Media Minute – Family Engagement

“After just a few initial calls, her check-ins home became very sporadic (which we were thrilled about!) – she told us she was ‘too busy being independent to call us everyday!’ We know this program helped give my student the important building blocks to achieve maximum levels of independence in the future. Thank you so much!”

A caregiver shared that feedback following their child attending TSBVI’s Summer Programs 2025. Family Engagement is the theme of this Media Minute, which coincides with National Family Engagement month, which is November! This post will feature media across TSBVI departments that demonstrates our commitment to family engagement.  A high-school aged student currently attending Comprehensive Programs may have gone to a “Baby’s Day Out” Outreach event with their family in their toddler years. The family may have returned in Middle School for Short Term Programs “Game of Life.” TSBVI offers a continuum of services in a student’s educational journey with their family being a constant.

A long range strategic goal of TSBVI is that “parents of students who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision will have a thorough understanding of their child’s visual impairment and instruction in specialized skills needed to maximize learning.” All departments at TSBVI address this goal. The Outreach Department provides information, connections, and training to fit a family’s individual style. We partner with state and national family organizations, education service centers, and other state agencies to provide various services to support families within their communities. Our Texas Deafblind Project is actively involved in Family Engagement. This Monday, November 3rd, please register for the Outreach Coffee Hour “Pathways to Family Leadership – Turning Lived Experience into Collective Impact” from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Family leaders will share how lived experience empowers others. Educators will learn how supporting family leadership builds stronger schools and partnerships.

Twice yearly the Outreach Department publishes the TX SenseAbilities magazine, a collaboration with TSBVI, the Texas Health and Human Services Blind Children’s Vocational Discovery and Development Program, and the Texas Workforce Commission. The “Family Wisdom” section in each issue features articles written by individuals who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision and their family members, with information about Family Organizations. Outreach also hosts a Family Recharge Zone: a blend of family-picked and family-focused training followed by a conversation exclusively for adult family members with children and adults who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. Meetings are scheduled for January and April 2026. Registration is open for “Discovering the Future” in March 2026. This training for caregivers focuses on transition from school to adult life for students with visual and multiple Disabilities, including those who are deafblind.

Please visit the Outreach Coffee Hour archive to view sessions on Family Engagement through the years and listen to our Sense of Texas podcast on Family Engagement.

TSBVI Family Lynx is a family organization that encourages community among TSBVI families, alumni and staff. Its initiatives include:

• Family involvement on campus at events such as Registration, Family Day, and Prom
• Staff appreciation such as gift cards and snacks
• Family networking such as virtual meetings throughout the year and resources on the Family Lynx website

Listen to the Family Lynx episode on a Sense of Texas podcast and please join Family Lynx! The next meeting is February 10, 2026, 7:00 p.m.

The Family Lynx organization worked in partnership with TSBVI staff to create “The Sites and Sounds of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired” in both English and Spanish to give prospective students and caregivers a sense of the TSBVI campus. Please enjoy the video!

Short Term Programs values Family Engagement and collaborates with the Outreach Department to provides multiple workshops throughout the year. Caregivers accompany their students during “High School Independence Weekend: College and Vocational Prep with Parents.” This interactive weekend course is designed to prepare high school students and their caregivers for college life by
combining essential skills, self-care practices, and firsthand insights into the college application process. The program offers a blend of activities to build confidence, enhance practical knowledge, and promote overall well-being. Caregivers also participate in “Game of Life for Students and their Parents.” The goal in this workshop is for middle school students to understand ways that they can “step up” as they transition to adult life, while caregivers learn ways to “step back,” as they support their child through this transition.

At TSBVI we celebrate and deeply value our families and consider every month Family Engagement Month!