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June Ann LeFors, a member of the Board of Trustees, shares her favorite memory from her time at FSDB below:

"Fifteen years ago, I worked as a toddler teacher in the Early Learning Center. Over the years, I had the privilege of teaching so many young children. It was enjoyable to me to see little hands moving as they learn to sign, express new ideas, and discover the world around them. Seeing their minds grow and flourish has always been a true blessing.
One student, in particular, has stayed close to my heart. She moved to Florida from Morocco with her family so she could attend FSDB. She was bright, sweet, and eager to learn sign language. After she completed the toddler program, her family relocated, and once in a while her mother would reach out to share updates about how she was doing.
Then, this past January, during the Clerc Classic Basketball Tournament at FSDB, something sweet happened. That same little girl—now as a young teen—found me in the stands. I didn’t recognize her at first glance but when she smiled, I knew who she was.
She said, “You were my first Deaf teacher. You gave me my sign name. I went to FSDB, then to several different schools, and now I attend a Deaf school. I am so happy. Thank you for teaching me.”That moment meant more to me than words can express. She never left my heart, and seeing her thrive and succeed reminds me why this work matters so deeply. I am incredibly proud to know that her journey began right here at FSDB."

#FSDBMemoryMondays #YouBelongAtFSDB #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB
3 months ago, FSDB
June Ann Lefors is taking a selfie with a former student, with a white text box on the bottom right says "Fifteen years ago, I worked as a toddler teacher in the Early Learning Center. Over the tears, I had the privilege of teaching so many young children. It was enjoyable to me to see little hands moving as they learn to sign..."
On Thursday, March 12, we celebrated Senior Night at St. Augustine High School for our Varsity Girls' Flag Football team. Congratulations to our five seniors: Skylar Bergman, Joss Dagenais, Mariska Dize, Priscilla Lefors, and Daniela Torres.

#FSDBSportsSunday #PassionPridePerseverance #GOFSDBDragons
4 months ago, FSDB
A photo of the five seniors holding their banners and flowers on the field of St. Augustine High School.
A senior holds her banner and smiles with her family and coaches on the field.
A senior holds her banner and smiles with her family and coaches on the field.
A senior holds her banner and smiles with her family and coaches on the field.
A senior holds her banner and smiles with her family and coaches on the field.
A senior holds her banner and smiles with her friend and coaches on the field.
Senai, a SOAR student, is currently interning with the Communications and Public Relations Department through DB Designs & CTE. He has been working with the C&PR team to learn about the department's daily operations and will assist with graphic design and photo editing, especially for the upcoming senior class and athletic photos. .

#FSDBSOARSaturdays
4 months ago, FSDB
Senai is sitting at a desk editing the cheerleading photos.
Happy Spring Break! What are your plans for the break? Have a fun and safe week, and we look forward to seeing everyone return!

#FSDBQuestionOfTheWeekFridays #HappySpringBreak #SpringBreak2026
4 months ago, FSDB
A photo of a FSDB yellow bus and suitcases with a black quote box on the bottom left that says "What is your plans for Spring Break?"
🎉 We are THRILLED to announce this year's Valedictorian and Salutatorian for the Classes of 2026!

Blind:
Valedictorian: Addison Allen
Salutatorian: Nathaniel Figueroa Borrero

Deaf:
Valedictorian: Brenna Freeman
Salutatorian: Jocelyn Dagenais

CONGRATULATIONS to all four of these exceptional students! 🎓🌟
4 months ago, FSDB
Senior portraits of Addison, Brenna, Nathaniel and Jocelyn.
Senior portrait of Addison, wearing a tuxedo in front of a blue background.
Senior portrait of Brenna, wearing a black drape, a pearl necklace and pearl earrings, in front of a red background.
Senior portrait of Nathaniel, wearing a tuxedo in front of a blue background.
Senior portrait of Jocelyn, wearing a tuxedo in front of a red background.
Today, students celebrated Pi Day (March 14)! Pi (22/7 or approximately 3.14) is a crazy, never-ending, and awesome irrational number used mathematically to find the circumference and area of a circle.

While this is typically a 7th-grade standard, all students were introduced to using Pi on Thursday, March 12. Today, they celebrated their learning with a Pi feast of circular foods such as York Peppermint Patties, M&Ms, Gummy Lifesavers, Peanut Butter Cups, Pizza, and Cookie Pie.

Before the feast began, students first found the circumference and area of a paper plate (because we are not cavemen or cavewomen—we must be a little dignified!). Once they correctly calculated the circumference and area of the plate, they moved on to find both measurements for their first food item. When students believed they had solved it accurately, a teacher checked their work and rewarded them with the food item if correct. They then continued working through the circular treats one by one until reaching the grand finale—a slice of cookie pie! 🥧📏

#ThisIsFSDB #PiDay
4 months ago, FSDB
A student smiles with his pizza, brownies and candy inside the classroom.
A student works on a math problem sitting down inside the classroom.
A student smiles with his pizza, brownies and candy inside the classroom.
Mr. Keller checks a students answer inside his classroom.
A student smiles with her pizza, brownies and candy inside the classroom.
A student works on a math problem sitting down inside the classroom.
Today’s post is a little different as I’m behind the camera instead of in front of it capturing a selfie. What you’re seeing in this photo is the view from my office window. Photo description: Flowering azalea bushes with bright pink blooms in the foreground, set in a mulched garden bed. Behind them are several medium-sized green shrubs and tall trees, including large oaks draped with Spanish moss. In the distance, a row of tall palm trees (Palm Row) line a sidewalk with parked cars on both sides. The Deaf Department Boarding Program buildings with red tiled roofs appear partially visible through the trees under a partly cloudy sky.

This morning, a beautiful yellow swallowtail butterfly was fluttering around these azalea bushes, which are in full bloom. In that moment, I thought: Spring is here! Perfect timing, since Spring Break is next week.

I wish each of you a happy, healthy, and enjoyable Spring Break. I’d love to hear how you’re spending your week as I’ll be spending time doing things that make my heart happy and help recharge my batteries. I look forward to seeing our students back on the campus for school on Monday, March 23rd.

#ThePrezSnowPost #HappySpring #SpringBreak2026
4 months ago, FSDB
Flowering azalea bushes with bright pink blooms in the foreground, set in a mulched garden bed. Behind them are several medium-sized green shrubs and tall trees, including large oaks draped with Spanish moss. In the distance, a row of tall palm trees (Palm Row) line a sidewalk with parked cars on both sides. The Deaf Department Boarding Program buildings with red tiled roofs appear partially visible through the trees under a partly cloudy sky.

Nine middle school students had the privilege of attending the National Deaf Theater Festival in Riverside, California last week. During the event, they connected with students from six other middle and high schools while participating in workshops, activities, and collaborative theatrical productions.
To conclude the week, the students performed for the Riverside Deaf community, showcasing the skills and creativity they developed throughout the festival. They were also thrilled by special appearances from John Maucere (SuperDeafy) and the Vich family, Arthur and Amanda, who came out to show their support!

#ThisIsFSDB

4 months ago, FSDB
Group of middle school students and staff sign "ILY" and smile for the photo with the CSDR sign in the background.
A student smiles with a person who is wearing a shirt that says "screenwriter, I always cause a scene" inside the CSDR building.
FSDB students on stage performing inside the CSDR theatre room.
Group of students stand together watching, learning and getting ready to do an theatre exercise.
A selfie of a staff member and three students touching a Cali tree.
Three guest speakers on stage speaking to the audience.
A student wearing a long white skirt smile on stage.
A student smile and hold his certification of recognization for the photo.
Staff member and three students smile and eat inside In-and-Out burger place.
A student and staff member play jenga together.
Kramer students in the blind department are having a fantastic time playing games in the dorm, while the apartment girls are confidently mastering their yoga practice. It's a lively and uplifting atmosphere!

#FSDBAfterSchoolWednesdays
4 months ago, FSDB
A student is holding play toy food smiling for his photo.
Group of girls are doing yoga inside the dorm.
A student smiles and plays with the toys on the table.
Group of girl students practice yoga together inside the dorm.
Student plays the dorms inside the dorms.
Students and staff play twister on the floor in the dorms.
The Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) is a national nonprofit organization that promotes inclusive employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Our students had the opportunity to design, produce, and sell items while presenting our CTE program to conference attendees. They also explored other vendors and entrepreneurs at the conference, gaining valuable exposure to business and career opportunities.

#FSDBCTETuesdays
4 months ago, FSDB
Three students holding coffee and treats smile by a grass wall with led lights that say "Hyatt Vilano Beach"
Group of students smile with the DB Designs merch inside the hotel building.
Group of students smile by a grass wall with led lights that say "Hyatt Vilano Beach" .
Group of students smile with the DB Designs merch inside the hotel building.
Group of students smile by the grass wall and led lights of a palm tree, sun, and flamingo and the wording "Hyatt Vilano Beach".
Group of students smile with their coffee and treats by the DB Designs merch inside the hotel building.
Justyn Keller, a mathematics teacher at Blind Middle School, reflects on his favorite memories as an alumnus and staff member at FSDB:

"Two of my favorite memories from my time as a student at FSDB are participating in the National Braille Challenge in Los Angeles, California, and representing Florida in goalball.

As a staff member, one of my favorite memories is being on the Teacher of the Year Committee, where I have the opportunity to see the incredible work my colleagues do across the District when I visit their classrooms."

#FSDBMemoryMondays #ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB #FSDBFam
4 months ago, FSDB
Justyn is wearing a navy blue shirt smiling for his photo with a white text box on the bottom right that says "Two of my favorite memories from my time as a student at FSDB are participating in the National Braille Challenge in Los Angeles, California.."l
Girls Middle School Flag Football achieved their first win on Tuesday, March 3rd, against Victory Preparatory School, with a score of 12-0! Gooooo Dragons Go!

#PassionPridePerseverance #GoFSDBDragons #FSDBSportSundays
4 months ago, FSDB
FSDB Girls Middle School Flag Football team are wearing red uniforms and posing for the photo outside.
SOAR students from both the Deaf and Blind departments participated in our annual Safety Fair on Wednesday, March 4th.

#FSDBSOARSaturdays
4 months ago, FSDB
Top Left Photo is a deaf soar student wearing a fire fighter jacket holding thumbs up for the photo. Top right photo is a blind soar student talking with the Honeywell . Below photo is a group of SOAR students smiling by the fire rescue truck and a worker.
To celebrate March as National Women's History Month, we invite you to take a quiz on FSDB Women's History! Who was the first female president of FSDB?

#FSDBQuestionOfTheWeekFridays
4 months ago, FSDB
Faded Photo of first female president with a smaller picture of the first female president on top of faded photo. On the right side of the photo is a black quote box that says "Who was the first FSDB female president?"

The warm Florida sun is here, and our Deaf elementary students are enjoying their time playing t-ball! It's a fantastic opportunity for them to have fun and stay active.

#FSDBAfterSchoolHoursWednesdays #FSDBRec

4 months ago, FSDB
Seven photos of deaf elementary students swinging the bat with a ball on a green cone outside.
This morning, we hosted the FSDB Safety Education Fair, which featured over 15 safety partners. The participating organizations included:

- City of St. Augustine Police and Fire Departments
- City of St. Augustine Environmental Compliance
- City of St. Augustine Beach Police Department
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Fish and Wildlife Commission
- Florida Department of Agriculture – Forestry Division
- Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)
- FSDB Mental Health Department
- FSDB PE/Health Department
- FSDB Transportation Department
- Honeywell
- National Weather Service
- St. Augustine Lifesaving Association
- St. Johns County Sheriff's Office
- State Fire Marshal
- University of Florida Dental Services
- University of Florida Health – Trauma 1
- United States Attorney’s Office – Middle District

It was a fantastic turnout! Our students and staff enjoyed visiting each table, learning about the various departments, experiencing what it's like to sit in a police car, petting dogs, and the best part—receiving free souvenirs!

#ThisIsFSDB
4 months ago, FSDB
A student holding a baby alligator and smiles for a photo outside.
A student learns how to do CPR taught by a Fire Rescue worker outside.
A firefighter teaches a student and teacher how to take out a fire, as the student holds a fire extinguisher.
Two ELC students hold hands walking outside around the safety far event.
A FBI helps a student put on a FBI vest outside.
A police officer with a dog allows a student to pet the dog outside.
Students sit in a police golf cart smiles for a photo.
A student walking and smiles for a photo.
A student and staff member walks and smiles for a photo.
A student pets a German Shepard police dog.
Last week, students in the Construction class had the opportunity to attend the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Career Fair. This experience allowed students to gain hands-on exposure and explore the various trades and career pathways connected to their current coursework.
 
During the event, students also had the privilege of meeting a Deaf professional who works for FDOT. He shared his journey of earning his engineering degree and spoke about his experiences working in the field. Learning firsthand about his educational path and career success provided students with both insight and inspiration as they consider their own future goals.

#FSDBCTETuesdays
4 months ago, FSDB
Three students hold their thumb up and smiles for the photo outside.
FSDB students wear pink construction hats and looking at exhibits inside.
An FSDB interpreter signing explaining the exhibits the students were looking at.
FSDB students watching and learning new skills.
Closeup of a FSDB student wearing gloves and learning the new skill he was taught.
Two FSDB students standing on a blue structure inside the building.
FSDB students hammering and looking at exhibits inside the building.
FSDB students watching and learning what the vendor they were at was showing them.
FSDB students sit in chairs and watch the presentation held by the organization inside the building.

Sherry Gaynor, a Culinary Arts teacher, shares one of her favorite memories below:

"One of my favorite FSDB memories comes from our annual Thanksgiving dessert and sourdough bread sale. Each year, my students transformed our classroom into a bustling bakery—feeding our sourdough “baby,” mixing spices, and crafting desserts like apple‑pear pie with ginger, sweet potato pound cake with citrus glaze, and white‑chocolate pumpkin marble cheesecake with a gingerbread crust.
Students didn’t just bake—they learned to price items, prepare orders, and run a real food business. Their hard work funded a field study at a local restaurant, where they were welcomed as aspiring chefs, interviewed staff, toured the kitchen, and enjoyed a celebratory meal together.
The teamwork, pride, and camaraderie they built during these experiences remain some of my most cherished memories at FSDB. 💛🍞🥧"

We would also like to congratulate Sherry on earning her PhD in December! Congratulations!


#FSDBMemoryMondays #YouBelongAtFSDB #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB

4 months ago, FSDB
Sherry smiles with three of her culinary art students with a white textbox below that says "One of my favorite FSDB memories come from our annual Thanksgiving dessert and sourdough bread sale. Each year, my students transformed our classroom into a bustling bakery-feeding our sourdough "baby", mixing spices...."
🎪 Step Right Up to the Greatest Braille Show on Earth! 🎪

Last Thursday, February 26th, FSDB hosted St. Augustine Regional Braille Challenge. This annual event is a one‑of‑a‑kind competition that motivates students who are B/VI and celebrates the magic of Braille literacy. All 48 participants were true stars of the show—brave, focused, and ready to take on every act with confidence and flair!

By the end of the day, our performers dazzled the crowd, mastered each challenge, and proved once again that the greatest showstoppers are not the tricks or illusions, but the knowledge, perseverance, and pride our students carry with them. The real treasure wasn’t center stage—it was the learning we shared and the joy we witnessed throughout the day!

To view the photos from the event, click the link; https://fsdb.zenfolio.com/p766633262

#ThisIsFSDB
4 months ago, FSDB
Three students wearing matching color team shirts with the circus Braille Challenge logo holding their trophies smiling for the camera inside the Music Building.
A student wearing a teal color shirt holds a green sign that says "Junior Varsity" as she walks through the crowd outside.
A student is sitting with a teacher over her shoulder telling her the rules inside a classroom.
Tracie Snow is dressed like a clown smiling with a monkey blow up and podium covered in a red and white tent with a "Welcome to the Carnival " inside the music building.
Students participating in the Braille Challenge are sitting inside the music building excitedly waiting for the challenge to start.
Three students hold their trophies and smile for a photo inside the music building.
A student sitting during lunch time with his pizza and popcorn container.
A student is participating in the drum circle inside the music building.
Spring Sports has begun!

Please be sure to stay current with the sports schedules on our website: fsdbathletics.org

We hope to see you come out and support our Dragons!

#GoFSDBDragons #GoFSDBCobras #FSDBSportsSundays #PridePassionPerserverance
4 months ago, FSDB
Three girls flag football players and one track and field runner on the graphic with a black dragon background.