
Our staff are busy enjoying their summer, but from the classroom to the clouds - their dedication knows no bounds!
Keep an eye out wherever you go, you never know where you'll see us! 😉


🎉ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS STRONG! 🎉
We are so proud to have served Virginia in educating students who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, Visually Impaired, and DeafBlind for 185 years! We are ready for this year and looking forward to our future! Bring on 185 more!


From the classroom to the firehouse—bringing ASL to our community's heroes! We are proud to see our staff leading the way in bridging communication gaps with ASL classes for Staunton Fire Rescue! 💪 🏫🚒 #ASLInAction #CommunityHeroes #ASLForFirstResponders #BuildingBridges #VSDBProud
https://www.whsv.com/2024/06/26/staunton-fire-rescue-learns-american-sign-language-brige-gaps-within-community/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR08mnzBqdeCiyy1hvRJoAIchvbijhpO8sEiXuMf83n-L3L1ofpHKGnJxus_aem_Iyca5eARXpha-RG81tS54A

Enhance Storytime with Storyboxes!
Are you a parent/caregiver of a Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, or Visually Impaired child? Join us for an exciting workshop on using storyboxes to make storytime engaging, interactive, and FUN!
What are Storyboxes?
Storyboxes are fun, multi-sensory tools that can transform storytime into a captivating experience, supporting your child's literacy in an enjoyable way.
In this session, you'll learn:
Strategies for utilizing storyboxes effectively
Practical tools for making storytime interactive
How to access storyboxes from the VSDB Family Resource Center lending library
When:
This workshop will be offered at two convenient times:
11:00 AM (Register https://vsdb-k12-va.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdO2qqTkvHm7Vl04KNV4L_58vwnIim8)
6:00 PM (Register https://vsdb-k12-va.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsd-mgrzwiGYxWIO1cpfWW0NvT2KCpgFI)
Important:
Please complete registration before July 12 to ensure ample time to secure accommodations.
Looking Ahead:
Mark your calendars for our future "make and take" workshops on August 8 and August 22, where you'll have the opportunity to create and use your own storyboxes.
We hope to see you there and make storytime a magical experience for your child!
If you have any questions, please contact Julie Saum, Family Engagement Specialist, at julie.saum@vsdb.k12.va.us or 540-324-8316.


The Shenandoah Valley Club of the Deaf and the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind are excited to invite you to a Deaf Night Out at the Waynesboro Generals baseball game on July 2 at 7:00 pm. Please join us for a fun night of baseball, socialization, and activities!


We are excited to announce that we are holding a farm open house at our 1-acre campus farm on July 13 from 10 am until noon. This family-friendly event will be entirely outdoors with shade and refreshments provided. Multiple activities for all age ranges will be held . We hope you will join us for a fantastic morning at the farm!
Please park at the Shafer building (113 New Hope Rd. Staunton, VA 24401) and cross the street to arrive at the farm.
The VSDB farm is funded by the VSDB Foundation. Please visit their website https://vsdbfoundation.org/ to learn more!
Disclaimer: please be aware, only service animals in aid of a person with a disability will be permitted on site, and VSDB is a smoke free and firearm free facility.


The VSDB Family Network is continuing through the summer! If you're available, we welcome you to join us at Happ Coffee (1010 E. Main St. Suite 101 Waynesboro, VA 22980) on June 18 at 9:30 am.
This group is a collaboration of families of students at VSDB and families in the local community who have Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, Visually Impaired, or DeafBlind students. Join us at Happ Coffee for great coffee, even better conversation, and connections with other families who have so much in common.
[flyer text: VSDB Family Network June Meeting. Tuesday, June 18, 9:30 am at Happ Coffee - 1010 E. Main St Suite 101 Waynesboro, VA. Questions, comments, and RSVPs to Julie Saum 540-324-8316 or julie.saum@vsdb.k12.va.us]


Ready to roll into the 2024-2025 school year with our freshly wrapped bus!






We are hiring! Are you interested in learning more about the exciting job opportunities available at VSDB? Open positions currently include Dorm Program Staff (2nd and 3rd Shift), Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Elementary, English, Science), Teacher of the Visually Impaired (Elementary, Social Studies), School Security Corporal, and Office Support Specialist (Public Safety).
Learn more and apply today at: https://www.vsdb.k12.va.us/page/careers.


This week, several of our staff participated in the VCASE conference where they learned from other professionals and presented sessions for others to learn from. They also had the special opportunity to participate in a keynote address from Gerry Brooks!




Please join us in celebrating our 2024 Graduates! 2024 VSDB Graduation
https://www.youtube.com/live/NfLhsxW8k_c?si=or6VZ-GvFZkmQq-o

T- 2 days until graduation! Don't forget tomorrow is Senior Night at 6:30pm in the Healy auditorium. Come out and celebrate with us before they all walk across the stage the next morning ! #VSDBGrads #VSDBproud


T-3 days until graduation! That means senior night is even closer! Please join us for a night full of fun, games and celebration for the seniors and all of their hard work. Senior night will be this Thursday at 6:30pm in the Healy Auditorium.


Last week of school!! Prom happened last week and we wanted to recap the amazing time all the students had dancing the night away. A few more events happening this week so keep your eye out for all the end of the year fun!


The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind is accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year! Now is the time to apply!
Call the Admissions Office for more information!
Contact - Kim Dayhoff, Admissions Coordinator - 540-332-9004 or kimberly.dayhoff@vsdb.k12.va.us


As the 2023-2024 school year comes to an end, VSDB would like to invite all friends and family to these upcoming events. Hope to see you there!!



Library "Shelfie" Day!






"HANG" in there a few more weeks! Summer break is almost here! Our last day of school and Graduation is May 17, but we have plenty of fun activities to enjoy as we wrap up the 2023-2024 school year. We hope you will join us at some of these fun events. Save the dates:
Spring Concert - May 2 at 1:00 pm
Sports banquet for student-athletes and their families - May 2 at 5:00 pm
Family Network meeting - May 6 at 8:15 am
"Rising Up" ceremonies - May 8 at 8:15 am (Blind Dept) and 1:45 pm (Deaf Dept)
Work Study Appreciation - May 10 at 9:00 am
Yearbook Dedication ceremony - May 15 at 1:30 pm
Graduation - May 17 at 10:00 am


Our students had a solar eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse. Using viewing glasses, homemade viewing devices, and the LightSound device*, our students and staff got together on the basketball court to enjoy the event. Although it was a cloudy day, the eclipse popped out just long enough for us to snap a few photos! See the next one in 20 years!
*The LightSound device was designed and developed in 2017 as a tool for the Blind and Low Vision (BLV) community to experience a solar eclipse with sound. The device uses a technique called sonification which is the process of converting data (or light intensity in this case) to sound. As the Moon eclipses the Sun during a Solar Eclipse the sunlight begins to dim and the LightSound device will output a change in musical tone. To learn more, visit https://astrolab.fas.harvard.edu/LightSound.html. We would like to thank the LightSound team for providing VSDB with these devices!






Our library held a paper chain challenge - who can create the longest paper chain made from a single piece of construction paper? Macy won during A week; Ethan and Natalie won B week. Ethan and Natalie won the whole school competition with their 19' 1" chain!! #VSDBproud

