Coronavirus Update
Monday - 08/03/2020, 12:38PM

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff and Students,

Today we have posted our current Health and Safety Plan for your review. View the current Health and Safety Plan.

As you may have already noticed, the words “Health and Safety Plan” are preceded by the word “current”.  We anticipate our plan will be modified several times in the coming weeks as conditions change and new safeguards against the spread of Covid-19 are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state and local departments of health, as well as other entities.  Our plan for re-opening the School seeks the delicate and difficult balance between our strong interest in returning to a normal school environment while protecting students and staff to the greatest degree practicable.  As well, we seek to provide parents and guardians with a choice among face-to-face and virtual learning options, given they are in the best position to determine the best path ahead for their child.  More introductory information is below.

The School Calendar for the School Year 2020-2021 has been posted in PDF format. The calendar will be added, by event, to the website calendar as well in the coming week. You can find the School Calendar here. 

Early Childhood is Moving Up at 10am. Join us here!

The Class of 2020 Virtual Commencement Ceremonies, June 11, 2020, 10 am. We are so excited to celebrate!

We had a most wonderful time at the Prom last Friday evening. We have posted a small photo slide show from the event. We know they are not your typical prom photos -- but Overbrook has always been unique! Thank you again for showing up to create this beautiful evening. 

Thank you so much for all of your support, the Horticulture Center Sale has ended. We are so grateful!

To say our teachers are kind and generous is an understatement. We have never been more amazed by our staff -- their grit and their fierce dedication to our students is unwavering. We can't thank you enough.

(OSB does not own any rights to the Natalie Merchant song, "Kind and Generous" used in this video)

Today in High School,  Ms. Kelsey's class  discussed their  Flat Ms. Kelsey Project. They are taking her with them on their daily adventures.  Students/families are uploading their pictures into Ms. Kelsey's Google classroom to create a PowerPoint of the students and flat Ms Kelsey's adventures.

This is part of a unit Ms. Kelsey is working with her students that involves the flat Stanley book.  Look for updates to their adventures.

In this picture you will see the students in the class holding up their Flat Ms. Kelsey.

It is Teacher Appreciation Week and we could not be more grateful for our dedicated, hard-working, flexible, realistic, pivoting, expert, kind, caring, beautiful staff. It takes a village and our instructional staff is working right through the messy with our village. Teamwork is essential, but it's our teaching staff who make it work. It's their love of what they do, their desire to see your kids achieve, the concern they have for the students' well-being, mentally, physically, cognitively. Overbrook Staff stomps ON.

Therapies continue to be delivered, IEPS are in place remotely, our parents are on board and kicking behind (can we say that?) in a really difficult time, we could not think of anything more wonderful to celebrate than our instructional staff. We encourage you to drop a note of thanks this week -- it means the world to hear from students and parents. 

Our teacher's dedication is written all over our students who are succeeding at being involved in a MEANINGFUL continuum of services. Just look on social media at our students, mowing lawns, making meals, traveling and showing up for work safely. What we do at our school is evident in every photo we receive -- and we LOVE seeing your kids succeeding. Send those pics into denise@obs.org! 

It really doesn't surprise us that our School to Work students are busy at home, helping their family with chores, learning new skills, stretching themselves? It doesn't surprise us because the foundation for success and achievement and the grit it takes to get there are engrained in our students, from the second they walk through the door and we can thank our wonderful teachers for that.

Ms. Eva's class has been working on poetry. Here are some of their latest additions. Do we see a book coming Ms. Eva?

E-A-R-T-H
By Ethan R.

Every day we must take care of Mother Earth
Anyone can take care of our planet
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Too much pollution can cause problems
Honoring our planet

E-A-R-T-H
By Nicholas L.

Environment
Atmosphere
Recycle
Trees
Hydroelectric

E-A-R-T-H
By Gabby

Everyone can do their part.
Act right now.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. 
Together we can make a difference. 
Help keep the earth beautiful.

E-A-R-T-H
By Louis

Earth is our planet.
A part of the galaxy
Rich with resources
The earth is getting hotter
Has 7.8 billion people living on it

New Parent Resources from Rhonda Davis, Parent Liaison:  Please view the full list of Parent Resources on the COVID-19 page of the School’s website, which includes all resources listed in past Updates: https://www.obs.org/parents/enrolled-families.cfm. 

Two new resources are worth highlighting:

Face Masks Available to Anyone: Anyone in need of cloth masks for essential outings can email rhonda.davis@obs.org to receive them (by mail) free of charge.

Plastic Face Shields for Healthcare or Public Transportation Staff: For parents/staff/family members who work in any sort of healthcare or public transportation setting, you can request plastic face shields at no cost. The shields will be delivered free of charge after filling out the request form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-U1Pcy-WjXCQQg82YSJZt9zGfhB9lu6ZR2tFpPAvpfSpZtA/viewform

Additional Resources on the Enrolled Families page sidebar.

Exercising at home!
Follow along with Mr. Zack in Early Childhood and Elementary.

Ms. Eva's High School Class has been busy writing poetry. They are always a creative bunch and work hard to improve their reading and writing skills. Here are some wonderful Haikus the students worked on last week remotely. No stopping these kids, or  Ms. Eva

By Louis T.
Beautiful sunrise  
The sun is coming out now 
It is very bright 

By Gabby Z.
The North star is bright             
I can see it from my room
The North star sparkles

By Ethan R.
It's raining outside
I hear the boom of thunder
Spring is in the air 

By Angel M.
It is warm outside
It is very bright today
Everything goes boom 

For some students the concept of on-line learning or learning at home can be difficult to understand. She put a quick social story together for her students to help explain it. You can download it here. 

8/10/2020, 2pm Download the Full OSB Health and Safety Reopening Plan

Latest Coronavirus Update and Reopening Plan, please note the form to complete for the August 12 Program Selection is included in this update. Please download and return this document to vcredle@obs.org Please See the Health and Safety Plan Released, 8/3/202

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update - Letter to ParentS Updated March 9, 2020

During the month of March, the high school department will be participating in a community service project with the Philadelphia Chapter of The Shoebox Project.

Who is The Shoebox Project?
The Shoebox Project for Shelters is a 501(c)(3) public charity that collects and distributes gift-filled Shoeboxes to women who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness in communities across the US and Canada. Each thoughtfully created and decorated Shoebox is filled with items valued at $50 that can help enhance self-esteem and reduce feelings of isolation for women in crisis.  

What are we collecting?

• Something cozy:  like socks, hat, mittens, or a glove
• Something special: a gift card or accessories
• Something practical: transit tickets, sunscreen
• Something personal: Shampoo, conditioner, or body wash
• Something pretty: Makeup, nail polish, cosmetic bag
• Something fun: playing cards, a blank journal 
• Something sweet: candy, nut-free chocolate
• Something soothing: sleep mask

Please note:  All products should be new and unopened.

We will have donation collection bins located throughout the school. Please send any donations in with your student. We are also looking for empty ADULT SIZE shoe boxes.  Please feel free to send them into school too. 

All OSB high school students will be involved with this service project. The students met Lauren Tjernlund, the local representative from The Shoebox Project last week to learn about the organization and what goes into making the box special for the recipients. They will be collecting the donations in March and will be assembling the boxes to be delivered to The Shoebox Project in April.   

If you have any questions about our project, please feel free to contact Ms. Kelsey McGuire. To learn more about the organization, please visit The Philidelphia Shoebox Project website.

We thank you in advance for helping to make our service project a success.

Read the 2018- 2019, A Year in Review 

We have been quite fortunate with the winter weather, but we wanted to remind you to review the Inclement Weather Policy, as we have made some procedural changes. 

Did you know that the School to Work Program has a pop-up shop in the Springfield Mall where students sell the items they create? If you didn't please feel free to stop by to say hello. We're right around the corner! See what the students are working on and the incredible things they create. The Overbrook Student-run pop up is open until the end of the school year. Their hours are 10-11:30 Tuesdays through Fridays. It is located on the upper level across from Ruby Tuesday’s. There's always a lot happening in School to Work! Read more.

https://www.obs.org/what-we-do/school-to-work.cfm

The mentorship program and the Marine Corps want to thank everyone for donating toys to the Toys for Tots campaign. The Elementary Program collected hundreds of toys. Our students have learned the importance of giving back by volunteering. Thank you again and Happy New Year from the gang in Elementary!

Cool Adaptive Fashion

We love it when a company thinks about persons with disabilities! Check out Adaptive from Zappos, Functional and Fashionable Products to Make Life Easier! 

Our very own Mr. Lee Stough was interviewed by the PHS : Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in the latest 'Gardening for Good' article. We are so proud of our students and staff who help us to keep growing.

Gardening for the Greater Good | Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Today is White Cane Safety Day! School to Work student, Shamira, demonstrated the proper white cane technique at the busy intersection of 15th and Market Streets with Amanda Bear, her orientation and mobility instructor. Shamira was cheered on by the Phillies Phanatic who helped draw attention to the importance of the White Cane, a mobility tool that is also the symbol of independence for people who are visually impaired. It is intended to encourage people, especially motorists, to take extra care when they see someone with a white cane. 

10 Nutrition Tips Education Series from the Department of Agriculture. October Printable for students everywhere. 

MyPlate, MyWins for Families is a wonderful resource for parents of all families. There are even fun activities to do with your kids. Painting with fruit and vegetables is a favorite of our students at art time. 

• Food Art
  Show kids that healthy foods can be beautiful and appetizing. Check out these food art examples to inspire your creativity.
   
• MyPlate Printable Activities and Coloring Sheets
  Print these activity sheets for kids to learn more about healthy eating, including a coloring page, word scramble, crossword puzzle and more. 
   

Go to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov for more information.

We are so pleased to share the news that Larry Campbell, President Emeritus ICEVI and Todd Reeves, CEO, Overbrook School for the Blind, Philadelphia jointly inaugurated the ICEVI MATH MADE EASY YouTube Channel at the OSB on 4th September 2019. You can access the channel here and view 30 instructional videos on mathematics education for visually impaired children.

Please subscribe to the channel and also share this news with teachers of visually impaired children, parents, teacher educators and all those who are interested in the education of children with visual impairment. We will be uploading another 20 videos in September and more videos will be uploaded on a regular basis. We hope teachers will find these instructional videos useful to make mathematics easy for visually impaired children. Please feel free to email your comments and suggestions for improving the video instructional materials.

With kind regards,
Mani, M N G
CEO, ICEVI

October 6, 2019

Join us on Sunday, October 6 in Fairmount Park to support Overbrook School for the Blind’s inaugural Run, Walk and Roll 5K! You don't want to miss this amazing event featuring a live DJ, pre-race warm-up & stretch, a professional announcer, and an amazing time with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and other charitable individuals like yourself. Come out and get some exercise while supporting the students and programs at Overbrook School for the Blind!

You'll be able to support the Run, Walk 'n' Roll by:

• Running and raising funds for OSB; 
• Sponsoring a runner or team; 
• Buying a shirt for you and your friends (details and design to follow); 
• Donating via our website; and/or, 
• Volunteering (and cheering for our runners) on the day of the race. 

Click here to visit the Run, Walk 'n' Roll website to learn more, register for the 5K or donate!

Questions? Contact Betty Tsarouchis at btsarouchis@obs.org.

Orientation and Mobility Specialist, Christine Wozniak, shares some great tips on how to better understand vision exams and visual acuity that you can read here. 

Preschool to School-Age Transition: Considerations for Children Who Are Blind/Visually Impaired
 

As your child transitions from Early Intervention/Preschool services to school-age services, your school district will complete an evaluation of your child to determine your child’s educational needs. As your child and you go through this process, it is important for you to discuss your child’s needs with the educational team. This document provides a list of questions and considerations related to the unique needs of children who are blind/visually impaired, deafblind or blind/visually impaired with additional disabilities. This tool is designed to guide your discussions to ensure that the school district considers all of your child’s educational needs including the Expanded Core Curriculum of skills that are essential for all students with visual impairments.

While this tool was developed to assist both families and school districts to develop educational programs for children transitioning from Early Intervention to School Age services, the questions and considerations are relevant for students of any age.

If you have any questions related to your child transitioning to a school-age program, please contact Lynne Williams at Lynne@obs.org

Printable version of the 2019-2020 School Year Calendar. 

Last week the Early Intervention Program visited the newly opened Lulu’s Casita in West Chester. Lulu’s Casita is a play area where kids can explore on their own and interact with others.  Fun was had by all!  

The Early Intervention Outreach Program sets up community trips for our family’s in Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Chester counties in hopes that our families will make connections with each other. The Overbrook Teachers of Students with Visual Impairment host to introduce families and assist with visual efficiency and ways that parents can support their child's visual needs when out and about in the community. We know that it really does take a village and that sharing with someone who understands is vital to the health of the entire family.

The latest version of News You Can Use Parent Newsletter is available from Parent Liaison, Rhonda Davis, and it is chock full of resources and events for parents and caregivers to attend. Check it out. 

MR. FRANK AND MS. MELISSA COLLABORATE TO CREATE A CVI ADAPTED SHAPE SORTER!

Our staff never ceases to amaze us with their creativity and expertise. Everyone at our school shows up to give our students the best opportunity in life -- everyone.

With the help of Mr. Frank L., one of our incredible maintenance staff here at Overbrook School for the Blind,  Melissa Brown, OTR/L was able to bring an adaptation she was dreaming up to life. Find out how to make your own here!