NEWS AND VIEWS
NEWS AND VIEWS
This was the fiftieth Tennessee School for the Blind graduation held on the Donelson campus. It is almost impossible to imagine the many changes that have taken place at TSB and in the field of education of special students. Our focus has broadened and our student population has become more diverse.
Providing the best education possible that will equip our graduates to be well rounded and productive members of society and reaching out to support students with vision challenges across Tennessee is our primary goal.
On May 30th, TSB graduated seventeen students from Memphis to Churchill, and from Paris to Lynchburg. We were honored to have as our Commencement Speaker, Dr. Lana Seivers, our states’ Commissioner of Education. The Holmes Awards winners this year were Fred “Andy” Bain, senior, and Kristina Swan, junior. The TSB chorus, under the direction of Mrs. Judy Denning, gave an outstanding performance. Ms. Denning had to fight tears as several of the chorus members graduated. It was a beautiful program and we are all privileged to have played a part in the lives of these very special young women and men.
On Saturday, May 31st, in accordance with a joint resolution by the State Legislature the administrative and educational building complex was formally renamed the “Ralph A. Brewer Building”. Among the many dignitaries and well wishers in attendance were, State Senator Joe Haynes, State Representative Ben West, Jr., Commissioner of Education Dr. Lana Seivers, Director of Special Schools Bob Tipps, TSB Alumni President Rick Williams and Past International Director Lion Allen Broughton. The dedication was concluded by a beautiful rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings” sung by Mr. Brewer’s daughter, Mrs. Nedia Keel.
With help from the Tennessee Professional Golf
Association and Mr. Jim Baker (President of the United States Blind Golf Association), the Golf Program at TSB had another great year. This extra-curricular activity met every other Tuesday throughout the school year. Furthermore, over the summer months our coach, Mr. Joiner, has facilitated opportunities for the participants to work with professionals in the field of Golfing. These golfers will provide our students with one-on-one lessons at golf courses near the students’ home. The members of our golf program were: Jessica Beecham, Johnny McCloud, Justin Smith, Robbie Mogan, Terrell Jones, Ashley Thomason, Heather Rasmussen, Lorrie Neal, Susan Gwinn, Meaghan Bynum, Josh Harper, Christian Darnell and Erica Tucker.
Highlights from this year’s activities were:
· Robbie and Jessica participated in a USA television network Program with Vince Gill and junior golf.
· We participated in the 3rd annual Blind Awareness Scramble in Murfreesboro and we went to a golf clinic in Franklin at the course of Aspen Grove.
· The USBGA invited Mrs. Chance’s and Mrs. Fridgant’s classes to a golf clinic April 22, 2003. The students learned about the history of golf and the golf professionals showed the students the different parts of the game of golf. It was a great year, and we look forward to starting up again in the fall.
Mr. Andy Joiner
Is your child bored? Nothing to do?
Consider tapping into the free library service available to all our registered students this summer. Many of you already help your students connect with the Tennessee Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. For you, or for anyone who has not called frequently from home to order cassette, braille or large print books (even descriptive videos and magazines), here is the contact information:
The library is open from 8:00AM to 4:30 Monday-Friday. If you live outside of Nashville or close surrounding areas, the toll free number is 1-800-342-3308.
For local calls, library patrons are assigned a Reader's Advisor based on the first letter of your last name. These ladies and their direct numbers are:
A-D Janie Murphree 741-3916;
E-K Francine Sharp 741-5836;
L-Q Annette Hadley 741-5838;
R-Z Clara Ledbedder 741-5839;
The Director of the library is Mrs. Ruth Hemphill.
The e-mail address is: Ruth.Hemphill@state.tn.us
Ms. Edwards, TSB Librarian
This year thanks to Mr. Dick Metsker, Mr. Ralph Brewer and several local amateur radio operator volunteers the following students received their FCC Amateur Radio License: Michael Grace, Heather Rasmussen and Courtney Stover. The Friends of Wireless will loan these students the use of ham radios as long as they are students at TSB. Congratulations on a job well done.
TSB will miss the smiling faces and dedicated work of two of our favorite people in the dinning room.
· Mrs. “Mollie” Norales has been with us for only five years, but her laughter and loving nature have made her loved by all.
· Mrs. Bessie West completes thirty-seven years of service to the school. Mrs. West is renowned for her pleasant disposition, hard work and willingness to do what is needed to help our students. At the Staff Appreciation Luncheon Mr. Johnny Ewing sang a beautiful tribute that he composed in her honor.
· We are all saddened that Ms. Rebecca Reddy has decided to retire after 35 years of total dedication to TSB. Ms. Reddy has been a Teacher, Pre-School Counselor, Coordinator of our Pre-School Summer Evaluation Program, Director of our Outreach Services and tireless advocate for children with vision challenges. We know that she will maintain close ties to our school so that we may continue to tap her wellspring of knowledge.
· Ms. Elaine Brown, veteran TSB Teacher has kindly agreed to serve as Interim Outreach Coordinator she will begin in this position July 1st.
· As this publication is being written, construction of our new adaptive playground is underway. This facility will provide a safe outdoor recreational area for our students with physical challenges. We are very grateful to the Friends of the Tennessee School for the Blind Foundation for providing over $50,000 to make this dream a reality.
· Believe it or not our “Window Project” is drawing to a conclusion. I am not going to promise that it will be completed by the time the students return but that is what I am told. The windows will substantially reduce heat loss and intrusion of outside sound. Also, the windows should provide a tremendous reduction in external light glare in the educational buildings.
We are closing out a school year filled with challenges, changes and successes. We began with a shut down of State Government, endured the worst winter in many years and held our breath as our nation went to war. At TSB this year we’ve shed a few tears, but there have been many happy days too. I would personally like to thank ALL of you for your support, counsel, patience and friendship.
Respectfully,
Jim Oldham