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

Please welcome Raquel Grindstaff to FSDB!

She is from New Market, Maryland and was previously a School Behavior Counselor. She is joining FSDB as the High School Counselor at the Deaf High School.

Raquel is most excited about the opportunity to get to know the students. She is also looking forward to being part of the FSDB Family.

A fun fact about Raquel is that she loves traveling and picking up something new everywhere she visits, whether it's a skill, a story or a local dish.

We are so thrilled to have you here at FSDB with us!
#ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB #FSDBFam

We are excited to welcome Ryan Johnson to FSDB!

Ryan will be the new Assistant Principal of Student Services for Deaf High School. He hails from Faribault, MN, where he previously worked as the MSAD School Director.

Ryan is eager to collaborate with staff, get to know the students and their families, and become an integral part of the FSDB community.

"While I will always be a Trojan, as I was an MSAD alum, I am ready to be a Dragon!" stated Ryan.

A fun fact about Ryan is that his team won the gold championship at the 2022 World Deaf Curling Championships in Banff, Canada. He described it as a rich experience, especially after winning four comeback matches on the way to the victory.

Ryan is also a father to two children: Ariel, age 14, and Aviela, age 11.

Welcome to the FSDB Family!
#ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB #FSDBFam

On Mondays, we will share a favorite memory from a staff member, teacher, student, or alumni each week.

Mel Botterbusch-Goodall, Director of Student Life, shares her favorite memory below:

"As an alumnus of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB), I carry countless memories from my junior high school years through graduation. Over the past 31 years of working here, I've had the privilege of creating many more meaningful experiences, especially during my evening shifts with high school students.

One of the most impactful experiences involved a student who struggled with managing his temper and would often become easily frustrated. During difficult moments, he knew he could come to my office—his safe space—to vent and express his emotions. It became a refuge for him, and I was grateful to be someone he trusted during those times. Supporting students in this way has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career at FSDB."

#FSDBMemoryMondays

Students will learn or improve their personal interactions with others. Learn, practice and implement cooking skills like measuring, temperatures, and following a recipe. Students will also create a menu, talk about table setting, and manage clean up when they are all done! And of course they will eat!

Who: BVI, DHH, and DSI students ages 6-17 living in Florida. Parent supervision is expected, and siblings are encouraged to join.

Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time)

Location: Zoom virtual classroom – Materials will be mailed to each student’s home before the event.

Contact: Jennifer Valderrama, 904-827-2454, valderramaj@fsdbk12.org

Registration: Please register with your Parent/Guardian and siblings, so they can be included in this activity. Parent supervision is requested, and siblings are encouraged to join. Please use the link below:

https://bit.ly/Fall-Virtual-ECC-2025

During the second week of July, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind proudly hosted the National Student Life Conference for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing—and what an incredible week it was! Over 200 passionate representatives from 35 schools across the country came together to share ideas, learn, and celebrate student life programs.

We were thrilled to welcome 144 registrants who stayed right here in our dorms, making FSDB a buzzing hub of energy, connection, and inspiration all week long. Throughout the week, FSDB warmly welcomed everyone creating a vibrant community atmosphere filled with learning and connection. Participants engaged with a diverse lineup of outstanding presenters who delivered dynamic workshops designed to inspire, educate, and empower.

This conference was a monumental undertaking—and it truly showcased the strength of our FSDB community. From household staff to maintenance, campus police to administration, technology teams to the public relations office, and the dedicated volunteers and event staff who worked tirelessly behind the scenes—every individual played a vital role in making this event an incredible success.

The positive feedback from attendees statewide has been overwhelming, with many expressing admiration for the excellence and hospitality demonstrated here at FSDB.

#ThisIsFSDB

Maddy Brady, an English teacher at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, was one of just 13 educators selected nationwide—and the only representative from Florida—for the 2025 Museum Teacher Fellowship Program through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

This highly competitive fellowship is designed to deepen educators’ understanding of Holocaust history and pedagogy while supporting their efforts to bring high-quality, accessible Holocaust education to students and communities. Fellows participate in an intensive summer institute at the Museum and commit to leading professional development in their local area.

Maddy began this journey as a teacher in Deaf Middle School and will continue to serve the Museum as she transitions into a new role in Deaf High School. She is proud to bring this important work to the Deaf and Blind community and beyond, ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust remain relevant, inclusive, and impactful.

#ThisIsFSDB #FSDBFam #YouBelongAtFSDB

Today was the final day of the Summer Quest Camps! The campers worked hard throughout the week, practicing for their Skit Day performance for their families. FSDB wishes everyone a fantastic summer! We look forward to seeing you this August!

The Summer Quest campers visited the Alligator Farm to see various alligators and went zip lining. In the evening, they will have a cookout, enjoy water slides, and spend time outdoors!

Today, Summer Quest's theme was "Be a Dragon: FSDB Day." They began their day by kayaking in the waters surrounding our campus. Other activities included an escape room, a visit to the FSDB Museum, DB Designs, bowling, swimming, and cooking with Kevin. What a fantastic day to "Be a Dragon!"

Summer Quest Week 2 is underway! Yesterday, the campers engaged in exciting team-building games, showcased their talents in theater and dance, and enjoyed a fantastic time in the swimming pool.

Last week, the Deaf Department started its K-2 Academic Camp. The campers read several books, including Journey, Last Stop on Market Street, and Be a Tree. They played games to work on their "10 friend" skills, number recognition, and addition. The campers also created globes, practiced directions and continent identification, explored a food chain, made art featuring forests, and visited a planetarium. Not only did they learn, they also played games. Some of the favorites are Legos, Topple, Operation, Sorry Sliders, and Uno. FSDB staff around campus came to play a game with our campers. #ThisIsFSDB

Yesterday, the Deaf STEAM Camp students designed a 1-foot-tall sign lit with a solar-powered light and paired it with their genetically engineered “monsters” after learning about dominant and recessive traits. Today, they took a nature walk and gathered specimens to cast shadows on solar paper.  The paper reacted with the sun’s UV rays to create unique works of art! 

At the Blind STEAM Camp, students first learned about the physics of water and the concept of buoyancy. They then participated in team activities and races in the pool using noodles and various pool toys. While playing the games, students made observations about the buoyancy of different objects.

On the fourth day of the Blind ECC Camp, the campers visited the Alligator Farm, had lunch at Drake's Bistro, and then enjoyed Dessert at Creme de La Cocoa. They continued working on their mixed-media projects with Ms. Lori. What a wonderful, exciting, and busy day!

Today, the blind ECC Camp took canoes out on the water, went fishing, and enjoyed a Water Day with a splash pad and water toys. It was the perfect weather for the activities!

On the third day of the FSDB STEAM Camp, the theme for the blind department was "Universal," and all their activities revolved around this concept. One of the projects involved students experimenting with making bottle rockets to see how high they could launch them. They were provided with various materials to create a sturdy base for their rockets and had to decide the amount of vinegar and baking soda to use for the launch. After testing their rockets, many students modified different components to improve stability and adjusted the quantities of vinegar and baking soda to enhance the chemical reaction, allowing the rockets to fly higher.  Meanwhile, the deaf department campers got to visit the St. Augustine Aquarium and were able to see native Florida fish, nurse sharks, stingrays, and seahorses.  They got to pet a sea star (and learned that "starfish" is a misnomer since they are not fish!) as well as a horseshoe crab.  Later, they searched for sharks' teeth and got to keep one as a souvenir.

The Blind ECC Summer Camp has been quite busy over the past few days. They went out on a boat with the Sailing Sisters, learned about and met Guide Dogs, worked on mixed media and sculptures, and made a delicious afternoon snack of tacos!

For the second day of FSDB STEAM Camp, in the deaf department, Students learned about household acids and bases and how to measure their acidity on a pH scale.   We used the color-changing properties of litmus paper to paint colorful “chem”eleons with a variety of acids and bases! Then they met a real chameleon!  In the blind department, students created ferris wheels after going over the mechanics of how a ferris wheel functions and how it needs to be built to be structurally sound.

The FSDB Summer Quest Summer Camp started today! These campers will have a fun-filled week with exciting adventures, including trips, kayaking, swimming, and even theater and dance! Here are some photos of our campers having fun in theater and dance, as well as playing games and even doing limbo!

The FSDB STEAM Camp for both the Blind and Deaf Departments kicked off today! Students will learn and engage in fun and interactive experiments throughout the week. Some of the highlights of today were the Blind Campers creating and experimenting with different boat hull shapes. The Deaf Campers made and tested out their Solar Hot Air Balloons today. Stay tuned throughout the week for more fun STEAM experiments! [PD: Photo-1: Three Blind Department students grabbed materials to build their boat hulls. Photo-2: Blind Department Student connecting colorful straws to build boat hull. Photo-3: Two Blind Department Students are making their boat hulls out of aluminum foil. Photo-4: A blind department instructor helps two students build their boat. Photo-5: A blind department instructor explains the different types of boat hulls and how each shape works on the water. Photo-6: A group of Deaf students and instructors preparing a balloon for takeoff. Photo-7: Group of Deaf students preparing their balloons for lift-off. Photo-8: A deaf student is amused and claps his hands together as his balloon takes off inside the building. Photo-9: A Deaf Department instructor prepares a balloon for lift-off with students gathered around him. Photo-10: A multicolored balloon lifts off inside a school building with high ceilings.] #STEAM #ThisIsFSDB #DoMoreBeMoreAchieveMore