CSDB BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

September 2010

 

REPORTS FROM STUDENT PROGRAMS

On Campus Academic Programs/Student Services

  • The Peak Vista, Ronald McDonald Van visited CSDB on August 18. Thirty-three students took advantage of the medical van: 22 students received physicals for athletics participation, three received immunizations, and eight received both physicals and immunizations. This service supported CSDB in our efforts to comply with the Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) and state immunization regulations.
  • All PLC groups have met twice so far. They are sifting through CSAP and other data to assist in targeting instruction for our students.
  • Our application for Alternative Education Campus (AEC) status has been accepted by CDE, and we have provided them with our accreditation framework measures.
  • We currently have 26 new students enrolled at CSDB. This number is a bit higher than recent years.   

 

Outreach

  • Dinah Beams shared three research-based practice presentations at the National Marion Downs Symposium Frontiers in Hearing: Beyond Newborn Screening in July 2010.  She also was invited to present to Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired and other professionals who were taking the VIISA course in August specific to serving infants and toddlers with vision loss and/or those who have combined vision and hearing loss in August.
  • The Colorado Home Intervention Program, in a collaborative endeavor with the Sertoma Club, Colorado Families for Hands and Voices, and the Marion Downs Hearing Center, sponsored a large event for families on August 28. This event involved a picnic, entertainment, face-painting, games, etc. Robin Getz was instrumental in planning this event. 
  • Dee Shuler Woodard and Denise Davis Pedrie completed the Professional Partnerships in Cochlear Implants training in June 2010. This was the final chapter in an intensive training that involved several weeks. Dee and Denise have begun to share what they learned with the other CO-Hears for implementation in the program.
  • The Colorado Instructional Materials Center hosted the Southern Vision Teacher’s first meeting of the year on the CSDB campus.
  • A master calendar of outreach events has been developed and includes activities which are part of the Strategic Plan such as short courses for students who are blind/visually impaired.
  • Dr. Laura Douglas and Ms. Chris Vidal, Senior Consultant, submitted a grant application to the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  The grant of $5,000 was approved for the purchase of netbooks to be used with students who are deaf/hard of hearing in rural areas of Colorado. This will assist them in becoming aware of local, statewide, and national resources for persons who have hearing losses.

 

Student Life

  • The Student Life Department is off to a great start.  The new students have adjusted to dorm life well; a few have already “bloomed” here with support from staff and other students.  The unit teams (dorm supervisors in each dorm unit) have worked together well to ensure that students are aware of the dorm expectations; not only to arrange after-school activities but also to offer support in the area of academics; to engage in facilitating activities and/or sports.
  • Students are thrilled about taking advantage of the new circuit machines in the fitness room. The platforms (squat pieces) will be installed sometime in early September.  These machines will definitely promote the athletes’ conditioning and the students’ fitness as well.  The group of staff who completed the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) training last spring has been working with students/athletes. 
  • The high school football team is ready for a new challenge playing 6-man football under a first-year coach, Tony Passerilli.  Nancy Pellow, a teacher from Palmer High School, is a second-year volleyball coach for the girls, and she is expecting an improved season.  Cody Kerekes, P.E. teacher, is coaching the middle school volleyball team.  Raul Brown, dorm supervisor, is coaching middle school football.  Lori Hall, dorm supervisor, is coaching goalball.    

 

 

REPORTS FROM SUPPORT SERVICES

Finance

  • The FY11 budget is approved in COFRS and the POTS amount for fringe benefits has been requested from CDE. The school should receive the POTS funding within the next few weeks. The July financial recap shows a total budget, excluding trust funds and ARRA rollover funds, of $15,085,647.
  • All of the current FY11 grants have been appropriated with the exception of the IDEA and IDEA Preschool roll over funds, which will come later in the year.
  • The FY12 budget request submission is due to the Office of State Planning & Budget (OSPB) by September 10. There are no salary increases for FY12, including the District 11 scale employees, because D-11 cancelled the years of experience step increase for their  SY10-11, which is the basis for our SY11-12 (FY12) budget. No other decision items are being submitted.
  • It appears the OSPB is going to reduce 2% from the FY12 personal services budget, including early intervention, due to the economic impact on the state budget. We were required to submit the dollar impact to us which is about $210,000.

 

Personnel 

  • There has been one employee appointment since August 12, 2010, that requires approval by the Board of Trustees – see attached.  There have been sixteen employee appointments made for the beginning of the SY 2010-2011.  The State Hiring Freeze remains in effect.
  • There are two teacher vacancies at this time (Internal Hiring Freeze Exemption requests to fill  have been granted):
    1. Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI): Pre-School (CSDB teacher re-assigned to provide services until position filled)
    2. Teacher of the Deaf/Outreach Programs, part-time (Long-term Sub Teacher assigned to provide services until position filled)
  • New Employee Orientation occurred August 2-4, with nine new staff and their mentors participating in the following activities: Welcome to Programs/Superintendent’s Welcome & Brunch; Human Resources Orientation/Benefits Information; Team Building Activity presented by CSDB Challenge Team; Educator Induction Program Introduction; Network Access training; Crisis/Facilities/Asbestos Awareness; Work in Program areas/ Classroom Prep; Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) training.
  • A variety of schoolwide ‘Back-to-School’ Professional Development activities occurred August 4-9:
    1. All Staff:  Schoolwide ‘Welcome Back’ Meeting; ‘Back to School’ BBQ Lunch; Ice Cream Social; Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) Awareness; CPR/First Aid training; Child Abuse Reporting training.
    2. All Educational Programs: Program/Team Meetings; Professional Learning Community (PLC) Facilitators’/Team Meetings; Assessments Results/Review and Planning; Medications Delegation Training; Curriculum Mapping (content teachers); DDTRAC System; IEP Update Training; AEBPD (ASL/English) Team Meeting; Preparation & Planning Time.
  • Human Resources staff participated in the following:
    1. CDE Webinar re: Educator Identifier Project
    2. Project Update meeting relative to the Department of Personnel & Administration’s (DPA) KRONOS project for statewide time and leave management
    3. CDE Informational Webinar re: E-License project scheduled to launch September 1

 

Facilities/Security/Technology

  • Staff members provided support of several activities at the beginning of the school year to include: registration and new staff training.  
  • Work orders completed in the month of August:
    1. 331  Facilities work orders
    2. 423 IT  requests
    3. 87 Vehicle trip requests
  • The annual visit from State Buildings occurred August 19.  Controlled Maintenance Project requests are due September 3.
  • New boilers are scheduled to start up September 8.

 

Public Relations

  • The Gazette published an article, “Kimiko Bullis an athletic diamond in the rough” about Kimiko Bullis, student in the School for the Blind, and her participation in the Rocky Mountain State Games.
  • The Gazette and the Denver Post published information about the 2010 CSDB Football team.
  • Five interns began working at CSDB in August.  Michelle Lazarowicz and Laura Biggins from Augustana College in South Dakota work with Diane Beard and Chris Nipper in the School for the Deaf.  Stephanie Swezey from Florida State University is working with music teacher, Julie Novak. Jerri Nelson from the University of Northern Colorado began her Braille Practicum working with Bertha Guerrero in the School for the Blind, and Bambi Delvisco from Gallaudet University is working with counselor Kathy Emter in the School for the Deaf.  Two more interns will begin in October in the School for the Deaf.
  • Events held on campus in June were:  Sign Language Proficiency Interview Training; ‘The Week’ Interpreter Training; and Best Practices in Teaching and Assessing for Deaf/Hard of Hearing & English Language Learners.
  • In August, a Visual Phonics (VP) Training was held in Montrose, providing participants with nine hours of activities surrounding VP including developing strategies and techniques for RtI, using VP materials, integrating VP into speech and reading activities, skill reinforcement activities and small group practice, and assessment strategies.  Eighteen professionals attended from Mesa County and Delta County School Districts. 

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES

 

September 6, 2010                              Labor Day / School Closed

September 8, 2010                              Board of Trustees’ Meeting

September 27, 2010                            Professional Development/PLCs Day –

No Students

September 26-October 2, 2010           Homecoming Spirit Week

/ Deaf Awareness Week

October 1, 2010                                  Deaf Awareness Day

October 2, 2010                                  Homecoming

October 3-9, 2010                               Fire Prevention Week

October 11-15, 2010                           National White Cane Day

October 4-8, 2010                               Post-Secondary Education Week

October 8, 2010                                  Education Beyond High School Fair

October 14, 2010                                Board of Trustees’ Meeting

October 15, 2010                                National White Cane Day

 

STUDENT SERVICES

As of August 30, 2010

Total Number of Students

576

Total 3-21 Enrollment

211

 

School for the Deaf

School for the Blind

Preschool

9

3

Elementary

30

18

Middle School

21

11

High School

46

20

Bridges to Life

44

9

TOTAL

150

61

Day Students

126

Residential Students

85

Parent Option

20

District Option

191

Teacher:Student Ratio

1 : 4.6

CHIP (Deaf)

298

CHIP (Deafblind)

22

Blind: Birth-3

30

Direct Outreach

15