Circles of Life is Wisconsin’s annual conference for families who have children with disabilities and the professionals who support them.
Consider becoming a financial supporter of Circles of Life. By sponsoring or exhibiting you allow us to sustain this important event so participants can learn, grow and connect.
Our theme for 2025 is overcoming barriers. We look forward to seeing you in the Wisconsin Dells for Circles of Life.
Download print and mail your form with a check to:
2100 Main St.
Rm 032 Old Main
Stevens Point, WI 54481-3897
Questions about Conference Registration?
Phone: (715) 346-3838
Fax: (715) 346-3504
Email: uwspceweb@uwsp.edu
Parent: $175
Professional/Provider/Educator: $350
Child ages 5 – 21: $125
Supporter/Chaperone of a child with a disability: $125 (one per family)
April 24 – ALERT: We are able to accept registrations through April 30th for families using CLTS Waiver Funding. Our registration form has been modified to reflect this change. We realize that prior authorizations may be delayed given the change to Gainwell. We will work with counties on the prior authorizations as needed given these changes.
Families who have children enrolled in the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) and Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) may be able to use these programs to pay for conference registration, travel and hotel costs.
Your child’s Support and Service Coordinator (SSC) will need to know what you would like to learn from attending and the goals and outcomes it supports for your family. If your SSC has questions, contact DHS, DHSBCSTAC@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
For those who are not able to receive funding from their child’s Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program, limited scholarships are available to cover the cost of hotel and registration.
Applications will open on Feb. 10. The scholarship deadline is April 1st, or until all available funds have been awarded, whichever comes first. Applications may close earlier if the scholarships are fully distributed before the deadline.
Questions: Contact John at the Elsie Shaw Parent Scholarship Fund at John@elsieshaw.org or call (608) 846-3530.
Conference Rooms: Available in Glacier Canyon Lodge or Wilderness Hotel
Conference Rate: $98 single occupancy | $119 double, triple or quad occupancy
Levels Include: 1 Conference Registration (meals and access to all sessions and activities)
Non-Profit Organization: $400
For-Profit Organization: $600
Additional Staff: $150 each
In 2024 Circles of Life had over 40 resource vendors! Conference goers met with these vendors on scheduled breaks throughout both days to learn about their valuable resources. Our conference app will use interactive maps, games and contact information to connect attendees with exhibitors throughout the conference.
Set up
Wednesday, May 7 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Thursday, May 8 7:00am – 8:30am
Exhibit Times
Thursday, May 8 8:30am – 4:30pm
Friday, May 9 8:30 am – 12:30pm
Conference sponsors reach hundreds of families and professionals over the 2-day event. Sponsors receive an exhibitor booth, recognition on our website, app and social media prior to the conference as well as signage at the conference.
Starting at the Gold Level, sponsors can gain extra visibility as a meal or activity sponsor. Your logo will be prominently displayed with your ad on the big screen at these gatherings. Contact Lynn at Family Voices, Lynn@fvofwi.org, for more information.
PLATINUM Level: $5,500
GOLD Level: $3,500
SILVER Level: $1,500
For assistance with the online form, email UW-Stevens Point Continuing Education at uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu. For general sponsorship questions, contact Lynn at Lynn@fvofwi.org
or (608) 512-0217.
Registration is required to take part in Gathering of Youth. This lets staff get to know your teen and ensures they have the needed health and safety information.
Gathering of Youth is a unique conference track for teens and young adults, ages 10 to 18, who have disabilities. These are supervised sessions that run while parents take part in the keynote and workshops.
Participants eat meals with their families or join tables with other youth. Check-in with your teen before meals and make sure they return to the Gathering of Youth room before going to your workshops.
Questions: Brian Kenney, Facilitator
briankenney98@gmail.com or (608)448-9034
Sibshops are wonderful events that celebrate the important role of sisters and brothers of children with special health needs. As an official Sibshop of WisconSibs, Inc., these workshops offer engaging, age-appropriate activities and open discussions about the unique experiences and joys of having a sibling with disabilities. They are designed for “typical” siblings, ages 8-12 and ages 13-17.
To participate in Sibshop, you must register for the conference and then separately register your child for Sibshop. There is no additional fee for this program, but the sibling must be registered for the conference and a parent or guardian must be onsite at the Wilderness Resort – Glacier Canyon Conference Center.
This year’s overcoming barriers theme will bring out your love of friendly competition. Stop by Thursday night after dinner to have your ninja try our warriors’ course. Everyone is Welcome!
We’ll have games, crafts, a puppet show, activities and plenty of treats!
Find a treasure or just something handy to have around the house. Our auction has it all. Bidding starts at the conference opening on Thursday morning and winners are announced that evening at Family Fun night.
All proceeds go to the Elsie Shaw Parent Scholarship Fund, created to offset the cost of attending the Circles of Life Conference for Wisconsin families.
7:45 am – 9:00 am
Check-In and Breakfast/Check-in y desayuno
9:00 am – 10:15 am
Welcome and Keynote Address/Bienvenida y Conferencia principal
9:00 am – 11:45 am
SibShop (ages 8 -12)/SibShop (de 8 a 12 años)
9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Gathering of Youth/Encuentro de Jóvenes
10:15 am – 10:30 am
Break and Exhibitor Visits/Descanso y visitas de expositores
10:30 am – 11:45 am
Session A Workshops/Talleres de la sesión A
11:45 am – 1:15 pm
Lunch, Awards, Celebrating 40 Years/Almuerzo y entrega de premios
Professionals: Network-Lunch & Learn/Profesionales: Networking-Lunch & Learn
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
TEEN Sibshop (ages 13– 17)/Sibshop adolescente (de 13 a 17 años)
1:30 pm – 2:45 pm
Session B Workshops/Talleres de la sesión B
2:45 pm – 3:00pm
Break and Exhibitor Visits/Descanso y visitas de expositores
3:00 pm – 4:15 pm
Session C Workshops/Talleres de la sesión C
4:45 pm – 6:15 pm
Dinner and Community Conversation /Cena y Conversación Comunitaria
6:15 pm – 7:30 pm
Family Fun Night & Auction Winners/Noche de diversión familiar y ganadores de subastas
7:45 am – 8:45 am
Breakfast, Slide show, Door Prizes & Closing /Desayuno, Presentación de diapositivas, premios y cierre
9:00 am – 11:45 am
Gathering of Youth/Encuentro de Jóvenes
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Birth to 3 Program ICC Town Hall/Nacimiento a 3 Reunión de la ICC
9:00 am – 10:15 am
Session D Workshops/Talleres de la sesión D
10:15 am – 10:30 am
Break and Exhibitor Visits/Descanso y visitas de expositores
10:30 am – 11:45 am
Session E Workshops/Talleres de la sesión E
11:45 am
Conference Ends: See you next year at the Holiday Inn Stevens Point, May 14 & 15, 2026/La conferencia termina: Nos vemos el próximo año en el Holiday Inn Stevens Point, el 14 y 15 de mayo de 2026
In this fun and engaging keynote, Brian Kenney discusses overcoming barriers through strategies and best practices for full inclusion. He explains that achieving success in education and the community includes family involvement and engagement as well as holding others accountable.
For over 25 years, Brian has been traveling to Wisconsin schools to create environments that encourage teams to come together to succeed through activities and conversations. He aims to increase human connections, develop a thriving culture, and exhibit a positive, outcome-based climate within schools and the community. As founder of Team Extreme, Brian works with all types of teams to improve leadership skills and abilities to harness team cohesion.
Peter Leidy has been learning from people with disabilities since 1983. After working for a provider organization for 19 years, Peter now conducts workshops and consults with individuals, families and teams in areas such as personalized supports, building community relationships, stress reduction, improving workplace communication, advocacy, and supporting and valuing direct support professionals. He is a CLTS provider as well. Peter also writes and sings songs about life inside and outside the human service system.
This workshop brings the benefits of improv into team meetings, person-centered planning meetings, and family conversations. It’s not about comedy, but it’s usually fun! This session will provide specific takeaways, including:
For general information about the conference, advertising or exhibiting, email Lynn at Lynn@fvofwi.org.
For questions about registration call UW—Stevens Point at (715) 346-3838
To learn about conference scholarships, contact John Shaw at the Elsie Shaw Parent Scholarship Foundation, (608) 294-8716 or john@elsieshaw.org.
