[NFBNJ] Fwd: A Season of Reconnection, Growth, and Gratitude

Tue Nov 25 22:25:44 UTC 2025

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: VISTAS Education Partners <info at vistaseducation.ccsend.com>
Date: Tue, Nov 25, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Subject: A Season of Reconnection, Growth, and Gratitude
To: <president at nfbnj.org>

Celebrate the Joy of Learning and Connection with VISTAS
[image: VISTAS Education Partners Logo with the Words Monthly Chronicle
underneath it]

[image: collage of three photos from a dark sensory room: a set of bright
bubble towers, a light waterafall, and a boy looking at ant reaching for a
florescent light object]

Hello Friends,

A few weeks ago, I began working with a new student at Pillar Elementary
School in Livingston, a school I first worked in as an itinerant TVI more
than 20 years ago. I have supported several students there over the year,
with my last student graduating in 2019. It was great to see some familiar
faces among the staff and reconnect with colleagues. The school’s growth
was immediately noticeable, reflected in the energy and activities in the
building and a new outdoor playground.

In 2022, I led staff trainings on Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) at
Pillar's elementary and high school locations. CVI is the leading cause of
childhood blindness in the United States and results from damage to the
brain’s visual processing pathways. Because CVI can occur alongside a
typical or near-typical eye exam, it is an under-diagnosed condition.
Individualized instruction and targeted supports can improve visual
functioning in children with CVI.

Pillar was way ahead of the curve when they built a sensory room years ago
to better support their students therapeutic and sensory needs. Back then,
I was dreaming of investing in a decked-out sensory bus! Since then, more
specialized schools have added therapeutic and vision-stimulation spaces.
(But as an itinerant TVI, I still say a sensory room on wheels would be
very cool!)

While working with my new student in Pillar's sensory room, it quickly
became clear that this controlled sensory space was her comfort zone. Her
increased eye movements, visual attention, smiles, and hand movements all
lit up in the sensory room! I'm excited to continue with her on her journey
of discovery and learning.

Returning to Pillar after so many years reminded me of my own longevity and
growth as an educator. I recognized how fortunate I am to work with
educators around the state and build relationships across disciplines,
organizations, and roles that are essential for supporting students with
disabilities.

With Thanksgiving just days away, and as we move into a season of
appreciation, I invite you to read the TVI Tidbit about what VISTAS team
members say makes them grateful to work in the field of blindness
education.

Wishing everyone a joyful and relaxing holiday weekend with loved ones!

Dr. Coleman

Above image: Photo college shows three images of darkened sensory rooms.
The top image shows a young child reaching for a glowing circular object.
The bottom two images show tall bubble tubes and various illuminated
sensory materials.

Event Highlights

Abacus Bee Tips You Can Count On:

Competition Tips from 2024 APH Abacus Bee Finalists
[image: Abacus Bee Tips You Can Count On. Competition Secrets from Former
Finalists]
[image: Practice extra equations and work on solving them efficiently.
Jordyn IA]

The New Jersey Regional Abacus Bee may have wrapped up, but regional events
are still in full swing. Students around the country are gearing up for
their local contests and hoping for a spot in the finals in Kentucky this
spring!

This September, VISTAS Education Partners hosted a virtual panel featuring
six 2024 APH Abacus Bee finalists who shared what they learned from the
competition. Their insights were packed with strategies that can help this
year's competitors sharpen their skills! 

Here are highlights from the preparation tips shared by the panelists:

“Practice the timed part of the contest.”

– Xia Qiang (WA)

“Practice extra equations and work on solving them efficiently.”

– Jordyn (IA)

“Practice the Space Race in advance.

I wrote the big numbers on the left side of the abacus.”

– Jalyn (IA)

“Learn how to do every operation on the abacus…

it’s unsustainable to rely on mental math alone.”

– Russel (MO)

“If I’m struggling with harder problems,

I can use the abacus to help me.”

– Luke (FL)

Whether preparing for an APH Abacus Bee Regional or the Finals, our
experienced panelists agree that the key is to build good practice habits,
stay agile during the event, and enjoy the experience! We are cheering on
all APH Abacus Bee contestants every step of the way!

Is your student learning how to use the abacus, or are they an abacus user
that sometimes needs help solving some problems on the abacus?

Follow, like, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
<https://s4hnumfbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001zt1BUVDVzK6R4VezwjDQnTh5fCSZk-EIh7SOLpdc4Fjju2oT5pcHHXR4LurYknLnNUFYZP1rMUw6h84VbptOIRwGkcL5ALBnFmwF11FJzmM-8B_-rzEWr6kvftKJJCvQjD6RItzlaMUEKUvSQKQZ2x9mA5wDftfzNm2wrhq4MVw=&c=g2uytUzauBhDiU4PJHrS_UJxBuaEh10UxSw16rWnhkcF4ulXSLEz3Q==&ch=93Ae8b-SQqfil7jmvLfAzm2Is1acyYfLC-nxHkkq2-ZhyVcaYhXZWg==>
to access our growing collection of cranmer abacus demo videos. Check out
the newest video of a division with decimals problem
<https://s4hnumfbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001zt1BUVDVzK6R4VezwjDQnTh5fCSZk-EIh7SOLpdc4Fjju2oT5pcHHXR4LurYknLnlME6SlwzGfjABZwFqpuMmaouqosv-c2MW7TqvXni-giAxusBN9193BoQLAYsr_fkZqL-OKLibSpAxPdzKtAMuJ4rmNzQ4nFf-Npet88qlJcMtwICl9fgBA==&c=g2uytUzauBhDiU4PJHrS_UJxBuaEh10UxSw16rWnhkcF4ulXSLEz3Q==&ch=93Ae8b-SQqfil7jmvLfAzm2Is1acyYfLC-nxHkkq2-ZhyVcaYhXZWg==>
pulled from a Big Ideas Math Algebra 1 textbook.

If your student needs help with specific problem or abacus skill,

email info at vistaseducation.com to request a described video demonstration.

Upcoming Events

Afterschool Braille Power Hour

Join us for a fun and engaging 4-week enrichment program for blind and
low-vision students in grades 1–6! Each session is hands-on, creative, and
focused on building essential blindness skills that support confidence and
academic success.

Students will participate in interactive activities led by dedicated VISTAS
team members and qualified volunteers. With the guidance we’ll explore
skills such as organization, spatial awareness, tactile learning,
self-advocacy, and more!

Program Highlights:

   - Creative, small group games and activities each week focused on
   building blindness skills including braille, technology, tactile math, and
   more!
   - Opportunities to practice independence and problem-solving
   - A supportive space to socialize with blind and low vision peers and
   learn from blind adults
   - Opportunities for individualized tutoring in braille and core subjects

Schedule:

Thursdays in January, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Jan 8, Jan 15, Jan 22, Jan 29

Who Can Join:

Blind and low vision students in grades 1–6

To request more details and registration information, email
info at vistaseducation.com.

[image: educator training schedule flyer]

Free Online Educator Trainings

We are excited to continue our free, online training series for educators
in January! These trainings are open to teachers, paraprofessionals, child
study team members, and related service providers who want to learn how to
best support blind/low vision students. Each training includes practical
strategies that can be implemented right away.

UPDATED SCHEDULE

January 15, 2026 | 9:00–11:00 a.m. EST

Blind & Low Vision Students with Multiple Disabilities

March 18, 2026 | 9:00–11:00 a.m. EST

Math and Science Education for Nonvisual Learners

All sessions are free and held on Zoom

Register today at bit.ly/VISTAS-training
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REGISTER
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TVI Tidbit

 Grateful Educators

VISTAS team members share a deep sense of gratitude for the work we do
every day. We have the privilege of building long-term relationships with
students, creating accessibility solutions, geeking-out over the latest
access technology tools, and witnessing student growth that comes with
instruction and engagement.

In the reflections that follow, VISTAS team members share why blindness
education continues to inspire and fulfill them. Their perspectives
highlight not only the technical expertise of this field, but the heart
behind it: a belief in every student’s potential and a commitment to the
skills and advocacy that turns potential into learning and growth.

"I appreciate that I get to witness students' personalities widen as their
world does. Also, I learn more effective ways to teach through experience,
and sometimes my teaching experiences help me learn better and faster. Iron
sharpens iron.” – Ben Vercellone, O&M & AT

Right image: Ben Vercellone stands in a classroom with a young student.
Both smile and hold their mobility canes.
[image: Ben stands beside an elementary student. Both are smiling and
holding their mobility canes]

“In a one-on-one setting, which we usually do as itinerant TVIs, I am
grateful that I see my students' progress in a deeply personal way. My work
with my students allows me to build strong, trusting relationships with
them because I work with them for more than one school year, and sometimes
for several years. I know that my work, such as braille literacy,
independence, and self-advocacy will have a lifelong impact on my
students.”

– Daryl Lynn Hahn, TVI

Daryl Lynn Hahn sits beside a student who is completing a Language Arts
activity using an adapted keyboard and iPad.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to remove barriers and create access,
whether through braille, adaptive technology, orientation skills, or other
instructional areas. Knowing that a student can read, move safely, or
participate fully because of what I taught or facilitated is incredibly
fulfilling. Another reason I am grateful for being a TVI is seeing student
independence grow.”

– Rania Saad, TVI
[image: Rania Saad assists a young contestant at the NJ Abacus Bee]

Rania Saad assists a young Rovers contestant using an abacus and counting
cubes at the NJ Abacus Bee.

“As a multicultural educator of color, my work as a transcriber is driven
by a deep commitment to equity and accessible education. I am grateful for
any opportunity that allows me to be a part of something beautiful.”

– Shanelle Griffin, TVI, Braille Transcriber & Accessibility Technician

Right Image: Shanelle Griffin smiles as she gazes at children's picture
books being prepared to be adapted with braille overlays.
[image: Shanelle smiles while gazing at two print-braille books opened on a
table before her.]

“As a TVI, I get to know my students more deeply during their school years.
The goals that we work on fit into a larger trajectory of what we have
learned about each student and the larger goal of a fulfilling life for
them that we are always working toward. Finally, I just enjoy getting to be
an absolute geek about braille and blindness tech!”

– Kristen Witucki, TVI

[image: Kristen is seated at a table beside an elementary student. She uses
an electronic braille display and a tablet device.]

Kristen Witucki sits at a table beside her student. She reads from a
refreshable braille display connected to an iPad.

“Being a TVI has given me access to knowledge and skills that most people
never have the privilege of learning. Ten years ago, as an undergraduate
student, I had no idea that I would soon be proficient in braille. As a
sighted person, the fact that I can read braille always makes for a fun
icebreaker when I meet someone new! More importantly, it represents the
specialized expertise that TVIs build to support our students’ literacy and
independence."

– Sarah Scapardine, TVI
[image: Sarah reaches to assist a student using a Perkins Brailler.]

Sarah Scapardine reaches to assist a student using a Perkins Brailler.

Remembering Alice Wong:

Disability Rights Activist and Writer

Dr. Monique Coleman
[image: Alice Wong softly smiles at the camera. She wears a bright
multicolored top and a tracheostomy tube. She is seated in a power
wheelchair.]

Alice Wong sits in her power chair and softly smiles at the camera. She
wears a bright, multicolored top and a tracheostomy tube. Copyright: John
D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

“The peculiar drama of my life has placed me in a world that by and large
thinks it would be better if people like me did not exist. My fight has
been for accommodation, the world to me and me to the world.”

- Alice Wong

On November 14, the trailblazing disability rights activist and writer
Alice Wong passed away at the age of 51. A MacArthur "Genius Award" Winner,
Wong was a brilliant thinker who founded the Disability Visibility Project
(DVP), a groundbreaking and ongoing online initiative focused on sharing
the stories and voices of disabled people in their own words.

Hearing directly from people living the disability experience is essential
to my work as a TVI. To envision what my students can achieve and better
understand the barriers they may face, I look to the wide range of stories
and lived experiences of disabled adults, including those with additional
disabilities like many of my students, to enrich my understanding of my
students.

I also want my students and their families to feel connected to a broader
community where they can see themselves reflected and valued. This is why
programs such as the Braille Challenge and APH Abacus Bee that bring
together blind and low vision students, in a supportive setting with blind
mentors and role models is an important part of our work at VISTAS.

As we continue to advocate for students in partnership with schools,
families, and community organizations, we are doing our small part to help
ensure that Alice Wong’s legacy will live on in the voices she uplifted,
the systems she challenged, and the community she helped strengthen.

We're so glad you’re here!

If you’re enjoying the VISTAS Chronicle, here’s how you can continue to
support this newsletter:

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-- 
Warmly,
Linda Melendez, President
National Federation of the Blind of NJ
908-590-1747
president at nfbnj.org

NFBNJ Calendar:  Events Calendar | National Federation of the Blind of New
Jersey <https://nfbnj.org/events-calendar>

<president at nfbnj.org>Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238

To set up a 30-minute meeting to  talk about the National Federation of the
Blind of NJ, please click on the link below

https://calendly.com/lindamelendez220/30min
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