This publication highlights the weekly activities and events that take place on campus and features
some of the activities conducted by KSB Outreach across the state.
October 17, 2014
October is White Cane Awareness Month! In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson
proclaimed October 15 as White Cane Safety Day. This nationally observed date was set aside in
order to celebrate the achievements of individuals who are blind or visually impaired, as well as to
recognize the importance of the white cane as a symbol of blindness and a tool of independence.
White Cane Safety Day celebrates the ability of people with vision impairments to lead independent
lives by using mobility devices such as white canes to successfully navigate a complex world.
Principal Matters
By: Ms. P (Debi Phillips)
My first attendance at the Bill Roby Games turned out to be every
bit as much fun as everyone said it would be! The weather was
beautiful, the hot dogs grilled to perfection, many schools turned
out to join in the fun, and a great time was had by all! Races, hot
dogs and hamburgers, ice cream and great kids—turned out to be
the perfect mix for a perfect day!
Great schools have great teachers. Check. KSB has the best.
Great schools have great volunteers. Check. The Lions Club and
Louisville Police Department are #1! Great schools have great
kids. Check. KSB kids rock!
Finally, a special shout-out to our dorm staff. Did you know our dorm moms and dads came to
support our kids by volunteering on their time off??? Wow. GREAT PEOPLE MAKE GREAT
SCHOOLS… that is KSB!
Counselor's Corner
By: Elaine Hall, Guidance Counselor
Our College and Career Fair is fast approaching! We believe that this fair is
unique because it is specifically tailored to the issues related to being a
visually impaired young adult.
Just a few of our topics include:

A focus on the Disabilities Resource Center at the college level, and
discussions about life after high school without an IEP. (Thank you to
Bob Blake from U of L for his continued support!)

Aspects of interview skills. Students are given specific feedback
pertaining to resumes, job applications, and mock interviews.

A panel discussion related to adult life from adults with visual
impairments. Students hear discussion related to marriage, having children, budgeting,
banking, travel, etc. We hope to plant the notion that options are limitless, but to also offer tips,
tools, and considerations as they begin to think about life after high school.
We thank our community partners from Humana and many neighboring businesses on Frankfort
Avenue for their participation yet again. We couldn’t hold this event without them.
We ask students to complete a resume, job application, and practice interview skills. These tasks are
being woven throughout the 6 – 12 grade academic days in October. This is the fourth year of our
College and Career Fair, so many students simply add to their resumes each year, and they are
becoming very skilled at completing on-line job applications.
We ask students to wear interview attire on Wednesday, October 22. Please let us know if you
need any assistance in this area related to clothing needs.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Elaine Hall,
(Elaine.hall@ksb.kyschools.us) or Connie Hill (connie.hill@ksb.kyschools.us) with questions.
We will continue to explore career options with K-12 throughout the school year, with a specific
elementary focus in March of each year.
While our elementary students don’t participate in our college and career fair- they were able to
participate in a White Cane Day celebration at the Louisville Zoo on October 15.
Our students have much to celebrate and to look forward to. We are very proud of all our students in
the Kentucky School for the Blind family!
Welcome to Low Vision
By: Connie Hill, CLVT (Certified Low Vision Therapist)
Elementary Daily Living Skills
The elementary group decided to bake cupcakes for their cooking
lesson this week. Brock Fannin went shopping and chose “Blue
Velvet” cake mix. The students were excited about making
cupcakes. The skills they worked on: Stirring, measuring water,
melting butter, cracking eggs, and pouring cake batter into cupcake
holders. Brock and Eric did a great job with using the oven in setting
the temperature and using oven mitts to retrieve the cupcakes out of
the oven. Icing the cupcakes was a success!! The students worked
on icing their cupcakes using either vanilla icing or pink icing. The skill of spreading the icing on the
cupcake was just like reading going left to right. The elementary group was awesome!!
Above: Erick Echeverria and Hayden Ashley stir cupcake batter.
Below: Nick Runyon, Hayden Ashley, Brock Fannin and Eric Echeverria frost their cupcakes.
Transition Group to Independent Living
The transition group started this week to prepare for the Independent Living Program. The students in
this group are Cherish Willis, Matthew Caudill, Tyler Sanders, Devin Mullins, and Amanda Livers. The
program consisted of Introduction to Kitchen 101- becoming oriented to kitchen utensils and
appliances, discussing color and contrast, lighting, and kitchen safety. Cherish, Matthew, and Tyler
prepared their dinner Wednesday evening using the microwave and oven.
The next two months the group will be working on preparing a menu, grocery shopping, budgeting,
cooking with several appliances, following a recipe, cleaning, and kitchen safety. The group is striving
for the skills that are needed to be in the Independent Program and they are off to a great start!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ms. Hill.
connie.hill@ksb.kyschools.us
502-897-1583, ext. 7101
Burt Boyer Received Distinguished Alumnus Award
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is pleased to announce that Burt Boyer, recently
retired from the position as APH’s Early Childhood Project Leader, received an honor from Berea
College’s Alumni Association.
Born in 1940 in Middlesboro, Kentucky, Boyer grew up in the
mountains of Kentucky, attended Kentucky School for the
Blind and, later, the Foundation School in Berea. Boyer has
Albinism and is legally blind. He received his undergraduate
degree in elementary education/special education from Virginia
Commonwealth University, a master's from Ball State University,
and certification to teach people who are visually impaired from
Eastern Michigan University.
His professional career spans more than 44 years of serving
students with visual impairments. He has worked as a teacher
and coach at the Indiana School for the Blind, Principal of the
West Virginia School for the Blind, and Superintendent of both the
South Dakota and California Schools for the Blind. At age 55, he
retired from the California School, but could not stop working. He
led the Lion’s Blind Center in Oakland for several years before
returning to Kentucky to work at the American Printing House for
the Blind, first as a field services representative and later as Early
Childhood Project Leader in the Educational Research
Department.
Distinguished Alumnus Award: This award is given to alumni who have (1) achieved distinction in
their chosen field; and (2) by application of principles fostered at Berea have done much to enrich the
lives of others.
36th Annual Bill Roby Track and Field Games
The Bill Roby Track and Field Games were held on October 1. Two hundred children (ages 3-14) who
are blind and visually impaired competed in a variety of races, long jump, and shot put events.
Fourteen National Honor Society members, from Trinity High School, assisted in the event.
In addition to the games, Louisville Metro Police were on hand with a cruiser, helicopter and horse.
They spoke about the services they provide to the community and gave the young athletes an
opportunity to check out the emergency features of the cruiser and helicopter and to learn about how
a horse is used in law enforcement.
The Roby Games sponsors include Circle K, KSB Alumni Association, KSB Charitable Foundation,
Louisville Downtown Lions Club, Louisville East Lions Club and Kosair Shrine Temple. In addition to
Trinity High School, student volunteers from Anchorage Independent School assisted with the
activities.
The games are named in honor of former Clifton businessman Bill Roby who was an original sponsor
of the games.
KSB to Receive Little Anne CPR Training Unit
The National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation (NADCF) and the Kentucky Auto Dealers
Association will present a Little Anne Four-Pack CPR Training Unit to KSB during a ceremony at the
school on Tues., Oct. 21 at 10 AM. The presentation will take place in the school’s health center
located in Evans Hall.
The school will use the CPR training unit to train
staff, coaches, and students on what to do when a
person has a heart attack. The Little Anne manikins
give signals telling when the trainee is applying the
right pressure in the right spot, or breathing correctly
into the victim’s mouth. Trainees learn the “feel” of
giving quick lifesaving emergency treatment.
“We are very appreciative of the support NADCF has
provided, as it helps us to be prepared and ready to
utilize life-saving techniques,” said KSB nurse
administrator Connie Sea, RN, BSN.
NADCF is part of the National Automobile Dealers Association with headquarters in McLean, VA. Its
membership includes over 19,000 franchised new car and truck dealers in the US.
From the Parent Student Staff Organization (PSSO):
By: Marilyn Kawa, PSSO President
The next PSSO meeting will be Tuesday Oct. 21 at 1:30 PM, in the Scoggan Classroom
Building. We would love to have you join us in discussing this year’s PSSO activities and events.
We want your ideas!
Yeah!! We just got word that the t-shirts that you ordered will be in this week. Here is how we plan to
distribute the t-shirts/hoodies:
If your student stays in the dorm, the order will be given to the dorm parents who will place the order
in your students’ luggage. If your student goes home on the bus each afternoon, the order will be
delivered to your students’ classroom and they will be asked to put the order in their backpack (if it
will fit). Please call the school office if you have any
questions pertaining to the t-shirt orders.
PSSO will be hosting a Soup & Sandwich Dinner
on Nov. 20 beginning at 5:15 PM, just prior to the
evening Percussion Concert which begins at 6:30
PM. The soup and sandwich is free of charge and is
open to all KSB families and staff. The dinner will
be held in the school cafeteria.
Anyone interested in making their favorite soup or
desert, would be most appreciated. Please let us
know if you can donate one of these items. Email
Marilyn at akawafamily@twc.com
Keep an eye out for four beautiful themed baskets that will be raffled off between Thanksgiving and
Christmas. The baskets will be on display in KSB’s lobby and photos and details of the baskets will
appear in the newsletter. The winners will be announced at KSB’s holiday celebration before going
home for Christmas break.
Event Highlights!
The Eye Opening Symposium
This event was held in Lexington, KY on Oct. 8. It was sponsored by Retina Associates of Kentucky.
The symposium brought professionals from the fields of medicine, education, and community
resources together to learn from each other about vision. Eye care professionals presented on low
vision and retinal treatments of the future. Educators and Office for the Blind (OFB) counselors
offered functional interventions available to individuals with vision impairment. Various community
resources offered information and services, such as Radio Eye, OFB, and VIPS. The day ended with
three inspirational presentations from individuals who are blind. Each one shared how he or she had
maintained their quality of life despite their vision loss. Marlana VanHoose ended the meeting with a
song.
Attending the presentation L to R:
New teachers attending with KSB
Outreach Consultants:
Amanda Evans, Martin
County; Miranda Opell, Boyd County;
Autumn Cecil, Clark County; Amanda
Greene, Greenup County; Robbin Cox,
KSB Outreach; Karen Hinkle, COMS;
Nancy Nichols, KSB Outreach;
In front Professional singer, Marlana
VanHoose, Paintsville
WKY White Cane Dinner
This event was held Oct 14. Twenty-two people attended the dinner and program at the Sirloin
Stockade in Murray. Attendees included students and family members, representatives from
agencies, and individuals interested in vision loss. The group plans to meet again in the spring.
The attendees of the White Cane Dinner in West KY posed for a group picture.
At left are program presenters: Terri
George, Marshall County TVI/COMS
and Katrina Berry, WKEC
TVI/COMS. They presented how
O&M services are provided to
children and adults who experience
vision loss.
At right is Robbin Cox, KSB
Outreach Consultant and Katrina
Brown, student from Hazel, KY.
International White Cane Day at the Louisville Zoo
KEDC's KSB Outreach Consultant, Pamela Howard, has partnered with the C.A.L.E.B.S.
Organization CEO, Carey Moore, Orientation and Mobility instructor, today at the Louisville Zoo to
celebrate and provide intensive hands on learning for over 120 Kentucky students who are blind and
visually impaired. Students were able to touch and feel animals and artifacts that they would not
normally have the chance to explore. Happy White Cane Day 2014!
What Is It Like To Have A Visual Impairment?
Connie Hill spoke to a group of middle school students at a private school. She presented activity
stations where students had to wear simulators and perform tasks. Students worked on puzzles,
made trail mix, and explored Braille writers.
CAMPUS EVENTS:
Family Dinner to Feature Connie Hill, Low Vision Consultant – Oct. 21
The Oct. Family Dinner will be held on Oct. 21 at 6 PM in the Practical Living Lab. Featured speaker
will be Connie Hill. She will be discussing low vision topics.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Beth Baker by Oct. 17 at (502) 897-1583 ext. 7105 or
beth.baker@ksb.kyschools.us.
STATEWIDE EVENTS:
Louisville East Lions Club Chili and Hot Dog Supper – Oct. 17, 4:30 – 7:30 PM
All you can eat for only $5! Come on out to St. Leonard for hot dogs and chili!
ST. LEONARD CATHOLIC CHURCH
440 ZORN AVENUE, LOUISVILLE, 40206
McDowell Center’s 2ND Annual OPEN HOUSE – Oct. 22, 10 AM - 2 PM
Join us in celebrating Disability Awareness Month. Discover what the McDowell Center and the Office
for the Blind have to offer. Try out equipment, talk with our staff, meet guide dogs and their handlers,
chat with vendors, grab a snack and have some fun! Learn about Assistive Technology, Orientation &
Mobility, Braille, Bioptic Driving, Aids for Independent Living, Vocational Rehab Programs & more.
CHARLES W. MCDOWELL CENTER
8412 WESTPORT ROAD, LOUISVILLE
Contact: Pam Minton, 502-429-4460
HALLOWEEN MASKS at American Printing House for the Blind – Oct. 25, 10:30 AM
Masks have been a part of many cultures throughout history. Masks made by the sighted usually
depend on the visual for their effects, but textures and shapes can convey emotions as well. Museum
staff will guide participants of all ages and abilities as they make scary or friendly Halloween masks
and headdresses using tactile materials. Free to the public but space is limited so registration is
required. Open to all ages.
AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND
1839 FRANKFORT AVE, LOUISVILLE, KY 40206
Contact: Karen Carpenter, 502-899-2213 or kcarpenter@aph.org
Fall FriendZy – Oct. 25, 10 AM – 4 PM
Activities for the entire family – Mini horses, crafts, games, food and local vendors. Information is
SodaPOP Activity Center is having a Fall Friendzy. Outreach consultant, Robbin Cox will be there with
corn hole with a twist.....eyes covered and sensors used to aim.
SODAPOP ACTIVITY CENTER
979 US HWY 68, DRAFFENVILLE
KY SPIN Fall Festival – Oct. 26, 3-5 PM
Free event for children with disabilities, their siblings and parents/caregivers. Free games, trick-ortreating and refreshments. Wear your costumes! (no scary, gory or revealing costumes please).
Register by Oct. 21.
HILTON GARDEN INN
2735 CRITTENDEN DRIVE, LOUISVILLE, KY 40209
Contact: 1-800-525-7746 or spininc@kyspin.com.
Sacred Heart with Guangzhou Children’s Palace presents Rainbow Choir – Nov. 5, 7 PM
The Rainbow Choir is made up of children with special needs such as vision impairment, cerebral
palsy, and autism. The choir was formed at the Special Educations center of Guangzhou Children’s
Palace in Guangzhou, China. Free event.
URSULINE ARTS CENTER
3113 LEXINGTON ROAD, LOUISVILLE, KY 40206.
Contact: Dr. Laura Chipe lchipe@shslou.org or 502-896-3910 ext 1414.
OCTOBER, 2014
17
Friday
Louisville East Lions Club Hot Dog and Chili Supper, St.
Leonard’s Cafeteria, 4:30-7:30 PM
17-18
Fri/Sat
Varsity Goalball Meet: Tennessee Invitational, Nashville, TN
21
Tuesday
Soup Supper for KSB Families
PSSO Meeting, Scoggans Building, 1:30 PM
22
Wednesday
KSB College and Career Fair, Grades 6-12
24-25
Fri/Sat
Low Vision Clinic, KSB (FULL)
25
Saturday
Halloween Masks, APH
Fall FriendZy, Draffenville, KY, 10 AM – 4 PM
26
Sunday
KY Spin Fall Festival, Hilton Garden Inn, 3-5 PM
30
Thursday
Varsity Goalball Meet: Day Meet, Columbus, OH
NOVEMBER, 2014
3
Mon
No School for KSB
4
Tuesday
Election Day
5
Wednesday
Guangzhou Children’s Choir, Sacred Heart, 7 PM
7
Friday
Northern Kentucky/Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative
Region Family Day
7/8
Fri/Sat
Varsity Goalball: NCASB Conference Championship Meet,
Indianapolis, IN
11
Tuesday
SBDM Council Meeting, 4 PM
12
Wednesday
2nd Quarter Interim Grading Period Ends
13
Thursday
KY Educational Development Cooperative. Region:
EnVISIONing the Future Day
17/18
Mon/Tues
Parent/Teacher Conferences
20
Thursday
Soup and Sandwich Dinner, KSB, 5:15 PM
KSB Fall Concert, 6:30 PM
21
Friday
Braille/Low Vision Carnival, Grades K-5
24-28
Mon-Fri
No School for KSB
27
Thursday
Thanksgiving Holiday
News Contributors:
Debi Phillips, Principal
Connie Hill, CLVT
Elaine Hall, Counselor
Marilyn Kawa, PSSO President
Robbin Cox, Outreach Consultant, Western KY
Editor: Beth Baker, Administrative Assistant, Outreach
Photos: Various
Kentucky School for the Blind
1867 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
KSB Mission Statement:
“The mission of the Kentucky School for the Blind
is to provide comprehensive educational services
to all Kentucky students who are
blind and visually impaired, birth to 21.”
KSB Vision Statement:
“Empowering Students who are Blind and
Visually Impaired to Command their Future”
KSB Beliefs
We believe students who are blind and visually impaired…
... can become college and career ready through world class instruction and
services
… have unique needs that must be met
… have a right to knowledge, tools and relationships necessary to build
successful lives
… deserve to be taught in a safe and caring environment by competent
professionals
… are meaningful contributors to society