[Nfbwv-talk] WVSDB Weekly Note for 3/1/17

[Smyth, Charlene R]

Weekly Note for March 1, 2017



Dear WVSDB Community;



This week, teachers at all three of our schools are shining a bright spotlight on 'reading".  Students in the multi-sensory school and at the schools for the Deaf and the blind are participating in a variety of reading opportunities and special events related to "Read Across America" which is being celebrated across the nation this week.  The purpose of which is to promote literacy and emphasize its importance.



An exciting update:  I just received word from Delegate Ruth Rowan that House Bill 2321 was unanimously passed in the House of Delegates yesterday. The bill is currently being introduced in the Senate.  This bill is vitally important to WVSDB in which it will enable us to apply for and receive critical funding from the West Virginia School Building Authority (SBA) for much needed infrastructure improvements.  Please show your support for passage of the bill by contacting your local Senator and explaining the critical nature of the bill in terms of its ability to allow WVSDB to access (for the first time) funds that are available to all other county school systems for needed building improvements.  More information on the bill can be found at the following link:



http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?INPUT=2123&year=2017&sessiontype=RS



For a listing of Senators and their contact information, please click on the following link:



http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Senate1/roster.cfm



Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated!



Congratulations are in order for the WVSD Academic Bowl team.  They won 3 games in the Midwest Regional Tournament last weekend in Indianapolis.  The team finished in the middle of the pack out of 19 schools. Thumbs up!



Kudos to Zachary Stump who was recently selected to attend the National Association of the Deaf's prestigious Youth Leadership Camp in Slayton, Oregon this coming July!



Last week, I was invited to attend the annual WV Robotics Alliance Conference sponsored by the NASA Education Resource Center in Fairmont.  I was asked to provide an overview of the Robotics Program offered at WVSDB in partnership with the NASA ERC.  The response to the presentation was overwhelmingly positive.



The addition of a campus-wide Robotics Program during the 2016-17 school year has been a wonderful supplement and has provided new and exciting learning opportunities for our students.  We plan to expand our Robotics Program during the next 2017-18 school year to include VEX , which is a Robotics Design System that offers our high school students an exciting platform for learning about areas rich with career opportunities spanning science, technology, engineering and math y(STEM).



Best regards,



Dr. Martin P. Keller, Jr., Superintendent

West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

301 East Main Street

Romney, WV  26757

Videophone/Phone:  304-553-7974

Email:  martin.keller at k12.wv.us<mailto:martin.keller at k12.wv.us>



Achieve.  Challenge.  Thrive.  WVSDB shall set high expectations for learning in a positive climate where lifelong learning is nurtured by example.

Copyright (c) 2017 WV Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, All rights reserved.



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