VASE Education Association

10/15/2026

Several VASE educators were able to participate in this wonderful presentation last week from Ruben Perez on understanding the role of poverty in our students' lives. Thank you, Mr. Perez, for providing our educators with foundations and resources to better support students from many backgrounds!

10/15/2026

Let's face it, y'all. Sometimes professional development can be just a little dry. But not at VASE and Middlefork! A big thank you to our administration and their team for providing some much appreciated nibbles for a great afternoon of learning!

08/14/2026

It was wonderful seeing everyone after our opening day at VASE and Middlefork! We are off to a fantastic start for the school year!

A big thank you to The Stor in Catlin for welcoming our crowd of educators!

08/04/2026

The VEA was excited to celebrate the official opening of the new young adult life skills classroom at Middlefork School, which serves students from across Vermilion County. This space will provide a much needed area for young adults with disabilities to continue to learn skills needed for work, living, and self-care.

Featuring a full kitchen and dining area, laundry facilities, a sensory room, and a classroom, this renovated space has just about everything we need to continue to support our young adult students to grow and flourish at school, home, and the community.

We would like to thank the Wheeler Foundation and Veregy for providing the grant funding and support to make this project happen. We would also like to extend our thanks to VASE administrators and county superintendents who also worked behind the scenes. And of course a big thank you to our teachers and staff for advocating for our students and building the programming that has been needed for some time. It takes a village and ours is a strong one!

05/18/2026

Happy Speech Language Pathologist Day! SLPs play a crucial role in identifying students with speech, language, and communication needs and providing intervention. They also help families and staff understand a student's needs and help supply the tools needed to communicate. Thank you for helping our students find their voice!

05/06/2026

For some reason, there is no national day for celebrating Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and that just didn't sit well with us because we think we have the best TODHH around! TODHHs help our students with hearing related disabilities access learning alongside their peers, educate staff on how to support students, and advocate for student needs. They expand a student's options for communication and help everyone understand the science of hearing. Our teams can't help all learners without you! Thank you, Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing!

05/06/2026

Happy National School Nurse Day! Our school nurses do so much to keep our students safe and healthy. From handling scrapes and bruises, to making sure students get vital medication, to ensuring medical plans are understood and followed, our nurses do it all. Thank you, school nurses, for being there for our students!

05/05/2026

Please join us in congratulating our final Golden Ruler winner for the year, Jill Brink-Rutter. Jill is one of our school psychologists and has served several districts in her time in Vermilion county.

"Mrs. Brink-Rutter is a valuable member of our school psychology team. Jill exemplifies the qualities recognized by the Golden Ruler Award through her leadership, collaboration, and commitment to professional excellence. As a school psychologist, she played a key role in developing and training of the threat assessment model that supports teams in effectively meeting student needs. Jill consistently mentors and trains colleagues, generously sharing her expertise and time. She remains current with research and regularly brings innovative ideas to her team. Her willingness to support others and her dedication to improving practices make her very worthy of this recognition."

Thank you, Jill, for your continued support of students and staff in our member districts!

Mrs. Brink-Rutter is a valuable member of our school psychology team. Jill exemplifies the qualitie...

05/04/2026

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Teachers are the heart and soul of every school, offering care, support, and guidance to our students on top of the curriculum and instruction they provide. They come in early and they stay late to make learning magic happen. They volunteer and coach to make sure students get the extra experiences that make school even more special. Honestly, where would any of us be without the love of a teacher.

Thank you, teachers! ❤️

05/01/2026

It's also National School Principal Day! Thank you, principals, for taking care of all the logistics behind the scenes, helping out when students are having tough days, and making fun things happen. We appreciate you!