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The 2012 Kansas Sunflower Regional Braille Challenge was a great success. Check out the video below.


Home of the Eagles - Established 1867
The Kansas State School for the Blind is a special purpose school for students aged 3-21 years of age who are visually impaired and are referred by their local school district for evaluation at KSSB in consideration of a placement decision.  KSSB is a secondary service provider that assists school districts in their provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education for their students, through time-limited placements and statewide outreach services.  Regardless of where KSSB services are provided, school districts retain primary responsibility for their students.

Daily School Schedule

Monday – Thursday 7:50 am to 3:16 pm
Friday 7:50 am to 1:45 pm 
 
Note: Friday school schedule (or Thursday if there is no school on Friday) allows students who must travel a longer distance to arrive home at a more reasonable hour and also allows time for staff professional development and necessary meetings.

Donate

To contribute to the school, visit the 

VoIP Information Day

posted May 9, 2012 10:10 AM by Bradley Hook   [ updated May 21, 2012 1:51 PM ]

The date has been set for July 10, 2012. Vendors are invited to register by using the online Vendor Registration Form. Guests representing local educational entities (schools and non-profits) may sign up online by using the Guest Attendee Form.

The Kansas State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (KSSDB) have been desiring to move to VoIP systems for a considerable time. We are intent on including a funding request to cover VoIP in our July 2013 - June 2014 budget that will be submitted to the state fall of 2012. Our decision-making staff need to be properly informed about the systems and services available in order to submit a reasonable budget request and to create a solid RFP when the time comes.

In preparation for this, we are holding an event for hardware vendors and service providers to come out and present the feature sets they are able to offer as well as giving us some rough numbers to budget with. Any costs given as a part of these presentations will not be considered binding quotes - they should be estimates for long-term budget planning only. We will not be basing our budget request on any single vendor's information.

We would like to see info on several brands and services so that we have a well rounded view of what is available. We would be asking for only about 15-30 minutes to cover each brand or service. Some vendors represent more than one brand or service, and we would be happy to see you spend an appropriate amount of time on each offering. 

The things we definitely want to see at this event (this is not an exclusive list):

Hardware
  • Cisco
  • Avaya
  • Shoretel
  • Digium
  • PolyCom
Services
  • SIP Trunking
  • Cloud Hosting
  • Hybrid Cloud+Trunk
While the primary purpose of this meeting will be for KSSDB staff to gather information for our budget, we will invite a large number of surrounding school districts and other educational entities in the hopes of providing a larger audience.

Regarding our 2012-2013 E-Rate cycle, please be aware that this meeting will have no bearing on the 2012-2013 service year.

A limited number of guests will be allowed to participate in the event due to space restrictions. Guests from local educational organizations, including public and private schools and education-related non-profits, are welcome to register. No more than two people representing the same organization will be allowed. 

Job Opening

posted Apr 4, 2012 7:09 AM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Apr 4, 2012 10:07 AM ]

Outreach Teacher TVI and COMS

Position Overview: The Orientation & Mobility Specialist position is a critical component of our instructional team.  Primary duties are to provide orientation and mobility evaluation and training of students (birth – 21) who are visually impaired.  Caseload is with students on campus and outreach students up to 3 hours away with occasional overnights. >>more

04.18.2012 Spring Concert

posted Mar 29, 2012 11:22 AM by Sonya Fendorf

Music Folder


KSSB Spring Concert will be held in the Gym Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

Kansas State School for the Blind would like to invite you to our Spring Concert featuring pianists, vocalists, rock bands, an Orff ensemble, our cheerleading squad, dancers and our switch choir.  Other features (starting at 3:15pm) include slideshows, photography, videos, a school showcase, an art gallery and fundraiser items for sale.  Come enjoy the vibrant musical talent at KSSB and cheer on your loved ones and their friends.

Questions: Jenny Karnes 913-281-3308, ext. 340

04.04.2012 Open House

posted Mar 5, 2012 11:47 AM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Mar 16, 2012 6:10 AM ]

04.04.2012 Open House

You are invited to attend the Wednesday, April 4, 2012 Open House "A Day in the Life of a Child at KSSB" from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on the KSSB Campus in the Johnson Building.

Flyer (pdf)
Press Release (pdf)

RSVP: sfendorf@kssdb.org 913-281-3308, ext. 306

The “Days” project is both a national and local event to bring positive focus to the great education that takes place at COSB schools and to educate the wider community about the importance of teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum to all students with visual disabilities, regardless of where they receive their education. >>more

Gwendolyne Hawley Trust Scholarship Award

posted Feb 17, 2012 1:57 PM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Mar 27, 2012 7:13 AM ]

The Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB) and its foundation, the KC Blind All-Stars, are responsible for distributing the Gwendolyne Hawley Trust on behalf of the Hutchinson Community Foundation.  The late Mrs. Hawley, of Hutchinson, Kansas, left this trust to assist blind students with their post-secondary education.  The amounts of the scholarship award(s) have ranged from $500 to $1,800 for students.

Summer 2012

posted Feb 16, 2012 5:35 AM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Feb 16, 2012 6:42 AM ]

Summer 2012
The Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB) Extended School Year (ESY) program will again be three (3) weeks long this year.  Enrollment will be Sunday, June 10th and school will start Monday, June 11th running through Friday, June 29th.  Dorm students are encouraged to stay for special activities during both intervening weekends as appropriate; younger students especially may want to go home both weekends.

The ESY program is for children with visual impairments and blindness (ages 3 - 21) currently enrolled in public school programs and those KSSB students who have the ESY program recommended on their IEPs.  >>more

If You Braille It, They Will Come...

posted Jan 31, 2012 8:59 AM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Feb 3, 2012 6:55 AM ]

The Braille Challenge
If you Braillle It, They Will Come: Top Blind Students Test Skills at Unique Competition

Press Release (pdf) Schedule (pdf)

Kansas City, Kansas – On February 22, 2012, from 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 27 blind and visually impaired students from across the state of Kansas and from the surrounding Missouri area will meet to test their braille skills in an academic competition unlike any other.  The students will take part in The Kansas Sunflower Regional Braille Challenge, which will be held at the Kansas State School for the Blind.

2012 Alumni Reunion

posted Jan 26, 2012 5:57 AM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Jan 26, 2012 6:01 AM ]

Transition Program 2012-2013

posted Jan 11, 2012 11:25 AM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Mar 12, 2012 1:24 PM ]

Transition Assessment and Orientation February 27-29, 2012

The Transition Program at KSSB allows students who have completed their high school requirements (but were not issued a high school diploma) to attend KSSB for an additional year or two of services.

Services are focused on:
  • College Prep
  • Career Development
  • Independent Living Skills
  • Individual Unique Needs
Intensive and specialized teaching methods, highly targeted training, and work experience in the students' field of interest and aptitude prepare them to succeed, equipped with knowledge and skills to function as independent adults.

Please email Cheryl Covell or call 913-281-3308, ext. 347 for more information or an application packet.

01.26.2012 Give Back Night - Ruby Tuesday

posted Jan 4, 2012 10:16 AM by Sonya Fendorf   [ updated Mar 12, 2012 1:27 PM ]

Make Thursday, January 26, 2012, a Ruby Tuesday night, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 20% of your total bill will be donated back to KSSB if you tell your server that you are there for: "Give Back" Night for the Kansas State School for the Blind


Please share this with your friends and family and come out to show your support for Kansas State School for the Blind. Questions: Cheryl Love (913) 281-3308, ext. 326

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