Panther Press
a weekly publication of the Georgia Academy for the Blind
February 23, 2018
Dr. Cindy Gibson, Superintendent
Email: smilam@doe.k12.ga.us
Website: www.gabmacon.org
Location: 2895 Vineville Avenue, Macon, GA, United States
Phone: (478) 751-6083
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Georgia.Academy.for.the.Blind/
Twitter: @gab_library
Mission Statement
The Georgia Academy for the Blind provides quality education services to Georgia’s students with visual impairments and/or visual impairments in conjunction with other disabilities to prepare them to achieve their highest level of independence in transition to college and career readiness.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Mark your Calendars! *just added
*February 26: Monday Media Mania and Coffee Club
February 28: Braille Challenge (see below for details of parent/guardian program)
March 23: Spring Program (see below for details)
March 26-30: Spring Break
April 2: Easter Holiday April 5: Prom
April 9-20 Elementary and Middle Milestones
*April 10: Special Olympics
April 19-22 SCASB April 26-29: Senior Trip
April 30-May 11 High school End of Course Milestones
May 1: Help a Child Smile Mobile Dental Clinic
May 14-18: Milestones’ Retests for grades 3, 5 and 8
May 25: Graduation
Remaining February Birthdays
~24th Kayla and Dorrian
~26th TJ
March Birthdays
~4th Zy
~9th Kameron
~23rd Harry
~27th Angelica L
~28th BJ
~29th Sammy
Character Education
PERSEVERANCE!
We’re watching a video series about how students can develop a growth mindset! Watch it at: www.classdojo.com/BigIdeas, and ask your child these questions over the weekend: 1. What is "the dip"? 2. Discuss an example of a time you've felt the dip. How did it feel? 3. How does what we've learned about growth mindset help us get out of the dip?
Learn more about our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program by visiting the link below.
Parents/Guardians: Join us to learn about Georgia Industries for the Blind, Project Search, Summer Camps, Vocational Rehabilitation, Parent to Parent of Georgia and an inspiring key note speech!
Georgia Regional Braille Challenge 2018, the Georgia Academy for the Blind
Parent/guardian Program Blind (an Outreach Program of GAB)
GAB Media Center
February 28, 2018
9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
9:30- 9:50 Welcome
o Sonya Milam, Parent Mentor, Georgia Academy for the Blind, “Emcee” for the day
o Dr. Cindy Gibson, Superintendent, Georgia Academy for the Blind
o Zelma Murray, State Side Vision Consultant, Georgia Department of Education
o Hayley Alli, President, Georgia Organization of Parents of Blind Children (GOPBC)
9:50—10:10 Project Search – Ms. Alicia Jackson, Mr. Reginald Evans, Ms. Sydney Brooks and Mr. Angel Lopez
5 min break, door prize giveaway
10:15--- 10:45Luis Narimatsu, Services Director, Industrial Engineer Georgia Industries for the Blind
5 min break, door prize giveaway
10:50-11:10 Mike Williams, Lions Club Camp for the Blind
11:10-11:30 Scott Little , acting Program Director Camp Dream
5 min break, door prize giveaways
11:35 – 12:00 Cindy Crawford, Parent to Parent of Georgia
12:00 - 1:15 LUNCH on your own
1:15 – 1:45 Keynote Address Shirley Robinson, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, Assistant Director, Blind Services. Growing Up Blind: Growing Through Challenges – I did it, so can your child
We are over the top with excitement with a delivery of 500 box tops from the Middle Georgia Alumnae of Delta Gamma. We are on round two of our goal for a thousand more by the end of the school year. We are half way there now! Keep them coming! Sylvia Layson, 478-751-6083 ext. 1200 slayson@doe.k12.ga.us
A note from Mrs. Holloway!
Greetings from the GAB music department!
We will be having our Spring Program on Friday, March 23 at 10:00 a.m. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the location of the Spring Program will be at Vineville Baptist Church, a half mile east of GAB. The address is listed below.
Students will be transported to and from the church by bus
Parents are to check their child out at the school and not take them from the church. We want to make sure all students are safely and securely transported back to the school after the program. Per Dr. Gibson, if you are signing your child out before the 1:00 p.m. end of the day, sign out in the Hendricks office. See Shirley Bronner and Brittany Jackson.
This is a mandatory performance, and all students will receive credit for the performance.
Church address:
Vineville Baptist Church
2591 Vineville Avenue
Macon, GA 31204
The students are very excited about this performance opportunity. I hope you will be able to join us to support GAB and our music department! Thank you for your patience and your ongoing support to help the students be successful!
From Mrs. Milam: Before and after the performance, at GAB you can browse the Art Show, shop at GABwill, see 3-D printer exhibition, and get a snack from GAB Café. There will be a very important parent meeting afterwards at the school “Discover Summer Camp Opportunities” . All activities will conclude at 1.
Introducing GAB’s new Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Diane Elliott
If you wish for your child to see Dr. Elliot, simply contact our School Social Worker, Rosemary Knight, (478)751-6083 Ext. 1284 rknight@doe.k12.ga.us Dr Elliot graduated from the University of South Florida with a PhD in Clinical Psychology. She also practiced in Virginia before moving to Georgia. Although she works with all ages, her special interests include development, child and adolescent therapy, and psychological testing. In recent years, she was Director of Clinical Training for the newly developed Clinical Medical Psychology Program at Mercer, and Discipline Head for Psychiatry in curriculum development at the Mercer University School of Medicine, where she currently is Associate Professor, Clinical Education. She has a private practice at Ingleside Counseling Resources in Macon. Dr. Elliott is excited to become part of the team at Georgia Academy for the Blind (GAB) and looking forward to meeting with students and staff.
Attention Atlanta area families!
An email went out about upcoming Transition Fairs. Check your mail boxes next week and listen out for a phone call from our Parent to Parent Transition Partner, Cindy Crawford!
This Week in Pictures
Below: We are forging a relationship with Rebuilding Macon in an effort to afford our students opportunities for community-based learning and the chance to participate in giving back to the local community that gives so much to them. Thursday, six students- 2 middle school and 4 high school – painted a large new wheel chair ramp for elderly man. This was coordinated by Shakira Farley for a required project as member of this year’s Georgia Department of Education’s Student Advisory Board. The top picture below is before we painted, the second one is after we painted.
Parent/guardian surveys continue
Your voice matters and we want to hear from YOU! Please take a few minutes and complete these three quick surveys from the Georgia Department of Education. Sonya Milam stands ready to assist you!
2. Annual Georgia Special Education Services Parent Survey. This online anonymous survey with 10 questions also takes only 5 minutes to complete. It is available to all Georgia’s families who have a student with a disability. This survey helps the state determine parents’ perception of the success of parent engagement between them and schools. Georgia is required to conduct a parent survey collection process to measure parent/family perceptions. The information is gathered as a component of the State Performance Plan, Indicator 8: Percent of parents with a student receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving results for children with disabilities. The data collected is reported as a percentage of parental involvement in the Annual Performance Report for each district. This survey can be found here: http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Special-Education-Services/Pages/Parent-Survey.aspx When prompted to select district, choose STATE SCHOOLS, not your county! You will then be prompted to choose Georgia Academy for the Blind.
3. Annual ASPIRE Parent Survey. This survey is conducted each year to determine parents’ satisfaction in and involvement with Georgia’s student led IEP program. Whether you attended your child’s IEP on campus or on the phone, if you didn’t complete this survey afterwards, please take a few minutes to do so now! https://goo.gl/oGU3oc
Special Education State Advisory Panel Needs a GAB Parent/Guardian!
The Georgia Department of Education Division for Special Education Services and Supports is currently accepting applications for the State Advisory Panel for Special Education (SAP). The SAP is comprised of parents, persons with disabilities, educators and administrators who are knowledgeable about the education of all children. SAP members provide input and advice into meeting the statewide needs of students with disabilities. More information and the application can be found below:
Yes, it’s only February! No it is not too early for summer camp registration to begin!
Come to the Braille Challenge Parent/Guardian Program and/or our meeting after the Spring Program to meet with these folks and learn more! Scholarships and spaces are limited so act now! We would love to know who is going! Sonya Milam stands ready to help with the registration and scholarship process! smilam@doe.k12.ga.us, 478-262-3303
JUST IN!!!! Just for high school students! Envisioning Youth Empowerment (EYE) Retreat, July 14-21, Raleigh, NC
The mission is to expose participants to college transition activities through mentoring, real work experiences and identification of support services. To learn more, and to register, go to link below.
SECOND NOTICE! Camp Dreams 2018 Camper Session Dates
· July 15th – July 18th (Sun. - Wed.)
· July 19th – July 22nd (Thu. - Sun.)
· July 23rd – July 26th (Mon. - Thu.)
·July 27th – July 30th (Fri. - Mon.)
Contact Sonya Milam for more information including how to register and how to apply for a scholarship!
Visit their website where you can watch a video and learn more below:
SECOND NOTICE! Camp Abilities May 25 - 28, 2018
Camp Abilities Columbus GA at Columbus State University (CSU) is a non-profit (501c) organization for children that are blind or visually impaired. Camp Abilities Columbus, GA is a residential camp that will be open for a maximum of 16 campers, ages 9 to 18 years old who are blind or visually impaired. They will stay on Columbus State University's campus to engage in an array of sports and recreational activities in a safe and developmentally appropriate environment. Sports and recreational activities include: goalball, beep baseball, beep kickball, tandem biking, rock climbing, swimming, soccer, tennis and team building activities.Contact Sonya Milam for more information including how to register and how to apply for a scholarship! Visit their website and watch a video below:
FOURTH NOTICE ! Announcing the Georgia Lions Club Camp for the Blind’s 2018 SUMMER SCHEDULE
Session 1 June 10-15 Family Camp (ages 5-9)
Session 2 June 17-22 Pre-teen (ages 6-12)
Session 3 June 24-29 Older Adults (ages 35-up)
Session 4 July 1-06 Young Adults (ages 18-34)
Session 5 July 8-15 Teenagers (ages 13-17)
Deadline for completed applications is April 21! You may get a paper application from Sonya Milam, smilam@doe.k12.ga.us, 478-262-3303 or from the website below:
Attention Atlanta area families!
An email went out about upcoming Transition Fairs. Check your mail boxes next week and listen out for a phone call from our Parent to Parent Transition Partner, Cindy Crawford!