Accountability Meeting
CSDB Accountability Meeting
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
10.7.2015
Lions Building
Facilitator
Jon Vigne
Minutes
Julie Cuccaro
Interpreter
Laura Ramos and guest
Attendees
Cathy Bennett, Sandy Fuentes, Tera Lynn Gray, Carol Hilty, Kristen
Huddleston, Cody Kerekes, Barbara Lambert, Jamie Lugo, Lori Mattick,
Ralena McDevitt, Julie Novak, Susie O’Hara, Melissa Shular, Tera
Wilkins
Introduction/Review of Minutes – Barbara Lambert
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Jon introduced new Family Involvement Coordinators, Barbara Lambert, School for the Blind and
Melissa Shular, School for the Deaf.
Barbara led welcome and introductions.
Reviewed Accountability minutes from September 2, 2015. One minor change will be made.
Program Highlights –Residential and Employability
Discussion
Residential Program Highlights – Reported by Sandy Fuentes
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Sandy reported our contract with Springs Trampoline was renewed. This is a favorite activity for
our students.
Evening intramurals have started, including volleyball and other activities using a variety of balls.
Pee Wee programs, for elementary, have started in the afternoons.
Last spring, students planted seeds at Urban Gardens and have now harvested the crops.
Students made juice from the vegetables and already carved the pumpkins!
The dorms have started large group activities which include a scavenger hunt, obstacle course,
dancing, tandem biking, yoga, swimming, arts and crafts, Girls on the Run, and bowling.
Sandy reported the dorm staff has improved communications to families of day students , via emails
and phone calls.
Homecoming took place and students had a lot of fun. CSDB football team played New Mexico
School for the Deaf and won 46 to 36. CSDB Goalball team played against New Mexico School for
the Blind and Visually Impaired and gave it a great effort. Carol commented many schools are
choosing to limit Goalball due to out-of-state travel expenses and cut-backs.
Accountability Meeting
Employability Program Highlights – Reported by Lori Mattick
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Lori reported students participated in Junior Career Exploration classes for Colorado Construction
Career day. Students interacted with people from a variety of construction-related professions.
Students enjoyed hands-on experience with large construction equipment.
Some BtL students are taking classes at Pikes Peak Community College. Classes include zoology,
broadcasting, computer information technology and criminal justice.
During October, students who have or who are facing a dual impairment, will begin a tactile signing
support group with Pam Parker. In response to a question, Lori added we can start teaching tactile
signing earlier but it often takes time for children to accept their dual-sensory loss.
Colorado Center for the Blind, in Denver, has begun a mentoring program for s ome BtL students.
Students will participate in activities and have discussions, in order to gain as much information as
possible.
Staff member, Anthony Thomas, has successfully placed most students in many different workstudy positions. We also have a new partnership with Furry Friends.
September 30, BtL students attended the Pikes Peak Workforce Job Fair. Students learned about
resources for finding employment and personal responsibility after being hired.
Supported OJT students are all working. Employers include the ARC Thrift Store, a local church,
as well as CSDB which provides opportunities such as recycling, data entry and shredding.
Carol Hilty added one gentleman, from the Helen Keller Institute, visited CSDB. The plan is to
work with staff regarding deafblindness awareness and understanding how to better support our
students with dual sensory loss. Perhaps host a summer event in the future.
Title 1 Family Involvement Report
Discussion
Family Involvement Team (FIT) – Reported by Melissa Shular
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Reviewed Student/School/Parent Compacts. Jamie reported 100% of compacts have been signed
in School for the Blind. Kristen reported elementary/middle school have nearly 100% signed in
School for the Deaf. Cathy Bennett was not present to report high school. Tera Lynn reported
100% have been signed for on-campus Bridges to Life program.
Regarding Parent-Teacher Conferences (PTC), many families have RSVP’d. Jamie reported 30
families will attend in School for the Blind. School for the Deaf, 60% of high school families will
participate, over 80% of elementary/middle school will attend, 100% of f amilies in the Family
Centered Early Education program will attend, and BtL will have a good turn-out as well. It was
noted staff worked very hard with follow-up calls to parents, to encourage attendance.
As part of our Schoolwide Plan, the PTC event will include dinner, provided in-part by the PSO. 58
families and many staff have RSVP’d. Tera Wilkins reminded staff to document which families
participate in Parent-Teacher conferences.
Kristen reported Literacy Around-the-Clock (LACC) workshop will happen soon. Information
regarding the workshop will be shared with specific parents at the PTC.
Jamie shared a couple of parent events are also being planned which include Dinner in the Dark
and Without Words (WOW).
Accountability Meeting
Review of 2015-2016 Schoolwide Plan – Academic Strand
Discussion
Literacy and Numeracy – Reported by Tera Wilkins, Kristen Huddleston, Jamie Lugo
Strategy #1, Demonstrate Increased Academic Rigor 
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Kristen reported one of the biggest challenges, for teachers, is the number of pull-outs for related
services which impacts academic rigor. This year, schools have implemented an alternative Friday
schedule to incorporate additional time for students to spend with their advocate and teachers and to
provide time for a variety of workshops.
Also, to address increased academic rigor, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have been
established for both schools. Staff are collaborating to discuss goals and strategies and to address
common weaknesses. Teachers are discussing how best to support student growth.
Jamie reported reading interventions have been implemented for both low vision and braille readers.
Students meet with teachers to receive 1:1 instruction or participate in sma ll-group reading
intervention. Also, additional intervention time for math (Nemeth Code) instruction is happening, as well
as discussion regarding after-school tutoring. Jamie reported low vision devices have been distributed,
and staff and students have received training on the use of the devices. A spreadsheet has been
developed so Information can be shared with dorm staff as well.
School for the Deaf, ASL/English strategies are being reviewed for each grade level. Teachers have
discussed goals and how to apply them in the classroom. They will be reviewing goals for the
remainder of the school year. Staff are working on bilingual training for bedrock literacy which is a new
program being developed to teach both ASL and English simultaneously.
Strategy #2, Incorporate 21 st Century Teaching Methods –
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Jamie reported project-based learning (PBL) activities are underway. The projects happen over a
period of time and involve multiple classrooms and teachers. For example, the first PBL activity, in
elementary, was a community helper project in which students discuss the role of policemen, firemen
and bakers. Colorado Department of Transportation employees visited the school to talk about their
jobs and to answer any questions the students may have.
Students will develop their portfolios. Juniors and seniors are working with the Employability Center to
utilize the College in Colorado website. Freshmen and sophomores are working on ICAP. The team is
planning on expanding portfolios into elementary and middle school in the future. Jamie reported
students, in the School for the Blind, will focus on components of expanded core curriculum within their
portfolios. Student folders will be posted on SharePoint.
Tera reported we are focusing on increasing technology skills in each school, identifying basic skills by
grade level, and providing additional technology training in the classrooms. Outdated devices will be
replaced. The goal is for every student to have at least one device to check-out. Students are doing
great being responsible for Chrome books and IPads.
Strategy #3, Implement Online and Blended Learning Courses –
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Tera reported we are adjusting the current distance learning classroom to make it more efficient and
user-friendly. CSDB is still in the process of hiring a distance learning teacher. The position is posted
but has not been filled.
Accountability Meeting
School Events and Upcoming Announcements
Program Representatives
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Oct. 8 – Dodgeball, School for the Deaf. Also, middle school PBL activity, will be doing a field trip
centered on the topic of “systems”.
Oct. 8 & 9 – Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Oct. 13 - Pumpkin Patch field trip.
Oct. 15 – White Cane Day. Bulldog Band will be playing, poems will be read and a speech will be
given. The event starts at 1:00pm in Acacia Park.
Oct. 16 – Family Centered Early Education program will host their first Friday alternate -schedule family
workshop. Parents are encouraged to attend. Will also host another workshop October 30 th .
Oct. 19 – 23 - Students will be doing career planning activities in the Employability Center.
Oct. 21 - Steps-to-Success career fair for middle/high school students. Booths and presentations will
happen around campus. Parents, and families from other school districts, are invited and encouraged
to attend.
Oct. 22 – Elementary students will be going on a field trip to the Colorado Springs Philharmonic.
Oct. 23 - Elementary and middle school students will go bowling, as a celebration for all their hard work
during MAP testing.
Oct. 23 – Joint Budget Committee analyst will be visiting CSDB.
Oct. 26 – Several students will be attending the Black Forest League Honor Chorus.
Oct. 29 – School for the Deaf, middle school science fair.
Oct. 29 & 30 – Some middle school and high school students will attend National Federation for the
Blind (NFB) convention.
Nov. 4 - Monologue presentation at Mountain Folds Bookstore.
Meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.
Next Accountability Meeting will be November 4, 2015, 5:006:30pm, in the Lions Building.