After classes ended for the day yesterday (and we were sure the coast was clear) several sneaky staff decorated our Goalball athletes' lockers as a surprise for them to find this morning!
over 1 year ago, VSDB
female staff arranging blue and white streamers on a locker
staff places a large blue star on a student’s locker to add to the decorations. the star has braille stickers affixed
female staff holds decorations in a close up selfie while two other staff work on a locker further away from her
three stuff pose with a decorated locker
One staff smiles as she decorates a locker
Homecoming Spirit Week Day 3 - Fuzzy Day! Students and staff spent the day in our fuzziest clothes and accessories- some with quite a creative flair!
over 1 year ago, VSDB
female staff stands against a black background wrapped in a fuzzy gray sweater
female staff wearing a purple fuzzy sweater and a fuzzy scarf
male student sits in a classroom showing his T-shirt adorned with many colorful fuzzy pompoms
female student shows off her fuzzy sweater and pants
female staff sitting at a desk points to her fuzzy socks
female staff member wearing fuzzy clothes with fuzzy stuffed animals pinned to them
male student smiles while playing outside and showing his T-shirt adorned with fuzzy Pom Pom balls
Virginia Governor Youngkin declared today, February 15, 2023, School Resource Officer Appreciation Day and we are thrilled to take this opportunity to recognize VSDB's Public Safety department. These men and women protect and serve the VSDB campus 24/7.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
photo of VSDB public safety officers standing outside with fall trees in the background
Our residential program hosted a Valentine's dance yesterday evening! The students had a great time!
over 1 year ago, VSDB
elementary student holding a frame that says BFF 2023 and standing in front of a backdrop decorated with hearts and red lights
high school student wearing a black dress with a valentines scarf and a heart headband standing in front of a backdrop decorated with hearts and red lights
elementary student and female staff holding a frame that says BFF 2023 standing in front of a backdrop decorated with hearts and red lights
Happy Valentine's Day from VSDB! Our staff and students all over campus participated in the Blind Department Spirit Week Red/Character Day. Our pre-K students have also started to receive letters from the community and they are SO EXCITED.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
high school students deliver letters to the pre-k mailbox
a group of students and staff stand together smiling in a hallway
pre-K mailbox full of letters
blind elementary class and teachers wearing red and smiling in the lobby
pre-K looking at some of their cards
pre-K students getting cards from the mailbox and looking at them
pre-K students looking at valentines cards
Happy Valentine's Day from VSDB! Our staff and students all over campus participated in the Blind Department Spirit Week Red/Character Day. Our pre-K students have also started to receive letters from the community and they are SO EXCITED.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
high school students deliver letters to the pre-k mailbox
a group of students and staff stand together smiling in a hallway
pre-K mailbox full of letters
blind elementary class and teachers wearing red and smiling in the lobby
pre-K looking at some of their cards
pre-K students getting cards from the mailbox and looking at them
pre-K students looking at valentines cards
Homecoming Spirit Week Day 2 - Character or Red Day Our campus was full of interesting characters and a LOT of red today! Staff and students enjoyed dressing up for the theme.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
four elementary students and two staff stand in the lobby. one student is dressed as Mr. Hershey and the other staff and students are wearing red
one female student dressed in a 70s outfit
one male student wearing a safari hat and looking at his tablet
female staff wearing a red shirt and holding a bag of m&m’s
female student wearing a wide brimmed hat smiling while sitting at a desk
female staff wearing a red shirt standing in a hallway
female staff wearing a Jack skellington outfit standing in a hallway
female staff dressed as cruella de’vil and holding a toy Dalmation
two female staff standing in a hallway. one dressed as cruella de’vil and one dressed as the queen of hearts. both with mean expressions
two female staff standing in a hallway. one dressed as cruella de’vil and one dressed as the queen of hearts. both smiling
Outreach services through VSDB is offering free Fingerspelling Our Way to Reading training!! Fingerspelling Our Way to Reading is a revolutionary approach to literacy instruction for Deaf children giving access to phonemic awareness through the use of fingerspelling. Virginia teachers of the Deaf/HOH are invited to participate in 2 day virtual trainings to learn about the program and how to use it in their school divisions. Classes are limited to 15 participants. ASL interpreting is provided. Register here: https://bit.Iv/FSOW23
over 1 year ago, VSDB
Flyer with blue background. Fingerspelling Our Way to Reading. Based on evidence that fingerspelling may provide a pathway to decoding words and strengthening print recognition by building phonological awareness, a team from CLAD developed the Fingerspelling Our Way to Reading program. This innovative program is a supplementary literacy program for DHH students in K-2nd grade that focuses on developing fingerspelling phonological awareness, printed word analysis, and multiple opportunities to read target words in sentences and original stories. This FREE and VIRTUAL training requires 2 half days of training. Once you have completed the training, you will be able to purchase the program. This training opportunity is available to teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Virginia serving students ages 2-21. ASL Interpreting is provided. Sessions are limited to 15 participants per class. Dates: February 23-24 May 8-9 July 17-18 Register here: https://bit.ly/FSOW23 VSDB Outreach is funded by a grant through the Virginia Department of Education
We started off Spirit Week in relaxing and comfortable style - Pajama Day!! Check out some of our students and staff enjoying pajamas all day.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
three students and one staff smile wearing their pajamas
one student wearing pajamas pretends to sleep on a desk
a female teacher smiles from her doorway while wearing pajamas
female student stands and smiles wearing her pajamas
male teacher smiles wearing his Christmas pajamas
female student lays curled up on the ground wearing her pajamas
female staff wearing pajamas pretends to sleep standing up while wearing pajamas and holding a stuffed elephant and a coffee cup
This weekend has been busy! We're so proud of all of the students who represented VSDB this weekend in New York, New Jersey, and here in Virginia. Now, we're ready for an even more exciting and busy week - Blind Department Homecoming Week!!!!! We're having spirit days throughout the week: Monday is Pajama Day, Tuesday is Character or Wear Red Day, Wednesday is Fuzzy Day, Thursday is Blue and White Day, and Friday is Jingle Day! Add Thursday's Homecoming Goalball Pep Rally and Game to your calendar and plan to join us for a great time! Pep Rally will start at 1:30 and the game will start at 3:00!
over 1 year ago, VSDB
flyer showing images of the spirit days for homecoming week
flyer for homecoming goalball game at 3:00 on 2/16/23
SO PROUD of our four Blind Department students' participation in the Virginia Braille Challenge. Morris received 4th place, Nikita placed 3rd, Naomi received 2nd place, and Noah brought home 1st place!! We are so incredibly proud of the four of you and all your hard work!
over 1 year ago, VSDB
male student with a medal around his neck
male student receiving certificate and medal
female student smiles while holding a certificate and wearing a medal
male student receives medal and ribbon
four students smile wearing their medals
The students at the Virginia Braille Challenge spent time testing earlier but were able to eat lunch together and with their families.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
student and adult sitting at a table for lunch
student and his family at lunch
two students enjoying lunch
Our girls basketball team plays again today at 4:00 (will be live streamed) but they couldn't pass by the opportunity to use some of their free time to visit one of the largest waterfalls in the US!
over 1 year ago, VSDB
waterfall and river
snapshot of VSDB girls basketball during a game
two girls sit behind a large pizza and hold up peace signs
girls basketball team with coaches in front of the waterfall
two girls pretend to take a bite out of a large pizza
girls basketball team and coaches in front of a large waterfall
Four of our students went to compete in Virginia's FIRST Braille Challenge! The Braille Challenge is a national program of the Braille Institute®. It’s a full day of fun, interactive braille challenges where students compete and win prizes according to their grade level.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
four students standing in a gym talking
three students standing in a gym talking
School Counselor Appreciation Week post 5: We asked our counselors to respond to two questions - How do you inspire students to "Dream Big"? and Why did you become a school counselor? Here are their responses:
over 1 year ago, VSDB
I wanted to be a school counselor so that I could be apart of educating the whole child. My part in that is offering supports where needed to teachers, students, and families. Ms. Becky, VSDB school counselor
I am able to meet children where they are whether that is through play or through listening to them express themselves. Children are resilient and I want to be able to share with them skills and tools to be the best versions of themselves
I help students to dream big by encouraging them to maximize all their abilities! Many times the world will only see a persons disabilities and I want to help students to focus on all of who they are and growing into who they were destined to become!
reminding them to not think negatively or speak negatively about themselves. The battle of our own thoughts is the first fight we have to fight and if I can help them learn ways to “change” their thinking than I am positive they can conquer the rest
Our VSDB boys basketball team left this morning for a weekend tournament in New Jersey. They play their first game tonight at 8:30 pm. We wish you all good luck and hope you enjoy this time with your teammates, coaches, and other schools’ players. We will update this post if a live stream of the game is announced. We will also post photo and video updates as we receive them from the coaches! #goVSDB
over 1 year ago, VSDB
boys basketball team showing off the backs of their team sweatshirts
boys basketball team gathered for a group photo
teacher giving thumbs up to the team
pep talk from athletic director with boys basketball team lined in front of him standing outside
Thank you Staunton News Leader for highlighting the impactful work of VSDB's Board of Visitors, led by Senator John Bell. As Senator Bell said, passing Senate Bill 1493 makes a major statement about Virginia’s commitment to the Deaf and blind children of Virginia. https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/education/2023/02/09/virginia-school-for-deaf-blind-set-to-transfer-to-governor/69885337007/
over 1 year ago, VSDB
Our VSDB girls basketball team left today to head to Buffalo, NY for a weekend tournament. We wish you all the best of luck in the games and we hope you have a wonderful trip!! Their first game is tomorrow at 6:00 pm. We will update this post if a live stream of the game is announced. We will also post photo and video updates as we receive them from the coaches! #goVSDB
over 1 year ago, VSDB
two women sit in the driver and passenger seats of a white van
girls basketball team in the van holding a sign “go cardinals"
athletic director gives girls a pep talk before they leave for the trip
It may still be winter but yesterday sure felt like spring! Our residential students enjoyed spending their afternoon outside in the beautiful weather.
over 1 year ago, VSDB
students and staff playing outside. one girl throws a football with staff. some student are playing on playground
female student on porch swing
group of students on a merry go round
female student on a porch swing
School Counselor Appreciation Week post 3: Spotlight on Alysha Scott! Alysha is originally from Ohio but has been in Virginia for several years now and we are SO GLAD she has found her way to VSDB! Her position is new to VSDB because she works in the afternoons and evenings to support students who reside on campus during the week. Although she has only been at VSDB for a few months, she has quickly developed strong relationships with the students and they appreciate her ability to joke and make them smile. She is a fun-loving person and brings that fun with her into counseling to make groups fun! Thank you, Ms. Alysha, for everything you have done so far to support our students and we're so glad to have you on board!!
over 1 year ago, VSDB
portrait of woman’s head and shoulders in front of a stone wall