The cover has a black and white photograph taken by Devyn Johnson. The photo is of a person looking through hands that are making a heart shape.
The inside front and back cover is dedicated to the VSDB Student Photography Art Show.
The new photography class concluded the semester with a Photography Art Show in the Stuart Building Library.
Seven categories included:
Contact Information
Goalball Schedule
Track meets are on Wednesdays,
Blind track members will attend a tournament in West Virginia May 13, 14 & 15.
The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, political affiliation, veteran status, or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities in its programs and activities. The following position has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the Department’s non-discrimination policies: Nancy Armstrong, Superintendent VSDB; P.O.Box 2069; Staunton, Va. 24402-2069; 540-332-9000.For further information on Federal non-discrimination regulations, contact the Office for Civil Rights at OCR.DC@ed.gov or call 1(800) 421-3481. You may also view Executive Order 6 (2010), which specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, political affiliation, or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities. The policy permits appropriate employment preferences for veterans and specifically prohibits discrimination against veterans. official Web site concerning this equal opportunity policy.
Greetings,
I consider myself the luckiest person alive because I have a job that is absolutely wonderful. On most days, when I arrive a little after 7:00 am, the day is in full swing on campus as the students are up and on their way to the cafeteria for breakfast. I join the students in the cafeteria and often help serve breakfast since that allows me the opportunity to speak to each student.
Also, this is the time when I can gage the “excitement” or “frustration” that students may feel. They ask to see me or talk with me in private about things on campus that causes them concern.
Around 8:00 am, students depart for school and sometimes I walk with them to see teachers in their classrooms. The remainder of my day is spent responding to email, having meetings, discussing construction plans or educational programming.
The evening rolls around with dormitory activities that may involve sporting events, dances or trips off campus. VSDB is truly a 24/7 environment where the campus is always “hopping”. I absolutely love getting to know the students and watching them interact with staff, as they blossom into incredible young people.
Another part of my job involves working with the planning and construction that is occurring on campus. It has been a true pleasure interacting with Kjellstrom and Lee construction firm as they are such an integral part of our campus at this time. They have embraced our mission and are aware of our student’s disabilities. They are responsive to safety concerns as they prepare well in advance for changes that occur on campus. All building projects are on schedule. The dormitory for the deaf middle and high school boys will open before the end of the year and plans are in place to move the students in the new dorm by May. When school opens in August, the dormitory for blind boys and girls will be ready for occupancy. The middle/high school continues to take shape as work moves along on this building. Asbestos abatement is completed in Peery and Swanson Halls and soon demolition work will start for the renovation of the elementary school.
We have been very fortunate that all major snow storms have been to the north or south of us which has allowed for construction work to continue on schedule. In fact, on any given week-end it is common to see workers trying to complete roof areas and enclose spaces for windows.
A state of the art emergency alert system will be installed in all buildings on campus. This system will have both an audio and visual way to alert students and staff of various emergencies which will require evacuation of campus, secure buildings, shelter in place, severe weather emergency, lock down and all clear. Also, with safety in mind, buildings will be equipped with a new key system. Staff will have specific access to buildings using a “card reader” system that scans a card and records time, date of access in addition with surveillance cameras.
While all this activity is taking place around us, students are engaged in learning opportunities on and off campus. Teachers utilize technology to enhance daily instruction. Some students participate in community based instruction which provides career training opportunities. Dormitory activities keep students focused on completion of homework, tutoring after school, dances, plays, sports and social outings.
As we approach spring, students may participate in track with local public school students. In the spring, VSDB will host a Quality Assurance Review from the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) on April 6 and 7. A very dedicated team comprised of Tanya Faidley, Margaret Robison, Rhonda Jennings, Kristy McClain and Lisa Buchanan have organized school wide meetings to complete all the necessary components of this process. We anticipate that all will go well and VSDB will maintain full accreditation. As always, it is a pleasure to work with you and your student. If you are on campus please stop by to say hello. Deepest regards, Nancy C. Armstrong, Ed.D. Superintendent
Bottom Of PageAt the bottom of the page there are two photographs. The first picture is of a pathway being laid with bricks in front of Bass Hall, caption reads, “Pathway being installed under trees between Bass Hall and Byrd Hall”. Second picture is of the courtyard between the chapel and Swanson Hall, caption reads “Court yard on Homegoing Day. Three Quicks Busses and three state cars wait for students”.
The Consolidation of Two Virginia Schools for the Deaf, Blind and Multi-Disabled Construction Pictures.
This page has nine pictures of the construction on campus:
Looking back over the past several months, I cannot believe how quickly the school year is flying by! We are now over halfway through the school year and I am amazed at the many wonderful things that have happened since the last edition of the Virginia Guide.
In August, we announced to the Blind Department that the entire department would be relocating from Peery Hall and Swanson Hall to Byrd Hall so renovation could start in the two buildings. The school staff tearfully pack up their classrooms and offices that have been their home for many years. They demonstrated great teamwork and accomplished the enormous task of moving into a new building while providing top-notch instruction and service to our students. Many staff sacrificed many nights and parts of their Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break to prepare for the “Big Byrd” move. Kudos to Tanya Faidley for coordinating the move and to all the staff in the Blind Department for meeting the tight deadline and making this move a success.
When everyone came back from the winter break, everything was set up as if we always had classes in Byrd Hall. Teachers and students alike have expressed how much they really like the “new” school. We are excited as this move represented the milestone that we are halfway through the construction project on campus.
Recently, we celebrated VSBD 171st birthday with an elaborate VSDB Birthday Bash movie and party. Ms. Faithlyn Robinson, alum of VSDB and teacher of photography, put together a movie depicting the history of VSDB. As part of the birthday celebration, students performed several skits and participated in various activities, including eating cake and other delicious desserts. If you are interested in viewing this professionally made movie, let us know. If we get enough interested people, we may set up additional viewing times.
In January, Ms. Faithlyn Robinson and Ms. Tina-Margaret Steele assembled a fantastic Photography Art Show, which featured student photographic and artistic skills. All submitted artwork for this show were judged in the following areas: 1) History of Hands, 2) Portrait, 3) Landscaping, 4) Architecture, 5) Object, 6) Photo Art, and 7) Macro Photography. In each area, the artwork was judged for creativity, presentation, and overall best artwork. All artwork is displayed in the Stuart Library and will remain there until the next Photography Art Show in June 2011. All parents and visitors are welcome to visit this spectacular display of art.
During the first half of the year, many of our students in the Deaf Department participated in volleyball and basketball. In the second half of the year, students in the Blind Department are in the midst of their goalball season. If you have never seen a goalball game, you are in for a wonderful treat! I encourage you to come out to one of our two home meets on February 22nd and on March 14th. Both home games will commence at 1:00 pm. Come out and rally support for our students! In addition, we will have a VSDB track team featuring students from both departments.
Every year, from January through May, as we thaw out from the winter freeze to the fragrance of spring, VSDB undergoes a different season of its own…The IEP Season. This is the time of the year that we review each student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and hold meetings to discuss students’ present level of performance, goals, services, and placement. Be on the look out for information regarding your student’s IEP.
Just a reminder to all our parents, you have the opportunity to keep tabs on your student’s grades using the parent portal of PowerSchool. Teachers maintain their grade book on a regular basis and you should be able to see how your student is performing in real-time. Feel free to contact all your student’s teachers for specific information about your child. If you need assistance with accessing the parent portal of PowerSchool, please send an email to Karen Stinson at Karen.Stinson@vsdb.k12.va.us. As always, we appreciate your partnership with us in providing your student a well-rounded education experience that will last a lifetime. Just like spring, VSDB is a very good school that gives students the opportunity to blossom into productive citizens of tomorrow’s world. Sincerely, J. Jack Johnson, Principal
The Staunton Augusta Art Center's annual Youth Art Exhibit provides students the honor of exhibiting their work to a wide audience in a professional venue. The exhibit will run from February 27 to April 3, with an Opening Reception on Sunday, February 27th from 1-3pm. The gallery is located at the R. R. Smith Center for History and Art, 20 S. New Street in historic downtown Staunton across from the Visitor Center and public parking garage. We will have 20 art students and 10 photography students displaying their work.
Three photos:There is work that drains me, and there is work that fuels me. Fortunately, in this career I chose a quarter of a century ago, I get enough of both. This year, when I've had enough of the draining kind, it's usually time for this semester's two mentorship students to come to work. They arrived for their interview back in December with little more than drive. As it turns out, in this line of work, that's what you need most to get started. Cierra Johnson wants to study photography. Keaunna Bolden wants to write. They are seniors in high school, and the mentorship program will offer them both the chance to learn and be published. C.J., as Cierra likes to be called, and Keaunna started work here on Jan. 24. Because they speak another language, their interpreters accompany them. No matter their language, though, when a student's eyes light up with the realization of what they can do, it makes all the work worthwhile. C.J. and Keanna attend Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind. Before this semester is over, they both will be published journalism students, and I will know some American Sign Language. It's a good trade-off indeed. What makes this mentorship exciting is the number of folks at The News Leader pitching in to help. Photographers Mike Tripp and Pat Jarrett are giving advice and critiquing photos. Local editor Dave Ress has edited their copy. Executive editor Dave Fritz even helped Keaunna set up her e-mail program. Their first week here, I asked them to interview Susan Armstrong, the human resources manager. Knowing Susan was on a schedule, and they all were still in the conference room 15 minutes longer than expected, I went to check on them. Susan had turned the tables. She was interviewing them. They all were chatting like old friends. The interpreters, Michelle Hall and Tammi Shook, are in the action, too. When the foursome arrives each day, Michelle and Tammi have huge grins, and C.J. and Keaunna go straight to their desks to work. I wish I had their discipline. One day, when C.J. wasn't satisfied with photos she'd taken the day before, she asked if she could head back out to take more. When the manager of Middlebrook Library learned the students were working here, she asked if they would be willing to give a presentation at the library during a Big Read event next month. This year, the community is reading Carson McMuller's "The Heart is A Lonely Hunter." The main character is deaf, and the Middlebrook Library's program will teach about deafness. Without hesitation, C.J. and Keaunna are ready to go. They have taken on the responsibility to getting the evening trip approved, acquiring the services of an interpreter for the rest of us and getting there. They also have come up with a project to tackle. It will further explore the experience of being deaf in Staunton. It will not be an easy story, but when I suggest a challenge, they both suggest a strategy. And when I tell them they already are in the advance class of mentorship, they beam. Yes, this is work that fuels me. My career and I have what could be compared to a long marriage. We've had our ups and downs. The industry has changed so much from the one I committed to. But the news industry has been beaten up in the past few years, and when I see young people willing to tackle long odds to be in it, I'm ready to start all over. I don't know if C.J. and Keaunna will study journalism, but I know that this semester will change them for the better. And I'm betting they will help change things around here. Watching both Keaunna and C.J. gain the confidence to work independently makes my heart sing. Shortly after taking off her coat the other day, Keaunna headed into another office to get a task done with one of our editors. Her interpreter had to ask where she was going. "What am I doing here?" Tammi joked. Journalists have wide independent streaks, we all learn sooner or later, as C.J. and Keaunna are proving a little bit more every day. Cindy Corell is the community conversations editor of The News Leader. E-mail her at ccorell@newsleader.com.
The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind Construction Site Tour.
More than 100 area high school students donned hard hats Friday November 19, 2010 to get a close-up view of the renovation and expansion of VSDB. For half of the day, students toured the site with representatives of Richmond-based contractor Kjellstrom & Lee.
Lester Smith, director of the Blue Ridge Tech Prep Consortium, said the juniors and seniors who came “are interested in architecture and construction, but they don’t know what area or career path”. The consortium coordinates career and technical education with area high schools in Highland, Rockingham, and Augusta counties, and in the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg. Tech prep students generally finish their training with two years of community college.
The students were separated into seven groups as they toured the construction site in a rotational format, allowing each student to witness all career pathway applications presented. The group then gathered in the chapel for a luncheon and panel discussion formatted to reinforce both the career pathways shown as well as workforce development ideas necessary across the industry.
VSDB students Demarcusnez Sandidge and LaQuincy Ferrell from the blind department, Erik Corral and Tim Cave from the deaf department, had the opportunity to speak to the group about why they chose to attend VSDB. The students described their disability and what accommodations they needed to successfully access the curriculum. Then Jeremy Saling told the group about his experiences growing up and what he does as a school psychologist at VSDB.
Grant funding provided by (VCIEF) Virginia Construction Industry Educational Foundation.
Seven pictures: five pictures, one each of Demarcusnez, LaQuincy, Erik, Tim and Jeremy talking to the group in the chapel. One of the students seated at tables in the chapel and one of the students on tour in front of the Stuart Building.
Deaf and Blind elementary students visited the Staunton Fire Department after studying ways to be safe in the home and how to prepare for emergencies. The students watched a fire safety video, tried on fire equipment, looked and touched the fire truck and learned about the jobs of firemen.
Five pictures: One of the whole group in front of a fire engine, four of students touching fire fighting equipment and watching the fire fighters dress up.
All students did a wonderful job! This year. 21 participants entered in the science fair.
Scarlet was the grand winner and will have a chance to enter an online International Science Fair.
Nathan, Devyn, Kayla, and Taylor are our top deaf and hard of hearing students which qualifies them to apply for the National Science Fair for the deaf and hard of hearing students at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York. Congratulations to all and see you next year!!!
By: Kristin Quinn, Science Fair Coordinator17 pictures: One each of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winners and five of other students and their projects.
The week leading up to Homecoming is known as Spirit Week. Students celebrated with a plethora of activities each day.
The school had a different secret visitor every day of the week. The secret visitor was a staff member of VSDB completely covered by a costume. The students had to guess who the staff member was. They enjoyed this and were surprised at some of the visitors. Special thanks to Tammi Shook for coordinating the costumes.
Students also celebrated Spirit Week fashionably! Monday was Crazy Day and we saw students wear wacky clothes of all kinds and even a beanie was spotted. Nerd Day was Tuesday and student creativity was evident. Glasses with tape everywhere, suspenders, ties, and the like was seen throughout the school. Wednesday was Class Colors Day -- each grade level wore their colors. Elementary grades wore either white or gray. 6th grade wore pink, 7th grade wore green, 8th grade wore orange, 9th wore purple, 10th wore blue, 11th wore yellow, and 12th graders wore lime green. Teachers wore brown. 15 pictures: one of each grade 6th grade through 12th grade. 8 of students dressed up in different activity themes.
The Student Cooperative Association (SCA) planned community building and spirit building fun activities for Homecoming day.
The week’s activities were wrapped up with Homecoming night basketball games against West Virginia. The gym was beautifully decorated and full of spirit. The Homecoming Court was announced and the King and Queen were crowned.
Picture of the Queen and King Gabriela Romero and Justin Shade
Picture of the 2010 Homecoming Court Front row: Chelsea Rush, Stephen Wessely, HannahMills, Ethan Dotson. Second row: Cierra Johnson, Erik Corral, Deanna Mutz, Devyn johnson. Third row: Sierra Campbell, Tim Cave, Gabriela Romero, Justin Shade
First row: Assistant Coach Ben Bottoms; Erik Corral (12); Justin Shade (10); Timothy Cave (42); Coach Clifton Watson. Second row: Manager Alfredo Arias; Mynor Moore (14); Dorian Smith (30); Ethan Dotson (52); Aaron Quillen (34); Manager Xandru Amrhein. Third row: Stephen Wessely (40); Devyn Johnson (20); Timothy Smith (44); Aaron Kincaid (50); Devin Guertler (24).
First row: Taylor Yopp (50); Teshauna Bolding (14); Hannah Mills (25); Breanna Garcia (32); Olivia Trimmer (40); Heather Jacobs (34). Second row: Manager Gabi Romero; Kendra Lewis (30); Khai Llewellyn (54); Coach Anita Robinson; Keaunna Bolden (15); Ciara Willard (10) and Manager Deanna Mutz.
Four pictures of the staff dressed in costume for Spirit Week.
The boys and girls basketball teams left early on January 26. They traveled together to Knoxville, TN where the girls changed to the TN bus and the two girls teams continued on to Georgia together. The TN boys joined our boys for the trip to South Carolina.
Both teams returned to campus on January 30.
16 pictures of the boys and girls basketball teams, on the bus, resting between games, playing and meeting with coaches.
New Stuart building Library The new library in the renovated Stuart building is up and running. Everyone who sees it for the first time has the same reaction, “Wow, it’s beautiful!!”. And it is lovely. It is large and bright, open, airy, and comfortable. And most importantly, the students seem to like it! Most week days the library is humming with activity and now, with the arrival of February, the library is open every Tuesday evening from 6-8:00. Students can do their homework as well as enjoy leisure reading, listening to audiobooks, lounging in our “boom chairs”.
One of our dorm staff, Barbara Bush, manages the library on Tuesdays evenings. She reported that at the first evening opening, Feb. 8, 30 students enjoyed listening to audiobooks, researching on computers, reading Braille books, checking out books, and yes, even doing homework. By all accounts it was a great success! We are happy to provide library services after school hours and hope for continued enthusiastic use of the library on Tuesday evenings!
Many, many thanks to all of you who clip and save BoxTops coupons from various General Mills products! I trimmed, sorted, bagged and submitted coupons in late October. In December I received a check for $325!! In these times of tight budgets, the money I receive from your BoxTop clipping really makes a big difference. So, KEEP CLIPPING!! If you’d like more information about the BoxTops for Education program, check out this website: Choose this link to visit the Boxtop Educational Site
The Tidewater ASL Club hosted their 3rd annual book drive to support VSDB’s library. This year they made a wonderful donation of: Graphic novels, manga and anime Novels for teens and picture books
$110 in cash which I am using to beef up our teen paperback collection.
A large cacheschool supplies
All our students and staff have benefitted from their generous donations over the past 3 years.
Many thanks to the ASL Club!
VSDB’s AudioBook Club Café is going strong. We like having our own club space in the basement of Battle Hall. With three comfy couches, nice windows, decorated walls, and a kitchen nearby, it is the perfect location to listen to our recorded books selections each week.
During the first semester, we listened to a very funny book by Gordon Korman, Son of the Mob. We have just recently begun our next selection, Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen – an ‘edge of your seat’ story of adventure, survival, and coming of age.
The middle school basketball squad for the 2010-2011 season was comprised of eleven motivated Cardinal players along with two managers. The players were Christopher Alexander, Wandria Brown, Wayne Castle, Kahji Dabney, Troy Ford, Napoleon Langston, Curtis Martin, Mario Moore, Luis Ramos-Calvario, Dorian Smith, and Olatunde Thom. Malik Sims and Antwon White were the managers. The Assistant Coach Nick Helsel and I saw a huge improvement among players despite the season record. We are especially proud that they stayed together until the end with a season win/loss record of 1-5. As the team developed we saw an increase in the scores for the last three games. Because this is a developing team we had a philosophy that all players would have an equal amount of playing time. This enabled all players to have a chance to develop skills for future basketball play. We wish those players moving up the best for next season's Varsity squad. By head coach Ben Bottoms Picture of the middle school team playing a game.
Valentines Day Party
12 pictures of student, dorm staff and Nancy Armstrong enjoying the party.
Super Bowl Party Tradition was kept alive again this year as the students gathered at the Student Center for the annual Super Bowl Party. Each year the Student Life Office sponsors the party for the students. On Super Bowl Sunday, the students gathered at the Student Center when they arrived on the buses from home. Forty large pizzas, nachos and cheese and drinks were provided for the festivities. Since the opening of the new Student Center last year, there was enough space for the students from both departments to celebrate together! Diane Bryant, Dorm Teacher
Picture of four students with faces painted in support of their favorite team.
Twice a month Audrey Stott, Recreational Therapist, gathers students from the Blind and Deaf Departments for Friendship Bridge. Students across all grades come together at the Student Center to play a variety of card games.
Three pictures of students at tables in the student center playing games.Dorm Supervisor Donna Wait with DeWayzha Crews and Ara Cho. Audrey Stott with Ravern Turner, Sarah Komlo, and Joli Roberts. Bryan Abel, Ibn Muhammadali, and Mia Bowmaster
On February 2nd the Middle and High School students in the Deaf Department gathered at the Chapel to participate in “The Dating Game.” Based on the TV series of the same name, one student asked a series of questions to three “contestants.” After considering the answers of each contestant, the student picked his or her “date.” The students had a great time and are looking forward to the next game night. By Diane Bryant, Dorm Teacher
Eight pictures of participants. Six “couples” and one of a male student asking questions and one of the three female students answering.
The last week in January VSDB finally had its first snowfall of the season and what a beautiful snowfall it turned out to be! The Bass1 boys made a great snowman, movies were shown in the Student Center and the Maintenance Department spent most of the night and early morning shoveling out the streets and sidewalks around the campus.
The next morning, students were allowed to sleep later than usual since breakfast was served in the dorms!
What a treat! By Diane Bryant, Dorm Teacher
Five pictures. Main Hall covered in snow, Snowman on Bass steps, yard in front of Byrd Hall, boy students eating in the dorm, and 4 boys outside the infirmary. “It was a cold morning for Brian, Curtis, Christopher and Troy as they headed for the Health Center.”
There is always something happening in Battle Hall! Talking with friends. Doing homework. Dancing. Playing video games. Playing the keyboard and guitar. Taking care of the school rabbit and making smoothies!
This has been a fun year in Battle Hall. We have had three new girls this year, Liz, Ernecia and DeWayzha, who we have really enjoyed. Brittany arrived in February, coming from the South Carolina School for the Blind, we hear she is a very good goalball player! We were sad when "Little Britni" moved to Pennsylvania and Allyssa has finished all her credits for graduation and moved out of the dorm awaiting graduation in June.
We have so many activities to choose from! We have ABC Cafe which is a book club. They meet once a week and have snacks and listen to a book of their choice. Our band meets once a week to play and sing and they call themselves the Barbarians. All students are welcome to participate. Some students take piano lessons from Miss Phyllis who is totally blind and really understands how to teach blind students. Our new library is open and we have a special time on Tuesday nights for special activities and help there. The girls also have off-campus trips usually on Tuesday nights from shopping at Wal-Mart to dinner out. Every other Wednesday, we have a new group called Friendship Bridge that is for any students on campus who can use a little help socializing with others. We have learned a really fun card game called "Trash" that we play in small groups and then have a snack that we sometimes make ourselves. Some of our students from the boys floor and the girls floor really look forward to this time and now are using this game for fun in the dorm during leisure time. Every other Wednesday, we follow Friendship Bridge with our monthly birthday party celebrating all the birthdays in the dorm as well as those on Bass 1 & 2 for that month. Two of our girls, Mia and Ara, help make the big birthday cake for the party.
We go bowling at least once a month and a group can go to the heated pool at Woodrow Wilson Rehab Center. Last week we had a coffee house night and we will have a comedy night soon. On Feb. 10, we had a very special treat to be able to take the whole dorm to Ming Garden Chinese Buffet for dinner.
A small group of girls going out for a birthday dinner last year were observed in the restaurant. The person was so impressed with the group that they contacted the school and donated $300 for a special dinner for all the blind students! Our trip to the Chinese Buffet to celebrate the Chinese New Year was all covered by this exceptionally generous person!
Our students were able to try all kinds of new foods they had never tasted before. We were all so grateful for this opportunity.
Our Goalball teams are in full swing and practicing hard in preparation for tournaments next month. As we get through these winter months, we are watching new buildings go up around us. We pass our new dorm on our way to the infirmary and the new school looms large from every spot on campus. We are patiently making the best of the ever changing walking paths in the midst of all the construction as our campus is transformed with new buildings. We are confident that they will be wonderful because we are all really enjoying our fabulous new student center and library. Donna Middleton, Dorm Supervisor
Students from the blind department music program performed at the Naval Station in Norfolk, VA as part of a celebration in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The students traveled to Norfolk on October 20, 2010 where they lead the Pledge of Allegiance then sang the National Anthem, God Bless American and Lean On Me. The program titled “Workforce Diversity INCLUDES Workers with Disabilities” was presented by Mr. Thomas Swanston, CEO of Chesapeake Services Systems. Lisa Buchanan, Music Teacher Picture of students performing: Farris Hallaj on guitar, Front row: Makayla Greeley, Shyanne Racey, Tyler Gumm. Back row: Tyler McDonald, Scarlet Racey, Demarcusnez Sandidge
Radford University is the only program in Virginia that offers lincensure in Special Education-Hearing Impairment PreK-12. The program was created within the last 6-7 years to alleviate a critical shortage of teachers for the deaf and hard of hearing. The RU interns have teaching opportunities in both public school and here at VSDB. They are here on our campus for approximately 15 weeks either during the fall or spring semester. Living on campus gives many opportunities for social interactions in the evening hours, immersion of their ASL skills, and direct instruction in the classroom under the guidance of veteran teachers. Since the program began we have had approximately 24 students in our RU intern program! Tanya Faidley, Curriculum Coordinator
Each intern had her picture included next to her article.
My name is Jenifer Boyd, but I prefer to be called Jenny. I am a senior at Radford University. My hometown is Richmond, VA, where I earned my Associates in ASL/Deaf Culture Specialization right before I transferred to Radford University. My major at Radford is Special Education for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing K-12. My main goal is to become nationally certificated to interpret. I would really enjoy being an interpreter in a school setting. I believe that being at VSDB is going to provide me with an excellent opportunity to work towards my goal. These benefits include me being submerged into the Deaf community; learning how to teach the best way for my students to understand; making numerous connections with the students, parents, and staff members; and strengthening my skills as a future teacher and interpreter. I am very much looking forward to the whole experience and would like to thank you all very much for allowing me to have this opportunity.
Hello! My name is Sara Stevick. I am one of four student teachers spending their internships here at VSDB! I am from Woodbridge, Virginia, but I am currently enrolled as a senior at Radford University in Radford, Virginia, my major being Interdisciplinary Studies: Teaching of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing K-12. I am very excited to be spending my internship here at VSDB! I know the emersion into the language and the culture that VSDB provides will greatly enhance my signing skills, and the staff that I am apprenticing under will train me to become a knowledgeable teacher! I one day hope to become a teacher in the Northern Virginia area, and touch the lives of many children.
My name is Marissa Martin and I am from New Market, VA. I attend Radford University where I am seeking my Bachelor degree in Interdisciplinary Studies for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I am currently interning at VSDB as a student teacher to put to practice what I have learned about teaching, to enhance my skills with the help of professional and experienced teachers and to learn more about the Deaf community. I am excited about this opportunity because I believe that being here at VSDB will benefit me in many different ways to better prepare me as a future educator. My goal for the future is to use my skills to the best of my ability as a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing and/or continue my schooling to get my doctorate degree in Audiology.
I'm Bethaney Wilson and I attend Radford University. I grew up in Northern VA in Fauquier County. My major at Radford is in Interdisiplinary Studies for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I hope to learn a great deal while being at VSDB. I am looking forward to spending time with the students and expanding my knowledge of Deaf culture and life at a residential school. After completing this degree I am continuing my education by enrolling in a masters program for Special Education. I hope to find a teaching position where I could put both my degrees to work.
The calendar shows early Homegoing for March 24. Spring Break is April 18 – 22, students return on Sunday April 24. Friday June 3, 2011 is last day of school and graduation. Graduation will be at 10:00 am. All students go home for summer break.
In 2009, the Virginia General Assembly established the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind as an independent agency in the executive branch of state government. The Board of Visitors of the VSDB shall be charged with the operational control governing the educational programs and services to deaf, blind and multi-disabled students enrolled at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind.
The Board meets up to four times a year in the board room of the Main Hall on the VSDB campus. All meetings are open to the public and public comment is accepted at a designated time during the meeting. The date and time of each meeting will be posted on the VSDB web page. Minutes of past meeting can also be found on the VSDB web page.
The board is comprised of 11 members appointed as follows: two members of the House of Delegates, two members of the Senate, and seven nonlegislative citizen members. Current members are: Senator Emmett Hanger Jr., Chairman; Delegate Richard “Dickie” Bell, Vice Chairman; Delegate Steve Landes; Second Senate seat is vacant; Virgil Cook, Secretary; Donna Gateley, Parent Rep. Eastern Virginia; H. Diane Sandidge, Parent Rep. Western Virginia; Alice Frick; John Pleasants; Jane McNeil; Rachel Bavister.
This document is copywrighted by Nathan Bullock, and the source code that was used to make this document available cannot be modified. Please, ask permission, before using my source code.