As a nonprofit serving families with children with complex needs, we know receiving information on issues their children face from national experts can be vital. We offer workshops, make and take classes, and private consultations that benefit educators, parents, caregivers, therapists and others in our community. These can range from 20-100 attendees, offering an opportunity to ask questions, gain information and improve the lives of the children we serve.
Ellis brings in nationally renowned researchers and professionals who are leading innovative developments in the fields pertaining to disability & special education such as Kelly Dorfman, M.S., L.D.N., and Christine Roman-Lantzy, Ph.D. Topics range from “Your Sensory Toolbox” to “Empower Your Brain” to discussing developments with specific concerns our children face like Cortical Vision Impairment.
These workshops are a great tool for not only parents and caregivers, but also therapists and educators who work with children in the community. They provide insight into ways to engage with students/clients and offer new approaches to increase successful outcomes.
- Events are typically offered in the spring each year
- Professionals can secure Continuing Education Credits
- Private consultations with the speaker are available as an add-on service
- Ticket costs are minimal thanks to sponsorship and private support
- Group discounts may be available for school or therapy groups
- Events are suitable for parents, educators, therapists or caregivers
Previous Events
Our Community Education Events had humble beginnings. What started as an opportunity to keep our internal staff updated on the latest knowledge related to children with disabilities, evolved into including our greater community. Soon after they became public, we started adding private consultations with our speakers for families that wanted to dig deeper. Now, not only do we host annual events with national experts, we also started presenting our knowledge from our Ellis experts to others in the Atlanta area.
Our past events spanned a variety of topics all with one goal: enhance the every day lives or the academic and therapeutic programs for children with multiple disabilities through continuing education. Each topic, though different, can benefit all members of a child’s support team including their teachers, therapists, families members, and caregivers. Ellis is available for virtual lunch-n-learns for providers, parent groups, and other interested parties!
LANA SCHORVITZ, M.ED., TVI
UMASS/Perkins Master certification in Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment
March, 2023
Supporting Children with Cortical Vision Impairments in Rehab & Non-Academic Settings
The Ellis Center was honored to partner with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for a Community Education Event for therapists and families of individuals of special needs to discuss CVI.
Participants were able to define Cortical Visual Impairment and list the risk factors for infants/children with CVI. Participants also were able to restate the 10 CVI Range behavioral characteristics. Above and beyond that, they were able to recognize strategies for environmental setup for a child with CVI (based on CVI Range score). Applying individualized strategies that address visual access in connection with visual processing is a key topic discusses as well. Participants also assembled a toolbox to address visual access across Rehab & Non-Academic (Home, Out-Patient, Acute Care) settings.
Lana Schorvitz is a certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired. Her B.B.A. and M.Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education were both obtained through Georgia State University and her graduate-level certification in Visual Impairment ("VI") was obtained through the University of Northern Colorado. She is CVI Range-endorsed and is graduate-level certified in Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment through University of Massachusetts (Boston) and Perkins School for the Blind. As the founder of Visual Impairment Access, LLC, she has formed extensive relationships with Metro Atlanta public school systems, charter schools, private schools, non-profit early intervention programs, and individual families. Within these various settings, Lana teaches the Expanded Core Curriculum ("ECC"), low vision strategies, pre-braille/braille skills, and assistive technology skills to students ranging from birth to twenty-one years old. In addition to direct student instruction, Lana provides consultative services to administrators, IEP teams, graduate students, and families. She conducts extensive assessments for both ocular and cortical visual impairments, including but not limited to Functional Vision / Learning Media Assessments, ECC Inventory, CVI Range and comprehensive report, the Oregon Project Skills Inventory, etc.
April, 2022
Building upon CVI Principles: literacy strategies and adapted materials for AAC users and children with complex needs
Parents, teachers, therapists, and others in the community came out to learn how to build on the CVI principles in terms of communication, literacy, and mathematics. This event was truly packed with useful information and examples, and we enjoyed hosting MaryAnne Roberto.
MaryAnne Roberto has been a Teacher of the Visually Impaired for more than 38 years and has over 30 years of experience working with infants and children with Cortical Visual Impairment. She completed the PA CVI Mentorship under Dr. Christine Roman-Lantzy in 2010-2011, and in March 2017 became a Perkins-Roman CVI Range Endorsed Professional. MaryAnne is the owner of Envision CVI Consulting, LLC, and provides consultations, evaluations, and trainings for school districts, teams, and families. She currently works as the director of the CVI Intensive Support Program at Saint Lucy’s School in Philadelphia.
April, 2021
THE CVI COMPLEXITY FRAMEWORK: Creating a plan for your child
In this two part series, Matt Tietjen guided participants through a case study and real-life scenarios involving the Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI) complexity framework. This interactive series provided participants with both the knowledge of the CVI complexity framework and more importantly how to apply it to their child, student, or client.
Tietjen received his masters in Special Education and certification in teaching children with visual impairments from the University of Massachusetts. He specializes in cortical vision impairment (CVI) and has collaborated with Dr. Roman-Lantzy on different projects including a co-authorship.
May, 2019
Cortical Vision Impairment: A Deeper Look
Dr. Roman-Lantzy, PH.D is the leading pioneer on Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI), a brain-based vision impairment. Though relatively rare, CVI is the nation’s largest growing vision impairment diagnosis. Often misunderstood and under-diagnosed, Dr. Roman-Lantzy, who wrote the book on the disorder, provides important insight to families with loved ones with CVI and their service providers. In May, 2019, Dr. Roman-Lantzy came back to Atlanta to expand upon her 2017 seminar.
In this seminar, Dr. Roman-Lantzy addressed the impact of CVI on communication and social skills. In particular, she focused on AAC use and how CVI effects AAC accessibility.
February, 2018
Empower Your Brain: How nutrition therapy can ENERGIZE, clarify & optimize thinking
Kelly Dorfman, M.S.,L.D.N. is one of the world’s foremost experts on using nutrition therapeutically to improve brain function, energy and mood.
Attendees learned:
How learning occurs when there are chemical changes in the brain, chemical changes that require proper nutrients.
How different fats work to support mood and learning.
What dietary changes can boost academic success and clarify thinking
What top therapists know about how nutrition therapy improves outcomes.
November, 2017
Everyday AAC in the real world
Vicki Clarke, SLP is the owner and president of Dynamic Therapy Associates and has been specializing in AAC since 1991. Vicki regularly attends and presents at local, state and national assistive technology conferences, speech language pathology conferences and family-focused meetings. She also consults for national and international AT service, equipment, and software manufacturers.
This workshop covered:
Defining appropriate individualized AAC goals
Analyzing the communication environment to match AAC goals to typical daily activities
Understanding and assessing communicative competency in AAC, across all skill levels
Understanding and identifying candidates for AAC supports
February, 2017
Cortical Visual Impairment Applications to Learning and Social Development
Dr. Christine Roman-Lantzy, PH.D is the Director of The Pediatric View Program at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA and serves as Project Leader of the CVI Project at The American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, KY. She has lectured extensively regarding the Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) educational materials she has developed. These materials include: The CVI Range: an Assessment of Functional Vision, and The CVI Resolution Chart & CVI/O&M Resolution Chart.
During this seminar, Dr. Roman-Lantzy gave an overview on CVI including:
What CVI is, it’s characteristic features, and the associated behaviors
Strategies and interventions to adapt day-to-day activities
Academic routines, that help children gain strategies for visual processing, making sense and meaning of visual information, and resolving their phases of CVI
November, 2016
SENSORY INTEGRATION TOOLS: WHAT, WHEN AND WHY THEY HELP
Christy Kennedy, a pediatric Occupational Therapist, has specialized in Sensory Integration (SI) for over 28 years. Christy has broadened her professional knowledge by studying and incorporating many adjunct treatment approaches such as nutrition, cranial sacral therapy, sound therapy and vision therapy into her practice. With this ever growing knowledge, Ms. Kennedy better understands how to holistically support her clients and maximize their potential. Her specialized training in sound therapy includes SAMONAS, Therapeutic Listening and The Listening Program (TLP).
During this workshop, Ms. Kennedy led a discussion surrounding the many techniques, activities and input strategies that you should have accessible in your “Sensory Tool Box”. Participants learned about sensory regulation, recovery, self-awareness and many other concepts that enabled them to better understand the many facets of Sensory Integration and how to apply it in the moment.
