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Westchester Arc
The Gleeson-Israel Gateway Center
265 Saw Mill River Road
Hawthorne, NY 10532
914.949.9300
info@westchesterarc.org

24-hour
Crisis Intervention:
914.949.8200

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2009 Regional School to Work:

Community Partnerships Conference

For Special Education Professionals,
Supported Employment Providers and Families

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Keynote Presentation

Laura Owens, Ph.D. Executive Director National APSE

The Power of Connection: Maximizing Relationships Networking is a widely accepted practice in business and it is an important approach for job developers and job seekers. Networks are a type of social capital that encompass the connections that people have with family, friends, and acquaintances who are able to provide a job seeker with information about employment opportunities or possibly provide influence over hiring decisions. Participants will leave this presentation understanding the “endless referrals” we have in our own networks.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

MORNING SESSIONS

8:30 to 9:30AM

Breakfast/Reception

9:30 to 11:00AM

WELCOME:

Tom Hughes, Westchester Arc, Associate Executive Director

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:

Laura Owens, Ph.D., Executive Director, National APSE

11:00AM TO NOON

TRANSITION IN PARTNERSHIP

Presenter: Panel
Partners include those of the Troy, Lansingburgh and Cohoes school districts, Rensselaer County One-Stop, Rensselaer County Arc, and the Workforce Development Institute of Hudson Valley Community College. This session will describe how their collaboration results in student employment upon graduation. Approximately 400 students with various disabilities are served in a curriculum-based model.

12:00 TO 12:45PM

Lunch/Networking

AFTERNOON SESSIONS
12:45 to 1:30PM

THE PATH TO SUCCESSFUL SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT
Presenters: Ralph Szur & Mashal Gonzalez, Westchester Arc Directors
An overview of the VESID referral process and basic systems requirements within OMRDD from Westchester Arc experts who will examine successful vocational support for developmentally disabled high school students in the county.

1:30 to 2:15PM

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS: DIVERSE MODELS
Presenters: The Pleasantville School District, The New Rochelle School District & The Cooke Center Academy, NYC
Explore how meaningful collaborations between school districts, parent organizations, the local chamber of commerce and civic groups can create community based vocational opportunities for high school students with developmental disabilities.

2:15 to 3:00PM

VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AT THE PNW/BOCES TECH CENTER:
Presenters: Artie Buchman, Chris Egan & Grace Snowden
Engaging high school students in the diverse and exciting vocational opportunities available to public schools at the PNW/BOCES campus in Yorktown, NY.

3:00 to 3:30PM

Networking Opportunities and Conference Closing

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

The conference fee is $30. Please register online in advance. Cash or check payable to Westchester Arc will be accepted at registration table. We are not accepting credit card payment for this event. Advanced payment may be sent to: Westchester Arc Att:  Ralph Szur 265 Saw Mill River Road Hawthorne, NY 10532 Registration deadline is October 19th. Please consider carpooling, as parking is limited.

Click here to register online

Click here for directions

Questions?

For further information about the 2009 Regional Conference, please contact Ralph Szur at 914.495.4620 or email rszur@westchesterarc.org

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