The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind

Halloween Recap at VSDB!
Our elementary students had a blast trick-or-treating through the halls! 🍬✨ Middle and high school students, along with our amazing staff, passed out candy and treats as the parade made its way around campus.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this such a fun and festive tradition for our students! 🧡🖤 #VSDB #HalloweenParade #TrickOrTreat #SpookySeason

1 day ago, VSDB

❄️🎶 Join us for the VSDB Winter Concert!
📅 Thursday, December 11th
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Healy Auditorium

Come one, come all to celebrate the season with music and cheer—family, friends, and community are all welcome!

2 days ago, VSDB

A festive winter concert poster featuring christmas elements and the event details for the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind’s Winter Concert

This Founders Day we wanted to celebrate not only VSDB, but also honor all of the ways that Virginia has led the way in education! We are excited to share our latest video with you, and you can see it on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqhthKkfQqE

#VSDB #FoundersDay #TogetherWeEmpower #PreparingStudentsForLife

2 days ago, VSDB

Come out and support our GoalBall team today at 4:30 PM in our home gym!

2 days ago, Mikayla Freimuth

Here are the results from Yesterday's Game! It was a long hard fought battle for the girls and boys. The Girls are showing valuable improvement and the Boys tipped off the season with a DUB!

2 days ago, David Owens

The 2025-2026 VSDB Varsity Basketball season begins for both the Boys and Girls teams! Today is the season opener at Mt. Carmel Christian Academy with the Girls Tip-Off at 5 pm and Boys Tip-Off at 6:15 pm. Both games will be livestreamed at the links below:
Girls: https://web.gc.com/teams/V6iIMa5X8VOp?utm_source=Web&utm_campaign=team_share_link
Boys: https://web.gc.com/teams/OmIPZEq6n8GQ?utm_source=Web&utm_campaign=team_share_link

3 days ago, David Owens

📣 VSDB Food Drive is Back!
🗓 Kickoff: Wednesday, November 5 (announcement at lunch)
📦 Final Collection Day: Friday, December 12
🏆 Results Announced: Wednesday, December 17

This year, our goal is to collect 2,500 pounds of food for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank! 🥫💛

You can drop off donations in the colored boxes in the Yates and Peery lobbies or support your team financially through our online link: https://give.brafb.org/team/781881
— just remember to include your team name!

3 days ago, Mikayla Freimuth

ocial media graphic promoting the VSDB Food Drive with donation boxes, event dates, and team colors

Good luck to our Goalball teams as they travel to Raleigh, NC, today to compete against Governor Morehead School and South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind during Governor Morehead's homecoming! Governor Morehead School will livestream the games today, beginning at 1:30 pm, on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GovernorMoreheadSchool/
Let's go VSDB!!
#VSDBproud #GrowDoBecome #PreparingStudentsForLife #TogetherWeEmpower

7 days ago, VSDB

gameday flyer. large goalball with VSDB vs GMS and SCSDB mascots and game time information

District Choir Announcement 🎵
We are so proud of our students who participated in District Choir auditions this year!

This year, seven VSDB students — four from middle school and three from high school — represented us with talent and dedication.

We’re thrilled to announce that three students were selected for the 2025 District Choir:
✨ Yurem Dimas – Middle School (1st year!)
✨ Angel Cruz – Middle School (2nd year in a row!)
✨ Charlotte Sterling – High School (3rd year in a row and the first VSDB student ever to achieve this!)

Please join us in a big round of applause for Yurem, Angel, and Charlotte — and for all the students who auditioned this year. Your hard work, courage, and love for music inspire us all!

7 days ago, Mikayla Freimuth

"Graphic announcing District Choir selections with a sheet music background, featuring the text 'District Choir Announcement'."

Some photos from the VSDB Homecoming Pep Rally! 🎉❤️💙 #VSDBPride #Homecoming2025

8 days ago, VSDB

A student drumline sits in the bleachers, each with a drum in front of them. They are focused and ready to play, contributing to the pep rally’s lively atmosphere.

A group of students and staff cheer enthusiastically from the bleachers, some standing and waving, others holding signs. One student lifts a hat in celebration, and red and blue streamers decorate the walls.

: Four students perform a choreographed dance on the gym floor during the pep rally. They are in motion, showing energy and team spirit. Banners and an American flag hang in the background.

EXTRA, EXTRA... READ ALL ABOUT IT!!

We’re proud to share our latest newsletter, created by students from our Blind Department in Ms. Smith’s class!

Check out their amazing work here: https://aptg.co/sLTsP_

9 days ago, VSDB

graphic icon showing a newspaper coming out of an envelope, next to a photo of a student typing on a brailler

Our volleyball and soccer teams recently had an amazing trip to the American School for the Deaf for their Homecoming Weekend! It was an awesome few days full of games, laughter, and connecting with new friends. 💙

A special highlight — our students got to meet the great-great-great-great-grandson of Laurent Clerc and took a group photo with him, plus a cardboard cutout and statue of Laurent Clerc himself.

Huge thanks to ASD for hosting us!

#VSDB #PreparingStudentsForLife #TogetherWeEmpower

10 days ago, VSDB

🌳 Honoring Our Trees, Protecting Our Campus 🌳 We recently made the difficult decision to remove one of our oldest campus trees after it showed signs of rapid decline. Over the past year, our staff noticed it was leaning toward campus buildings, and an arborist confirmed that the tree was dying and posed a safety risk. This oak was first documented on our campus in 1815, making it more than 210 years old—a living witness to generations of students, faculty, and change. Saying goodbye to such a long-standing part of our history is never easy, but safety must come first. The good news: our Tree Committee is deeply committed to caring for and preserving our beautiful campus canopy. For every tree we lose, we plant two new trees—a promise to restore and grow the green spaces that make our campus so special. We’re also investing in the long-term health of our remaining trees, including the magnificent white oak in front of Main Hall, which now benefits from root treatments and a lightning protection system to help it thrive for generations to come. 🌱 Here’s to honoring our past, preserving what we can, and planting for the future.

14 days ago, VSDB

machinery working on the upper branches of this oak tree. fall colors shine as the sun beams through from behind the tree

machinery working on the upper branches of this oak tree. fall colors shine as the sun beams through

plaque identifying this tree as a white oak in 1815

*National Award Alert*

Principal Lindsay Burris had the honor of recognizing VSDB’s Orientation and Mobility Specialist Lisa Auwarter as the National Outstanding Service Provider of the Year. This award was presented by the Council of Schools for the Blind. Ms. Auwarter was selected for this national award in recognition of her excellence and dedication to students who are blind or visually impaired. She has 42 years of service to the field. Lisa is a tireless advocate and a skilled professional who is fully committed to the students and families that she works with. VSDB is so fortunate to have Lisa Auwarter on staff. Congratulations for this well deserved recognition!

#TogetherWeEmpower #VSDB #NationalAward #COSB

29 days ago, VSDB

Lindsay Burris standing with Lisa Auwarter holding a plaque recognizing Lisa as the Service Provider of the Year

Copper colored plaque mounted on wood that reads in both print and braille: COSB Council of Schools & Services for the Blind is proud to present the Outstanding Related Service Provider Award To Lisa Auwarter on October 14, 2025 for outstanding performance and leadership in your fie

🚍 Another road trip! Lady Defenders head to Legacy Christian. Time to lock in and play strong!
#VSDBAthletics #GoDefenders

The games can be either live scored or live streamed via game changer by going to the teams page on the game changer app here: https://web.gc.com/teams/9gC4087SQw9d?utm_source=Web&utm_campaign=team_share_link

about 1 month ago, David Owens

From stories and art, to teamwork and exploration, VSDB students discover new ways to learn and express themselves every day!

about 1 month ago, VSDB

A flyer featuring students from the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind engaging in reading, drawing, and hands-on activities in a colorful classroom and library setting. The flyer includes the title “Where Imagination Comes to Life!” with illustrated books and cartoon brains representing creativity and learning.

🏠 Huge HOMECOMING showdown! The Defenders battle PSD in an early match. Don’t miss this!
#Homecoming #VSDBVolleyball #DefendThisHouse

The games can be either live scored or live streamed via game changer by going to the teams page on the game changer app here: https://web.gc.com/teams/9gC4087SQw9d?utm_source=Web&utm_campaign=team_share_link

about 1 month ago, David Owens

⚽ Special early HOMECOMING game! VSDB faces PSD right here at home. Pack the field and cheer on the Defenders!
#GoDefenders #VSDBPride

The games can be either live scored or live streamed via game changer by going to the teams page on the game changer app here: https://web.gc.com/teams/K3ghvbsE8tnp?utm_source=Web&utm_campaign=team_share_link

about 1 month ago, David Owens

🔥 HOMECOMING SHOWDOWN 🔥
It’s the Homecoming Game for VSDB Blind Soccer as we host Maryland School for the Blind!
Come out, pack the sidelines, and make it an unforgettable night for our Defenders! 🏠
📍 VSDB | ⏰ Game Time: October 15th
Let’s defend our house on the biggest stage of the season!
#Homecoming2025 #DefendThisHouse #GoDefenders

The game can be live streamed or live-scoring by viewing the teams page on the gamechanger app here; https://web.gc.com/teams/nJNuzTUaQUeh?utm_source=Web&utm_campaign=team_share_link

about 1 month ago, David Owens

White Cane Awareness Day reminds us of the importance of independence, safety, and equality for blind individuals.
Join the celebration TODAY, October 15 and spread awareness about the power of the white cane!

#WhiteCaneAwarenessDay #TogetherWeEmpower #VSDB

about 1 month ago, VSDB

Group of students and adults walking under an archway made of white canes outside a brick building during a White Cane Awareness Day celebration. A graphic box on the left reads: ‘Fun Fact — White Cane Awareness Day is celebrated every year on October 15 in all 50 states. The white cane is an essential tool that allows blind people to travel freely, safely, and independently.