UConn UCEDD

Today, our UConn UCEDD staff and faculty came together to create a gratitude tree in honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. ?? Each staff member shared something about our work that they are thankful for. This gratitude tree will serve as a daily reminder of how grateful we are for the work that we do!

Dream Cafe Rocky Hill is thriving! ? This incredible spot is more than just a café – it's a place where young adults of all abilities gain hands-on experience at the counter, in the kitchen, and even out in the community during catering jobs. Their mission is as inspiring as their menu: fostering inclusion, building skills, and empowering futures. Stop by, support their journey, and be a part of the dream! Try their pumpkin cold foam--yum! https://lnkd.in/eCfgaFue #TheDreamCafe #Inclusion #Empowerment #CommunitySupport #AbilitiesInAction

Today is the Connecticut Public Health Association (CPHA) Annual Meeting! This year's theme, "Building Community Together," inspires us to strengthen partnerships and innovate solutions for healthier, more inclusive communities. We’re proud to highlight two incredible student posters: Evaluation of the UCEDD's Certificate of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies in Public Health Presented by UCEDD trainee and MD/MPH student Dean Kim A statewide Local Health Department needs assessment and training inquiry on disability Presented by UCEDD doctoral student Holly LaBrecque Kudos to Dean and Holly for their dedication to advancing public health and disability inclusion! Stop by and check out their important work! #CPHA2024 #BuildingCommunityTogether #PublicHealth #DisabilityInclusion #UCEDD #HealthEquity

Last night we attended the AUCD Awards Ceremony where we celebrated the 2024 awardees, including Gold Star Award winner, Peter Mills, MPP, Legislative Assistant for the Office of Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy! #AUCD2024 ?

On Saturday, our Aspiring Leaders welcomed Jody Goeler, from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. #AspiringLeaders

Today, we welcomed our new cohort of the CT Early Childhood Intervention Leadership Academy! Jill Isenberg and Ashlee Houle welcomed everyone and provided an overview of what to expect from the program. Trainees also got to know themselves through the True Colors assessment, administered by staff member, Darla Gundler. True Colors is a great way to learn about your own personal leadership and learning styles, values, and strengths! Mary Beth Bruder, PhD, gave trainees a history of early intervention and information about the current state of the field, defined leadership, spoke about action planning and individualized professional development plans, and concluded by discussing capstones.

Another Connecticut Leaders in Special Education meeting this morning! The cohort heard from education consultants, Kirsten Dovenberg, CSDE and Jennifer James, CSDE about IEE, due process, mediations, and complaints.

We had a wonderful time at the 2024 Candidates’ Forum on Disability Issues. Our CT LEND community, composed of self-advocates, graduate students, faculty member Laurie, and Chris, a self-advocate, met Senator Chris Murphy. UCEDD Director, Mary Beth Bruder, PhD, and staff Bethanne Vergean are pictured with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. The forum featured candidates for Senate and the House of Representatives. Those pictured include Robert Hyde, John Larson, Joe Courtney, and Dr. Michael Goldstein, as well as surrogates for the President/Vice President. Anastasia Samosa represented Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and Ruben Rodriguez represented Donald Trump and JD Vance.

Yesterday we welcomed a new cohort of our Connecticut Leaders in Special Education! We were joined with a welcoming from Bryan Klimkiewicz, Special Education Division Director. Leaders also listened to a presentation from guest speaker, Kathleen Greider, Superintendent of Farmington Public Schools about working with your superintendent and Board of Education, and were introduced to ConnCASE by Aimee Turner, President of ConnCASE.

On Saturday, our Connecticut Aspiring Leaders enjoyed presentations from Stephen Proffitt, from State Education Resource Center, and David Bateman, Principal Researcher, AIR and Co-Principal Investigator of LEAD-IDEA. Stephen’s presentation was about SPP APR: Accountability in IDEA and LRE Indicators, and David spoke to the cohort about Implementation of Special Education Policies, Laws, and Regulations. #CTAspiringLeaders