Panther Press
a weekly publication of the Georgia Academy for the Blind
November 17, 2017
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!
- November 20-24: Thanksgiving Break
- December 21: Winter Student Music Program and Art Show. Family Meeting before after. Hustler Raptor Mower Raffle Winner chosen. 3D printer exhibition. ** SEE BELOW FOR NEW AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM MRS. HOLLOWAY AND DR. GIBSON!
- December 22- January 5: Winter Holiday
- February 2-3: GaDOE’s Family Engagement UnConference, Macon
- February 28: Braille Challenge
- March 26-30: Spring Break
- April 2: Easter Holiday
- April 5: Prom
- April 19-22 SCASB
- April 26-29: Senior Trip
- May 1: Help a Child Smile Mobile Dental Clinic
- May 25: Graduation
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to all our GAB students, staff, family and friends! Whether you are traveling or “stay-cationing” we wish you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
Did you know that having your child help you plan, shop for, and prepare a meal reinforces math, literacy and Extended Core Curriculum skills! Check out these great tips on enlisting help from your child from our friends at AFB’s Family Connect linked below.
Encourage your child to read over this week off! Maybe enjoy a family read aloud with the family! On the last page of this newsletter is a fun literacy activity to do over the break. Help your child complete this and return to their teacher when school begins again on November 27.
We are thankful for each of our students and their families. We look forward to our residential students return on Sunday, November 26 and classes resuming on Monday the 27th.
Regarding Winter Program!
**Second notice: PLEASE DON’T FORGET, the location of the Winter Program will be at Vineville Baptist Church, 2591 Vineville Avenue (.5 miles east of GAB). Students will be transported to and from the church by bus. Parents/Guardians are to check their children 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. This is a mandatory performance, and all students will receive credit for the performance. 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. Thank you!!
The students are very excited about this performance opportunity. We hope you will be able to join us to support GAB and our music department!
Additional notes:
- Dismissal for all students is 1 pm this day.
- The Student Art Show will still take place before and after the Winter Program beginning at 8 am and ending at 1 pm in the GAB Hendricks building.
- The family presentation will take place in the GAB Hendricks building immediately following the Winter Program and will conclude by 1:00. There will be no meetings before the Winter Program this year. Details below.
Support After High School Georgia Department of Behavior Health & Developmental Disabilities
Student Article
AUTUMN ACTIVITIES
GAB Project SEARCH at Navicent
By Angel Lopez, Graduating Senior and Project Search Intern
Project SEARCH at Navicent Health is on the move! We had many things going on for the last of October and for the month of November. On October 31st, we participated in Navicent’s annual Halloween Parade. We contributed to this event by purchasing candy and handing it out to the children who are patients at Navicent Children's Hospital. Staff members dressed up and departments decorated their areas to provide the children with a fun experience!
We also recognized White Cane Day on November 8th and 9th. White Cane Day brings awareness about the blind and visually impaired community and we are also using this opportunity to bring awareness to the Project SEARCH program at Navicent Health.
We filed baggies with Braille and print information regarding Project SEARCH. We also placed candy canes and gum ball eyeballs in the bags and my fellow interns and I passed them out to customers at Navicent’s Create Café and the cafeteria.
Finally, all three of us are working in our first rotations this fall. I am now working in the Linen Services department where I do stocking, make deliveries, and make sure everything's in good shape. My colleague, Mr. Evans, is working at Create's restaurant where he wipes down the tables and booths, makes sure all condiments are well stocked, washes dishes, and other duties as assigned. Ms. Brooks is working in Central Supply where she does bagging and tagging of equipment, pulls and delivers supplies to different departments, answers the phone, and other duties as assigned.
This past week GAB Project SEARCH at Navicent interns spotlighted the Transportation Department of Georgia Academy for the Blind . This department has been very helpful in bringing us to Navicent hospital every day since our program began back in August.
Mr. Harris has been key in helping us with our transportation needs. He is the person that is over all of the bus drivers at GAB. He has helped by providing us with drivers to take us to and from Navicent each day. He has also helped us by sending a driver when we were late to work, or when we were sent back to GAB because we were out of dress code.
Mr. Harris is not the only important person on this team. Mr. Willy, Mr. Herschel, and Mr. and Mrs Daniels have also been helpful in driving us to work each morning. We are learning to use other modes of transportation when coming back from the hospital, but they are still very important to us. We would like to thank Mr. Harris and all of the bus drivers at GAB. We truly appreciate everything they've done for us.
As you can see, we never have a dull moment! Through Project SEARCH we are not only developing valuable job skills, but we are also learning how to be charitable as well as other skills that will enable us to be well-rounded and productive members in our communities.
Middle Georgia Family Events!
Public Forum
Join us to learn more about the services offered in your community by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
Hosted by DBHDD Region 2 Advisory Council, river Edge, and Coliseum Medical Center
Monday, Nov 20, 2017, 02:00 PM
River Edge Assembly Room, 175, Emery Highway, Macon, GA, United States
WAIVER WORKSHOP: Georgia's Medicaid NOW and COMP waiver programs
FEATURING HAPPY HOUR ASSOCIATION FOR EXCEPTIONAL CITIZENS
PRESENTED BY BIBB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM’S PROGRAM FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
Contact Chanda Crawley at 478-779-4500 or chanda.crawley@bcsdk12.net
Tuesday, Dec 12, 2017, 04:00 PM
Southwest High School, 1775 Williamson Road, Macon, GA 31206, United States
Save this date!
Middle Georgia Families, grades 8-12
“Mapping a Self-Determined Future: Where Transition Meets Real Life” will be back in Macon, January 27, 2017. You don’t want to miss this interactive day with other students and families preparing for life after high school!
Orientation & Mobility Tips
Vocabulary word for the week: Constant-contact technique – shoulder -width, side-to-side sweeping technique in which the cane is in constant contact with the ground. We sometimes refer to this as ‘sweeping’ the cane also.
Please encourage your child to use constant-contact technique when in your community.
For example, say: “Sweep side to side across your body” or “Sweep left and right across your body.” Or you may just say, “Use constant-contact technique.”
Note: Some of our students don’t use this technique but instead use another.
Robin Cruise, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist ACVREP
Media Center News!
LATEST NEWS: Our latest Donors Choose project was funded! We will be receiving 18 new titles for our teen collection. Thanks for all who donated and shared!
DON'T FORGET! Before and after the Winter Music Program and Art Show there will be a live exhibition of our new 3D printer in action in the GAB Tech Lab. Make plans to attend!
DON’T FORGET! Updates about the media center can be found on GAB’s Media Center Twitter linked below!
Mrs. Kim Smith, Media Specialist kismith@doe.k12.ga.us,
478-751-6083 ext 1280
Let's Pull Together!
Holidays are filled with food and fun. Please remember to check all your food packages for any BOX TOPS labels. Check out this list of participating products here! It’s more than food items!
Let’s pull together over the holidays and collect, collect, collect. Remember BOX TOPS labels = field trips for us. Thanks for your participation.
If you have any questions contact Sylvia Layson at slayson@doe.k12.ga.us or call after 3:00 P.M. 478-751-6083 ext 1200. Thanks for all your help!
Thanks,
Ms. Layson slayson@doe.k12.ga.us, 478-751-6087, ext 1200
Senior Class Lawnmower Tickets still on sale!
Make a donation of at least $10 and get a chance to win this Hustler Raptor SDX 23hp Kawasaki 54 inch Mower donated by Vidalia Small Engine Services to be given away December 21. Contact a member of the 2018 Senior Class or Rachel Towery, rtowery@bellsouth.net, 912-403-9302
Senior Class Fundraiser Chick Fil A Calendars still on sale!
They are $8.00 each and contain a free menu item each month. Supplies are limited, so see
a senior class member or staff member to order today!
Mr. Collins, mcollins@doe.k12.ga.us, or Mrs. Thomspon, mthompson@doe.k12.ga.us
Give us your feedback!
This newsletter is produced by Sonya Milam, Parent Mentor. For comments and suggestions and news items please contact her at 478-262-3303 or smilam@doe.k12.ga.us