Local Delegation Attends UA Conference on ADHD
Dr. Wood receives top Award
Thanks to the generosity of grants from the Tillitson Foundation and Cherokee County Schools, eleven teachers/parents attended the 7th Annual Regional Conference on ADHD sponsored by the University of Alabama. In addition six speakers from Cherokee County also were invited to give presentations at the January 30-31 conference at Orange Beach. Two additional people were able to attend the conference thanks to parent scholarships that were available from the University. A total of 20 Cherokee County residents attended the ADHD training.
Several attendees commented on all the new information they learned that would help them both as teachers and parents. Nell Oliver who has attended this conference previously said, “it was the best one yet.” One teacher observed that she learned so much new information, especially about Section 504 services for students with ADHD. Another educator commented that this was “the best conference I’ve been to in 25 years.” Other comments: “happy to see so many physicians attend”, and “have a much better understanding of the academic challenges facing students with ADHD and executive function deficits.” One mom urged other parents not to be afraid of the ADHD diagnosis. “Because if your child is struggling, he will be given a label….better to be labeled something that is treatable (ADHD) rather than labeled as lazy or unmotivated.”
Dr. Trina Wood was honored at the conference with an outstanding service award for her work in improving services to students with ADHD. The presentation honoring Dr. Wood’s work read in part:
“Throughout Dr. Wood’s 24 years in education, she has served in various capacities: first as a classroom teacher, next as a special education teacher, assistant principal, and then 15 years as the Director of Special Education.
“During the last six years, Dr. Wood, in her roles as Assistant and then Interim Superintendent, has worked closely with Chris Dendy to improve the school experience of students with ADHD. Dr. Wood has played a pivotal role in educating teachers and administrators of the unique academic challenges facing students with ADHD plus initiating effective intervention strategies.
“Most recently, Wood and Dendy along with Kurt Duryea collaborated to receive approximately $10,000 in grant money to promote ADHD education. A grant application was submitted to the Tillitson Foundation to send 11 people (teachers or parents) from Cherokee County to this Conference. Dr. Wood and Superintendent Guice arranged for the school system to provide important local match for the grant.
The award is named in honor of local resident Chris Zeigler Dendy, a nationally recognized author and speaker on ADHD, who has served as co-chair of the conference committee for several years. Dendy has been a driving force behind these conferences; working to make them a first class training experience by bringing in the top experts in the country. Dendy and Cherokee County Schools are both extremely grateful to the Tillitson Foundation grant for making this critical training available to our teachers and parents.
Cherokee County ADHD Conference Delegation
A total of 20 residents of Cherokee County attended the conference, thanks in large measure to grants from the Tilllotson Foundation and Cherokee County Schools. Conference speakers included Kurt and Dr. Kathleen Duryea, Dr. Rhonda Hampton, Mary Davis, and Chris and Tommy Dendy. Several Cherokee County residents are pictured here thanks to Greg Spoon who took the photograph.