Overview

Cotting’s Sixth Annual Burr Family Conference, Making Things Possible: The Parenting Experience, took place on November 17, 2018. An extraordinary keynote talk by Andrew Solomon focused on themes of love, acceptance, disability, and difference. Following the keynote, three workshop sessions delivered evidence-based, practical strategies in hands-on sessions and discussions throughout the day. The exhibitor fair was a place for networking and social conversation about programs, resources, and more.

It was our pleasure to open our doors over 200 parents, educators, administrators, and friends and to treat our participants to a free lunch, delivered by Pine Street Inn’s iCater!! A special thanks to the Burr Family for making this conference free and accessible for all.

Keynote Presentation

Making Things Possible: The Parenting Experience

Andrew Solomon, author of the book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity treated Cotting School guests at the Conference to an exceptional keynote talk which we are proud to share with you here! Solomon’s talk explored themes of love and acceptance, and throughout he shared powerful stories from families raising exceptional children who are in some way different from their parents.

We hope you will take the time to click on the YouTube link to the right, to listen to Andrew Solomon’s keynote talk which will inspire you and expand your view of human difference and identity.

Workshop Presentations & Handouts

Presentations

Vendors

Vendor Name Contact Name Website
3L Place Rachel Steinberg https://www.3lplace.org
Access Sport America Ross Lilley http://www.accessportamerica.org
Baystate Financial Scott Gordon-Macey http://www.baystatefinancial.com
Belmont Books Kathy Crowley http://www.belmontbooks.com
Berkshire Hills Music Academy Jackie Deiana http://www.berkshirehills.org
Boston Higashi School Janice Oliver http://www.bostonhigashi.org
Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts Liz Harnois http://www.biama.org
Cardinal Cushing Centers Connie Peacott http://www.cushingcenters.org
Charles River Center Katelynne Mackie http://www.charlesrivercenter.org
CLASS, Inc. Robin Ellington http://www.classinc.org
Cornell Orthotics & Prosthetics Nicole Yeh http://www.cornelloandp.com
Cotting School Elizabeth Russell https://www.cotting.org
Easter Seals Massachusetts Desi Forte http://www.easterseals.com/ma/
LifeLinks Kelly Atkins http://www.lifelinksinc.net
Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Inc. Cassie Clarke http://www.lovelane.org
MassMATCH Tanya Bombard http://www.massmatch.org/
Milestones Sarah Folk http://www.advancingmilestones.com
Opportunities for Inclusion Kathy Augustini http://www.oppsforinclusion.org
Perkins Library Erin Fragola http://www.perkins.org/library
PLAN of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Inc. Pamela Tames http://www.planofma-ri.org
Specialized Housing, Inc. Michael Caballero http://www.specializedhousing.org
The Guild For Human Services Katie Johnson http://www.guildhumanservices.org
United Cerebral Palsy Sheri Wasserman http://www.ucp.org
Waypoint Adventure Julia Spruance http://www.waypointadventure.org