NOPBC 1998 Meeting Report

NOPBC 1998 Meeting Report

Report on the 1998 Annual Meeting

of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children

NOPBC meetings have a reputation for being lively, fast-paced, and information-packed.

In all respects, the 1998 meeting lived up to that well-earned reputation. The meeting

began with some brief business items—the reading of the minutes and the nominating

committee's report—and ended with the election of the following officers and board

members:

* Barbara Cheadle, President (MD)

* Carol Castellano, First Vice President (NJ)

* Marty Greiser, Second Vice President (MT)

* Christine Faltz , Secretary (NY)

* Julie Hunter, Treasurer (CO)

* Crystal McClain, Board (OH)

* Sally Miller, Board (SC)

* Sandy Taboada, Board (LA)

* Tammy Hollingsworth, Board (IN)

Sandwiched between these business items was a program packed with exciting descriptions

of NOPBC programs and initiatives, stimulating guest speakers, and—to keep the

adrenaline flowing—lots of neat door-prizes.

Dr. James (Blue) Bickford, Director of Education at the Washington State School for the

Blind and the 1998 recipient of the Distinguished Educator of the Year Award, kicked off

the program with his thought-provoking keynote address, "The Inclusionary

Express" (see page 41 in this issue). Since 1988, winners of this award have been

considered role models and examples of what parents desire most in the teachers and

educators who serve their children. Dr. Bickford lived up to the standard set by previous

award winners, and was a wonderful source of information and inspiration to parents and

teachers throughout the Convention week.

Following the keynote presentation were presentations about new and established NOPBC

programs. Ellen Waechtler, one of the two Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest judges, gave

a report about the 1997-1998 contest results (see page 47 in this issue for the complete

report). Participation skyrocketed this year; 431 students (double the number of any

previous year) entered the contest and read a total of 650,348 pages. Deborah Hartz, a

teacher from Arizona, provided additional comments about how this contest supports the

importance and benefits of reading (Mrs. Hartz was the teacher of several national winners

in past years).

Brad and Jill Weatherd and daughter

Hannah of Montana were typical of

the some 200 families who attended

the 1998 Convention.

The Slate Pal Program also enjoyed a big surge of applicants this year, so reported

Debbie Stein of Illinois. Debbie, the volunteer coordinator of the program, takes

applications and matches Braille using students with other Braille users who want a pen

pal. One goal of this program is to increase Braille literacy by helping students make

friends with Braille users who share similar interests, hobbies, and aspirations. A

friendship formed through this pen-pal service indirectly encourages students to use their

Braille skills outside the classroom in an everyday, functional kind of way. The service

also gives students a chance to find friends who can talk with them about things that only

another blind person could understand.

Next, Dr. Betsy Zaborowski, Director of Special Programs at the NFB,

described a new training program for parents. Two four-day "In-Touch" Braille

technology workshops for parents were funded for 1998. These workshops provide parents

some hands-on training and exposure to all the various Braille technological devices used

by and for the blind. Grants cover all but the expense of transportation to and from the

training site at the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind, which is

located in the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, Maryland. At the time of the

report one seminar had already taken place in May and the other was scheduled for October,

1998.The May training was extremely successful.

Some of the older students chose to

attend the NOPBC meeting with

their parents.

Some of the students, like May May

Richardson of NC, went on the field

trip toa nearby Dude Ranch.

Interspersed throughout these (and other) reports, were accounts from individual states

and Parents of Blind Children state divisions concerning the past year's activities for

and by blind children and their parents. For a detailed description of the outstanding and

creative accomplishments of these parent divisions, see Parent Power on page 22 in this

issue. States giving presentations this year were: Indiana (Tammy Hollingsworth), South

Carolina (Sally Miller), Montana (Marty Greiser), New Jersey (Carol Castellano), Maryland

(Karen Herstein), Colorado (Raul Gallegos), Washington (Barbara Freeman), Ohio (Crystal

McClain), Missouri (T.J. Dixon), Wisconsin (Margie Watson), Louisiana (Sandy Taboada),

Pennsylvania (Lisa Mattioli), Illinois (Debbie Stein), Michigan (Tonya Ericson), and New

York (Christine Faltz).

About midpoint through the meeting, members got a welcome break when Daniel Lamonds, a

creator of children's music and a blind member of the South Carolina affiliate, arrived to

lead us in a hand-clapping, foot-stomping sing-along. Mr. Lamonds became a familiar face

to many parents with children in NFB Camp where he regularly entertained and led the

children in many fun-filled hours of musical activities.

After the break, Dr. Ruby Ryles, a long-time officer of the NOPBC board, gave an

enthusiastic description of the new master's degree program in orientation and mobility,

which she coordinates for the Louisiana Tech University and the Louisiana Center for the

Blind in Ruston, Louisiana. This program incorporates the best of the innovative mobility

techniques, canes, and teaching strategies that have been, over the years, developed and

"field tested" by rehabilitation programs run by blind consumers. Especially

exciting is the program's strong emphasis on recruiting blind instructors, and the

extensive sleepshade (blindfold) training required of its students. Interested blind and

sighted persons were encouraged to contact Dr. Ryles for information on how to enroll in

the program.

The final program item was a description about a wonderful and much-needed new product.

Margie Watson (Wisconsin) introduced, then played a 10-minute segment from, the new

six-tape video set produced by the NOPBC and the NFB entitled "Avoiding an IEP

Disaster." The video consists of interviews and mock IEP meetings filmed under the

direction of volunteer NOPBC member Myra Lesser at the 1997 NFB National Convention. IEP

issues are discussed from almost every possible angle of interest to parents and others

involved in the IEP process. The tape set includes the perspective of parents, blind

students, teachers of the visually impaired, classroom teachers, teachers' aides,

orientation and mobility instructors, advocates, school administrators, and legal experts.

The new provision in the 1997 IDEA amendments regarding Braille instruction is discussed

extensively by James Gashel, the NFB Director of Governmental Affairs. The set sells for

$30 plus $5 shipping and handling, or individual tapes sell for $7 plus $5 shipping and

handling. (See page 30 for details on ordering the set.)

Before moving to the last business item of the day (the election of officers),

President Barbara Cheadle presented a special plaque of appreciation to outgoing First

Vice President, Dr. Ruby Ryles. After nearly a decade of serving as an officer of NOPBC,

Dr. Ryles believed she could—at this point in her life—be of the most benefit to

blind children by devoting her efforts to creating quality university programs that give

educators of blind children a solid foundation in blindness skills that are based on a

positive attitude and philosophy about blindness. She also believed it was time to let

parents of younger children take on leadership roles (her blind son Dan is now a second

year law student). For these reasons, she chose not to seek re-election. Ruby received an

emotional standing ovation as she accepted her plaque.

After unanimous support for the nominating committee's slate of officers and board

positions, the 1998 Annual Meeting adjourned. Members departed in high spirits, refreshed,

renewed, inspired, and ready to tackle the challenges of the coming year.

Barbara Cheadle (left) and Tammy

Hollingsworth announce the

NOPBC 50/50 raffle winner

at the 1998 banquet.