Agenda

8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Check-In/Vendor Tables 

8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m.

Welcome

• Samantha Linden, Director of Training/Staff Development, MCB 
• Mike Saccone, Director of Communications, MCB

8:35 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.

Commissioner’s Welcome

• David D’Arcangelo, Commissioner, MCB 

8:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Importance of Orientation and Mobility in the Transition Process 

• Ally Bull, Director of Orientation and Mobility, MCB 

• Nancy Sharon, Director of Education & Community Services, The Carroll Center for the Blind, TVI & COMS 

9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Program Innovations and Future Ideas 

• Moderator: Kristen Clark, Perkins School for the Blind 

• Bianca Sabatino, Lowell Association for the Blind  

• Antonela Prifti, Partners for Youth with Disabilities  

• Theresa Kane, Polus Center for Social & Economic Development 

• Delia Guo, Perkins School for the Blind  

• Tina Laffer, The Carroll Center for the Blind  

• Cody Tannen-Barrup, Viability 

• Stephany Pallazolla, Viability

• Deborah Sanborn, Viability

• Joe Walsh, Adaptive Sports New England  

• Kelsey Torres, Work Opportunities Unlimited 

• Janet Ulwick-Sacca, ViStars at the Y 

  • Cassie Carlson, YMCA 

  • Nevaeh Smith, Student Participant

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

BREAK 

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

APH Expanded Core Curriculum: Resources  

• Carrie Brasier, Director, Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Library & MCB 

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Tools for Transition Planning 

• Denise Fitzgerald, Director of Transition Services, Perkins School for the Blind 

• Rachel Dubuque, Transition Coordinator, Perkins School for the Blind 

12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

LUNCH 

1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.

5th Year of High School: Our Less Conventional Path to College Success 

• o    Janet Ulwick-Sacca, TVI 

  o    Nevaeh Smith, Student Participant, Gloucester High School

  o    Jenny Sonia, Special Education Teacher, Gloucester High School

  o    Jessie Barletta, O&M Specialist, North Shore Education Consortium

1:50 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Compass: A Completely New Take on College Readiness Planning 

• Leslie Thatcher, Director, College Success @ Perkins School for the Blind  

2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

The IEP Improvement Project Updates 

• April Rist, Assistant Director Office of Special Education Planning and Policy Development (DESE) 

• Martha Daigle, Coordinator of Office of Special Education Planning and Policy Development (DESE) 

2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

MCB Regional Introductions, Updates, and Q & A  

• Moderator: John Oliveira, Deputy Commissioner, MCB

• Ally Bull, Director of Orientation & Mobility, MCB

• Mervyn Campbell, Regional Director for Central Massachusetts (Region 2), MCB

• Kara Sittig, Regional Director for Northeast Massachusetts (Region 3), MCB  

3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

• Sign out for CEs