Lil' Dragons Newsletter
March 3, 2023
The President's Post
Watch a video message from FSDB President Tracie C. Snow in ASL.
Hello,
This school year has been moving by quickly! It's been a while since I made a video message. I would like to take the opportunity to share four topics with you.
First – Next week is our Spirit Week. Our ELC (Early Learning Center) came up with fun and creative ways for students and staff to engage. Our themes for the week:
Monday – Super Hero
Tuesday – Tacky Tourist
Wednesday – Stripes and Polka Dots
Thursday – Colorful Rainbow
Friday – Peace Out!
Second – Spring Break! Our spring break is Monday, March 13 to Friday, March 17. Hope everyone has an awesome and fun week.
Third – Parent-Student Handbook. We just released the updated version of our Parent-Student Handbook. When there are updates due to statutes, rules, or expectations, we review our Parent-Student Handbook, make changes, and re-publish it to our website. You can find it on the Parent Services page under resources. The website address is www.fsdbk12.org/parent-services.
Fourth and last – Climate Surveys. In April, FSDB will be sending out our Climate Survey. This survey is for parents, students, and academic staff members. We ask questions about instruction, engagement, partnership, safety, and facilities. When you get the link, please take 10 to 15 mins to complete the survey. We want to know your thoughts so we can do better. We want to make sure each student is provided with the best educational and learning experience in order to prepare them for future success.
Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day and see you next time on the President's Post.
From the Principals
A Note from Deaf Elementary Assistant Principal:
Hi DES Families!
Happy March!
Hard to believe we have three months of school left!
We will be hosting a PBiS/ Character Education Day Wednesday, March 8th. We will be incorporating all of our character traits:
- Character
- Responsibility
- Respect
- Citizenship
- Cooperation
- Success Skills
- Compassion
- Trustworthy
- Fairness
- Courage
Progress Monitoring and Report Card
Third Quarter progress monitoring and report cards will be mailed out the week of March 27
Spirit Week: 3/6/2-2023 - 3/10/2023
Monday, March 6 - Superhero Day
Dress as your favorite superhero – capes are encouraged!
Tuesday, March 7 – Tacky Tourist Day
Get out your fanny pack and oversized hat!
Wednesday, March 8 – Stripes and Polka Dots Day
Wear them together or separately!
Thursday, March 9 – Rainbow Day! Wear a rainbow or create one with friends – show your colorful best!
Friday, March 10 – Wear your tie-dye, peace signs, or hippie best!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Jessica Waldbillig
Assistant Principal
A Note from Deaf Department Principal:
Dear Parents,
Over the last couple of weeks, we have had visitors from the Department of Education come to tour our program. We were able to showcase our classrooms, philosophies, and engagement. While on campus, the had the opportunity to meet with groups of students, faculty, and parents to learn more about areas that FSDB can grow. During these meetings, an interesting comment came up from the students. The group, made up of various ages from our three schools, expressed that they feel they have access to too much technology. Since Covid, we have implemented tools and programs that have increased our use of computers for classroom readings, activities, and projects. The students expressed that they miss the classroom debates and connections with others that they perceived happened more frequently before Covid. This feedback and thoughts from our students showed me that, in a world inundated with computers, phones, games, and social media right at their fingertips, our students are still craving that person-to-person connection and engagement that happens naturally. They do experience technology fatigue, just as we do. With Spring Break around the corner, this may be a great opportunity for your family to connect, get outside, or participate in activities that provide interactions away from technology. Those times and memories are precious and desired. Think about how you can engage as a family during Spring Break, March 13-17th.
Next week is Spirit Week! We hope to see our students dressed in the themes selected this month by our Early Learning Center!
Angela Wallace
Principal, Deaf Department
Health Care Center Newsletter – March
Elementary Boarding Newsletter 3-2-23
In Vaill we will focus on Trustworthiness for the month of March with activities and role play. For our girls' curriculum we have been focusing on kindness, respect, socializing with friends, tying shoes, arts and crafts, and games that build relationships, teamwork and turn taking.
Some of the boys have recently learned about emergency contact and how to call 911 in case of an emergency. The boys are learning responsibility, respect, and cooperation. Next week, the boys will be diving more into what it means to be respectful. They will also be given a curriculum about integrity and fairness. The boys will be shown videos and be given an opportunity to show what they think it means to have integrity and will earn superhero capes! In the end the boy's answers will all be placed on a poster and hung in the dorm!
For community service the boys will pick up trash around campus and the girls will make snacks for others.
We are happy to see some of our students are enjoying little league basketball. Parents of day students, if your child is visiting the dorm to attend to these activities, please remember to sign your child out from activities. Our staff will have a sign-out sheet. For safety reasons we cannot let your child meet you in the parking lot. Please meet us at the basketball court or in the Dorm Lobby if you arrive after practice has concluded.
We also wanted to remind you that the girls and boys will be bringing home their personal bedding for spring break to be washed. Please be sure they come back to school on Sunday with an extra bag for that to be brought home on March 10th.
Have a great weekend!
Vaill Hall
Links
Contact Us
DES Office
PH: 904-827-2520
VP: 904-201-4505
Health Care Center
PH: 904-827-2410
VP: 904-201-3910
Transportation
PH: 800-992-8747
Vaill Hall (Dorm)
PH: 904-827-2806
VP: 904-201-4461
Parent Services
PH: 904-827-2212
VP: 904-201-4527
Campus Police
PH: 904-827-2315
Email: jordanh@fsdbk12.org
Website: www.fsdbk12.org/deaf-elementary-school
Location: 207 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL, USA
Nondiscrimination Notice
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, political opinion, affiliation, marital status, genetic information, disability, veteran status or any other basis as mandated by federal and state law in its educational programs, services or activities, or in its hiring or employment practices. FSDB also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups as required by law.
Contacts for questions, complaints, or requests for additional information are as follows:
Student Discrimination/Harassment
FSDB Boarding Program Administrator
PH: 904-827-2603
Requests in writing can be sent to:
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084