| Home | Site TOC | Site Search | About Our School |

The Spectacle

Volume 2 Issue 2 May 2002

Download Newsletter in PDF (387k)

Inside this issue:

• Prom Pictures
• Student Council
• Tandem Bike Riders
• SCASB meet
• Parent Weekend

School Wows DEC Team

By Ken Miller

TSBVI was monitored last month by a team of professional educators selected from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and from three local school districts. The District Effectiveness and Compliance (DEC) Team spent a week at TSBVI evaluating the effectiveness of what we do, and checking to see if we are in compliance with all laws and rules that apply to special education. School districts typically dread this process. It is similar to having IRS auditors camped in your living room for a week. We will receive a final written report before long. You are right if you guessed that we educators hate getting a bad report as much as our students hate getting one.

The DEC team looked at student records, IEP's, students' schedules, and then they went to observe in the classrooms. They wanted to make certain that students are actually receiving the services written in their IEP's. The DEC team also checked to see if we are doing everything required by laws and rules that govern special education. Well, what did they find?

We dazzled them. The DEC team was truly impressed with TSBVI, its students, staff, and parents. They thought that staff was very skilled, caring, and very dedicated. The monitors loved meeting and listening to the parents that came to an evening meeting to tell them what a big difference TSBVI was making in the lives of their children. At their Exit Conference the DEC team praised our school for all the wonderful things that are happening here for the students. One experienced member of the DEC team called her visit to TSBVI " one of the highlights of her entire educational career."

As one of our lead teachers puts it, "Who cares that the DEC team found a few little things wrong on six out of more than 350 items that they monitored. The important thing is that they really loved us."

Health Center Update

By Brenda Benner-New

Dr. Ellis Gill and and Dr. Leslie Aiello have been our pediatricians on contract for TSBVI since September 1991. They are available three to four mornings a week to evaluate and treat our students.

The February 2002 Austin Monthly published a list of the best 243 doctors in 34 specialties practicing in Austin. Both Dr. Gill and Dr. Aiello were listed under the pediatric specialty. Austin Monthly surveyed 2,500 doctors in the Travis County area to provide this list.

Proposition 8 Passes in General Election

Parents and friends of TSBVI were delighted with the outcome of the November 6, 2001 general election. Texas voters went to the polls and approved all 19 constitutional amendments on the ballot. One amendment, Proposition 8, authorized $850 million in general obligation bond authority for funding repairs for 12 state agencies over the next 6 years. The $22.6 million that would be provided to TSBVI by Proposition 8 will allow the school to carry out its long-range Facilities Plan for construction, renovation, maintenance and repair of school buildings.This includes auditorium and library facilities, the upgrade of heating & air conditioning, lighting, plumbing, and flooring.Plans for the first $5 million in revenues that were approved by the 77th legislature in the last session include installing an elevator between the Blue and Orange dorms and the construction of three new Independent Living Houses that will accommodate six to eight students each. According to James Lambert, Director of Operations, the School will be selecting an architect next fall, with construction beginning in the summer of 2003.

The administration and staffare looking forward to improving the facilities for the 500 students who come here for part of each year.

TSBVI PROM 2002

Fundraiser Benefits OT/PT Department

By Shelly Allen and Peggy Wade

The TSBVI 2001-2002 Student Council conducted a cookie dough fundraiser on February, 2002. The council outdid themselves by raising a total of $635. The members decided to raise funds for the OT/PT department on our campus. Ms. Brenda Gregory, department head, was consulted about items that OT/PT could use to benefit students. She suggested to put the funds towards the purchase of electric door openers for the first floor main building bathrooms. This would allow easier access for students in wheelchairs.

This year's student council has had a very productive year, with many projects that benefited people in need.

The Student Council donated proceeds from the fall bake sale to the Red Cross disaster relief fund and donated to a needy family at Christmas time to help make

their family Christmas more enjoyable. They will end the year honoring all of our teachers on National Teacher Appreciation Day, May 7, and inviting our retiring teachers and staff to be the guests of honor at the end of the year ice cream social sponsored annually by the Student Council.

Student Council officers, members, and sponsors meet to discuss various topics on their agenda.

Tandem Riders Compete at Pace Bend Park

Tandem Bicycle Race presented by United Youth Sports/Sam's Boat/Bicycle Sport Shop/Quanah Racing/FDM/Velocity 12 miles (2 laps)

On February24, 2002, five TSBVI students participated in the Tandem Bicycle Race: Cody Gootee, Austin Payton, Ramiro Rodriguez, Randy Brawner, and Sean Terry. A late afternoon/4:15pm start time greeted students and staff on a beautiful, sunny Sunday. We arrived around 1:30pm and saw the end of other races and racers that included Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong of the U.S. Postal Service Team.

At the start line were five tandem teams in all. As the race began, Ramiro and I got into our quick-start positions, which proved extremely successful, giving us an early lead to set the race pace. (The quick- start position we use on the tandem is the Stoker-in-the-Back balance, with the bike acting like a kickstand, and the captain of the bike standing on both pedals with his feet in the stirrups.) At the starting gun we shot off the starting line and did not waste any time getting into the stirrups.

The six-mile course at Lake Travis in Pace Bend Park is awe-inspiring. It winds around a peninsula, in and out of the lakes and coves, and is quite hilly. Ramiro and I had planned to stay with the pack the first lap and put the 'hammer down' during the second lap.

The groups stayed close for the first four miles, when Austin Payton and his volunteer teammate, Paul, attacked on a steep hill climb taking the lead.

Coming down a fast downhill, I could see a small gap opening off to the front. Approaching one of the tougher climbs on this rolling course, the pace was high. Down the hill, trailing on the wheel of Austin and

Paul, we came to the uphill

climb and slingshot ourselves into the lead position. The chase was on!

I looked back and saw a good-sized gap as we finished the first six-mile lap. We built our lead fast and kept a high tempo. After the gap was firmly established, I looked around to see what our lead was and no one was within 200-yards. We pushed on hard, trying to widen our lead.

Going into the last hill, we heard them! I looked back - they were almost on top of us! Ramiro yelled, "Where did they come from?" We took off with all we had left, climbing hard up the hill. I yelled back to Ramiro, "This is going to be a photo finish, so finish strong!"

We raced to the line, and rolled across first by just a bike link. But to our surprise it was not Austin and Paul, but the team of Sean Terry and David who had come from the back all the way to the front, to take second. The rest of the group followed to end a great ride.

Special thanks to Sam's Club Foundation for their generous donation to TSBVI, allowing the Tandem Team to purchase their team shirts.

Students Travel to New Mexico for S.C.A.S.B. Meet

By Mike Woodward

The S.C.A.S.B. wrestling, cheerleading and narrative arts championships were hosted by The New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped located in Alamogordo, New Mexico January 25-26, 2002. The schools for the blind that participated in the competition were Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and the host school, New Mexico. The TSBVI choir, Bianca Cavazos, Minnie Contreras, Amanda McNorton, Danielle Carr and Hanna Schwab, led by Mrs. Patsy Cruser performed several songs on Friday during the narrative arts competition. The cheerleading and wrestling competition was held on Saturday. The cheerleaders, Nicole Penn, Kerri Polk and Anna Gonzales did an outstanding job and placed third during the competition. They also received The Spirit Award for demonstrating the most spirit during the meet. Nicole Penn was voted "Miss Congeniality" for the third year in a row! The cheerleaders are coached by staff members Tammy Reed and Melody Ballentine who spent many hours preparing

them for the competition. The wrestling team placed fourth, and individually they did quite well for themselves! Rudy Beccera, Randy Brawner and Billy Specks placed first in their weight classes, Jose Zapata placed second and Chasmon Demus, Lee Jones and Mike Sanchez placed third in their weight classes. Congratulations to all the competitors who participated in the meet.

The students enjoyed the socials and dance planned by NMSVH. Some students continued with friendships established at previous meets and others making their first trip with TSBVI equally had a good time socializing with other students from the different schools. During the weekend, the sponsors were also able to socialize and visit with staff from the different attending schools. A good time was had by all!

A very special recognition goes to the following staff who also made the long bus trip with students and coaches: Dorm E manager Doug Rauss, and teachers aides Laura Lindsey, Beth Bailey and Mark Ramirez. They all helped to make the S.C.A.S.B. trip more pleasant with their talent for working with students and staff.

Pictured above is TSBVI Wrestling Team along with Coach Mike Woodward.

Principal's Corner

We were so glad to have an enthusiastic turn out for our first Parent Weekend in many years this past February 1 - 2. The surveys from parents we received were positive and supportive of the idea of continuing this as an annual tradition.

As we mentioned during the weekend, our school's services were monitored by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in March. All Texas school's special education programs are monitored for quality on a schedule established by TEA. We welcomed this visit and opportunity to continuously improve in serving students.

Also, we recently received our letter of accreditation from the state indicating a rating of "academically acceptable," the highest rating TSBVI may achieve based upon our accreditation agreement with TEA. As you may know, all schools in Texas are accredited in terms of performance of students. TSBVI is accredited based upon progress of students according to individual areas of instruction in academics as well as core curricular areas for visually impaired students: orientation & mobility, Braille communication, social interaction skills, independent living skills recreation & leisure skills, career education, and assistive technology.

Miles Fain
Principal

Editor: Ellen Grimmett,  ellengrimmett@tsbvi.edu  

Agency Contact Information | Texas State Homepage | Texas State Wide Search

Please complete the comment form or send comments and suggestions to: Jim Allan (Webmaster-Jim Allan)

Last Revision: July 30, 2002