This week, FSDB students and staff enjoyed exploring the Spring Art Show, on display in Gibbs Hall. The show opened on April 16th, welcoming family and friends to enjoy the artwork before and after the Spring Music Concert. Art students in Blind High School shared over 80 pieces of tactile art featuring papier mache, plaster cloth, clay, and a variety of mixed media materials. It was a tremendous display of talent and creativity. Congratulations to our high school artists! #tactileart #accessibleart
Images:
Elementary students explore a Maleficent mask with large black horns. An orange, nine-tailed fox is in the foreground. A Demogorgon with a red, flower-shaped head full of teeth is in the background.
Middle school students are exploring two sculptures with their hands. One is a teal dragon with green wings and the other is an orange, nine-tailed fox.
An elementary student inspects a large, green paper mask with large eyes and large pink tongue. A blue and yellow “fish cat” mask in the background has cat ears and fins on the forehead and cheeks.
Kaitlyn is smiling while holding up her papier mache shark sculpture, JAWS. It is painted gray, and black yarn forms a stripe and gills. A glass marble bead represents the eye.
Byran inspects a dark blue, dome-shaped sculpture made of plaster cloth. His is leaning in to feel the sequins and glitter on the surface of piece.
An elementary student with blond hair and glasses smiles with delight at the small sculpture of gray rat wearing a white hat. Another student is feeling the textured tiles that line the edge of pink mask.
Karen works at the Blind High School as an Instructional Assistant. She had taught French and TV Production for eighteen years or so before coming to FSDB.
" I have heard a lot about FSDB and how great everyone is, and found out its true!" shared Karen.
Karen is orginally from Michigan but has been in Florida for the past twenty years. A fun fact about her is she loves to swim and scuba dive.
We are so happy to have you here with us!
#ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB #FSDBFam
Adventure awaits in Florida’s oldest city! 🏕️ Summer Quest is an overnight camp where kids who are Blind/ Visually Impaired, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, or Deafblind come together for fun, friendship, and growth.
☀️ Days are packed with Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) activities.
🌙 Evenings are filled with recreational and social experiences.
⚠️ Application Deadline: April 24, 2026 — Don’t miss your spot!
📅 Camp Dates
• June 7–12, 2026 — Ages 8–12
• June 14–19, 2026 — Ages 13–17
✅ Who Can Attend?
• Non-enrolled FSDB Students
• Blind/Visually Impaired
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Deafblind (dual-sensory)
• 8-17 year olds
• Florida resident
👉 Apply NOW before the April 24 deadline — spots are limited!
Learn more and download your application at the link below:
https://www.fsdbk12.org/page/summer-quest
🎶 Don't miss a moment — click the link for the full lineup, livestream, and program book! https://www.fsdbk12.org/article/2822826
#ThisIsFSDB
📌 NOW HIRING: Director of Accounting
Lead with Purpose. Serve with Impact.
We’re looking for an experienced accounting leader to join our mission-driven team — on-campus in historic St. Augustine.
✅ Leadership role reporting to the Comptroller
✅ Governmental accounting environment
✅ Work that supports students & public trust
Apply today! 👇
https://jobs.myflorida.com/job/ST-AUGUSTINE-DIRECTOR-OF-ACCOUNTING-48008438-1-1-FL-32084/1378713300/
#YouBelongHere #NowHiring #AccountingJobs #FloridaJobs #EducationCareers #FSDB
Congratulations to Addison Allen, Christian Chapu, Gabe Kramer, Jasen McDaniel, Logan Strickland, Kayla Bodiford, Damian Palacios, Gordon Pettit, Danika Stanchi, and Tyler Wittman.
To view the photos from the event, click the link shared: https://fsdb.zenfolio.com/p209502519
FSDB Families and Students...we wanted to send a friendly reminder that this weekend is a Long Weekend due to the Easter Holiday.
Here are the important details to keep in mind:
• All students will be dismissed tomorrow, Friday, April 3, at 2:05 p.m.
• There will be no classes on Monday, April 6.
• SHOW Bus students will be picked up on Monday, April 6, at their regular pick-up time.
• Classes will resume on Tuesday, April 7.
Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and restful long weekend!
FSDB Families and Students...we wanted to send a friendly reminder that this weekend is a Long Weekend due to the Easter Holiday.
Here are the important details to keep in mind:
All students will be dismissed tomorrow, Friday, April 3, at 2:05 p.m.
There will be no classes on Monday, April 6.
SHOW Bus students will be picked up on Monday, April 6, at their regular pick-up time.
Classes will resume on Tuesday, April 7.
Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and restful long weekend!
📍 Location
Moore Hall, CLD Meeting Room and Room 215
📅 Date
Friday, April 10, 2026
⏰ Time
8:30 a.m. – Enrollment Committee Meeting (Room 215)
9:15 a.m. – Endowment Committee Meeting (Room 215)
10:15 a.m. – Regular Board Meeting (CLD Meeting Room)
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) invites you to its upcoming career fair, where talented individuals can explore exciting opportunities across all departments. Join us on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Moore Hall on the FSDB campus in the heart of historic St. Augustine. The event is open to the public — all are welcome!
As a state of Florida agency and one of St. Johns County’s most respected employers, FSDB offers a wide range of meaningful, challenging, and rewarding career paths where you can make a real difference in the lives of students.
We hope to see you there! To explore current job openings and learn about our outstanding benefits, visit www.fsdbk12.org/careers.
📣 FSDB Families — don’t miss our FINAL Parent Engagement Workshop of the 2025-26 school year! 🎉
📅 May 1, 2025
🕘 9:00 AM
📍 Moore Hall, CLD
📚 What’s on the agenda:
💻 Tech Talk – " Parental Controls Made Simple: Keeping Kids Safe Online"
🛡️ Safe Connections – "Preventing Bullying and Building Respect"
➕ Math Matters – "Making Numbers Work for Your Child's Success"
⭐ Featuring a President Pop-In! – FSDB President Tracie Snow will pop in and lead a live interactive activity — you won’t want to miss it!
📌 RSVP by April 29 — spots are limited! Lunch is provided & travel reimbursement is available.
👇 Register now:
https://bit.ly/PEW-May-01-2026
📣 Parent University Presents: The Bird and The Bees — April 30, 2026!
FSDB Families...join us in Moore Hall CLD at 10:00 AM for a workshop covering puberty, body changes, hygiene, mental health, emotional development, and healthy boundaries — plus department-specific breakouts for Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Blind/Visually Impaired families.
📅 RSVP by April 28 (registration link below)
💰 Travel reimbursement available. Note: Many parents are planning to attend the Blind Elementary School production of Madagascar KIDS at 2:00 p.m., and seats will be reserved for parents participating in this class.
Click the following link for more information and to register for the class!
https://bit.ly/FSDB-Parent-U-Birds-Bees-2026
📣 Attention FSDB Families!
It’s that time of year — physicals & heart screenings are required for all student-athletes for the 2026–2027 school year.
📅 Physical Exam Dates (FREE, in partnership with Mayo Clinic):
• April 14 | 3:00–6:30 PM — Spring sports & high school athletes
• May 5 | 3:00–6:30 PM — 5th grade, middle school & make-ups
❤️ NEW this year: Florida’s Second Chance Act requires all high school athletes to complete a FREE ECG/EKG heart screening before participating. We’re partnering with Who We Play For to offer screenings on the same days!
Required forms: EL1 (ECG), EL2 (Physical), EL3 (Consent) — submit to the Athletic Dept by April 9 or May 1.
Questions? Contact us at 904-325-9317 or email tallentm@fsdbk12.org or jonesn@fsdbk12.org.
To learn more and download forms, visit: https://fsdbathletics.org/sports/2026/3/3/2026-27-sports-physicals.aspx
Blind:
Valedictorian: Addison Allen
Salutatorian: Nathaniel Figueroa Borrero
Deaf:
Valedictorian: Brenna Freeman
Salutatorian: Jocelyn Dagenais
CONGRATULATIONS to all four of these exceptional students! 🎓🌟
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) announces public meetings open to all members of the public. Members of the public may address the board for up to three minutes per person. All public comments are limited to 45 minutes in total. Only the Regular Board meeting will be livestreamed at https://www.fsdbk12.org/page/board-of-trustees-livestream
📍 Location
Moore Hall, CLD Meeting Room and 215
📅 Date
Friday, February 27, 2026
⏰ Time
8:30 a.m. – Audit Committee Meeting (215)
9:30 a.m. – Regular Board Meeting (CLD)
Hello FSDB Families and Students...we wanted to send a reminder that this weekend will be a "Long Weekend." All students will go home today, Friday, February 13, at 2:05 p.m. There will be no classes on Monday, February 16 as we celebrate Presidents Day. SHOW Bus students will be picked up on Monday at their normal pick-up time. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 17. We hope you have a wonderful long weekend!
Now Accepting Applications for Summer Quest 2026!
Ready for an adventure in the oldest city with new friends! Summer Quest is an overnight camp offering Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) activities during the day and various recreational and social experiences in the evening.
Dates
• June 7-12, 2026 (ages 8-12)
• June 14-19, 2026 (ages 13-17)
Who Can Attend?
• Blind/Visually Impaired
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Deafblind (dual-sensory)
• 8-17 year olds
• Florida resident
Visit our Summer Quest webpage to learn more and apply!
At the request of her parents, we are sharing her obituary and funeral information with our FSDB community. Sophia’s family expressed how much she loved being a student at FSDB and how she had many friendships with both students and staff.
Sophia’s joyful, bright spirit and the impact she had on those around her will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
Visit Sophia's memorial page to share a memory or send condolences to the family as well as read her beautiful obituary.
https://www.stjohnsfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/sophia-fink/#!/TributeWall
Hello FSDB Families and Students,
Another reminder that this weekend is a very long weekend as FSDB will host the Clerc Classic Basketball Tournament and Cheerleading Competition. All students will go home tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14, at 2:05 p.m. (Friday Schedule). Students will not have classes on Thursday, January 15th and Friday, January 16th. School will also be closed on Monday, January 19, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
(NOTE: The Clerc Classic is a sold-out event and you must have already purchased a ticket in order to attend the tournament.)
IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday, January 14, at 2:05 p.m. – All students will go home. (Friday Schedule)
Thursday, January 15 – No Classes
Friday, January 16 – No Classes
Monday, January 19 – No Classes, but SHOW Bus students will be picked up at their regular time.
Tuesday, January 20 – Classes Resume
We hope you enjoy the extra time with your child!
📅 Date
Friday, January 23, 2026
⏰ Time
8:30 a.m. – Enrollment and Outreach Committee Meeting (215)
9:15 a.m. – Regular Board Meeting (CLD)
📍 Location
Moore Hall, CLD Meeting Room and 215
