The 10th Annual Statewide Family Conference will be held March 9 – 11, 2012 at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton. We are proud of this event as it is offered specifically FOR families of children with hearing loss and is planned BY family members.  All families with children who are hard of hearing, deaf, have combined vision and hearing loss, or are deaf with additional disabilities are encouraged to attend!

Our theme this year is "All Under One Umbrella – Super-conference-agilisticexpialidocious.”  This year,  families have a special opportunity to purchase underwritten tickets and see the Broadway performance of “Mary Poppins”  at the Fox Valley Performing Arts Center!

This year, JANICE FIALKA from “THE DANCE OF PARTNERSHIP” will be our opening keynote presenter.  This presentation will focus on strengthening parent/professional partnerships to help children achieve their greatest potential.  This session will help to enhance insight and understanding of things that complicate and challenge a working partnership and identify practical strategies which promote partnerships.  HAROLD JOHNSON from the Deaf Education Teacher Preparation in Michigan will be our closing keynote presenter.  Bullying, abuse and neglect have a negative impact on all children, and children who are deaf/hard of hearing/combined vision and hearing loss can be especially susceptible. This presentation will focus on how our children are impacted, and will provide parents with the initial awareness, understanding, and resources that they will need to prevent, or at least recognize and report instances of bullying, abuse and neglect experienced by children.

Beginning and advanced level breakout sessions and discussion groups on practical topics are scheduled and include:

• ASL Café – Friday afternoon
• Getting to Know You Discussion Groups
• Hearing Loss 101
• CI (Re)Habilitation:  Where Do I Begin?
• Helping Children Deal with Death and Grief
• Building Social Language & Communication Confidence
• DHH Children CAN See the BIG Picture!
• On the Road …. A Day in the Life of an Itinerant Teacher
• Effective Advocacy Skills and Strategies
• How to Utilize Special Factors in Your Child’s IEP
• What Every Parent Needs to Know to Prepare Their DHH Student for a Successful College Career
• The Dance of Partnership:  Strategies for Self-Care
• Recognizing & Supporting At-Risk Families: Protective Factors & Resources to  Prevent Child Abuse & Neglect
• Personal Journeys – A Share Shop of Learning
• Effective Communication:  Strategies for Success with Your Deaf-Blind Child

For a detailed tentative conference schedule, click here.

For Presenter Bios/Workshop Descrioptions for the Family Conference, click here.

This affordable conference offers families (including grandparents and extended family)….

• Well-supervised and fun-filled children’s activities while parents are in workshops
• Opportunities to meet other families around the state
• Opportunities to meet and learn from Hard of Hearing and Deaf adult role models
• Exhibitor Hall with exhibits  from around the state and nation
• Prizes from a Raffle Drawing and a Silent Auction to raise money for scholarships
• Workshops which are accessible to Deaf, Hmong and Spanish-speaking families.
• Friday and Saturday Night Entertainment
  • Broadway Performance of “Mary Poppins”
  • Friday night Movie Night
  • Saturday night Tween/Teen Dance
  • Photo Booth
  • Silent Auction and Raffle
  • Bedtime Stories

Childcare Activities:

Kids ages 4-5  Children’s Museum/Afternoon Activities at Hotel
Kids ages 6-8  Children’s Museum/Afternoon at YMCA
Kids ages 9+  EAA Airventure Museum/Afternoon at YMCA

Costs:

Family Conference Registration Fee:  $150 per family
Extended Family / Childcare Provider: $ 50 each additional individual

Family Conference registration fee can be paid in full OR in three monthly installments of $50 each, December, January and February.  ALL registration fees are due by February 24, 2012.

Payments can be made to:

WESP-DHH Family Conference
Business Office
1700 W. State Street
Janesville, WI  53546

Hotel Costs:
Participants are responsible for making their own hotel reservations, at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton.

$ 70 per night one adult; kids stay free
$100 per night two adults; kids stay free
$ 10 each additional adult in the room

Scholarships:
Partial Scholarships for families are available through Wisconsin Families for Hands & Voices and you must be a member of Hands & Voices for your application to be considered.
To join, click here: Wisconsin Families for Hands & Voices membership

All scholarships must be postmarked by February 3, 2012.  NO late applications will be accepted.

For scholarship information and application, click here.

Registration Deadline is midnight on Friday, February 10, 2012.
No late registrations will be accepted!

TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED!

Click here for a downloadable FAMILY CONFERENCE FLYER!

Click here to download the FAMILY CONFERENCE FLYER in Spanish.

PICTURES AND COMMENTS

Click here if you would like to read some quotes from families who have attended the Family Conference please click here.

Click here if you want to see a slide show from previous Family Conferences

QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about the Statewide Family Conference, please contact Laurie Nelson at 608-822-3756,  leave a message at 1-888-656-8556 or email at: laurie.nelson@wesp-dhh.wi.gov