and research to benefit the profession
  • appropriate caseloads
  • legislative advocacy


SBS recognizes that there are important professional membership organizations that provide TSVIs/TVIs a voice among other professional voices, but the Registry will provide the forum for TSVIs/TVIs to be highly visible and have their own unique voice on the national stage.

If you are a TSVI/TVI or teacher licensed, credentialed, certified, or endorsed in at least one state to teach children who have visual impairments go to https://www.successbeyondsight.org/tsvi-landing to learn more and to register.


Participating in this Registry is voluntary, For questions or additional information please email: NRTSVI@successbeyondsight.org

TWC Introduces Online Self-Referral Portal

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is introducing “Start My VR” an online self-referral portal for prospective vocational rehabilitation customers, providing a convenient way for individuals with disabilities who are seeking employment to inquire about Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services and/or be connected to a VR staff member.


“Start My VR offers individuals with disabilities a way to connect with VR Services at their convenience and take their first step toward achieving their employment goals,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “TWC remains focused on helping every Texas job seeker connect to their next career opportunity.”

More Professional Development Opportunities

Using Accessible Media in the Classroom with Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

For professionals working with individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing in K-12 educational settings. Explores the benefits of using media in the classroom. Explains the importance of accessible media for students with sensory impairments as well as students with and without disabilities. Learn to evaluate the quality of accessibility features and various techniques for utilizing media to enhance classroom instruction. This class is three weeks of asynchronous, online training. Choose your preferred time during the week to work online and meet weekly deadlines. Expect to spend approximately five hours per week completing the required work. When you successfully complete the class, you will receive a certificate for 15 continuing education credits. Free of charge and fully accessible.


Register for Deaf/Hard of Hearing QC
August 16 - September 5 , 2021

Texas Deafblind: Family to Family

Texas Deafblind Project


Our wonderful partners at NFADB would like to remind you that the registration for the Family 2 Family Communities (F2FC) phase 7 (2021-22) registration is open until August 20, 2021.


F2FC brings together families of individuals with deaf-blindness to connect, share information and resources, and offer support to one another. Groups meet in Zoom once per month during Sept to May. There are 10 groups available for English-speaking families and one for Spanish-speaking families. We also have a group just for grandparents and other extended family members. If you are interested, please register soon!


Register here- https://ugeorgia.ca1.qualtrics.com/…/form/SV_6YEOdwEQJbtReMC

Stay Connected

Stay Connected

SPEDTex Information, Updates & Resources (August 2021) Register today for the FREE Back-to-School Brain Boosters webinar on T uesday, August 24 at 12:15 p.m. CST (English) and 1:15 p.m. CST (Spanish).

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