"We will provide world-class educational services
to the visually impaired and
blind"
The
primary purpose of the
The School for the Blind has
a rich history of providing quality services to blind and visually impaired
children from throughout the state. The
school was established in 1886 as a territorial school and has provided
leadership and direction in the development of services to the blind and
visually impaired for over 100 years.
The school is nationally accredited by the Northwest Association of
Schools and Colleges and serves as a statewide demonstration and resource
center providing direct and indirect services to students both on campus and in
the child's local community. Services are provided to families, educators,
blind consumers and others interested in assisting visually impaired youth in
becoming independent and contributing citizens.
As philosophical views have
changed over the years, so has the school for the blind. Beginning in 1990, the school has changed
service delivery models from one of primarily a residential model to one that
meets children, parents, and local school districts needs not only on the campus,
but throughout the state. Since 1990 the
school for the blind has increased the number of children being served by over
500% through a diversification of service delivery models.
Under the direction of the
The WSSB strategic plan
represents a commitment from many individuals over the years in making sure
that the School for the Blind continues to provide strong leadership and
direction in the development of quality services for blind and visually
impaired children.
To
provide specialized quality educational services to visually impaired youth
ages birth to 21 within the State of
The School serves as a statewide demonstration and
resource center providing direct and indirect services to students both on
campus and in the children’s local communities.
Services are provided to families, educators, and others interested in
assisting visually impaired youth in becoming independent and contributing
citizens.
WSSB believes all students have the right to a safe
and stimulating learning environment and the right to an appropriate education.
We also believe that all students can benefit from intensive short-term
placement options and a menu of services that can be provided through
partnerships with LEAs and ESDs. Conceptually,
the School for the Blind is like a revolving door that allows students to
enter, learn a skill and exit back into their local district and then re-enter
for additional intensive learning and then exit again. It is this ease of movement between LEAs,
ESDs, and WSSB, which helps improve the overall programs for blind and visually
impaired within the entire state. No one school or agency can accomplish
what these children need without this spirit of cooperation and sharing.
·
Improve statewide services through effective partnerships.
·
Place more emphasis in actively involving parents in their child’s
program.
·
Continue to place a heavy emphasis on WSSB as a hub of service delivery
for the state as a demonstration center for “Best Practices.”
·
Develop programs to assist students in developing positive self-image
about blindness.
·
Strengthen Educational and Residential programs through short-term
placement with all goals leading toward independence.
·
Continue to set high expectations for all students.
·
Strengthen programs by making sure that each student accepted for
enrollment has vision loss as a primary disability. (It is important to note that this is not an
acuity dependent issue, but dependent upon each child’s independent evaluation
and functional/performance-based vision assessment.)
·
Work with all consumers of services in developing school and agency
pride.
·
Continue to develop creative solutions through on-campus and outreach
services in providing for the needs of students, parents and LEAs throughout
the state.
·
Comprehensive skill development and high expectations for each blind
and visually impaired child to include: Braille, independent travel, social
skills, use of technology, personal management, use of low vision aides, and
job skills.
·
Literacy for all those who are blind and visually impaired.
·
Helping families support and understand their visually impaired and
blind children.
·
Development of collaborative partnerships.
·
Efficient and effective use of resources.
·
Trained and competent personnel.
(numbered items do not represent priority listing)
I.
Leadership - Promote and provide
leadership in the development and improvement of quality services to blind and
visually impaired children throughout the state of
1. Provide quality services
that are cost effective and efficient in meeting blind and visually impaired
children’s needs. NOTE: might be good
to put some measurements against something to help determine.
2. Facilitate cooperative
partnerships that promote improvements in efficient and effective quality
services to blind and visually impaired children.
3. Provide leadership in the
development of safe quality state-of-the-art facilities that will meet the
needs of children today and in the future.
4. Provide children with a safe
and stimulating learning environment that will encourage independence and
success.
5. Secure private and other
public funding sources to help meet the needs of blind and visually impaired
children throughout the state.
6. Continue to expand
accessibility options for all customers including blind children and
adults.
7. Continue to explore
additional service delivery models such as regional program development and
expansion of Distance/Digital Learning options.
More focus on regional development and digital
learning. NOTE: WSSB is currently funded at about $14,000
less per year per child than WSD. This
amounts to $980,000 less per year; this type of funding could go a long way in
this area.
II. Academic
Achievement - All students will be
provided a stimulating, and safe environment that will lead toward high student
achievement, and strong self-confidence and self esteem. Measurement: these need to be written in such a way that
we can achieve solid measurements in a way that the public understands.
1.
Maximum student
achievement of Individualized Education Programs (IEP).
2.
Graduating
students will be successful.
3.
Students will be
competent in the use of technology that provides access for successful
integration into our society.
4.
Maximize student
skills in the areas of daily and independent living to allow for successful
integration into our society.
5.
Assist students
in developing positive self image and self-confidence.
6.
WSSB will work
with local districts to increase academic achievement.
7.
Expand short-term
option programs for students at WSSB.
III.
Best Practice - Serve as a statewide center of best practice for information and
services for blind and visually impaired children.
1. Provide leadership in the
development of access technology for blind and visually impaired children.
2. Provide textbooks, adaptive equipment,
and materials in a timely manner to LEAs throughout the state.
3. Develop a cost effective and
efficient system for the sharing of resources (equipment, textbook, and
materials) for the state.
4. Assist in the facilitation
of research to promote and improve services and service delivery models to the
blind and visually impaired. NOTE: Regional/Digital Learning.
5. Assist in the development of
appropriate assessment instruments to measure academic achievement of blind and
visually impaired children. NOTE: Hire
psychologist to assist in this very important area. This person should be speaking for the entire
state.
IV.
Service Provider/Parent Training - Enhance pre-service and inservice training for all vision related
personnel and parents.
1. Assist in a development of a
model that will provide a pool of highly qualified teachers of the blind and
orientation and mobility specialists for our state.
2. Expand training
opportunities for parents of blind and visually impaired children. NOTE: Maybe this is an area that we can incorporate
Representative Mary Lou Dickerson.
3. Assist with the facilitation
of yearly training opportunities for service providers throughout the state.
4. Gather input from customers
throughout the state on their inservice needs.
5. Expand partnerships with
university programs to improve training options within our state. NOTE: Portland State University possibly expand
options with
6. Design Digital/Distance
Learning classes/services for parents. NOTE: Get assistance from Dept. of Services for the Blind in this
area.
V.
Public Awareness - Increase awareness, and educate the general public about blindness and
visual impairment. NOTE: More resources will need to go into this area.
1. Implement an awareness
campaign designed to increase all consumers’ knowledge about WSSB and services
to blind children throughout our state.
2. Utilize state-of-the-art
technology to facilitate improvements in awareness of services and programs.
3. Increase staff participation
as speakers to civic groups and at state and national conference.
4. Encourage staff’s
participation as members of civic and consumer organizations.
5. Continue to expand WSSB's
interaction with the community and throughout the state.
VI.
Communications - Improve communication with families and service providers involved
in the education of blind and visually impaired children throughout the state.
VII. Safe Environment - Provide safe quality equipment and facilities for the education and
training of children, parents and personnel.
Acknowledgements:
The
Participants: 2005 Participants: 2006
Dave Bagby Dennis Matthews, ESD 112
Patricia Kelley Alan Garrels, Department of Services for the Blind
Alan Garrels
Terry Robertson Faye Fuchs, ESD 105
Tiffany Meyer
Dean
O.
"Alone
we can do so little; together we can do so much"
·
Awareness, accountability, measurement, enrollment (should
we push for a 20% increase in on-campus enrollment), regional program
development, disparity in funding between WSD and WSSB, Quality assurance –
being response to stakeholders within 24 hours
·
Need for residential programs – is this still viable?
·
Shortages of trained personnel
·
Parent education and early childhood intervention