AER Spring Newsletter Editor Jimmy Jones

Important Information in this issue:Committee Members

Awards and Scholarship Marsha Clark

Presenter Information Kara Aaron

Board Positions Jim Carey

Meeting and Hotel Information

Other Information/Job listing

Letter from the editor:

What a mild winter we have had! It has been much more comfortable to do O&M when it is 55 degrees instead of 25 degrees. Last year’s cold and snowy weather put a hamper on our May AER meeting and it looks like that may not happen this year. Our membership numbers for the meeting were down due to schools having to make up snow days but we still had a great meeting. Our meeting this year will be a little different but different does not mean anything bad. We are having a one day meeting that will be concentrated. We will still have breaks, lunch, and time to visit vendors, as well as receive our CEU’s. More specific information will be up-coming.

On another note I would encourage all our members to think about nominating someone for the awards we have for deserving members. Sometimes we don’t know some of the details about a person’s work history or education so we don’t nominate them. I think most people have supervisors or co-workers that just may know the information you need. We have

many deserving members, and awards worthy of their talents. Also consider running for one of the board positions that will be open. You don’t have to be nominated for that; just ask and you will be put on the ballot.

If you are interested in presenting at this year’s meeting, we have presenter information. Don’t keep all that good information and knowledge to yourself. If you have any question about nominations, board positions, or presenting, you can email any board member and we will provide the information or find out.

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

The Arkansas AER Awards Committee presents awards on an annual basis to recognize outstanding professionals and advocates within the field of blindness and visual impairment. Nominations for each of the following awards and scholarships are considered: Wall of Tribute, J. Max Woolly Award, Joyce Ogburn Award, Tom Phifer Award, Arkansas Distinguished Advocate Awards and the Bill Tomlin Scholarship. The criterion for each award is listed below. Please note that the Wall of Tribute is a recently established honor, which must be voted on by the entire AR-AER Board. Nominations are currently being accepted for 2012 awards, which will be presented at our state banquet on Monday, May 14. Nominations and support letters will be accepted and must be postmarked no later than Friday, March 30, 2012. Nominations for the Wall of Tributemust be received by March 5, 2012. All correspondence should be sent to:

Sharon Niemczyk

AR-AER Awards Committee Co-Chair

Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary

905 M. L. King Drive

Little Rock, AR72201

J. Max Woolly Award

This award is presented in recognition of outstanding contributions in the field of work for people with visual impairments. The award may be given to an AR- AER member for the following reasons:

  1. Efforts far in excess of those of similar professional rank.
  2. Professional excellence or accomplishment and outstanding achievements in one’s own profession.
  3. Personal intervention, which has directly helped a visually impaired client who was classified as difficult with the assistance changing the client to a successful orientation.
  4. Research or literature accomplishments.
  5. Development of a new technical adaptation or strategy that will benefit the consumer.
  6. Accomplishments in the area of organization of and for the blind.

This award is not necessarily given each year, but only when the awards committee feels it has been earned. Nominations should refer to the specific criteria met by the nominee and should be accompanied by three letters of support. Note: all letters of support will be held in confidence by the Nomination Committee. Letters of nomination must be from current AR-AER members.

Joyce Ogburn Memorial Award

The Joyce Ogburn Memorial Award is dedicated to the memory of Joyce Ogburn, a teacher at the ArkansasSchool for the Blind from 1971 to 1985. The dedication she showed to her students, school and colleagues was an inspiration to all who knew and worked with her. This award is meant to inspire others to walk in her footsteps and will honor only those who aspire to her ideals. The award will be made when deemed appropriate by the AR-AER Awards Committee on the basis of the following:

  1. Nominations may be made by AR-AER members only and accompanied by three letters of support. Note: all letters of support will be held in confidence by the Nomination Committee.
  2. Recipients must be AR-AER members.
  3. The recipient must be an instructor/teacher of visually impaired persons.
  4. The award will be presented to a person who had rendered outstanding service in the field of education or rehabilitation of the visually impaired as demonstrated by:
  1. Willingness to work beyond usual job requirements;
  2. Concern for individual needs of students or clients;
  3. Involvement in professional organizations;
  4. Dedication to the highest professional ideals.

Tom Phifer Award

This award is in recognition of Tom Phifer, an Arkansas rehabilitation counselor who worked tirelessly to improve and enhance employment opportunities for persons who are blind and visually impaired. The award is to be given to an individual working in the field of blindness who has made significant contributions toward the independence of blind and visually impaired persons living in the state of Arkansas. Contributions may be made in the following areas:

  1. Professional excellence or accomplishment in the area of rehabilitation teaching or vocational rehabilitation.
  2. Utilization of new strategies, techniques, or equipment to achieve the independence goals of individuals with visual impairments.
  3. Promotion of a positive image for potential employment of individuals who are blind and visually impaired.
  4. Promoting the transition of persons who are blind or visually impaired into an independent lifestyle.

Recipients of this award must be members of AR-AER and the award will only be given when an individual with significant merit is nominated. Nominations must refer to specific criteria and should be accompanied by threeletters of support. Note: all letters of support will be held in confidence by the Nomination Committee. Letters of nomination must be from current AR-AER members.

Arkansas Distinguished Advocate Awards

(For Groups and Individuals)

(“ADAA Boy Awards”)

These two awards are designed to honor individuals and organizations, groups, or businesses outside our “traditional” professional field. Contrary to other established awards, these will be announced prior to the state conference. The criteria for the awards are as follows:

  1. Nominations for either award can come from any source.
  2. Awards recipients are NOT limited to citizens of Arkansas or AER members.
  3. The nominated person or group must demonstrate outstanding contributions to the dignity, independence and/or advancement of persons who are visually impaired in Arkansas.
  4. The person or group efforts should benefit Arkansans who are blind or visually impaired.

Wall of Tribute

Guidelines for the AR-AER Board to place individuals on the Wall of Tribute housed at American Printing House for the Blind:

  1. The AR-AER Board will vote on who should be honored for the Wall of Tribute Plaque.
  2. The Honor will not be a yearly award, but will be made at the discretion of the Board.
  3. The size and wording for the plaque will be determined by the AR-AER Board.
  4. Any AR-AER member in good standing may submit a nominee to a current AR-AER Board member.
  5. Board members may also nominate individuals for this award.

Criteria: In order to be considered for this nomination the chairperson of the Awards Committee should verify the following:

  • The nominee must have been retired from his or her primary work in the field of vision for at least five years.
  • The nominee’s career should have been for at least twenty-five years in duration in the education or rehabilitation fields.
  • A nominee should have been a twenty-year active member of AEVH, AAWB, or AER (combinations of these organizations is acceptable).
  • An active member is an individual who has attended or presented at state and international conferences on a regular basis, has served on committees, held an office, or served on the Board of AEVH, AAWB, or AER.

Bill Tomlin Scholarship Award

This award was established by the Arkansas Chapter of the Association for Rehabilitation and Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AR-AER) to honor the memory of long time AR-AER member and past-president Bill Tomlin. A monetary award will be made each year to a student who is blind or visually impaired and who will be enrolled in a post-secondary educational or vocational training program for the 2012-2013 school year. Funds will be awarded for the purchase of textbooks, specialized materials or adaptive equipment. The award this year will be in the amount of $1,000.

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. Applicant must be legally blind and enrolled or planning to enroll in a post-secondary or educational program.
  2. Applicant must currently be a legal resident of the state of Arkansas.
  3. Applicant must submit a signed application with required supporting documents to the AR-AER Awards Committee Chairperson by April 2, 2012.

Submit Application and Materials to:

Sharon Niemczyk

AR-AER Awards Committee Co-Chair

Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary

905 M. L. King Drive

Little Rock, AR72201

Presenter Information

Name of Presenter(s):

Title of Presentation:

1. Write a few sentences describing the training you plan to present.

2. State goal(s) you have set for this presentation. Think in terms of what you want attendees to get out of your presentation.

3. State the objectives for your presentation. Think of these as the components of your goals stated above; in other words, sub-goals. These should be outcome oriented, in that they should state what attendees will be able to do as a result of participating in your training session.

4. List the materials you need for your presentation. (Unless otherwise specified, it will be assumed that you will be supplying these items yourself.)

5. List any audio visual equipment you need for your presentation:

6. Write a brief bio about yourself to be included in the conference agenda and promotional materials. This should be in paragraph form (Please, do not submit a resume.)

CE PRESENTATION INFORMATION SHEET

Name of Presenter/Author: ______

Address:______

Phone Number: ______Fax Number: ______

Email Address:______

Degrees awarded (please check all that apply):

_____High School Diploma _____ Associates _____ BA/BS

_____ Masters _____ Ph.D./MD/OD _____ Two year diploma

_____ Three year diploma _____ Other

ACVREP certified? _____ Yes _____ No

If yes, please check the area(s) in which you are certified:

_____ CLVT_____ COMS_____ RTC

Other certifications held (please specify): ______

How many years have you worked in the vision rehabilitation and education field? ______

Have you published in the field? _____ Yes _____ No

In what settings have you taught other professionals?

_____ university/college

_____ professional organizations/conferences/workshops

_____ for your employer (e.g., in-service trainings)

Current Employer: ______

Job Title: ______

Job Duties: ______

______

______

______

Title of CE Presentation: ______

Which of the 13 approved content areas does your presentation cover?(check all that apply)

_____The Visual System And Vision Loss

_____The Auditory System And Hearing Loss

_____Psychosocial Aspects Of Visual Impairment

_____Professionalism In Vision Education And Rehabilitation

_____Professional Information

_____Individuals Who Are Visually Impaired With Additional

Disabilities

_____Aging And Vision Loss

_____ Sensory Motor Functioning

_____ Human Growth And Development Over The Lifespan

_____ Assessment Of Persons With Visual Impairment And Their

Environments

_____ Instructional Methods

_____ Development, Administration, And Supervision Of Programs

Serving Persons With Visual Impairment

_____ Communication, Team-Building, Consumerism, Cultural

Diversity, And Working With Families

What qualifies you to make this presentation? ______

______

______

AER Board Positions

There will be five at-large positions for board and the position of President-elect. Board positions are for 2 years. At present we have one meeting each month occurring on the 2nd Tuesday at the ArkansasSchool for the Blind.

Board members are involved and play a large role in running AER, setting up Socials and the State Meeting ever May. Put your talents and knowledge to work for AER. It is a very rewarding endeavor and you meet and get to know so many great people.

Meeting Time

Wyndham Hotel – North Little Rock

May, but I don’t believe the Date is set.

Registration begins at 7am, and sessions begin at 8am and will end at 7:30 pm. Vendors will be available, and a part of our sessions will be in the vendor room area.

Other Information

2011-2012 AER Committees

AWARDS:

Sharon Niemczyk & Cindy Lester, co-chairs

Carolyn Hogue

Kara Aaron

CONFERENCE:

Lis Geoghegan & Kathy Brown, co-chairs

Bill Johnson

Stephanie Smith

Pam Raspberry

Maranda Cole

Cheri Smith

Katy Morris

FUNDRAISER:

Lori Cole & Maranda Cole, co-chairs

Bill Johnson

Stephanie Smith

Pam Raspberry

Michele Smith

Leonard Ogburn

MEMBERSHIP:

Jim Carey, chair

Bob Connell

Charlene Ware

NEWSLETTER/WEB PAGE

Jimmy Jones, chair

Marsha Clark

Jim Carey

Kara Aaron

NOMINATIONS:

Pam Raspberry, chair

Charlene Ware

JOB LISTINGS

DHS/DSB Teacher of the Blind

Pine BluffAR Office

AER Certification or LPC are minimum qualifications. Prefer job development experience.

See for details and to apply online.

Position # 22104417 Posting Expires: 2-24-12

$33,861/year & State Benefits

Questions: DHS Recruitment 682-1001

DHS/Div of Services for the Blind

Rehabilitation Counselor, Position # 22109891

BatesvilleAR Office Posting expires: 2-17-12

See for details