Kids are back in school, fall is in the air and we’ve been busy! This time of year makes all of us at High Tide think of new routines and schedules. In light of that, we’ll be showing you the first of our Staff Spotlights below. Keep reading to get to know us a little better.
We Can’t Thank You Enough
We would be remiss to go any further without giving special attention to all of the outstanding, dedicated and talented Direct Support Professionals in our midst and yours. As you’re probably aware, this week we are celebrating National DSP Recognition Week.
From all of us at High Tide Press, thank you for all that you do to support those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. We hope you’ve felt celebrated, appreciated and valued this week.
On the Road (Again!)
We are still riding high from attending a very successful NAQ Conference in New Orleans in August. While we enjoyed the beautiful hotel and the delicious food, they could not compare to being with one another again and hearing from the best speaker lineup NAQ has ever presented.
Our very own Anne Ward was center stage twice, presenting attendees with the newest in person-centered practices. Art Dykstra was also on hand making sure everyone knew about all of the membership options and benefits NAQ offers. You can learn more about NAQ and membership with our sister organization here.
We stayed more local just a few weeks ago when we headed to Peoria, IL, for IARF’s Educational Conference. We were proud to highlight our person-centered planning app and the IARF PCOA.
In October, we are looking forward to being in Las Vegas where we’ll place our bets on a successful and refreshing CQL conference. We’re excited to present cutting edge person-centered planning information, philosophies and technology. We would love to see you there, too!
Staff Spotlight
For this “Back to School” issue of the High Tide newsletter, we thought it would be fun to start something new. We’d like to introduce ourselves! So, once in a while, we’ll focus on one member of the core High Tide Press team. We are a small but mighty crew:
- Art Dykstra, CEO & Publisher
- Anne Ward, Director of Publications
- Bob Sandidge, Marketing & Media
- Mary Rundell-Holmes, Editor
- Beth Dyer, Publishing Coordinator
This month’s focus is our Director of Publications, Anne Ward. Tuck in with a beverage and get to know her.
HTP: What is your position at High Tide and how long have you been here?
AW: I’ve been the Director of Publications since 2015 or so.
HTP: What are you reading right now?
AW: A lot! Building a Second Brain – Tiago Forte, The Extended Mind – Annie Murphy Paul, Do Hard Things – Steve Magness, a couple of books on design thinking, The Big Picture – Sean Carroll, and for fun I enjoy Barry Eisler’s John Rain series, John LeCarre and Marisha Pessl.
HTP: What are three things you’re grateful for right now?
AW: 1. Dinner with my mom every Friday. 2. Every single summer day I get to experience. 3. I would say the scent of a new book, but I’ve run out of space so now do most of my reading via e-books and Audible.
HTP: What is your favorite movie? Dessert? Food?
AW: Movie: In Bruges (We like introducing it to people who have never seen it. We tell them, “It’s a holiday movie.”) And most classic Hitchcock
Food: Chipped ham from Isaly’s (Pittsburgh deli chain; trivia: invented the Klondike) on a sandwich roll from Prantl’s Bakery (Shadyside bakery managed by inflexible people, but excellent bakers) with lots of Hellman’s mayo and a couple of crisp lettuce leaves. But since I don’t live in Pittsburgh, I can get by with a good smoked ham—shaved—on a Jewel bakery dinner roll (slightly sweet, egg dough) along with the Hellman’s and lettuce.
Dessert: Might be peach cobbler topped with dulce de leche ice cream, or maybe a marble cake with Prantl’s buttercream frosting (with frosting roses).
HTP: How did you come to enjoy reading?
AW: Memories of Christmas day, tucked away reading my new book, and High School summer school with a visit to the library every day on the walk home & reading until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning.
Looking Ahead
October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Visit the National Down Syndrome Society to learn more.
