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

Happy Friday Wildcat Families and Friends

We're excited that next week, KSB will be hosting the North Central Association of Schools for the Blind Wrestling and Cheerleading Conference Championships. Our Wildcats will compete against students coming from Indiana, Iowa, Tennessee, Arkansas, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas and Ohio. Please come and cheer on your Wildcat cheerleaders starting on Friday the 20th at 8:00 p.m. in Langan Gym and our wrestlers on Saturday the 21st starting at 10:00 a.m. . In addition, next week we have fun activities planned to show support for our athletes. Please see the note from Ms. Belcher below for the schedule of daily fun!

Have a wonderful long weekend as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday the 15th.

• Martin Luther King, Jr Day (No School)-Monday, January 16
• Cheerleading/Wrestling Conference at KSB-Friday, January 20 and Saturday, January 21
• Family/Teacher Conference Day (No School)- Monday, February 20
• Kentucky Regional Braille Challenge-Thursday, February 23, 2023 (more details below)
• Registration Deadline for Insight Program-March 15, 2023 (more details below)

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.

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

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.

K and 1 worked on rules and safety in Social Studies. Students enjoyed our campus walk that focused on following directions, looking at safety signs around campus, and saying hello to students and staff! 2nd grade is learning about the 3 branches of government. 5th grade is continuing to work on the American Revolution. This week we are focused on the Battle of Trenton and how it impacted our fight for independence from Great Britain.

Middle & High School:

After returning from the Winter Break the 6th & 7th grade social studies classes have started a new unit on Ancient Greece with making connections on how Ancient Greece has influenced modern society. 8th graders are focusing on United States history during the 1800’s to expand their knowledge on our heritage. Integrated Social Studies started a unit on economics with determining the difference between Needs and Wants. World History students are wrapping up the Age of Exploration unit discussing Triangular Trade and the Middle Passage before we go into Imperialism. High school U.S. History students are concentrating on the events leading up to the Civil War to have a better understanding of why war broke out between the North and South.

KSB Art

We have started the year of 2023 with a bang! Two out of our three KMAC art classes have rotated to include different students in them so that we are exposing as many students to these classes as possible. We are now lucky to have instruction from our third KMAC artist for the year Janet Britt. Below you will find a brief autobiography from her. During our first week back from Christmas break and with the first project with the new rotation of classes, she worked with students in creating moving mandalas. The students used a wide variety of items as well as mediums to create their own special circular wheels and designs. Students really got into these projects and had a great time showing off their creativity! These works of art will be on display in our school library for a short period of time. Feel free to check them out while they are there. Also, there will be pics along the way that are included in our weekly photos on our Facebook page.

Janet Britt

After earning a Masters Degree in Art Therapy from U of L, a door opened for Janet Britt at St.Francis School in Goshen and Janet Clements Britt taught K-4th grade art classes there for 19 years. Since that time she has worked for both KMAC and LVA in many different capacities providing enriching art experiences for local kids. She enjoys mixed media projects, especially working with wood, and often incorporates it into unique projects for her students. She really loves the kids at KSB and finds them kind, resourceful and very creative. This is Janet’s 7th year as an artist in residence thanks to the support of KMAC.

In Ms. Roark's Arts Appreciation class, we are focusing mostly on a unit entitled "Music History on this Day" during class each day, but the students are also participating in exploration of the show "CBS This Morning" and its art features. So far, we have learned about art made out of money, the art of graffiti, as well as the art of doodling and how it's not just something that you do when you are bored.

Fun Fact: New Jersey features a spoon museum. The museum is home to over 5,400 spoons that come from all over the globe. Each spoon commemorates a special event. The displays are rotated seasonally so that only around 250 are displayed at a time.

KSB Music

The music department is excited for a new semester of learning and performing! After their excellent performance last semester, the younger elementary students are back to learning primarily percussion instruments, this time with new games to challenge them. Having a good understanding of rhythm makes every instrument easier to play! The older elementary students are back to individual lessons on various string and percussion instruments as well as keyboard.

The middle schoolers are busy working up enough songs to put on their own concert! We will announce very soon the date and time for that. We have two large groups playing a wide variety of music as well as a few students who will be performing with their instructor. We can’t wait to showcase their hard work!

The high school students are getting into some new songs as well as working on things such as technique and theory, which only improve their performance regardless of the song. After the awesome performances last semester, it’s nice to take a little time to work on these important areas before gearing up for the next performance. We haven’t set that date yet either, but once we do, we will be sure to let everyone know. Just like last semester, Howser is hopping with fun music!

Fun Fact: The famous composer Haydn has two skulls! There are two skulls in the musician Haydn’s tomb. One real and one fake! His head was stolen by phrenologists and a replacement skull was put in his tomb. In 1954, the real skull was restored but the substitute was also left behind! Two heads are better than one!

We are continuing to focus on Compensatory Skills for ECC. Another Compensatory Skill our students use is print with magnification and Large print. Students can work with their teachers to choose a font and print size that works best for them in their class. Large print students should know what font and size works best for them or they can work with their teacher to determine the best font and size. Ask your print student about their preferences and if they do not know, then encourage them to advocate the need to know this to their teacher. Print with magnification is different from Large Print. The use of magnification can vary from student to student and from task to task. Students can use a variety of devices for magnification. Students can use CCTVs, monoculars, dome magnifiers, tablets, and other tools to magnify print, pictures, charts, and tables to access books and materials. Students using magnification should have a variety of tools in their toolbox to magnify their materials. It is important for students to what works best for them and to work with their teachers to determine the best tools for them.

• I’m proud of the person I am and the life I have
• Small changes can have a BIG impact
• I choose to exhale stress and inhale Love and Peace
• Keep going and trust the journey
• There’s still time to “DO, LEARN, & GROW”
• When things don’t go as planned, I will adjust my expectations
• I’m allowed to say “No” and not feel guilty
• I give myself permission to set boundaries

KSB Spirit Week

Spirit Week Activities:

• Door Decorating Contest – Teachers will decorate doors to show off their KSB Pride for our Wrestling and Cheer Squads! Doors will be judged by Cheer Squads on Thursday.
• Pep Rally – Sometime Friday; stay tuned for more details from Miss B!

Show your KSB Pride:

• Tuesday: Switch-A-Roo Day – Students, dress like a teacher; Teachers, dress like a student or a colleague!
• Wednesday: On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink!
• Thursday: Zoom Day – Business on top, comfy on the bottom (Please follow the School Dress Code! Pants are not optional)
• Friday: Wildcat Spirit Day – Wear your red, black, white and show off that KSB Pride

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.

The safety of Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) students and the community is vital. KSB has security systems in place that have been updated and enhanced. Below are the procedures in effect for entry into the classroom building.

• No visitors are to enter the building with students during arrival. All school visitors will need to have an appointment to enter the building. (If you require assistance, an appointment must be made after the start of the school day.)
• At the buzzer to the exterior door, all visitors are expected to state the purpose of their visit and specify with whom they have the appointment.
• All visitors must show a valid photo identification before being buzzed into the vestibule, which is located between the first and second set of doors.
• If the appointment is verified, unknown visitors to school staff will enter the first locked doors and remain in the vestibule until the individual they are here to see arrives. When school staff that visitor is seeking arrives, they bring them through second locked doors and escort them to the office. There they will sign in on the laptop, show their ID to office staff, and fill out an ID tag. This ID tag must be worn while visitors are in the building.
• Parents and frequent guests of school will be buzzed through each set of doors and should report directly to the office. There they will sign in on the laptop, show their ID to office staff, and fill out an ID tag. This ID tag must be worn while visitors are in the building. Unescorted school guests will remain in the lobby, and students or needed items will be brought to them.
• If you must drop off an item for a student (lunch, homework, etc.), you will be directed to leave the item in the vestibule.
• If you will pick your child up early, you must notify the office in writing before dismissal. If it is an emergency, call the office to notify the school.
• Tardy students also must use the entry request button
• Visitors mustn't hold the door open for others behind them. Each visitor must be acknowledged individually through the buzzer system.
• Front office secretaries will be required to call 911 and notify school administrators if the visitor is uncooperative, does not adhere to the procedures, or becomes threatening.
• Ultimately, failure to follow these procedures may result in a lockdown for the safety of our students and staff, and the Louisville Police Department may be notified that an intruder is in the building.

We know this protocol is stringent and may inconvenience our visitors, who are always welcome in our schools. The safety of our students and staff must remain our priority, and we are optimistic that our visitors will ultimately recognize our need to be as vigilant as possible.

If you require clarification regarding the protocol, please get in touch with Peggy Sinclair-Morris or James Dollar. They will be happy to answer your questions to ensure your complete understanding and adherence to our procedures. Your cooperation will make our schools more secure for students and staff. Your suggestions are essential and always appreciated.

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