Florida School for the Deaf & the Blind - Do More. Be More. Achieve More.

FSDB announces a public meeting to which all persons of the public are invited. Location • FSDB Campus: 207 San Marco Ave., St. Augustine, FL 32084 • Building: Moore Hall (corner of San Marco Ave. and Macaris St.) • Rooms: Center for Learning and Development (CLD) and Room 215 Date and Time • Friday, February 28, 2025 • 8:30 a.m. – Audit Committee Meeting (Room 215) • 9:30 a.m.– Regular Board Meeting (CLD) Note: Only the Regular Board Meeting will be livestreamed and available on the FSDB Board of Trustees Meeting webpage at https://www.fsdbk12.org/page/board-of-trustees-livestream

On Friday, February 28, BMS civics students participated in "Women's Suffrage Day" as the culmination of a mini-unit on the women's suffrage movement. After studying the road to the Nineteenth Amendment and the "visual rhetoric" of period suffrage-inspired postcards, students were tasked with creating educational presentations and designing suffrage postcards to present on "Suffrage Day." Students researched and worked in groups of 2-3, preparing drafts and final versions of presentations and postcards. Students delivered the following presentations, after which a short intermission took place. Following the brief intermission, students returned to the stage and presented their postcards. Ms. Hillary and Mr. Ferguson then presented students with actual certificates of completion. "Women's Suffrage Day" was a valuable experience for students. In addition to learning social studies content, students practiced the ECC skills of Compensatory Access, Assistive Technology, Self-Determination, Orientation and Mobility, and Social Interaction while working in groups. #FSDBAcademicMondays

The new Mentors and Models Program is designed to support children and youth who are blind or visually impaired by engaging with adults as role models. The Models for our group represent a variety of people with visual impairments who share strategies and suggestions from their own lives to support your successful progression into the world we all live in. Click the link below to register to participate on Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. EDT for casual informational panel discussions from a variety of FSDB Mentors and Models who will share information, resources, and details about their lives as persons who are Blind or Visually Impaired. https://www.fsdbk12.org/page/mentors-and-models

We had a wonderful week at our schools before Spring Break! The Academic Bowl team proudly secured 3rd place at the Regional competition, and during lunchtime, they were recognized and celebrated by the entire Deaf High School community. The cheerleading team also achieved 3rd place at the National Deaf Cheer Competition in Rochester, NY, and they received a warm celebration as well. On Friday, March 14th, which is Pi Day, Mr. Keller's math class enjoyed some delicious pie to celebrate the occasion! Additionally, on the same day, BHS hosted its Poetry Slam in the Music Building. #FSDBRecapSunday

Last weekend, our cheerleaders traveled to Rochester, New York, where the National Deaf Cheer Competition was hosted at RIT. We are thrilled to announce that they won the Sportsmanship award and secured third place! We are incredibly proud of our cheerleaders. Please join us in congratulating them! #FSDBSportsSaturday #GoDragons #OneTeamOneHeartbeat

This is Thomas Rice. Thomas started at FSDB in 2016 as an 8th grader and graduated from the Blind Department in 2021. One of his favorite memories from his time as a student at FSDB was participating in Goalball, where he won two national championships with his teammates. This experience helped him discover his love for the sport, which he still plays today. Thomas returned to work at FSDB because he wanted to give back to the community that helped him succeed. "I struggled in public school, and when my family and I discovered FSDB, it changed my life for the better and made me who I am today. I want to pass on all the knowledge I gained at FSDB to the students to help them become successful and independent," Thomas shared. He started as a dorm staff member before becoming an instructional assistant for BEMS. Additionally, he assists with the Boys Goalball team and works as an OPS Technology and Athletics Assistant, as well as a dorm staff member. Thomas has many memories as an employee of FSDB, making it difficult to choose just one. However, a standout moment for him is witnessing his students light up when they finally grasp a difficult concept. "Seeing them make that connection and demonstrate mastery of a new skill reminds me why I do what I do every day," Thomas reflected. One fun fact about Thomas is that after graduating from FSDB, he continued to play Goalball as an adult and travels to compete in tournaments. He just got back from a tournament in Canada last weekend!  We love having you as part of the FSDB Family! #FSDBGrowingUpAtFSDB #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB

March is "Music In Our Schools Month" , so our music department is taking over today's social! From keyboard to band to chorus and everything beyond, we will share it all! #FSDBTakeoverThursday

March is National Music Month, so our music department is taking over today's social! From orchestra to band to choir, we will share it all! #FSDBTakeoverThursday

As we continue to celebrate Women's History Month, we honor Brenda Jean Woods, FSD '63, who was the founder of the FSDB Museum and served as its first coordinator from 1993 to 2009. Brenda graduated from FSDB in 1963 and then attended Gallaudet University, where she also graduated. She returned to FSDB as a teacher in 1972, where she taught Home Economics and Middle School history, and she retired in 2007. In 1993, Brenda founded the FSDB Museum with the support of the FSDAA, which donated $2,000 to help initiate the museum. As its first coordinator, she recruited many volunteers to assist with the museum's operations. Numerous alumni and friends contributed artifacts and collections to support the museum, which has grown increasingly popular over the years. The FSDB Museum is not only for the FSDB community; it is also open to the public, including stakeholders, parents, friends, and neighbors, all of whom have enjoyed and learned from FSDB's rich history. Brenda passed away in 2009, and in her honor, a room within the museum has been named the BJ Woods Room, which showcases timeline history panels and is located in the main lobby of the museum. #FSDBWayBackWhensdays #FSDBHistory

Our Academic Bowl team traveled to the Alabama School for the Deaf from February 27 to March 2 for the Regional Tournament and secured 3rd place. #FSDBCampusLifeTuesdays

Congratulations to Gavin Swart on being hired as a dishwasher who will spend time in culinary! Chef Bobby Parlon attended our Chefs' Table Dinner event last year and was impressed with our Culinary students' skills. He is supporting our students' growth and professional development by hiring Gavin. He is excited to build a professional pathway for our students at the Renaissance St. Augustine Historic Downtown Hotel. Chef Bobby raved about Gavin's quality of work after his first day on the job, explaining that Gavin went above and beyond, offering to help others when his station was caught up and got along well with the crew. Keep up the great work, Gavin!! #FSDBAcademicMonday

We had our annual CTE Showcase last Friday. Our students had the opportunity to engage various vendors, each offering unique insights and opportunities. To view the photos from the CTE Showcase, click on the link below: https://zenfolio.page.link/N7o9J #FSDBRecapSundays #CTEShowcase2025

Our cheerleaders are currently at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for the National Deaf Cheerleading Competition (NDCC) taking place this weekend! In 2023, FSDB won the first NDCC Division 1 championship! We wish our cheerleaders the best of luck in this competition! For information, tickets, livestream details, and results, please click on the link shared below: https://www.nationaldeafcheer.com #FSDBSportsSaturday #OneTeamOneHeartbeat #GoDragons

This is Kyra Hollerman. Kyra has been part of the Deaf Department since she was three, starting in the Early Learning Center. She has been here for almost fifteen years and is now a senior! Kyra loves when she can be the leader or "teacher." She discovered this when she participated in student leadership groups. She was part of the elementary school's Safety Patrol and is currently the Secretary of the Class of 2025 and a member of JR. NAD - Jr. National Association of the Deaf Club. "Even when I was just helping my classmates with their homework and seeing them succeed in their ventures due to my support and assistance, it fills me with an intense sense of joy and purpose," shared Kyra. Some fun facts about Kyra are she loves crafts and art projects. If she isn't gaming or reading, you will often find her sketching clothing or character designs in her free time. We loved seeing you grow throughout your years at FSDB! We will miss you once you graduate in May! #FSDBGrowingUpAtFSDBFriday #YouBelongAtFSDB #ThisIsFSDB #FSDBFam

Congratulations to Marie Sisk on her new position! Marie previously served as a Senior Residential Instructor at Vaill Hall and is now the Overnight Deaf Boarding Supervisor. She is excited about this new chapter, which presents both challenges and opportunities for personal and team growth. Originally from Lawsonville, North Carolina, Marie enjoys visiting art museums and galleries. We are all so happy for you! #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB

Our cheerleaders are heading to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) today for the weekend to participate in the National Deaf Cheerleading Competition (NDCC). Follow our stories to stay updated on their travels and their first day at RIT! #FSDBTakeoverThursdays

For March, we will be celebrating Women's History Month! Mary Inez McCollough Mauldin, FSB ' 57: - First Blind Alumane on the FSDB Board of Trustees 1976-1988 and 1990-2001; includes six years as Vice Chair - Retired public school teacher - Founder of the FSB Alumni Association - Graduated from Stetson University in Deland, FL, in 1961 - First blind public school teacher who taught 5th grade in Duval, Brevard, and Bay Counties - The first woman appointed to the Florida State Council by the Florida Governor in 1966 - In 1982, she received an Alumni Distinguished Award from Stetson University Source: FSDB Museum, Florida School Herald #FSDBWayBackWhensdays #FSDBHistory #HappyWomensHistoryMonth

In February, the young men's apartment was busy! As a group, they have discussed and reviewed several of the independent life skills curriculum topics they discussed at the start of the year. Some that stood out this month were the oral discussions regarding "Kitchen Safety and "Applying For Jobs/Interviews."  The young men have also become more social since adding two students to our apartment. Students were involved in different sports activities in February and began developing great meal plans. They recently all sat down in our Apartment Weekly Meeting and discussed the importance of table manners and the expectation for eating out in public with friends or family. As we move into March, they will continue to expose the students to all the valuable life skills. This month, we continued preparing meals from different cultures. The students love this approach to cooking. This also taught the students different cooking techniques and foods they hadn't heard of before. The week of February 9, we took an off-campus trip to Ripley's Believe It or Not museum. This allowed the Young Men to learn and explore the world's unique things, like the world's tallest man and optical illusions. Next month, they plan on having the apartments do a social event before spring break. They plan to visit the local hardware store to see what tools can help them when working on home projects. This will touch on the life skills of "Managing a Household." #FSDBCampusLifeTuesday

We are thrilled to share both departments' Valedictorian and Salutatorian for the Class of 2025! Blind: Valedictorian: Logan Cake Salutatorian: Sara Griley Deaf: Valedictorian: Kyra Hollerman Co-Salutatorian: Annabelle Abenchuchan Co-Salutatorian: Vanessa Waldhof Congratulations! #FSDBAcademicMonday

Welcome, Cassie Jarrell, to FSDB! Cassie will be joining the Healthcare Center as a Registered Nurse. Before arriving at FSDB, she worked as a Pediatric Allergy Nurse. Cassie looks forward to interacting with the deaf community and combining her nursing expertise with her communication skills in her new role. She hails from Winter Springs, Florida, and is a Harry Potter fan! We are excited to have you here at FSDB! #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB