COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 23

February 14, 2003

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Virginias Transition Forum 2003 March 17 19, 2003

Attached is a brochure describing The Transition Forum 2003-- Shared Responsibility for the Educated Employee, scheduled for March 17 19 at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, Virginia. The Forum includes a series of interactive and informative workshops and panel presentations. Highlights of this years conference include:

• A motivational opening address by Harvey Alston
• A luncheon address by Dr. Belle Wheelen, Virginia Secretary of Education
• A closing address by Diane Wilson, U. S. Commissioner of the Rehabilitative Services Administration
• A Showcase of Excellence where school division presenters participate in informal presentations about new and successful ideas
• Topic strands include (a) Assessment, (b) Adult Service Options, (c) Access to General Curriculum, (d) Instructional Strategies, (e) Model Transition Programs, (f) Services for Youth with Challenging Behaviors, and (g) Disability Specific Practices

New this year is a FREE Pre-Conference Workshop on Monday, March 17, 2003 from 9:30 to 12 noon. presented by Maryann Davis, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Davis will describe current systems of care, including innovative and successful projects, encourage discussion by local Virginia systems, and examine barriers to service delivery for students with challenging emotional and behavioral disorders.

We urge you to support attendance by transition practitioners and others who provide direct service to youth in transition. Scholarships sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education for conference registration fees are available in each region. For information, contact the T/TAC transition specialist for your region:

• Regions 1 & 8 VCU T/TAC, Kathe Wittig (mail to kmwittig@vcu.edu)
• Regions 2 & 3 W&M T/TAC, Dale Pennell(mail to dppenn@wm.edu)
• Region 4 GMU T/TAC, Wendy Strobel (mail to wstrobel@gmu.edu)
• Region 5 JMU T/TAC, Sally Chappel(mail to chappesl@jmu.edu)
• Region 6 & 7 Radford T/TAC, Dale Matusevich(mailto: dmatusev@radford.edu)

The audience for this forum includes education personnel; rehabilitation personnel; workforce development personnel; college and university faculty, staff, and students; and the community-at-large, including service providers, employers, advocates and persons with special needs who are interested in the successful transition of youth and adults from education to independence and productivity in adult life in the community.

The registration fee of $95 includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks on Tuesday and a continental breakfast on Wednesday. The main conference hotel is the Hotel Roanoke. Conference attendees may also find rooms available at the Wyndham Roanoke Airport Hotel and the Clarion Hotel.

Please register directly with Radford at www.radford.edu/~conf-serv for the conference or use the form in the attached brochure. For more information, please contact Dale Matusevich (mailto: dmatusev@radford.edu)transition coordinator at (540) 831-5357.

JLD/RSB/rsb

Attachments:

/administrators/superintendents_memos/2003/inf023a.pdf