
Wildcat Weekly
January 27, 2023
Contact Information
Website: https://www.ksb.kyschools.us
Location: 1867 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206
Phone: (502) 897-1583
Fax: (502) 897-2850
Facebook: facebook.com/KYschoolfortheblind/
Twitter: @KSBWildcats
Principal's Message
A huge congratulations to the KSB Wildcats for their successful weekend in the Cheer and Wrestling Competition. A huge shoutout to our AD, coaches, volunteers and student volunteers EJ and London, for helping make the conference a success. I so enjoyed seeing students from all over our region reconnecting, helping each other and just having an amazing time.
Just a reminder to check out our Inclement Weather Scenarios below as we get through the rest of the winter.
Take good care!
Upcoming Events📅
- Monday, February 20, 2023-Family/Teacher Conference Day (No School)
- Thursday, February 23, 2023-Kentucky Regional Braille Challenge (more details below)
- Friday, March 3, 2023-No School (PD Day for teachers)
- March 7-17-ACT Testing Window (grade 11)
- Thursday, March 30-Middle School Concert
- April 3-7-Spring Break
- April 18-19-Senior Trip A (more information to come)
- May 1-2-Senior Trip B (more information to come)
- Thursday, May 4-Founder's Day
- Monday, May 8-Summative Testing Window Begins
- Thursday, May 18-Prom, 6-9pm
- Friday, May 19-Field Day (make up day May 22)
- Tuesday, May 23-8th Grade Promotion; HS Awards and Junior Ring Ceremony; Graduation
- Wednesday, May 24-Elementary Awards; LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
- May 30-June 2-KSB Elementary and Middle Summer Program
- June 5-9-Summer Program-Statewide Elementary and Middle
- June 12-16 Summer Program-Statewide High School; Summer Work Program
- June 19-23 -Summer Program KSB High School; Summer Work Program
Announcements📢
If you have any change in phone numbers, home address, a change in bus routine or you need someone added/removed from your child’s safe pick-up list; please contact Beth or Linda in the front office.
Are you signed up for OneCall? KSB uses OneCall to send school information, including our Weekly Wildcat. If not, please contact Beth Baker at beth.baker@ksb.kyschools.us or 502-897-1583
❄️KSB Inclement Weather Scenarios❄️
- Students in the dorm and JCPS on delay
- KSB will delay the start of school, identical to JCPS.
- Students in dorm and JCPS cancels classes due to weather
- KSB will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule
- Parents responsible for transportation
- If a storm is predicted to cause a significant impact on the state, KSB will disseminate information (OneCall, Facebook, email, …) with the plan for the closure or delay of school. Students will take home devices and needed materials in anticipation of NTI learning.
Kentucky Regional Braille Challenge
Test your Skills!
On Thursday, February 23, 2023, students in grades 1-12 are invited to compete in a series of five skills contests demonstrating braille reading and comprehension, speed and accuracy, spelling, proofreading, and tactile graphics.
To learn more & download practice tests, visit BrailleInstitute.org/braille-challenge
Hosted by: American Printing House for the Blind 1839 Frankfort Avenue Louisville, Kentucky 40206 Regional Coordinator: Jane Thompson Phone: (502)899-2370 Email: jthompson@aph.org
2023 INSIGHT to be held June 3-10
Registration Deadline: March 15, 2023
The INSIGHT Post-Secondary Preparation Program is the only program in the Commonwealth of Kentucky dedicated to promoting college and career readiness for students who are blind or visually impaired. The program is open to students who have completed grades 10-12 and are interested in attending a post secondary institution after graduating from high school. INSIGHT takes place on the beautiful campus of Morehead State University in Morehead, KY during the summer. The students stay in a Morehead University dorm, eat in the cafeteria and attend a Morehead college class. INSIGHT Post-Secondary Preparation Program was designed to promote self-advocacy and independent living for students that are blind or visually impaired so that they may experience what it will be like to go to college.
For more information contact INSIGHT Coordinator.
Summer Programming 😎
It may be winter outside, but we are already planning for our Summer School and Summer Work Program at KSB!
Summer School
The dates and times for the Summer School program are listed below. KSB dorms will be open with limited space for all programs. Transportation is not provided by KSB. There is no cost for our programming this year.
- KSB Elementary/Middle, May 30-June 2 (9A-3P)
- Statewide Elementary and Middle Program, June 5-9 (9A-3P)
- Statewide High School, June 12-16 (9A-3P)
- KSB High School, June 19-23 (9A-3P)
Summer School registration form: https://forms.gle/bLTgmMsqdYRF41E7A
Summer Work Program
KSB is also happy to offer summer work opportunities for statewide students who are blind and visually impaired again this summer. This program is open to students aged be 15 or older, up to age 20, by June 1, 2023. (Note: Program IS open to seniors graduating in May 2023.) Full list of eligibility requirements is available on the application.
Summer Work Program application: https://forms.gle/fARGe5LbVx3QtiAq9
Please contact Kyrstin Price or Michael Coffey with any questions.
Deadline for applications is March 29, 2023
Classroom Connection📓
English/Language Arts📖
5th Grade ELA: We are finishing up Esperanza Rising this week. Students made predictions, inferences, and considered how this story could relate to their own life. We will be working on creating tactile/visual representations of the blanket that Esperanza worked on throughout the story.
2nd Grade ELA: Students are working on finding key details in a text. They are also working on punctuation and editing their own writing. We are also listening to Ada Lace, Take Me to Your Leader by Emily Calandrelli. Students are listening to the story being read by a real astronaut on the International Space Station.
Middle School:
We have finished reading Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief in middle school. The students really enjoyed reading the book and watching the film. The students compared the book to the film and found many similarities as well as several differences.
We are now moving on to learning how to use context clues to define new words.
The 8th grade students will begin a creative writing unit with high school students in about 2 weeks (week of February 6). They will write their own plays with the help of outside creative writing instructors.
High School:
High School English classes are in the middle of our Persuasion Unit. We have learned about three rhetorical techniques: ethos, pathos, and logos. We have identified ethos, pathos, and logos in advertisements, news articles, and brochures. This week students are creating advertisements for a product of their choosing. They can create a poster, Shark Tank pitch, or commercial. Students will also explain how they use ethos, pathos, and logos in their advertisement
Careers & Tech 👩💻
In the world of Career and Technical Education, most students in the World of Work program have job placements either on or off-campus. We already had one student at Kroger and most recently, we now have a student working at the McDonald’s. Many of our student workers have also shown their confidence in navigating to work and have earned independent travel privileges.
Summer work program and INSIGHT applications are now out. Deadlines to turn in applications are March 29th for the summer work program and March 15th for INSIGHT. Links available above.
Mental Health Matters 💚
Social Emotional skills we use every day:
- Planning the day and week
- Staying calm in times of stress
- Showing respect to self and others
- Staying focused and shifting attention
- Making decisions (big and small)
- Having meaningful conversations
- Reflecting on personal choices
- Working through challenges
- Being flexible during changes
- Staying neat and organized
- Navigating peer pressure
- Working well with others
Athletics 🎽
The KSB Varsity Athletic Team competed in the NCASB Wrestling and Cheerleading Conference this weekend at Kentucky School for the Blind.
Varsity Wrestler Landon Smith finished 2nd overall in the 106 lb weight class. The KSB Varsity Cheer Squad brought home the NCASB Cheerleading Conference Championship for the third year in a row. Senior TaMyah Jordan placed 2nd in the Outstanding Cheer Competition.
We are so proud of our Wildcats and how well they represented the KSB Pride!
KSB Varsity Athletics will be on break the week of January 23 and the week of January 30. JV Athletics and Varsity Bowling are in the works. Stay Tuned for more information about practice times and schedules!
KSB Varsity Cheer Squad
Pictured left to right: 1st row - Sophia Thompson, TaMyah Jordan, Hilary Jarboe. 2nd row - Coach Crystal Sohl, Gracie Smith, Gabby Garcia, Loyalty Curry-Sails, Mahogany Taylor, Coach Melissa Evers
KSB Varsity Wrestling Team (pictured left to right): Coach Jess Belcher, Landon Smith
Senior TaMyah Jordan - 2nd Place Outstanding Cheerleader
Upcoming Athletics Events
- Wednesday, March 15-JV Little NC Tournament (KSB)
- Thursday, March 23- KSB Virtual Swim Meet
- Thursday, March 30-ISBVI Swimming Day Meet, Indiana
- Wednesday, April 12-Forensics ISBVI Virtual Day Meet
- April 14-15-ISVI Swim Invitational, Illinois
- April 25-29- Forensics NCASB Conference Championships
- April 28-29-NCASB Swimming Conference Championships, Ohio
Student Life 🍎
Reminder:
When going through your child’s clothes to make the switch to colder temps, please remember that the residential program accepts any gently used clothing that you may have and no longer need. You may donate your gently used clothing, accessories, shoes, etc. to the dormitory as a tax deductible donation. You would receive a letter as a receipt of the charitable donation that can be used on your taxes. If donating, please clearly identify the items and send them to Allison Chandler, Residential Director. Please accept our gratitude in advance for any donations.
Food Service Update🥪
Our Food service-Meal Counting and Claiming Procedure states meals are served to all the students at no charge. Students do have the opportunity to purchase additional items. Prices are as follows:
- Entrées -$1.00
- Vegetables $0.50
- Side salad w/dressing $0.75
- Dessert $0.50
- Fresh Fruit/Juice $0.50
- Milk $0.50
- Bottled Water $1.00
Students and parents have the option to put money on their accounts by way of cash or checks, allowing students to have funds available to purchase additional items.
APH Family Connect
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