Kaleidoscope
BEMS Parent Newsletter - January 15, 2021
Dates to Remember
Jan. 18 - NO SCHOOL
Jan. 19 - Safety Drill
Jan. 19-22 - Accreditation Team Review
Jan. 20 - Parent Braille Class
Jan. 21 - Career Dept. Parent Workshop
Jan. 28 - End of 1st semester
Jan. 29 - NO SCHOOL
Feb. 1 - PE/Music classes switch (BMS)
Feb. 6 - Braille Challenge
Ms. Fertsch's Files
Greetings BEMS Families and Happy New Year!
We are almost midway through our school year--things seems to be moving fast. We continue to work together to help our students reach their academic and social goals, while remaining committed to safety guidelines such as social distancing, handwashing, and mask wearing. I know that we are all feeling some pandemic fatigue for sure, but we must stay the course so that we can come out on the other side and get back to normal.
Our staff remains committed to working with you to provide our students with positive outcomes and to support them in their endeavors. Students continue to work towards improving their skills in many areas, and we are happy that we can offer so many related services to enhance and enrich our students’ experiences here at FSDB.
Thank you as always for partnering with us to provide a safe and meaningful education for our kids. As we travel through 2021 together, let us all consider what we can do for others. Wishing you a safe and healthy 2021.
Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ As we make our way through 2021, let us hold the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. close to our hearts, remembering that we need each other, and that by helping one another, we help to make the world a better place.
Braille Classes
Class Schedule
- Jan 20 – Alphabet Letters
- Feb 17 – Alphabetic Word Signs
- Mar 24 – Strong Contractions
- Apr 21 – Strong Group Signs
- May 26 – Strong Word Signs
For more information, contact:
April Wallace, Braille Specialist
Phone: 904-827-2355
Career Development Parent Workshop
Want to learn more about our Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs and courses offered through the FSDB Career Development Department? Leonora Hughes, Executive Director, and Farrah Selleck, Vocational Instructor, will discuss the on and off-campus work program, how we inform the students of the programs, services provided, the paid after-school work program process, and plans for celebrating CTE month in February.
The workshop will take place on Monday, Jan. 21, 2021 at 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
To join the meeting, visit: https://fsdbk12.zoom.us/j/93789051420?
For more information, contact Leonora Hughes via email at hughesl@fsdbk12.org or phone 904-827-2803.
Kramer Boarding Staff Update
Celebrating PBS
Our Blind Middle School PBS Team planned a super cool PBS/Cross curriculum event for our Blind Middle School students on 12/17/2020. The event was called HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD; this event was done to promote learning about other countries and cultures, promote shared respect for others and have a fun cooperative event that the students would really enjoy!! The students did in fact have a lot of fun and shared with us that they really liked the event.
Our Blind Elementary and Middle PBS Team had a WONDERFUL event for staff in the K-8 program the week before Winter break. We had a Staff Appreciation Giveaway. For this event we had 12 baskets and items donated. We did this event to boost morale and keep the staff engaged and passionate about Positive Behavior Support. This year, as we all know, has been very hard on our teachers and staff… on all of us. We really wanted to let our staff know they are appreciated and wanted to allow them to have some FUN that was about THEM. We are all here for the students but if our staff is running on empty, what do we do? WE ENCOURAGE THEM. We had a lot of really nice things they got to put their coupons toward. Some of the items were… wireless earbuds, bath and body works baskets, a chocolate lovers’ basket from Peterbrooks and a coffee lovers basket from Starbucks! The staff put their caring coupons toward the particular basket/item they liked and if their caring coupon got pulled, they got the item! It was a lot of fun and the staff were buzzing about the event. It definitely got them smiling!
January Character Trait of the Month
FAIRNESS
Play by the rules* Take turns and share *Be open-minded * Listen to others * Be accountable for your actions * Treat others fairly
The color for Fairness is Yellow.
Drop Off Lessons
A couple of our middle school students have been experiencing drop off lessons within the Genopoly and Fullerwood neighborhoods near FSDB. Drop off lessons are high-level lessons that challenge our students to use all of the skills they have learned throughout their years in orientation and mobility. The student is driven to an unknown location within the neighborhood and asked to use the clues in the environment to find a specific destination from their starting point. The student will listen for traffic clues, such as San Marco Avenue, to get them started on the route. The student must have a mental map of the area and be able to interpret the relationship between each street in the neighborhood. They must be able to continuously evaluate their position within the neighborhood and update their mental map as they continue on the route. Throughout the neighborhoods, there are several clues and landmarks that can assist with orientation. Students learn how to trust their knowledge and to keep going until they find another clue or landmark that confirms their location within the neighborhood. These lessons increase confidence, self-determination, and independence. One of the middle school students has been able to connect the Genopoly and Fullerwood neighborhoods during an orientation and mobility lesson, which can include a route that is a mile long. This student loves the challenge of the drop off lessons and the feeling of independence as he locates the destination.
PBS Winners
PBS Student of the week for BES 1/4/21-1/8/21- Avery Kurtz
PBS Class of the week for BMS 1/4/21-1/8/21- 7A
Student Author
Jonathan Flores recently presented a book he wrote, "Mrs. Duck Goes to the Moon", to the Blind Library. He presented the braille book and audio CD of him reading the story. This is one of 8 books in a series that will be in the CW Library for students to check out. Ms. Joy Carriger, Media Specialist, stated that this book is a good level for students not quite ready for chapter books but who want to have that experience. We are very proud of Jonathan as he wrote the books at home in his free time.
Elections
Edith Stein, Social Studies Teacher
7th-grade students have just completed a unit on Political Parties and Elections. The current events surrounding the United States Presidential election have provided much fodder for classroom conversation. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of American Democracy. Students have had the opportunity to evaluate the storming of the Capitol, disruption of the election process, and seditious activities by citizens. Students understand that they are living in a period of time that will go into the history books. Civics classes will follow the consequences of the attempt to overthrow the government throughout the remainder of the year.
Technology Class Update
Hillary Norman, Assistive Technology Teacher
Last month in Technology Class students researched their own eye condition, saved webpages related to their report in a bookmark folder, and curated a self-reflection PowerPoint presentation.
This month in honor of Literacy Week: Humanity Tells a Story. What’s Your Chapter? In Technology Class students will be working on their spatial awareness, practicing their recording skills, and producing a video resume.
The Crowd Went Nuts....
We Adopted a Cow!
Reading Biographies
Led by Ms. Joy, middle school students have been reading a biography and answering questions which they will use as the basis of their presentation. They have been working on this in reading class and editing their work in Ms. Hillary's Technology class. Students will soon do a short presentation during library class with Ms. Joy on 1/25.
Contact Us
BEMS Office
PH: 904-827-2739
Health Care Center
PH: 904-827-2410
VP: 904-201-3910
Transportation
PH: 800-992-8747
Kramer Hall (Elementary Dorm)
PH: 904-827-2736
Cary White Complex (Middle School Dorm)
PH: 904-827-2851
Parent Services
PH: 904-827-2212
VP: 904-201-4527
Campus Police
PH: 904-827-2315
Email: fertsche@fsdbk12.org
Website: www.fsdbk12.org/blind-elementary-middle-school
Location: 207 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL, USA
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/fsdbblindelementarymiddleschool