We were very happy to be invited back to the 23rd Annual Ohio Institute for OT/PT School-Based Practice conference in Columbus on August 10-11! This was my 8th consecutive year of attending as the Therapro rep, and I must honestly say that it was just as exciting as my first time. This conference is fresh and innovative from one year to the next. Attendees came in droves (650 of them!) from Ohio and surrounding states in anticipation of two days filled with invigorating workshops to ready them for the opening day of school.

Therapro author of the Drive -Thru Menu Suite of Exercises, Tere Bowen-Irish, OTR/L, was a conference presenter this year. Her dynamic, fun presentation, On the Floor and More, Movement and Yoga…Empowering Students Towards Mindfulness and Relaxation, had therapists raving about her workshop. Her Drive -Thru products including cards, laminated posters, Preschool & Kindergarten and Body Challenge card sets were difficult to keep on the shelves. Therapists loved her book, Yoga & Me, Come Be a Tree and the introduction of her new CD, My Mindful Music.

Another distinguished therapist from the Boston area, and a renowned Therapro Saturday Seminar speaker, Teresa May-Benson, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, was also a conference presenter this year; her talk was titled: Advanced Intervention for Ideational Praxis – Affordances to Executive Functions. She is an author for the critically acclaimed publication, Autism Interventions.

As therapists, teachers, and parents stopped by the Therapro exhibit, it was exciting to hear lots sharing of information about Therapro and its products. Therapists eagerly traded information about products they loved including: Therapro originals: TracKit, Letter Treasure Hunt, Sensory Stories: Strategy Card Decks and Novenops. All loved the opportunity to examine and try out new products like Ultimate Fidget Fidgipod, Bouncy Bands for Chairs and Desks, and the Goal-Oriented Assessment of Lifeskills (GOAL). A whole array of new chew products was popular, including: Chew Tags, Zen Rocks Chewies, and Flip Flop Chew.

Thank you to Mary Kay Eastman, PT, MS and Molly Dodge, OTR/L, committee co-chairs, for planning and executing a terrific and relevant conference. Conference coordinator Holly Bartholemew kept things running like clockwork prior to, during, and following the conference. Your team’s talent for executing a seamless, meaningful conference is appreciated by us all! I look forward to returning again in 2016.

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L

Therapists from across the country attended the 15th annual Therapies in the School Conference on November 20–21 in Framingham, MA, sponsored by Education Resources, Inc. This widely respected professional development event continues to bring together school-based occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and special educators committed to improving student outcomes. The conference featured a distinguished faculty who presented workshops on hot topics, including integrating visual and motor strategies that promote learning, addressing therapy delivery within time constraints, and developing executive function skills to boost student productivity and independence.

Therapro was proud to exhibit at the conference, connecting with school-based professionals and sharing tools designed to support evidence-based practice. Many therapists stopped by the Therapro booth to explore new product offerings, revisit favorite tools, or simply exchange ideas. These meaningful conversations reinforce our mission to provide practical, therapist-recommended resources that enhance school-based therapy.

Here are just a few Therapro favorites that were popular with attendees:

15th Annual Therapies in the School Conference: Games

• Letter Treasure Hunt
• A Fist Full of Coins
• TRUNKS
• Right Turn Left Turn
• Drive Thru Menus

15th Annual Therapies in the School Conference Favorites: Books

• Is it Sensory or Is it Behavior?
• Smart but Scattered Teens: The Executive Skills Program for Helping Teens Reach Their Potential
•  Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential

Attendees left this conference with a wealth of information that will be directly applicable to their practice in the schools. Congratulations on celebrating 15 outstanding years of Therapies in the School!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L