KSSB Leadership

Jon has extensive experience working with students who have multiple disabilities, students with visual impairments, including deaf-blind, and the systems that are meant to serve these low-incidence populations. After four years serving as a special education teacher in Kansas schools, Jon worked for five years as an Assistive Technology Specialist at the Missouri Technology Center for Special Education, located at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Jon also worked as a Technical Assistance Specialist for the National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) for 14 years. NCDB is a national technical assistance agency funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to provide leadership and support to all 50 state deaf-blind projects across the United States.

In 2013, Jon was hired as the Director of Instruction at KSSB. He was named interim superintendent in the summer of 2017, and is presently serving as the superintendent.

Aundrayah Shermer, has been a Certified Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist for the past 22 years.  Aundrayah received her master’s degree from Northern Illinois University and took her first teaching position with the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, IA where she worked in outreach serving several regional areas throughout Iowa.

Aundrayah and her family relocated to the Springfield, MO area in 1998 to raise her children near their grandparents.  In Springfield, Aundrayah worked 16 years serving as a TSVI/COMS for the Springfield Public Schools and many surrounding regional school districts.  Aundrayah also worked with Missouri State University for 10 years training and preparing future TSVIs and COMS.

In Spring 2014, Aundrayah was offered the Director of Field Services position at Kansas State School for the Blind.  She and her family relocated to Kansas during that summer, and she has enjoyed her many opportunities to grow in her professional position since that time.

Aundrayah’s life long passion is serving in whatever capacity needed to meet the needs of individuals who have a visual impairment.  Young or old…teacher, mentor, advocator, and parent all describe her commitment to the field.

Deb is a seasoned educator with 26 year of experience in the field. Her career began with completion of her bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1991. For the next 5 years, she was an elementary classroom teacher while working on her Master’s Degree in Interrelated Special Education. Deb then became a special education teacher. For eight years she taught students in grades K-12 with many kinds of disabilities including Intellectual Disabilities, Severe Multiple Disabilities, Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities, Hearing Impairments and Visual Impairments.

While working full-time as a special education teacher and raising 5 children, Deb pursued her Educational Specialist degree and earned both her building level and district level leadership licenses. Deb has served for 13 years as a Director of Special Education and Student Support Services, most recently in Manhattan, Kansas. While in Manhattan, she completed her Educational Doctorate Degree from Kansas State University. In 2019, Deb accepted the Director of Special Services position with KSSB.

Deb has served on the Kansas Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC), a State Board of Education appointment. She is an active member of Kansas Association of Special Education Administrators (KASEA) as well as the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Deb serves as a mentor to new special education directors in the state through the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute (KELI).

Sue Pollan has worked at KSSB for nine years in a variety of roles. She was an Instructional Assistant, Deafblind Intervener, Job Coach, and Student Council Sponsor until accepting the Dorm Director Position in the Fall of 2018. Sue has a degree in Recreation Therapy along with additional credits in Deafblind coursework, computer technology, and accounting.

Sue’s past work experiences include working with troubled and disabled youth, Recreation Therapist, Activity Director, Administrative Assistant and Office Manager. She has always enjoyed working with a variety of populations and in different settings. Sue and her entire evening staff work hard to help KSSB students achieve their goals and provide a safe and engaging environment in the Extended Day Program.

This board meets twice a year: once in the fall and once in the spring. It serves to review the school’s activities and initiatives. The board provides feedback on ways the school can promote adherence to the mission, and it provides perspectives from consumers, parents, and teachers from the field.