The VSDB library is full of fun - and not only fun with books but so many other activities as well!! Here is Jowan after challenging himself to catch all these foam balls on the Velcro headpiece!
Also, check out the many fashions of our library statue, Ben, over the past few months!
As this school year comes to a close, please remember to return all library books and materials as soon as possible. Thank you!
"Teamwork makes the dream work!"
This is so true and our students truly welcome opportunities to work together. Here, Nikita and Eric work together on a math activity in Ms. Cook's class. They are using a talking calculator, an ipad with enlarged text, and a Brailler to complete their work.
We are proud to have any accommodations students may need to be successful in classes!
Our Deaf Elementary students and teachers enjoyed a field trip to the Science Museum of Western Virginia in Roanoke. Looks like they had a great time making learning FUN!
Shannon wrote and provided the pictures for a book called "My Deer" and is now officially a VSDB Author!
The VSDB library has several student-written books that students can check out and it's fun to see how proud they are of this accomplishment.
Work Study Wednesday!
Today's spotlight is on Lydia and her work at Tru by Hilton in Staunton. She has been learning about working in housekeeping - cleaning common areas and doing laundry.
Join our team as the 2nd Shift Residential/Dorm Staff Supervisor! Apply today at https://www.vsdb.k12.va.us/page/careers
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The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
Now accepting applications for 2nd Shift Residential/Dorm Staff Supervisor!
Minimum Qualifications:
- Associate's Degree from a regionally accredited college or university. A high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) Certificate may substitute for the
educational requirement.
- Ability to work within a team and communicate and collaborate effectively with direct services, support, professional, and administrative staff.
- Demonstrated experience and leadership in program development and evaluation.
- Proficiency level of "Advanced" in American Sign Language as measured by the Sign Communication Proficiency Interview or agreement to acquire the specified level within three years.
Why come to VSDB?
- $3,500 Sign-on Bonus now available!
- Summers off
- Supportive and positive team setting
- Great comprehensive benefits package, that includes: ample paid time off including more than 12 paid holidays; low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance
Enjoy working in a collaborative, supportive, and positive team setting!
LEARN MORE AND APPLY TODAY AT: HTTPS://WWW.VSDB.K12.VA.US/PAGE/CAREERS
Photographer Katelyn Howdyshell (Capture the Moment Photography) has asked us to share this information with vision-impaired children and their families. Katelyn is a mom to a baby girl who is blind and she is working to be able to help families like hers feel special and unique.
Work Study Wednesday!
Today we are highlighting Chris and his work at Heifetz. Chris creates song lists and plays live piano music on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays at Heifetz in downtown Staunton. He draws in locals and tourists with his music into the shop.
If you are in or around downtown Staunton on the afternoons Chris is playing, stop in for a treat - you'll be glad you did!
Another highlight of our work-study program and our wonderful City of Staunton is that our students are taught to navigate a route to their Downtown Staunton job sites and work toward becoming fully independent. Our campus is lucky to be so close to the downtown shops and allows so many of our students this opportunity to further their independence and self-confidence.
We are so excited to announce our lineup for the next Connect! If you haven't been to Connect before, this is a great session for your first experience! Join us for open conversations about IEPs, Supported Families ➡️ Successful Students, and Social Emotional Learning with Blind/VI students.
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CONNECT is a virtual round table for families and professionals of children in Virginia with sensory impairments including all degrees of hearing loss, vision loss, or both. CONNECT gatherings will have subject matter experts to lead discussions, offer support, answer your questions, and help you connect!
IEP Success - Karen Kaminski-Joyner, VSDB
Special Education Coordinator
Supported Families, Successful Students - Lynn Odom, VDDHH Community Services
Manager
Social Emotional Learning with Blind / VI Students - Laura Fricker, VSDB Teacher of Visual Impairments
| April 25, 2023 | 7 pm -8 pm I
Register Here https://bit.ly/vsdbconnect
ASL/English interpreters provided
Spoken language interpreters available by request
Questions? Please contact Julie Saum, VSDB Family Engagement Specialist
[email protected] or 540-324-8316
When our residential program took a group to the Staunton Fire Department, they checked out the 9-11 memorial and learned about what happened. Thank you to the residential staff who led this trip and explained everything for our students!
Our students recently went to Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center to participate in their "Winter Games" events. Many of our students brought home medals for winning first 🥇, second 🥈, or third 🥉 place and one of our students brought back the sportsmanship🏅award! 🏆
Last week, one of our residential halls took a trip to the Staunton Fire Department to meet the firefighters and have a full tour of the fire department. They also saw the small museum with the oldest small motor firetruck and several other items. They saw where the firemen sleep and the pole they slide down to leave quickly. The boys had chance to see one guy dress in the full fire suit. They let each boy try on the oxygen tank, to feel how heavy it was. They were able to hold the heavy jaws and some tools, to get an idea of how heavy their equipment was. Outside the Fire House, they saw a big piece of steel from the Twin Towers and a 9/11 plaque.
The two firefighters explained so much to the boys about their training and job and answered so many questions. Thank you Staunton Fire Department for your time and working with our boys. And THANK YOU for all you do for our city!
Last week closed out our month of VSDB Reads! Our students loved having so many staff from so many departments across campus share the joy of reading. THANK YOU to all the staff who volunteered. It seemed that you all enjoyed it just as much as the students did!!
We would like to wish a happy, safe, healthy, FUN and RELAXING break to ALL of our students, families, and staff. See you next week!
Our Kindness week finished off with a kindness block party! All of our students enjoyed games, music, and snacks to close out their week of fun. Each student also received a "Be Kind" t-shirt with "be" in Braille, "kind" in ASL, and "Be Kind" in print underneath. Thank you to all our students and staff for an awesome Kindness Week 2023!!
Our Kindness week finished off with a kindness block party! All of our students enjoyed games, music, and snacks to close out their week of fun. Each student also received a "Be Kind" t-shirt with "be" in Braille, "kind" in ASL, and "Be Kind" in print underneath. Thank you to all our students and staff for an awesome Kindness Week 2023!!
We clearly had a TON of fun during kindness week!!
Kindness week in the library was full of excitement! Check out these students enjoying the various stations Ms. Michelle had set up throughout the week.
We sure had a lot of fun on St. Patrick's Day. Pre-K had a visit from an ornery leprechaun who knocked over chairs, left his footprints all over the place, and got into other sorts of mischief. Our blind elementary students made a St. Patrick's Day rainbow and shamrock craft. AND our very own Leprechaun (Arron) brought some fun and smiles to the beginning of the Goalball tournament!
