Florida School for the Deaf & the Blind - Do More. Be More. Achieve More.

In line with this month’s PBiS theme, we would like to highlight the achievement of one of our middle school students who exemplifies responsibility, mentorship, and citizenship. Jermeka is a talented young artist who has refined her skills in Technology class. Using the app Procreate, Jermeka created a customized name poster for Mr. Keller, thoughtfully incorporating his favorite colors and activities. Her design even features a goalball court and a goalball, showcasing her attention to detail and dedication. Jermeka’s project highlights her artistic talents and sense of responsibility in delivering a meaningful gift. By taking the initiative to learn and use new technology, she demonstrates the importance of mentorship and citizenship, inspiring her peers to explore their creative potential. Keep up the fantastic work, Jermeka! #FSDBAcademicMondays

Over the weekend, our dragons competed both in the Marty Willigan Duals and Individual tournaments at California School for the Deaf - Riverside. Here are the results: Friday-Duals-Runner Up Saturday-Individuals- CHAMPIONS Individual medalists: Joss Dagenais-106lb CHAMP Ivan McAlpin-113lb CHAMP Khayree Lofton-126lb CHAMP Joshua Newman-132lb CHAMP Dino Juedy Jr.-138lb Runner Up Daniel Healy-144lb Runner Up Addison Allen-157lb Runner Up Muntaser Wadi-HWT 3rd place Additional Awards: Most Outstanding Wrestler Lightweight (106-144)-Joshua Newman Most Pins in the Least Amount of Time (8 pins in 8:52)-Ivan McAlpin Team Scores: 1st place-Florida-246 2nd place-Indiana-180.5 3rd place-Maryland-170.5 4th place-Model Secondary School-166.5 5th place-California Riverside-136 6th place-Texas-97 7th place-California Fremont-68 8th place-University-64 Way to go!!! #FSDBRecapSundays #OneTeamOneHeartbeat

Senior Night for Boys Basketball and our Cheerleaders took place on Tuesday, January 21. During the game, we recognized our senior basketball players: Dylan Bellorin-Santos, Angel Guillen, Frantz Valbrun, and Joesph Wurtz. We also recognized our cheerleaders: Ashlyn Jackson, Senai Medhane, Myianeii Murray, Dionni Quinzy, Kavira Vihugho, Vanessa Waldhof, Corian Spalding, Haley McDaniels, and Guadalupe Bazaldua. Thanks to the Yearbook Club student Photographers, Roberto Centeno and Mareesa Manoj. #FSDBSportsSaturday #GoDragons #OneTeamOneHeartbeat

This is Melody Cooke. Melody began attending FSDB in 2011 and graduated in 2015. Some of her favorite memories as a student include participating in the Dance Troupe, engaging in various sports, and making many friends. In 2020, she returned to FSDB and has worked as an Instructional Assistant in the Deaf Elementary School ever since. Melody has a strong passion for teaching and a desire to positively influence young individuals. She derives intrinsic joy from witnessing her students’ development and success. She also values the opportunity to give back to her community as well as the vibrant and fulfilling aspects of her job, where each day brings fresh challenges and opportunities. Her favorite memory as an employee at FSDB is collaborating with her best friends from second grade, Jessica K. and Judy F. A fun fact about Melody is that she has a side gig taking care of pets. We love having you at FSDB with us! #FSDBFam #YouBelongAtFSDB #ThisIsFSDB #FSDBGrowingUpAtFSDB

Welcome Tamara King to FSDB! Tamara will be joining us as a Senior Motor Vehicle Operator (Bus Driver). She is eager to have an attendant with her and to work with the Deaf and Blind community. Originally from Kissimmee, Tamara is a people person who loves working with children! We are so excited to have you with us! #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB

Our Blind High School Ski Club will be in Whitefish, Montana, from January 21 to 26. They will take over our social media to share their winter adventures with us. Follow our stories to see their fun moments on the slopes and enjoy the beautiful snowy scenery! #FSDBTakeoverThursdays

The 1982-83 Wrestling team record was 12-3, and they had a good team. They also participated in the  First Mason-Dixon Wrestling Tournament and won the Championship at Georgia School for the Deaf, Cave Spring, Ga.  The Mason-Dixon Wrestling tournament was folded in 1988 due to insufficient school wrestling teams. (see picture) The current FSDB 2024-25 team will attend the XVIII Willigan Wrestling Tournament at California School for the Deaf, Riverside, California, on January 24- 25, 2025.  Last year, the FSDB team got 4th place in the tournament at Texas School for the Deaf, Austin, Texas.   For more information about the XVIII Willigan Wrestling Tournament, go to: https://csdrathletics.com/willigan/ Source: XVII Willigan Wrestling Tournament Program book, picture from FSDB Museum.

Congratulations to Billy Lange on his recent retirement! Billy worked at FSDB for nearly six years. He began his career as an instructional assistant in the PE Department and was later promoted to Assistant Athletic Director under Donna Johnson. After her retirement, Billy took on the role of Interim Assistant Principal for the PE and Athletic Department. Following this interim position, he was appointed as the full-time Athletic Director. Billy moved to Florida when he was six years old from Knoxville, Tennessee. He graduated from FSDB in '81. His siblings are Alumnis as well, and his parents worked at FSDB as teachers! Billy has always aspired to work at FSDB. He retired from the Kentucky School for the Deaf after nearly thirty years and decided to apply for the instructional assistant position. Once he secured the job, he realized he wanted to give back to FSDB for all that it had done for his family. "My best memories at FSDB are numerous, but two stand out: we won the Mason-Dixon Basketball Tournament in '79 and the Prep Football National Championships in '80," Billy shared. Now that he is retired, Billy plans to pursue his interests in golf, work on home improvement projects, travel overseas, ride an E-bike on various trails across the state, and spend quality time with his new grandson, August. A fun fact about Billy is that he used to compete in dirt bike racing and loved skateboarding. He even built a half-pipe ramp from scratch! Although he wished to continue working at FSDB for a few more years, Billy decided to retire to focus on spending more time with his grandson. Thank you for everything you have done for FSDB! #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB

Due to the winter storm passing through our area tomorrow (Wednesday, Jan. 22), FSDB will not run Yellow Bus routes 22, 25, 26, and 27 (morning and afternoon). The forecast includes freezing temperatures, rain and the possibility of ice on roads. Driving our buses in these conditions is unsafe. School will still be in session, and parents may drop off and pick up their children for classes. We will continue to work with the SJC Emergency Operations Center to monitor the weather. We will relay any changes to our operations through our mass notification system, the FSDB website and social media. Please stay safe and warm.

On January 11, the 4th Annual "Run With a Vision 5K" took place on our beautiful campus, hosted by Randall Crosby of Shepphard Industries. Two of our BEMS students represented the school as entertainers while racers were registering and warming up. They were excellent ambassadors of the school during their 30+ minute mini-concert, concluding with the National Anthem. They were presented with a "Spirit Award" medal and an official t-shirt from the race. #FSDBCampusLifeTuesdays

Due to the winter storm passing through our area tomorrow (Wednesday, Jan. 22), FSDB will not run Yellow Bus routes 22, 25, 26, and 27 (morning and afternoon). The forecast includes freezing temperatures, rain and the possibility of ice on roads. Driving our buses in these conditions is unsafe. School will still be in session, and parents may drop off and pick up their children for classes. We will continue to work with the SJC Emergency Operations Center to monitor the weather. We will relay any changes to our operations through our mass notification system, the FSDB website and social media. Please stay safe and warm.

Our Girls' basketball team is Champions for the first time in Clerc Classic history, and our very own Kayla Debrow won Most Valuable Player (MVP)! WAY TO GO, DRAGONS!! #FSDBRecapSundays #OneTeamOneHeartbeat #GoDragons

The last home game for the Girls' Basketball team took place on Monday, January 13. During this game, we recognized our senior basketball players: Annabelle Abenchuchan, Kayla Debrow, Ivabella Essex, and our basketball manager, Juliana Diego. We also honored one of our senior cheerleaders, Markiel Jordan. We will miss all of you! #FSDBSportsSaturdays #OneTeamOneHeartbeat

This is Vanessa Waldhof, a senior in the Deaf Department at FSDB, where she has been for thirteen years. Among the many classes she has taken, her favorites are AP English and Literature. Vanessa holds numerous cherished memories from her time at FSDB, including growing up with friends, attending field trips, participating in sports teams, traveling, and expressing herself through the dance troupe. Lunchtimes with friends were particularly special, filled with laughter and fun. One fun fact about Vanessa is her love for iced coffee—she’s rarely seen without a cup in hand, as it keeps her energized for her busy days. We will miss Vanessa once she graudates! #FSDBGrowingUpAtFSDB #FSDBFam #YouBelongAtFSDB #ThisIsFSDB

We are excited to welcome Bridget Monahan to FSDB! Some of you may have seen her on campus as an OPS Interpreter, but now she has joined us as our newest staff interpreter! Bridget is eager to provide access to all departments on campus while continuing to develop her interpreting skills. "I am grateful to this school and all of our hard-working employees for making great things happen!" Bridget shared. A fun fact about Bridget is that she loves to read; she always has a book with her! We are thrilled to have you with us, Bridget! #FSDBFam #ThisIsFSDB #YouBelongAtFSDB

The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) announces a public meeting to which all persons of the public are invited. Location • FSDB Campus: 207 San Marco Ave., St. Augustine, FL 32084 • Building: Moore Hall (corner of San Marco Ave. and Macaris St.) •  Rooms: 215 and Center for Learning and Development (CLD) Date and Time • Friday, January 24, 2025 • 8:30 a.m. – Enrollment and Outreach Committee (Room 215) • 9:30 a.m.– Regular Board Meeting (CLD) The Board meeting will be livestreamed and available on the FSDB Board of Trustees Meeting webpage at www.fsdbk12.org/board-of-trustees-meetings.

President Tracie Snow is excited to take over our social media platforms! She had the opportunity to accompany our Boys & Girls Basketball teams, along with our spirited cheerleading squad, on their trip to Texas for the Clerc Classic tournament. Stay tuned and keep an eye on our stories for some exciting behind-the-scenes content, highlights, and memorable moments from our president! #FSDBTakeoverThursdays

Hello FSDB Families, We wanted to send a reminder that this weekend will be a "Long Weekend." All students will go home tomorrow, Thursday, January 16, at 2:05 p.m. (Friday schedule). There is no school on Friday and Monday (Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday). SHOW Bus students will be picked up on Monday, January 20, at their normal pick-up time. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 21. We hope you have a wonderful long weekend!

Last year,  FSDB Cheerleading, Boys and Girls Basketball teams went to Maryland School for the Deaf, Frederick, MD. for the XXII  Clerc Classic Basketball tournament.  This weekend, January 16-18, 2025,  FSDB teams will head to Texas School for the Deaf, Austin, Texas. There is a total of eight schools, twenty-four teams and three championships.  For more information about the XXIII Clerc Classic tournament, clercclassic.com/.  We wish FSDB team the best of luck in the tournament.  Source:  XXII Clerc Classic Program book, property of FSDB Museum. #FSDBHistory #FSDBWayBackWhensdays

Congratulations to Ashton Bartok! Ashton has been a part of the FSDB Deaf Department for two and a half years. He decided to defer his diploma to gain more experience before pursuing college. Ashton plans to work until August and then attend Gallaudet University in the fall. Some of his favorite memories at FSDB include winning the Mason-Dixon competition with the cheer squad, participating in the Lion King performance, and dancing with the Dance Troupe. His favorite subjects are English and Dance. Ashton shared, "FSDB is an amazing community, and if you keep an open mind, you will find friends here!" We will miss seeing you around campus and dancing with the Dance Troupe! #FSDBFam #YouBelongAtFSDB #ThisIsFSDB