Van Buren Intermediate School District

Access, advocacy, and support at every stage: VBISD’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing program empowers students from birth through age 26 with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond. With added access to no-cost hearing evaluations through an Educational Audiologist, this program is making a meaningful difference for students and families across Van Buren County!

At VBISD, our Special Education team plays a vital role in supporting students, staff, and school systems. Made up of highly qualified teacher consultants and school psychologists, some nationally certified and experienced across multiple states, they bring strong expertise in education and psychology to every building they serve.
Often working behind the scenes, they ensure timelines and processes are followed while strengthening systems like MTSS and PBIS. They collaborate with administrators and staff to navigate complex academic and behavioral challenges, providing guidance and support.
Though much of their work happens in meetings and planning, their impact is seen daily in classrooms. VBISD’s Special Education team is more than evaluators, they are dedicated advocates for Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and champions for all students!

Behind every student support plan is a team of dedicated VBISD employees working together to make sure students receive what they need to succeed. In Van Buren County, Special Education services are built through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process- developed collaboratively with families, educators, and support staff at the table.

In the 2024–25 school year alone, 4,462 IEP meetings were held across Van Buren County to design individualized plans for students with disabilities. This school year is already well underway, with 3,147 IEP meetings held to continue that important work.
These numbers reflect more than meetings, they reflect commitment, collaboration, and the ongoing effort to ensure every learner is supported in a meaningful, individualized way!

At VBISD, school psychologists do much more than complete evaluations. While they often lead the special education evaluation process, their work is rooted in building strong systems of support for all learners.
They collaborate closely with school staff to ensure students receive the right level of support- whether that is special education services or interventions within general education. They also work directly with students to strengthen skills, build confidence, and support their capacity for learning. Their focus is not just identifying needs, but creating pathways for student success at every level!

Van Buren Tech is seeking a dynamic and student-centered Principal to lead with vision, integrity, and innovation. This leadership role focuses on student success through instructional excellence, strong school management, staff supervision, and community collaboration. We’re looking for an experienced educational leader who values career and technical education, develops a positive school culture, and is committed to helping students and staff thrive! For more information or to apply: www.vbisd.org/employment

Within the VBISD Special Education Department, our Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) and Blind and Low Vision (BLV) teams continue to create meaningful, inclusive opportunities for students and families to learn and connect.
Each year, these programs host at least two family fun and learning nights designed to bring students together in a welcoming, engaging environment that supports both skill-building and community connection.
Our most recent event in December embraced a Winter Wonderland theme and welcomed more than 75 students and their families for an evening of learning, laughter, and connection!
We are incredibly proud of the dedicated VBISD staff who plan and facilitate these events with care, creativity, and a deep commitment to supporting every learner and their family.

Van Buren Tech is seeking a dynamic and student-centered Principal to lead with vision, integrity, and innovation. This leadership role focuses on student success through instructional excellence, strong school management, staff supervision, and community collaboration. We’re looking for an experienced educational leader who values career and technical education, develops a positive school culture, and is committed to helping students and staff thrive!

For more information or to apply:
www.vbisd.org/employment

Mark your calendars! April 30: 7th Annual Van Buren Community Baby Shower

The Healthy Babies, Healthy Moms Committee of the Van Buren Great Start Collaborative is hosting a free baby shower for expecting families and those with infants under 15 months.

Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 5:00-7:00 PM
Van Buren ISD Conference Center 490 S. Paw Paw St., Lawrence

Who Can Attend: Families who live or work in the Van Buren ISD service area; expecting or with infants under 15 months (no income requirements)

Event Includes: Registered families will receive a free gift bag while supplies last, and a meal with desserts will be provided. The event will include a Safe Sleep presentation, offered in both English and Spanish, which is required to be eligible for door prizes. Attendees can win door prizes such as Pack-n-Plays and other infant items. Additionally, community resources on prenatal, infant, and postpartum care will be available, with Spanish language support provided throughout the event.

Registration (recommended): forms.gle/bDxhJSBX3si3srhF9
Walk-ins welcome

Hosted by: Van Buren Great Start Collaborative (lead), HOPE Parent Resource Center, Van Buren Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council

Sponsored by: Van Buren ISD and Van Buren Great Start Collaborative, with support from Bronson Health Foundation

Additional partners: VBISD Family Coalition, Family Links, Early On; Van Buren DHHS; Bronson Healthcare and Safe Kids; InterCare (WIC); Van Buren District Library; Aetna Better Health; CMH/Substance Abuse Prevention; Flowers Early Learning (Head Start/EHS); Doula Services; Meridian Health; Friend of the Court; MiLEAP; Children’s Trust Michigan

In Van Buren County, 2,700 individuals, from birth to age 26, receive special education services. Our VBISD Special Education staff are the heroes behind the scenes, ensuring every student receives the support, interventions, and guidance they need to thrive.
2,559 students, ages 3 to 26, are served under Part B of IDEA, and 141 children, from birth to age 3, receive services under Part C of IDEA and Michigan Mandatory Special Education.
Thank you to the VBISD Special Education team for your dedication, expertise, and heart. Your impact reaches thousands of students every day!

Did you know? VBISD Diagnostic Teacher Consultants and School Psychologists aren’t traditional one-on-one service providers. Instead, they work preventatively- supporting entire school communities by ensuring students’ plans are followed, interventions are in place, and every child has the support they need to succeed. Their “caseload” isn’t just a few students, it’s the whole school, making their work vital to helping educators help all students thrive.

The VBISD Special Education Department is all about supporting students by bringing together an extraordinary team of experts. Our team includes psychologists, school social workers, special education teachers, speech and language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists, educational audiologists, BCBAs, vision and orientation & mobility specialists, D/HH specialists, educational interpreters, and more!
What makes our team truly unique is the depth of their training. Many of our staff hold both medical or clinical certifications and school-based credentials, giving them a rare combination of expertise that allows them to address each student’s needs from every angle.
This multidisciplinary collaboration ensures that students aren’t just supported- they’re understood, empowered, and set up for success across every aspect of their learning and growth.

Did you know VBISD’s Special Education Department is deeply connected to statewide initiatives that support student success?
All of our special education administrators are active members of the MAASE, regularly attending professional development to sharpen their skills and drive positive outcomes for students.
In the 2024-25 school year, VBISD hosted the Train-the-Trainer series for MAASE’s Paraeducator Training, with Jen Korinek serving as a content developer. Additionally, Laura Thornburg and Jen Korinek have presented twice at MAASE’s Technical Assistance Conference, sharing expertise and strategies with administrators across Michigan!
Through partnerships like these, VBISD Special Education continues to lead, innovate, and elevate the impact of educators statewide.

Join VBISD Instructional Services on May 7, 2026, for Van Buren Stronger Together: a community event focused on suicide awareness.

This event is open to professionals, students, families, and parents who want to strengthen their ability to support mental health and well-being.

May 7, 2026
4:30 PM: Doors open at the Conference Center (490 S. Paw Paw St. Lawrence, MI)


Enjoy light refreshments while connecting with local vendors and community resources

5:00 PM: Program begins with presentations from the Southwest Chapter’s Brant Gauthier and Salus

Breakout sessions to follow


7:45 PM: Event concludes

This evening offers a safe, supportive space for learning, connection, and collaboration as we come together to support the well-being of Van Buren County.

Mark your calendars! April 30: 7th Annual Van Buren Community Baby Shower
The Healthy Babies, Healthy Moms Committee of the Van Buren Great Start Collaborative is hosting a free baby shower for expecting families and those with infants under 15 months.
Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 5:00-7:00 PM
Van Buren ISD Conference Center490 S. Paw Paw St., Lawrence
Who Can Attend:Families who live or work in the Van Buren ISD service area; expecting or with infants under 15 months (no income requirements)
Event Includes: Registered families will receive a free gift bag while supplies last, and a meal with desserts will be provided. The event will include a Safe Sleep presentation, offered in both English and Spanish, which is required to be eligible for door prizes. Attendees can win door prizes such as Pack-n-Plays and other infant items. Additionally, community resources on prenatal, infant, and postpartum care will be available, with Spanish language support provided throughout the event.
Registration (recommended): forms.gle/bDxhJSBX3si3srhF9
Walk-ins welcome
Hosted by:Van Buren Great Start Collaborative (lead), HOPE Parent Resource Center, Van Buren Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council

Sponsored by: Van Buren ISD and Van Buren Great Start Collaborative, with support from Bronson Health Foundation
Additional partners: VBISD Family Coalition, Family Links, Early On; Van Buren DHHS; Bronson Healthcare and Safe Kids; InterCare (WIC); Van Buren District Library; Aetna Better Health; CMH/Substance Abuse Prevention; Flowers Early Learning (Head Start/EHS); Doula Services; Meridian Health; Friend of the Court; MiLEAP; Children’s Trust Michigan

BGLC to Host Annual Spring Plant Sale in Lawrence

BGLC is pleased to invite the community to its annual Spring Plant Sale, offering a wide variety of flowers, hanging baskets, and vegetable plants just in time for the growing season.

The sale will take place on the following dates and times:
Friday, May 8 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Monday, May 11 through Friday, May 15 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Monday, May 18, from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. (or until sold out)

Shoppers will find an extensive selection of annual flowers, including marigolds, snapdragons, dusty miller, petunias, impatiens, salvia, and zinnias. Annuals are available for $20 per flat of 48 plants or $2 per cell pack of four.

Additional offerings include begonias and coleus, priced at $15 per flat of 15 or $1.50 for a 4-inch pot, as well as geraniums at $20 per flat or $2 per 4-inch pot.

A variety of hanging baskets will also be available for $15 each, featuring impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, petunias, Callie petunias, and wandering jew.

Gardeners can also purchase vegetable plants, with flats of 15 priced at $20 or individual 4-inch pots available for $2. Options include popular tomato varieties such as Better Boy, Early Girl, Roma, and Sweet Cherry, along with a range of peppers including Big Bertha, jalapeno, sweet banana, red bell, chili, and cayenne.

Please note that the sale accepts cash and checks only.
Community members are encouraged to shop early for the best selection, as items are available while supplies last.

Proceeds from the sale support student learning opportunities and hands-on experiences at BGLC.

705 S. Paw Paw St. Lawrence, MI

Did you know VBISD’s Special Education Department is helping create meaningful, real-world connections for students through Peer to Peer programming?
At Paw Paw Middle School, students in the Peer to Peer Program recently participated in a special field trip made possible through a Bullying Prevention Program grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, along with additional support from the START Project.
This experience gave 35 students the opportunity to build relationships beyond the classroom while practicing teamwork, communication, and inclusion in a supportive, engaging environment.
Through intentional programming like this, VBISD’s Special Education Department continues to lead the way in creating connection, belonging, and student growth!

VBISD’s Family Links Home Visiting program, part of the Early Childhood Department, supports families from pregnancy through age five using the nationally recognized Parents as Teachers National Center model. As a Blue Ribbon affiliate, the program meets high standards for quality and effectiveness.

Family Links is built on the belief that parents are a child’s first and most important teachers. Through regular home visits, trained staff partner with families to strengthen parent-child relationships, support early literacy, and provide guidance on child development using a research-based curriculum that promotes healthy growth in all areas.
This free, voluntary program is available to all families in Van Buren County and focuses on the critical early years when children’s brains are developing most rapidly. Family Links also helps identify concerns early and connects families to valuable resources and support when needed!

https://www.vbisd.org/o/ece/page/family-links

VBISD Technology Services is a driving force behind student success and county-wide excellence. The team ensures students have access to reliable devices and innovative digital tools that enhance learning and prepare them for the future, while providing staff with responsive support, essential systems, and ongoing training. Their work to protect student data, maintain secure networks, and keep the community connected reflects a standard of service that is both critical and exceptional!
That impact is best seen in team members like Evan Andres. He consistently goes above and beyond- recently stepping in to quickly resolve technical challenges for the GSRP group while maintaining a calm, respectful, and supportive approach. His ability to not only fix problems but also put others at ease earned high praise, reinforcing what makes VBISD Technology Services so outstanding: expertise, responsiveness, and a genuine commitment to people.

VBISD Instructional Services’ Literacy Coaches and Consultants have been hosting a free professional learning series to support schools in the implementation of Public Act 146 (PA 146), Michigan’s K-12 Literacy and Dyslexia Law.
Participants engage in learning focused on:
-Using Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to implement PA 146
-Strengthening and intensifying literacy instruction to meet student needs
-Reflecting on current practices and planning for future implementation
-Opportunities to collaborate with other educators and administrators across the county (All local districts in Van Buren County and additional out-of-county districts have attended at least one session this school year!)
This series provides valuable tools and strategies to support student success in literacy and build stronger, more aligned systems across schools!
The final session for this school year is in April: Session 5 (The Pathway to PA 146 will continue next school year!)
April 27th: 1-3 PM
April 28th: 8-10 AM

Members of VBISD’s Instructional Services Department attended MDE’s Dyslexia Summit Watch Party at WMU. Joining them were several members of VBISD’s ancillary staff assigned to Paw Paw: Stephanie Barr, School Psychologist; Anna Fawley, Diagnostic Teacher Consultant; and Madeline Mann, School Psychologist. Dr. Kim St. Martin, Director of MiMTSS, was also present and generously shared her expertise. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn alongside our partners at WMU!