April 2016 Roar of the Tiger - Tennessee School for the Blind

The
TENNESSEE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
Volume 4, Issue 8
April 1, 2016
Students Challenged on Braille and Academics
On March 1, 2016 the Tennessee School for the
Blind hosted the 10th Annual Tennessee Regional Braille Challenge, a regional event of
The Braille Challenge® - A National Program
of Braille Institute! Twenty-eight TSB students
and six students from other schools around the
state competed in this year’s event. The stu-
dents were divided into five categories based on
grade level, or for newer braille students based
on their braille readiness level. The Apprentice
and Freshman levels cover 1st- 4th grade reading level and included contests in reading comprehension, proofreading, and spelling. The
Sophomore, Junior Varsity, and Varsity levels
cover 5th-12th grade reading level and included tests
in reading comprehension,
proofreading, chart & graph
reading, and speed & accuracy. In the speed & accuracy category, students listened to a digital recording
and brailled the
(Cont. on
pg.14)
2
3
STUDENT PAINTING 3
REPORTING
4
DIRECTOR DESK
5
NEW STUDENTS 5
AUCTION TALLY 6
FLYING HIGH
6
COTTAGE CORNER 7
TALENT ABOUNDS 7
PEE WEE
8
LS SCOOP
9
TRANSITION FAIR 10
CLASS OF 2016 11
SPOTLIGHT STAFF 12
CHALLENGE
14
EGG HUNT
15
SPOTLIGHT STAFF 16
EVENTS CALENDAR 16
MEET NEW
SPECIAL SCHOOL
Talent Abounds on TSB Campus
TSB students had two great opportunities during March to show the rest of the
world their talents, and, boy, did they! On Wednesday March 9th at 1:30 p.m. the Annual Day Talent Show showcased the talent of seventeen students.
The students came prepared and performed the following acts:
Alyssa Meachen- Itsy Bitsy Spider, Easton Huffman- Happy and
You know It, Mikayla Boutz- Bingo, Heaven Humphrey- You
Are My Sunshine, Leah Mayberry- Recorder Solo, Ethan
Hall/Woovens Scruggs/Sidney Little/Danny White- Music
Makes the World Go Around, Scott Jernigan- Comedy,
Kaylee Yarbrough/Maliyah Green- Hello, Avery MayberryAnonymous, Savannah Copithorne/Alisha Geary- Blown
Away, Titus Sage- Little Doggie Free Form, Courtney
Wilson– Tighten Up, Alex Hunter– What a Wonderful
World and Christian Black– Let’s Get It Started. The
Evening Talent Show aired a week later on March16, at
6:30p.m. Students performing in the evening show included:
Christian Herrera/Jonathon Grissom- Splish Splash,
Muriel Davis- Only Time, Andre Walker- (Cont. on pg. 7)
Inside this issue:
Heaven Humphrey
performs during
Talent Show
Roar of the Tiger
Grand Reopening Places Focus on Special Clothing Drive
Tennessee School for the Blind is pleased to announce the Grand Reopening of several areas of the
campus that have recently been remodeled and upgraded. You are cordially invited to attend!
Featuring:
- Remodel of the BLUE ROOF LOBBY
- Makeover of the Instructional Executive Suite
- Installation of New Musical Movement Floor
(made possible through the generosity of
Friends of TSB)
- Creation of the Professional Development Hall
This special “drop-in” event takes place on Friday,
April 8th from 2-4:00 p.m. Plan now to join us! Refreshments provided!
Please consider contributing to our clothing drive,
which will provide updated formal wear for our seniors who attend prom. We are requesting gently used
tuxedos, prom dresses, and accessories. It would be
so helpful to have these donations dry cleaned and
on hangers. We will have tax receipts available. For
more information, please contact Michelle Cormier,
Director of Residential Services at (615) 231-7365.
R.S.V.P. by calling 615-231-7300 or by Evite
Special Focus Clothing Drive:
Meet Our New Team Members
Sherri Ebarb
Mrs. Ebarb become a Registered Nurse in 1997. Most
of Sherri’s nursing experience has been acquired at
St Thomas and Vanderbilt
hospitals. “I have lived in
Middle Tennessee all my
life,” said Sherri. She is no
stranger to the Nashville arSherri Ebarb
ea. When not at work, her
most favorite activity is spending time with her
twin, two year old, granddaughters Aubrey and
Annabelle. “I'm so thankful to be able to
help teach their Sunday school class. To hear
them sing makes my heart sing,” said Sherri.
Sherri also enjoys gardening with the help of
her 3 chickens Henny, Penny and Speckles.
Sherri loves cooking and canning, sewing,
Page 2
and resuscitating/repairing vintage stuff. She believes in a philosophy of "busy hands, happy
heart". She also, however, enjoys quiet time with
Gill, her one Koi fish.
“I feel very privileged to serve the students at
Tennessee School for the Blind,” said Sherri.
She continued by saying, “I hope to provide
comfort with my nursing skills and continue
learning and growing along with the students
and staff. Thank you so very
much for the opportunity to
be a part of this team.”
Judith Stone
Judith’s story begins in
Nashville, where she was
born and raised. She attended Nursing school at
Vanderbilt (cont. on pg.3)
Judith Stone
Volume 4, Issue 8
Speaking of a Special School
Dear TSB Stakeholder,
By now, you are probably aware that TSB will
undergo several major projects this summer.
First, a fire suppression system will be installed
in the A wing section of our school. Construction
on this building began in 1950, and the building
was opened for use in 1952. Since that time,
many projects have been completed to bring it
up to modern day code. This project will require
that all items be removed from classrooms and
offices prior to June 1, so you may see evidence
of these efforts when you visit our campus.
In addition, our sidewalks all across campus will
be repaired this summer. Again, the contractor
will begin working just after alumni weekend with
the goal to have the sidewalks completed by the
start of school in August. Because we will have
various contractors and projects all over our
campus this summer, we made the very difficult
decision to cancel our summer camps. We simply did not feel we could keep our students safe
this summer due to the construction, and we
Meet Our New Team Members
University. Judith’s desire to travel led her to
live in Denver, CO, and many places in California, where she was a pediatric nurse. While
living in San Francisco she earned a master’s
degree in Pediatric Critical Care. She continued
living in San Francisco until 2006, before moving
back to Tennessee to be with family. “Most of my
relatives are here in the Nashville area,” said Judith. She went on to say, “I presently enjoy certain hobbies, such as photography, hiking, sewing, cooking, movies, and in the past I have done
some scuba diving and snow skiing. I enjoy traveling outside the country, too.” Judith said,
“There have been many adventures in my life
and I’m very blessed with all that has happened. I consider my job at TSB to be one of
those blessings!”
Visit both of our new nurses in the clinic!
worried that limited access to sections of
campus would impact the quality of our
summer camp programming. Thus, we
asked our community partners to hold
their funds for summer camp so that we
could make next year’s camp even bigger and better. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, but the safety and
wellbeing of our students is our number one priority.
Thank you for your patience and understanding
as we work to improve our campus. I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming end-of-year
activities.
Respectfully,
Nathan Travis, Ed.S., NCSP
Interim Superintendent
Student Painting Hangs in Office
TSB senior Elle Tuetken recently finished a
painting that is now hanging in the newly remodeled Executive Instructional Office. Elle said the
project didn't’ take as long to complete as her
last masterpiece, but was more complicated.
You may remember last year a painting of a cat
by Elle was chosen for the cover of their APH
Annual Calendar. This newest creation depicts a view of the planet earth from the outer
space viewpoint of a satellite. It was painted on
three adjoining canvases. Great job Elle!
Page 3
Roar of the Tiger
Reporting Keeps Him on TV and Busy as a Bee
The Language Arts classes of Ms. Fridgant, Mrs.
Salvato and Mrs. Bush were excited to have a
“staycation field trip” on Friday March 11, 2016.
Channel 5 News reporter Nick Beres came to
TSB to talk with these middle school classes
about his experiences of being a news reporter,
and also about his hobby of beekeeping. The TSB
students were very inquisitive and asked many
great questions about both topics.
Mr. Beres was asked questions about his colleagues at the news station, and also about having to report the more difficult stories that he has
covered. Some of the students had favorite anchorpersons, especially the popular meteorologist, Lelan Statom. The experience of being a
news reporter is exciting because you never know
what kind of story you will be reporting on next.
Mr. Beres told about the recent story of the
large truck of beehives that overturned not far
from his house. He was immediately on the scene
reporting, and his beekeeping suit was used to
put on the driver so that they could pull him safely
out of the truck. He had planned to bring the suit
to let the students see and touch, but he still had
not yet received it back from that incident! He
brought a beekeeping tool used to pry the hive
open for the students to see instead.
Mr. Beres was asked about some of the recent
sad stories that he has reported on in the news.
He explained that it was very hard to talk to families after a tragedy or a death of a family member.
He knows that the
public wants to know
what happened, but
sometimes the family
does not want to talk
about their devastating loss, and he has
to try to get the details
of the story while still
Miranda Bennett-Graham exbeing sensitive to the plores the Channel 5 microfamily’s feelings.
phone brought by Mr. Beres.
On a lighter note, all
of the students were able to taste the honey
from his backyard beehives on cubes of bread
while they listened to Nick explain why bees are
so very important to humans and to the earth.
He explained the process of pollination and that
bees keep flowers, fruit and vegetables pollinated. Bees are easily amongst the most important insects to humans on Earth. The honeycomb can also be made into soap, lotion, candles and lip balm.
There were squeals of “yuck” when Mr. Beres
explained that honey is made by bees regurgitating nectar and passing it back and forth in
their mouths to one another before depositing
and sealing it in a honeycomb, its intended use
is for the bees’ winter food stores. He said
“Honey is essentially bee spit!” Most of the students still liked the honey anyhow!
And all of the students enjoyed Mr. Beres’s visit
and asked him to come back again anytime!
-Robin Bush
Page 4
Volume 4, Issue 8
From the Director’s Desk
April1, 2015
Hello All,
Welcome to spring! While the
season actually began in
March, it comes into full
bloom in April. As the old saying goes, “April Showers bring
May Flowers.” In April the world
turns green again after a long
cold rest during the winter –
beautiful trees and flowers bud
and burst into bloom, and of
course spring allergies bloom,
too. Nevertheless, spring is my favorite time of
year. The rebirth of all the plant life, the warming weather, and even the April rains, somehow seem to revitalize me each year.
Also, with the month of April comes the spring
testing season at TSB. Part 1 of the TN
READY tests will be given the week of April
4-8, 2016. It is very important that all students
are at school that week, rested, and on time for
class each day. Testing will begin during 1st
period each morning and will continue until
each subject area is completed each day. A
different subject area will be tested each day.
Please make sure you child has a restful and
calm week-end April 1-3 so that they will be
mentally and physically prepared to do their
best on the test the following week.
Part 2 of the TN READY tests will be
given later in the month but the dates
have not been set yet. We will send out
a flyer letting you know the week-end
before these tests begin. We will also
send out a robo call to let you know as
well.
All students, family and friends are invited to a free concert offered by the
Stillwater Area High School Orchestra. The concert will be held in the
TSB auditorium beginning at 6:30
p.m. April 7. Please make an effort to
attend if you possibly can.
Thanks to the extra day in February because of
Leap Year, Monday, April 18th, 2016 is a day
off for students and teachers! Monday busing
will be in effect on this day. Enjoy the day off
compliments of leap year! Remember that
school will end and graduation will occur on Friday, May 27th.
Have a Happy April!
Dr. Kathy Segers
Dr. Kathy Segers,
Director of Instruction
Welcome Our New Students
Joining Mrs. Laura Smith’s
class in March was Ray Tolliver. Ray comes to Tennessee School for the
Blind from the Metropolitan Nashville area. As one
of our youngest students,
Ray has just turned 3
years of age. Ray enjoys
lights, vibration, and explorRay Tolliver
ing his surroundings. Mrs.
Smith expressed he was interacting very well
with adults.
Also joining Mrs. Laura Smith’s class in March is
Liam Sowell. Liam lives in
Alexandria, TN which is
located in DeKalb County,
east of Nashville. Liam also just turned 3 years of
age. Former TSB teacher,
Mrs. Brenda Pediago, was
instrumental in leading him
and his family to the school.
Liam enjoys music, pushLiam Sowell
ing the grocery cart in the
classroom, and interacting with adults. “Both students are a wonderful addition to our growing
classroom!” said Mrs. Smith.
Page 5
Roar of the Tiger
Auction Tally Helps Boost Fund Needed for Junior Class
It was quite a sight to see all the generous donations that arrived for the Junior Senior Auction!
Everything from artwork to certificates for Caribbean vacations were on display. The hint of
Easter in the air got a boost with the display
of a couple dozen covered baskets. The specialty
baskets were comprised of a variety of themes
each having desirable items. “We made right at
$6,000.00 said Junior Class Sponsor”, Kari Harold who had worked hard
at getting things together. “We now have about
$8,000.00 as a junior class
and are only $2,000.00
away from our
goal.” The
Junior Class
is also selling
Krispy Kreme
cards. In addition, they will
be hosting a
“Dine to Donate” night at
Above: Kari Harold joins TSB students
Texas RoadAnthony Bonetti, Abigail Pace and Tayhouse in Hen- lor Grenier as the assist with bidding.
dersonville,
TN. Come out and show your support!
Cottage Kite Contest Leaves Kids Flying High
As the warm breezes of spring ushered in 70-80
degree temperatures to the Nashville area, TSB
recreation was also turning the heat up on finding
the most creative kitemakers on campus. Kitemakers worldwide may need to take note of the
skill and enthusiasm of the students at TSB. The
art of kite making is currently taking a nose dive
worldwide. In fact, since 2006, China’s Cultural
Ministry has devoted nearly $575 million to
programs in attempting to keep their nation’s cultural heritage alive. While the kites made by the
students, and proudly displayed in the school lobRepresenting C-1 are Lara Nash, Taylor Grenier, Corgan
Waters, Charity Christian, Miranda Sullivan, Kayla Heinicke,
Elizabeth Harris, Habiba Turner, Carrie Carlisle, Demi Richards, and Madison Alvaraz.
Pictured above from C-9 are: Tamara Gallaher, Trenton Smith,
Lauren Stein, Scott Jernigan, Corbin Galaviz, Rickey Meadows,
Eh Gay, Craig Heggie, Linda Kricher, Miguel Jose and Adam
Carpenter.
Page 6
by, may not have been supported by seemingly
unlimited resources, they somehow still turned
out to be priceless. The cottages were given a
strict list of standards by which to construct their
heaven bound projectiles making the competition even tougher. And the “hawkeyed” panel of
judges did an in-depth analysis critiquing each
aspect of the construction.
The colorful creations were strung up in the auditorium lobby when they were completed.
There they hung proudly on display throughout
the week for all to see. The Residential Kite
Contest 1st place prizes went to the girls of
Cottage One and the boys of Cottage Nine.
Volume 4, Issue 8
April 2016
Welcome to Cottage Corner!
Last months ‘Kite Contest’ winners were
Cottages 1 and 9! They both created very
original and creative kites that depicted their
cottage mascots. Cottage 1 dubbed themselves ‘The Predators’ and made a replica
ice skating rink as their kite. Cottage 9, ‘The
Peregrine Falcons’, made a falcon kite with
wings that flapped and a long feathered tail.
The other cottages also did a wonderful job
showcasing their mascots which were:
We are in the last two months of the school
year which is very hard to believe! It is not
over yet, though, and there is a lot going on in
the coming weeks! On April 5th we will have
our annual beeping egg hunt! We delayed it
until after spring break this year in the hopes
of having some warmer weather for the
event. Fingers crossed! In addition, TSB will
be hosting this year’s Swimming and Forensics meet April 29th and 30th, so come and
support our students as they compete with 9
other schools for the blind!
Cottage 7 – ‘The Bumble Bees’
At the start of the year, all families of day students who stay on campus received a letter
informing them of the day student cottage
move out date, which is Friday May 20th,
2016. This is just a reminder to those families
that all students who have access to daily
bussing will be asked to move out by this
date in order to help staff prepare for the end
of the year cottage clean out. Thank you in
advance! Please contact me with any questions.
Cottage 8 – ‘The Wind Cutters’
Warmly,
Cottage 10 – ‘The Falcons’
Michelle Cormier
Cottage 2 – ‘The Hawks’
Cottage 5 – ‘The Dragons’
Cottage 6 – ‘The Eagles’
Congratulations to all of the students for doing such a fantastic job! Winning cottages
will get a pizza and movie night to enjoy before the end of April!
Talent Abounds on TSB Campus
Michelle Cormier,
Director of Residential
Services
(cont. from front cover)
Touched Me, Elle Tuetken- If Only,
Demi Richards- Over The Rainbow, Alexandria Williams- No One,
Kayla Heinicke- Father’s Eyes,
Josiah Hearn- Lean On Me, Elle
Tuetken/Stephanie WilsonHello, Tim Tanner- Time in
Chaos, Carrie Carlisle- How
Great Thou Art.
Titus Sage rattles the ivories during “Little Doggie Free Form”
Both performances were
Cha Cha Slide, Donnie Sands- Just Like You, Liz- live streamed from the
Christian Black
performs “Let’s
zie Harris- My Heart Will Go On, Rickey Mead- school auditorium for the
audiences
at
home.
Get It Started”
ows- North To Alaska, Anthony Bonetti- He
Page 7
Roar of theTiger
Pee Wee Wrestling and Cheerleading Entertains
If TSB’s Pee Wee wrestlers are any indication of
the future shape of the TSB Wrestling program, things are looking bright! As cute and
sometimes comical as some of the matches
wound up, there was lots of evidence these kids
have either been doing a lot of scrappin’ or
watching a lot of WWF. On Thursday evening
March 17, the little “cub” Tigers took to the mats
to reveal all they had. They were flanked and
encouraged on
by a host of
Pee Wee
cheerleaders.
Here are the cheerleaders and wrestlers that
participated that evening: Savanah Eubanks,
Brianna Swindall, Woovens Scruggs, Leah
Mayberry, Sydney Little, Brian Rock, TaMyah
Jordan and Sierra Gurerra
Order of Matches
Blue Team
Ryan Mayberry
Jonathon Grissom
Michelle Davis
KeAunte Smith
Jamerius Turner
Austin Rogers
Jonathan Grissom
Donnie Sands
Colby Bowe
Muriel Davis
KeAunte Smith
Gold Team
Levi Dykes
Danny White
Mikayla Boutz
Latarian Smith
Lathanile Phipps
Junior Brooks
Christian Herrera
Danny White
Lathaniel Phipps
Ryland Womack
Latarian Smith
The Inside Scoop in the Lifeskills Loop
Mr. Hector’s Lifeskills 5 class recently took a
field trip to Second Harvest Food Bank near
Metro-Center in Nashville. The students practiced for several weeks to pack bags of food with
several items. Once at the Food Bank the class
lined up like an assembly line, each of them doing their part to fill the bags. Each bag contained
two canned goods, two drink boxes, and two cereal boxes before being put into boxes for distribution. The bags are used as part of their
“Backpack Program” which feeds underprivileged students around Nashville during the
Above: Mr. Hectors Lifeskills students form an assembly
line as they prepare food for distribution.
Page 8
weekends. Mr.
Hector’s class,
along with a few
volunteers who
kept the students
supplied with materials, filled 12
boxes to be distributed. Each box
holds 7 bags so
the class filled over
84 bags in the time
Diagram of packing the bags
they were there.
Mr. Hector said, “ I was so impressed with
how hard the students worked in a new environment. They’ve been working toward this for
some time now so it was a perfect opportunity
for them to shine.” Mr. Hector also added that he
hopes this will become a regular event for his
class as they move toward more community
based work and learning opportunities.
To reward the students for their hard work, they
were treated to lunch at the Nashville Farmers
Market. Students enjoyed different foods
from chicken nuggets and hamburgers (Cont. pg. 9)
Volume 4, Issue 8
Transition Fair Successful In Sharing Information
The annual TSB Transition Fair was held on
Thursday, March 17th, from 8-11a.m. on the
school’s campus. The event provided an opportunity for students, along with their families and
staff, to gain vital information in making future
plans. The fair presented information on career,
college and/or community readiness skills. The
information came through class-like sessions as
well and information stations set up by representatives from various organizations.
This year representatives from over 25 agencies, schools/colleges, and community programs
gave presentations to the fair goers. Additionally,
six dynamic speakers were chosen to hold sessions on a variety of pertinent topics useful to
the students’ futures. Overwhelming support for
the students came from the many representa-
Mrs. Hearn and Josiah speak with an Empower representative.
tives as they connected with student interests.
We extend our appreciation to eleven of our students’ families that came and participated in this
exciting event. We are also grateful for the outpouring of community support shown by the various agencies, schools, and programs that participated from all across the state. -Debi Ponder
Students listen to information provided at Transition Fair.
The Scoop Inside the Life Skills Loop (cont. from pg.8)
to Jamaican sweet potatoes
and finished with a special
cupcake dessert. Speaking of
taking the students to the
Farmers Market, Mr. Hector
added, “Experiences to teach
and learn in different environments allows for real world
Completed food bag
application that cannot always
take place in the classroom.” Information about
Second Harvest Food Bank can be found at
www.secondharvestmidtn.org
After finishing their assignment the members of Mr. Hector’s
class stopped for a photo before leaving the food bank.
Page 9
Roar of the Tiger
Introducing the Class of 2016 (Part 1of 2)
The 2016 Class of Tennessee School for the
Blind is made up of 20 members. In this issue of the Roar of the Tiger, you’ll be introduced
to ten members of the class. They are listed in
alphabetic order. The May edition will introduce
the remaining ten graduates.
Ragad Abu-Zahra
As a student living locally, Ragad has made the
daily commute from
Murfreesboro, in Rutherford County. She has attended TSB since August
2005. One of her favorite activities is swimming. She also
loves visiting with the staff.
Ragad likes rehearsing
things she remembers about
their lives. Her future plans
Raghad Abu-Zahra include attending a work
based day program.
Patrick Anderson
In 2010 Patrick Anderson
came to TSB as a residential
student. Over the past 6
years he has been involved
with TSB’s track teams and
the Tiger Band. Patrick has
enjoyed cottage life and making lasting friendships. One
particular relationship he
foresees as lasting a long
Patrick Anderson time is one he has built with
TSB senior Miranda Sullivan. They have made plans together for life
after school. Patrick also looks forward to joining
the workforce after graduation.
Mishon Breland
Mishon Breland came to TSB from his
hometown of Clarksville, TN. He has made the
daily commuted to school from Montgomery
County. Now in his fourth year at TSB, he
enrolled in 2012, Mishon has been involved in
track, forensics, art and band. As he reflects
over the years, his fondest memories are conPage 10
tributing to the track teams
championships. Mishon has
been accepted into Trevecca
University for the fall of
2016. His course of study will
be Graphic Design. Mishon
is the recipient of a $20,000
University Scholarship as
well as the Tennessee Promise Scholarship.
Mishon Breland
Carrie Carlisle
Coming from Arlington, TN in Shelby County,
Carrie has been a residential student for 5 years. She
has been involved in swimming, voice, chorus and Midstate choir. Carrie says she
has many memories from
chorus trips, the senior trip
and making Mid-State and
Honors Choir. She attained
membership in the Mid-state
Carrie Carlisle
Choir during all four years in
high school. Carrie plans to
study Occupational Therapy and Business at
Trevecca University. Her aspirations are to
become an Equine Therapist, and she’s just not
horsing around.
Abigail Claxton
Abby Claxton came to TSB in 2014 as a residential student. She finds her
home in Wartrace, TN which
is in Bedford County. Abby
has been involved in swimming and art over the past
two years. Abby lists a favorite memory as meeting TSB
Spanish Teacher Ms. Anchundia. As far as the future looks, Abby’s plans inAbigail Claxton
clude studying Office Administration at Mottlow State.
She has been accepted for the fall of 2016 and
has been awarded the TN Promise Scholarship.
Volume 4, Issue 8
Introducing The Class of 2016 (cont. from pg. 10)
Kayla Heinicke
Kayla has attended TSB
since 2003. As a local student from Murfreesboro in
Rutherford County, she still
found a way to be involved in
chorus, track and biking.
Kayla’s favorite memories
center around the music department and the green
Kayla Heinecke
house. “I remember being
taught and working with the bird feeders with
Mrs. Winters when she was here. We also watered plants using the water machine,” said Kayla. Upon graduation Kayla wants to find a job
working with plants.
Josiah Hearn
Josiah originates from
Jonesboro in the southeastern county of Washington,
TN. At the age of 10, Josiah
came to TSB in 2005.
Through the years, as a residential student he has made
many friends. His interest has
had him involved mainly with
the music program. Josiah
has been in the TSB Jazz EnJosiah Hearn
semble, TSB Chorus Ensemble and the TSB Tiger Band. It is without
wonder that many of his favorite memories are
centered around individual music lessons with
Mrs. Judy Denning. Josiah is a recipient of
the TN Promise Scholarship.
Kalli Tucker Kinman
From Nashville, Kalli Tucker
came to TSB in 2007 and has
been a commuting student.
Kalli enjoys swimming. She
also enjoys the large glider
on the playground. Kalli loves
to have her hair brushed as
well as brushing other people’s hair. This year she won
“the Crown”, becoming the
Kalli Tucker Kinman
Queen of Hearts at the Valentine’s Day
Dance. Kalli hopes to participate in a day
work program after graduation.
Austin Mayes
Austin Mayes came to TSB
in the fall of 2013. From
Nashville in Davidson
County, he has both lived
on campus and also commuted to school. Austin has participated in Forensics and art.
Austin recalls as one of his
favorite memories the day he
met TSB teacher Aaron Lockhart. He said the teacher
Austin Mayes
had so much excitement that
he jumped up and down. Austin’s plans after
graduation are to attend college and study Computer Science.
Aaron Patrick
In 2012, then 14 year old Aaron Patrick made
the trip from Knoxville, TN to enroll in TSB. His
four years attending the school as a residential
student have been busy
ones. Aaron has participated
in TSB Tiger Track, cycling,
art, and the TSB Tiger Band.
In 2014, Arron received national notoriety from a shoot
he was involved in with the
Advanced Armament Corporation. AAC Pro Staffer
Buck Holly and John HolAaron Patrick
lister took Aaron on a successful feral hog hunt in Florida. Aaron also
has many memories from TSB’s conference
track meet in Ohio. Aaron has been accepted
at East Tennessee State University, located in
Johnson City, TN for the fall semester. His
plans are to study Information Technology.
Check out the next edition of the Roar of the
Tiger where the remaining 10 graduates will
be featured. And make plans now to attend the
2016 graduation exercises on Friday May 27th.
Page 11
Roar of the Tiger
April Spotlight on Staff
Sarah Bradley – In the Spotlight
Sarah Bradley was no stranger to TSB when
she became the K-8 Technology Teacher two
years ago. When she was a student at Vanderbilt, she volunteered at TSB for a year and a
half, including two summer
camps. “I worked as a special education teacher in
Metro before being hired
on at TSB,” she said. “I
love the community I feel
with the staff here. In the
morning I am greeted by
name by everyone I pass it helps me start my day
right! TSB has become my
home and many of my colleagues have become very
close friends.”
Sarah Bradley
When not at TSB, Ms.
Bradley enjoys going to hockey and US National Soccer games. She is a huge Predators fan and goes to games whenever she
can. She also loves comic book movies, especially Marvel.
A native Nashvillian Ms. Bradley went to MTSU
for special education and Vanderbilt for her
M.Ed. in Vision. Choosing special education
and working with individuals with visual impairments was a paradigm shift for Ms. Bradley who
originally set her sights on a career in Accounting. “ Having almost finished my accounting
degree, at 21 I found myself the head of
bookkeeping and terribly bored with life,” said
Ms. Bradley. “ I was teaching a Sunday
school class at the time and decided I needed a
change. I quit my job and became a fulltime live
-in nanny for twins and changed my major to
education. It took 5 years to work my way
through school. I thought I was almost done
with college, when I began teaching a spunky
4th grader during my student teaching. We hit it
off immediately and she quickly became one of
my favorite students. She just happened to be
completely blind.”
Page 12
One thing you might not know about Ms. Bradley
is that she made the local news at the tender
age of 16. “I was taking my driver’s test. I
thought I was in reverse, but… I was in drive,”
she said. “I hit the driving test building in my parents’ brand new suburban the day before we
were leaving on vacation!” The impact completely crushed the front end and the picture of the
car ended up on the local station as the “Picture
of the Day.” “I didn’t drive again for six months
even though the lady over the testing wanted me
to go ahead and take the test that day,” said Ms.
Bradley. “ She was afraid that I would never
drive again if I didn’t.” Ms. Bradley assures TSB
that she is a better driver now. Still, you might
want to walk a little faster if you see her coming!
Pam Jackson – In the Spotlight
Pam Jackson, Executive Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, is a relative
newbie to TSB. With more
than 33 years working for
the state of Tennessee, Ms.
Jackson had decided to
retire, but changed her
mind when the TSB position became available. She
came on board last summer. Her favorite thing
about working at the school
is “walking down the hall
and hearing the kids in the
band room playing or in the
music room singing,” she
Pam Jackson
said. “The kids are phenomenal!”
When not at TSB, Ms. Jackson enjoys making
jewelry and crafting with recyclable items. She
has made birdfeeders and candle holders out of
old cups and saucers; and a bracelet holder
from a used cup rack found at Goodwill. Recently, she has been hunting rocks whenever she
goes out of town. “I paint something on it and
seal it good….and it goes in the garden. Cute
and simple, doesn’t cost a thing - and it is a gift
to me from a trip I took,” said Ms. Jackson. She
Volume 4, Issue 8
April Spotlight on Staff
(cont. from pg. 10)
is a talented artist – oils, acrylics and photography are her primary media. Ms. Jackson kindly
donated some of her works to the Friends of
TSB Brunch and Bid last autumn. She uses
her artwork to design her own Christmas cards
too!
A native of California, Ms. Jackson moved to
Tennessee when she was 2-years old. The
family moved around a lot because her father
was in the service. She was raised in Hermitage
and graduated from DuPont High School. She
began her career with the state in the Department of General Services-Printing as a camera operator. She worked 25 years with that department only leaving to go work for the TSB.
Ms. Jackson also likes to visit her two children, Amber, who lives in Old Hickory and Cory
who lives in La Mesa, California, and her grandchildren, Braden, 5; DJ, 7, and Caleb, 15. Her
best bud is Dakota, an 8 year old rat terrier, who
goes to “daycare” every day at Ms. Jackson’s
mother’s house.
One thing you may not know about Ms. Jackson
is that she always wanted to be a clown and almost went clown college in Florida!
Lisa Salvato – In the Spotlight
Lisa Salvato, who has been at TSB for a little
more than a year is a Modified Academic Program teacher for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade.
When she first began teaching at TSB last year
she taught 3rd, and 4th grade. She is delighted
that some of her students from last year are with
her again this year as one of her favorite things
about working at TSB is seeing students grow
and realize their potential.
When not at TSB, Ms. Salvato’s favorite hobby is
reading. Ms. Salvato says she hasn’t met a book
she didn’t like, but her favorites are mysteries
such as those by Agatha Christie, or books
about Sherlock Holmes. “My least favorite are
how-to books, but even those serve a purpose,”
said Ms. Salvato.
Ms. Salvato is also kept busy with her family:
Pete, her husband of 23 years, and
their children: Peter, almost
20, who will be a junior in
the pre-med. program at the
University of Tennessee
in Chattanooga; Rebecka,
almost 18, who will be studying visual art at Keene College in New Hampshire
this fall; Danielle, 13; and
twins, Jonathan and Nathaniel, who will be 11 in
April. She also has two
dogs: a lab named Marley
Lisa Salvato
and a long-haired Chihuahua named Coco. “ And my daughters share
a ferret named Bandit,” she said. Does Bandit
get along with Marley and Coco? “You bet,” said
Ms. Salvato, “Bandit is fearless!”
While the Salvatos live in Hendersonville, they
are originally from the northeastern part of the
US. “ I was born in Belleville, N.J. and lived
there until we moved to New York when I was
10,” she said. She attended Nyack College
where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and met her husband, who
was working in food service at the college. A little over 10 years ago the family moved to Tennessee when, Pete became the Director of
Food Service at Free Will Baptist College in
Nashville.
By a very circuitous route, and “a list of things I
said I would never do and wound up doing,” Ms.
Salvato was called – literally and figuratively –
to seek a degree in special education. While in
New York, Ms. Salvato worked for a time at a
group home. The first day she was left with an 8year old boy who found a piece of glass and
threatened to “cut her pretty face”. “I thought, ‘I
will never go into special education!’” said Ms.
Salvato. However, through homeschooling
her own children, she realized, how very differently children learn. She began researching
graduate programs and began an on-line program at Liberty University; at the same time, she
took a job teaching 3rd grade. One day while
she was teaching, Trevecca University (Con. pg.16)
Page 13
Roar of the Tiger
Braille and Academic Challenge (cont. from front cover)
text as quickly and accurately as they could. The
day began with registration and a welcome assembly. From there the students were dismissed
by category to begin
the testing sessions.
The morning testing
was from 9:00 -11:10
a.m. Then students enjoyed a pizza lunch in
the cafeteria. After
lunch the Apprentice
Sierra Carreiro competes durand
Freshman contesting the Braille Challenge
ants played a game in
the media center, while the Sophomore, Junior
Varsity, and Varsity competitors had one
more test to complete. Once the testing was
completed, the students got to relax and enjoy a
performance by the TSB Jazz Combo, and then
return to the media center for a fun game of
Braille Bingo, complete with some great prizes.
All during the morning testing and the afternoon
entertainment, a group of 11 scorers worked very
hard to get all the contests scored in time for the
Awards and Closing assembly. Without these
dedicated scorers,
we would not have
been able to announce winners
and present prizes
on the day of the
contest.
The entire event
was generously
sponsored by B’nai Michelle Davis answers questions
during the Academic Challenge
B’rith Maimonides Lodge #46, the oldest Jewish organization in Nashville. They sponsor programs and
events for visually impaired children and promotes community interfaith events and service.
This was the 9th year we received funds from
this group for our event and the 8th year they
completely funded the event. Their generous donation paid for the students t-shirts, the pizza
lunch, the Bingo prizes, the goody bags each
participant received, the medals and certificates,
and the cash prizes. We have been very fortuPage 14
nate to receive support
from this generous organization. The prizes
were presented in five
categories. Students
who participated on their
grade level were eligible
for prizes at that level.
Hearn and Marcus
Students who participat- Josiah
Johnson compete
ed below their grade level were eligible for prizes in the Novice category.
In the Novice category Abigail Pace won 3rd
prize and received $10, Elle Tuetken won 2nd
prize and received $20, and Alexandria Williams
received 1st prize and received $30. We did not
have any Apprentice contestants who competed
on grade level, so no prizes were given in Apprentice. In Freshman – Varsity 3rd prize was
$20, 2nd prize was $40 and 1st prize was $60.
Each prize winner also received a medal. At the
Freshman level we had two grade level participants and Sierra Carreiro won 2nd place and
Abbi Garcia (Davidson County) won 1st
place. The Sophomore group also had two
grade level participants and Dani Delgado
(Davidson County) won 2nd place and Cameron Burkett (Warren County) won 1st place.
At the Junior Varsity
level we had 6 grade
level participants and
the prize winners
were Isis Noneman
3rd place, Avery Mayberry 2nd place, and
Graham Walker
Cameron Burkett and Dani Del(Houston Co.)1st
gado were both winners
place. At the Varsity
level we had 8 grade level participants and the
prize winners were Taylor Grenier 3rd place,
Cham Tea 2nd place, and Marcus Johnson
1st place. The students’ answer sheets are then
sent to Braille Institute, the sponsors of The
Braille Challenge®. The ten contestants with
the highest scores from all regional and individual participants will be invited to a national competition in Los Angeles in July. Those names will
be announced in early May. -Julia Hedrick
Volume 4, Issue 8
Beeping Eggs Makes Hunting Fun for Everyone!
The 2016 TSB Egg hunt was an exciting event,
and according to the kids, well worth the wait!
Between cooperation from the weather and
spring break falling just prior to Easter, the hunt
was held after Easter on the afternoon of Tuesday April, 5th. Hundreds of eggs were hidden
throughout the school’s grassy courtyard. Fox
News 17 was on hand to report and document the event.
Friends from the ATF, as in years past, supplied
the school with “beeping eggs”. These special
gems make it possible for the student without
sight to be able to find the eggs and enjoy the
aspect of the hunt as much as their sighted
peers. This year
the group brought
50 new eggs.
Members of the
Nashville Metropolitan Police
Department accompanied the
ATF group making the afternoon
especially enjoyable for the kids.
They not only helped in the hunt and befriended
the students, many of the kids took away a much
cherished souvenir from photos taken together.
The Delta Gamma Sorority of Tennessee Tech
also continued their generosity and commitment
to the students. Many of the girls again made the
trip to Donelson from the Cookeville campus to
invest in their lives. Delta Gamma has a long history with TSB. Numerous times throughout each
year they visit the campus showing their caring
support. The students always take away much
encouragement and are made to feel special.
The kids left the hunt with lots of goodies, including specially created baskets, candy, a face filled
with happiness and a pocket full of memories.
Thanks to all of our wonderful friends who made
this year’s
event a huge
success.
Page 15
Creating Contributing Participating Members of Society
TENNESSEE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
April Spotlight on Staff
(cont. from pg. 13)
called offering to interview her for their graduate
program. “I had looked into Trevecca before
starting at Liberty, but had not completed any
paperwork,” she said. “They said I could bring it
with me, and as the saying goes, “the rest is history.” God has given me a passion to work with
children. I’ve never looked back.” Lisa earned
her Master’s degree in Special Education Vision.
One thing you might not know about Ms. Salvato
is that she is extremely afraid of heights. “I went
to Rock City a few years ago and got stuck on
the bridge,” she said. “It took me a good half
hour to finally make it across! My legs felt the
heaviest that they have ever felt. I could barely
walk!” - Anne Kelly
115 Stewarts Ferry Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
Phone: 615-231-7300
Tennessee School for the Blind is a state special
school established in 1844 to meet the unique needs of
visually impaired students living in the state of Tennessee. The school provides academic and professional
services tailored to benefit students placed in its care
through the Local Education Agencies across the state.
Beyond a tradition of academics, TSB specializes in the
instruction of expanded core-curricular areas such as
Braille, Mobility, Technology, Career Education, and Independent Living Skills. Students at the school also enjoy
the opportunity to participate in team sports, campus
clubs, organizations and many leisure-time activities. In
addition the school provides outreach services to visually
challenged students, their parents, teachers, schools and
other agencies assisting the visually challenged.
Upcoming Events Calendar
F
April 8
Grand Reopening
TSB 2-4:00pm
M
April 18
No Classes/Monday Busing
TSB
Tu
April 19
Classes Resume
TSB
Th
April 21
Spring Solo Recital
TSB
M-F
April 25-29
TN Ready Grades Math and Science
TSB
Th
April 28
Pep Rally for Swimming/Forensics
TSB
Fr-Su
April 29-May1
Swimming/Forensics Conference Meet
TSB
Th
May 5
Prom
TBD
Sa
May 7
Murfreesboro Jazz Festival
Murfreesboro, TN
M
May 9
No Classes/Monday Busing
TSB
Tu
May 10
Classes Resume
TSB
Th
May 12
Athletic Banquet
TSB
Th
May 13
Spring Music Program/Art Exhibit/Sale
TSB/Aud.
M-F
May 16-20
Semester Exams/Tests & BASI-Grades 3-12
-
W
May 25
Field Day /Awards Day/Jump for Heart
TSB
Th
May 26
Graduation Concert
TSB/Aud.
F
May 27
Graduation
TSB/Aud.
M
May 30
Memorial Day Observance-No School
TSB
Tu-W
May 31-June 1
Teacher Organization Days
TSB