2020 Texas Focus Conference: Self-Determination
February 27-29, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency North Houston
Join us for Texas Focus 2020 as we explore tools and strategies to empower all children with visual impairments. Sessions will focus on ways to provide children with greater voice, meaningful options, and increased participation in their lives.
Both ACVREP and SBEC credit are available. A total of 12.5 hours is possible for the entire conference.
For more information regarding speakers and sessions, including updates and a complete agenda, please visit our Texas Focus Conference main page.
Garver Engineering Gives $5000 to TSBVI Makerspace
Last spring, TSBVI Comprehensive Programs students competed in the Garver Engineering Chain Reaction Challenge, spending several weeks researching, designing, prototyping, testing, and filming a successful chain reaction video for the competition. TSBVI students not only won the competition, but Garver was so impressed and moved by our students' perseverance that they donated an extra $5000 to the TSBVI Makerspace and partnered with TSBVI to build STEM kits specifically for students who are blind or visually impaired in other schools they serve.
Keeping TSBVI a Safe & Secure School
TSBVI intends to ensure that all students feel safe and secure. Please click this link to report any safety concerns. The Safe and Supportive School Team will be notified and will investigate your concern. Thanks.
Welcome from TSBVI Superintendent Emily Coleman
Beginning in 2019, Emily has become the first woman to lead TSBVI in its 163-year history. As a certified teacher of students with visual impairment (TVI) — and also a parent of a child who is blind with additional disabilities — Emily possesses a deep understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced by VI professionals, educators, and family members as we strive to serve the specific needs of students who are visually impaired, including DeafBlind.
Emily’s background includes work as an itinerant teacher, statewide leadership with both TSBVI and the Washington State School for the Blind, national leadership as president of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, and family leadership through her work with FamilyConnect. Emily brings that professionalism and dedication to the role of TSBVI Superintendent as she builds upon the school’s outstanding mission and its national and international reputation as a paragon for visual impairment services.
Enjoy Emily's welcome message!
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Presenting Our Student-Produced Video - "Special Ed"
Description: 'Special Ed,' is an original music video by fine arts students at the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired.
| Downloads: | Transcript (txt) | Audio (mp3) |
Free Online Nemeth Tutorials
A FREE Nemeth online resource is now available on the TSBVI Online Learning webpage! It is designed to provide easy access to support learning or reinforcing Nemeth braille code skills for families, teachers or paraeducators working with students who are braille readers.
These modules are a companion to the TSBVI publication, Nemeth at a Glance. Dr. Derrick Smith, professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, was the creator of this series, with sections by Janet Bean, Lead Teacher in the TSBVI Curriculum Department.
Although presented in the grade-level order that symbols are typically introduced to students in school, you can dip in at any level to find specific symbols and examples.
Modules include an explanation of the symbol, relevant rules, and examples of how to use the symbol in math examples. There are multiple samples of using Nemeth within UEB contexts. Short, ungraded quizzes following each module will help document mastery of the material and provide useful feedback. Completing these optional quizzes will lead to a certification of completion.
Modules are available here.
Download Braille Books
From the TSBVI card catalog you can now search for books by name or braille format (contracted/uncontracted), braille translator extension (abt, brf, or dxb), or braille translator name (Braille2000 or Duxbury). And, you can search for UEB books - we will have some up by the new year.
Go to the TSBVI card catalog and search for "dogs brf uncontracted". Help is available at Help with braille files.
Skyward Family Access, a web-based method for parents to access their student's school information, is now available!
For School Year/Comprehensive Programs students, TSBVI is pleased to announce the launch of Skyward Family Access, a web-based method for parents to access the student's school information, including grade history, grades and attendance.