Eagle Update – September 2019

September 30, 2019
Menely Hogan
Eagle Update

Flying Eagle Sculpture made out of wood on top of a large boulder. Located on KSSB Campus near sensory garden.

Starting the School Year – Eagle Update – 2019

September 30, 2019

Mr. Jon Harding/Ms. Aundrayah Shermer

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Welcome Back to 2019-20 School Year

The highlight of the month

The focus this month is on new opportunities offered at KSSB – a new sensory room and drama club. The first is the sensory room. This redesigned classroom is a calm and relaxing space that provides students the opportunity to explore the environment on their own, in their own time using a multi-sensory approach. The second is the Drama Club. Students in grade 7 and up meet weekly this fall to develop skills in drama such as vocabulary of the theater, character acting, and improvisation. At the end of the fall season, students will present a comedy/mystery for the school. Join us! Watch for more information in next month’s Eagle Update.

Image from the new sensory room: A student is taking a moment to explore the tall tube with colorful light to dark pink bubbles moving through the water.

Child looking at tall tube with pink bubbles.

Highlights from…

… the classroom

Traveling the halls, people will see active, hands-on, and engaging lessons. It is hard to select only a few, but this month, the elementary science classroom was learning about single-celled organisms – bacteria. A single bacteria that is all around us but is so tiny that it can only be identified through a microscope or when it grows in clumps within the petri dish. In the high school English class, students started the year out, discovering effective and individualized learning strategies. Techniques may include tips for improving memorization or test-taking skills.

Image from elementary science (on the left): A student holding a tray with several petri dishes, growing bacteria. Image from the HS English classroom (on the right): Students sitting at round tables with paper or braille materials. Some with raised hands while two teachers guide the discussion. Student holding tray of petri dishes.

class discussion in english class.

… the ECC

During September – cooking skills were underway. Students practiced every step of the food prep process from planning and shopping for groceries, following each step of the recipe, cooking meals at the right temperature and time.

Image on left: Two students pushing a cart containing grocery items. One student is placing the product on the conveyor belt. Image on the right: A student wearing oven mitts holding an uncooked Quiche in a 9″x13” pan and placing it in an oven. Image on bottom: Three students sitting at a rectangular table with cooking supplies in front of them. One is cutting the bacon into small pieces, another flattening dough, and a third whisking eggs.

Two students with grocery items in cart. Student putting tray in the oven. Students prepping the meal.

… the community

Students at KSSB attended several community events. First, they went to the Kansas City Beaded Quilt Opening and Artist Talk held at the Weinberger Fine Art Museum. Located in the Crossroads District of Kansas City, a unique community filled with restaurants, creative businesses, studios, and art galleries. This event was special to KSSB because many students made a piece of the quilt. Second, the students visited the Children’s Mercy Career Academy, which provides students the opportunity to explore career choices, write resumes, and practice interview skills. Finally, the students were invited to another Apple Store Event. The focus of the lesson was telling stories through music using the garage band app. The session included a lecture and hands-on practice. The students enjoyed the collaboration with the Apple Team and looking for more events in the future.

Image on left: Students standing in front of a large beaded quilt mounted to the wall. Image on right: Five students sitting on benches wearing headphones and holding iPads.

Students standing or sitting in front of a large 10' by 13' brightly colored beaded quilt. Students using headphones and iPads in apple store.

… across the state

The Field Services team provided professional development opportunities and some direct services around the state. Thirteen teachers attended an Active Learning training in Garden City. Eleven new TSVI’s participated in a Functional Vision Assessment training opportunity in Topeka. Also, students served by KSSB COMS received instruction in Orientation and Mobility. For example, a student in Hutchinson planned bus routes starting from the local bus transit station. A student in Garden City used the scanner to get information about a product. In October, local White Cane Day Celebrations are planned for Wichita, Salina, Garden City, and Kansas City.

Image on the left: A student standing in front of a large building with the words Transfer Station above the entrance. Image on the right: Student and teacher standing at a red scanner mounted to the wall to get information about the product. Student and Teacher standing in front of a red wall scanner to view details of the product.