Kaleidoscope

March 12-21 - Spring Break

March 24 - Parent Braille Class

March 27 - Family 5K Race benefitting FSDB-Blind Class of 2024

April 7 - FSA Testing begins

Watch the latest video from FSDB President Tracie C. Snow. Topics include "A Year to Celebrate" and "Accreditation Review Results."

Transcripts in English and Spanish provided below videos.

*RESPONSE REQUIRED!

There have been some updates to our FSDB Parent -Student Handbook. The specific updates are listed in the appendix on page 71 of the handbook. The handbook is kept on our FSDB website. The link to the handbook is:

https://29a731b7-b1dd-4995-a2ae-32450856bcb1.filesusr.com/ugd/527372_3f4c969355ac4dfd90fdf69937f9423b.pdf

Please acknowledge that you have received notice of these changes by completing the Parent-Student Handbook Acknowledgement Form below:

https://forms.gle/G9g3kinzkWxftNTP7

Thank you very much. I know your time is very precious.

Warmest Regards,

Carol Bogue - Principal

Good Afternoon BEMS Parents, Guardians and Family Members,

We regret that FSDB will need to cancel the performance of the elementary musical, "Frozen" this spring. Due to the pandemic students have been unable to practice together safely, and the same safety concerns impede a performance as well.

We remain extremely hopeful that we will have an elementary music theatre performance next school year, 2021-2022. Again, we are very sorry. Our students were really looking forward to this event, but it is just not possible to execute safely.

Wishing you all the best always!

Carol Bogue - Principal

Ellen Fertsch, Assistant Principal, BEMS

Greetings BEMS Families,

Here we are in March already and Spring Break is upon us! So many exciting things continue at FSDB and so many opportunities for our students to grow and learn in our academic, related services, extra-curricular, and dorm programs. The spring season often suggests new beginnings as flowers bloom, birds sing, and insects begin again to show themselves in the warmer temperatures. As humans, these new beginnings require reflection on our part, and perhaps never more so than when we look back at this past year and appreciate the way that we came together as a family to support our kids and one another. Looking with optimism towards our new beginning, we must also do so with continued perseverance and hope. We will continue to stay vigilant with implementing our safety protocols—we are making progress as a nation towards a time where we can once again resume our “normal” activities—but we are not there yet, and it is more important than ever that we stay the course to keep one another safe. Wishing you all a safe, joyful, and restful spring break!

See the file below for the dates for this year's testing.

Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) students must report to campus in person to participate in FSA testing. Please contact Administrative Assistant Cheryl Burgess to facilitate transportation and/or dorm services if applicable.

Families are spending more time than ever before home together. Take a moment to review the booklist and decide which item your family would have the most fun with!

Funding for this project is through our Title I Parent Services Budget. Items will be provided on a first come first served basis until funds are depleted. If you’d like to learn more about either of these grants please contact FSDB Parent Liaison, Misty Porter, or your Assistant Principal, Ms. Ellen Fertsch.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FSDB_FamilyLiteracy

FSDB Parent University will be offering Braille classes for FSDB families. All classes will be held via Zoom on Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. All skill levels are welcome! Please contact your teacher if you are interested in attending.

Class Schedule

• Mar 24 – Strong Contractions
• Apr 21 – Strong Group Signs
• May 26 – Strong Word Signs

For more information, contact:

April Wallace, Braille Specialist

Phone: 904-827-2355

wallace@fsdbk12.org

Hello from the Kramer team! We wanted to give a quick update on things that have been happening in the dorm. Between the Superbowl party and the Valentine's Day dinner we have had a month filled with fun events! Our students have enjoyed celebrating birthdays and having surprise pizza parties with their fellow dorm mates.

We would like to once again remind all the Parents/Guardians that health and safety is still a major priority in the dorm and that the Kramer staff will continue to encourage students to practice hand washing and social distancing while simultaneously sanitizing all surfaces in the dorm. A friendly reminder to please make sure your child is coming to the dorm with the proper number of masks for the week.

Thank you for entrusting the Kramer staff with your children. We look forward to another great month full of fun activities!

Students get their dance moves on during Recreation time,

joined by one of our staff hobbyist dancers!

Lacey enjoys listening to her music while walking the track during Recreation time!

Calling all runners in the local St. Augustine area! JTF Racing and Beacon Lake are sponsoring the St. Johns County Family 5K Race. Portions of the proceeds will benefit the Blind Department's Class of 2024. Sign up at the link below!

Saint Johns County Family 5k Race at Beacon Lake

April Wallace, Braille Specialist

Like many other things, COVID-19 changed the format of this year's Braille Challenge. While there was not a typical event, students were offered the opportunity to meet eligibility criteria set forth by National Braille Institute to take the preliminary test. This allowed them to be considered for the National test taking place this summer. Our students were assessed virtually on a Saturday and they tested ALL DAY! I am so proud of each of them!

Congratulations to these FSDB BEMS students on their placement results!

Apprentice

1. Maely Porter

Junior Varsity

4. Alden Porter

5. Logan Strickland

6. Ryleigh Blades

Edith Stein, Social Studies Teacher

United States History students wrote essays for Literacy Week in connection with social studies this term. Students had a choice of writing prompts. They could research a current issue that they believe new laws should address. After explaining the issue, the process of the idea becoming a law was explained. A concluding opinion finalized the essays. The other option was to create a primary source document by interviewing people about their reactions to the storming of the United States Capital building on January 6, 2021. Students researched the event, then interviewed various people, and concluded with their own opinions about the event.

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners were chosen for their outstanding essays.

1st Place goes to Parker Watson for his essay on Gun Violence.

2nd Place goes to Logan Cake for his essay on the January 6th Storming of the Capitol.

3rd Place goes to Paige Hart-Meyers for her essay on Pollution.

Congratulations to all of the 8th grade students for their wonderful essays.

Our 5th Annual CTE Showcase was held recently. It is our annual event where we set up multiple booths in the Kirk Auditorium showcasing different programs that the Career & Technical Education/Career Development Department provides for all of our middle and high school students. It's a fun event where all middle and high school students from both departments can witness all different programs available to them that they may be interested in taking during their time here at FSDB.

This year looked different due to COVID. Having hundreds of people in one space for a long amount of time wasn't ideal. However, technology came in handy. We created a virtual CTE Showcase this year and we would like to share it with you all. Enjoy!

Laurie Wohl and Leslie Costello, Music Teachers

Our Elementary School Students have been working hard to learn about music theory and application. Our K-1-2 class has learned some Italian words used in music while learning about dynamics and tempo! They love to talk about how they move “Presto” and they love to use their “Forte” voices! Our 3/4/5 students have just finished their segment on Ukuleles and can now play a full C-Major Scale on the Ukulele! They have played a few songs and will be ready to continue with chords when we pick up again next year! Middle School Piano Students have been working on scales, C and F, and started learning about tetrachords and the Circle of Fifths and how they relate to math and science! The Middle School Band continues to expand their range and technique, and have begun working on concert selections including Erie Canal and Trumpet Voluntary. Our ACCESS students are celebrating Women’s History Month, learning about Susan B Anthony, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Anne Frank and how they contributed to our history and how the music of their times relates to us even today! We have listened to some of the top 100 songs of the 1800s, including Farmer in the Dell, Home on the Range, Chopsticks and the 1812 Overture!

The FSDB campus is fortunate to have two Media Centers on campus: the Lindheimer Media Center (LMC) located in Walker Annex and the Cary White Media Center (Blind Library) located in the Cary White complex. The Blind Library houses books in regular print, large print, and braille, in addition to a selection of audiobooks. Both libraries have a teacher resource room to meet the needs of the teachers across campus. The Lindheimer Media center serves mostly students in the Deaf Department and the Blind Library serves mostly students in the Blind Department. These two libraries work in tandem to ensure the students can develop a passion for reading and become life-long readers.

The Blind Library staff include Joy Carriger and Tammy Holcomb. Joy Carriger just celebrated 10 years at FSDB, 5 years as the Media Specialist/Librarian in the Blind Department. She loves reading, writing, and sharing those interests with her students. She also enjoys painting, dancing, swimming, and traveling. Tammy Holcomb, Blind Library IA, has worked at FSDB for 24 years in both the Deaf and the Blind libraries. She was born and raised in St. Augustine to a family that has lived here for several hundred years. She has been married for 39 years and has 2 grown daughters, 3 grandchildren and 4 foster grandchildren. She loves genealogy, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Jermeka was having fun practicing her subtracting with regrouping skills during intensives time. Double and triple digit problems were reviewed and mastered!

FSDB Custodian Mr. Jay donated this gigantic Valentines bear to our BEMS department. One lucky student's name was pulled from our K-8 student roster and the winner was middle school student Teagan. Teagan was so excited to win! Thanks so much to Mr. Jay for the thoughtful gift.

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BEMS Office

PH: 904-827-2739

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Health Care Center

PH: 904-827-2410

VP: 904-201-3910

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Transportation

PH: 800-992-8747

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Kramer Hall (Elementary Dorm)

PH: 904-827-2736

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Cary White Complex (Middle School Dorm)

PH: 904-827-2851

Parent Services

PH: 904-827-2212

VP: 904-201-4527

Campus Police

PH: 904-827-2315

Email: fertsche@fsdbk12.org
Website: www.fsdbk12.org/blind-elementary-middle-school
Location: 207 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL, USA
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/fsdbblindelementarymiddleschool