The 18th Annual Empower All Abilities Conference will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, bringing together families, caregivers, community members and organizations supporting children and youth with disabilities or exceptionalities.
The community resource event is organized by Springfield School District 186 under the student support services and special education department. It will include several workshops and more than 50 informational tables.
“The conference is going to provide people with an opportunity to connect with community vendors, support services and local resources, as well as attend breakout sessions where they learn about topics like ADHD and autism and behavioral challenges from local and area experts in those fields,” said Ward Lamon, the District 186 executive director of student support services.
Organizations in attendance will include those that provide support for the visually impaired, along with music therapy and art therapy.
This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Shelley Moore, an internationally known researcher and presenter in the area of inclusion, Lamon said. This will be her second time presenting at the conference.
Empowering people of all abilities entails striving for inclusion, Lamon said.
“And Shelley really provides a roadmap to inclusion for institutions like schools or businesses or community-related organizations,” he said.
The Canadian-based educator has grown her following with her YouTube video series “Five Moore Minutes” where she provides “tools, insights and practical strategies that can help you create equitable and supportive learning spaces for all students.”
Some of her most popular videos include “Removing the Barriers,” Planning for All,” “The Importance of Presuming Competence” and “The Evolution of Inclusion: The Past and Future of Education.”
Lamon said several breakout sessions will seek to connect families of children with special needs to organizations that help foster connection and acceptance for what can be an isolating experience.
“It’s often a very lonely journey when you have a child with a disability because it does limit what our normal experience is, what people would call the typical experiences of a parent,” he said.
Other session topics include promoting active participation and self-advocacy for students with autism and guidance on planning for transitioning through the educational system onto college or the workforce for neurotypical individuals and people with disabilities.
The Empower All Abilities Conference will be held at Southeast High School on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 8 a.m.to 12:30 p.m. Childcare is available for children 3 and older.
The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
