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. 

Our Early Childhood Staff is missing seeing your smiling faces and wanted to say hello! This video has music playing in the background and we can't wait to dance with you again. 

Want some great activities to do at home? Are you overwhelmed by all the resources out there? Why not start here. Ms. Eva gives us some great tips in the first issue of, The Husky Herald. Peek inside!

What a joy it is to see our students, support our parents, and venture into this new normal together. We are so grateful for our parents, our staff and our students pulling together to make education continue and have some fun connecting as still. 

Each morning, for those who can join, Ms. Kelsey's class holds their daily, morning meeting. Here they watch their favorite CNN10 daily news, go over the calendar, share how everyone's night was, talk about their schedule and suggested ideas lessons and the weather. It’s always a great time connecting when we can't be together in the classroom!!

Keep enjoying time with your family.

Ms. Eva's class is getting together, when it is possible, to keep on track and keep the curriculum going forward. We bet this does not surprise Joey at ALL! Ms. Eva, ensuring we have work to do AT HOME! No way! From the smiles on the students' faces, there really isn't a doubt that they don't mind showing up for school or for their amazing teacher. We are really proud of you all. 

If you would like some other ideas for learning at home and ways to integrate the curriculum in activities of daily living, see Ms. Eva's First Issue of the Husky  Herald. 

OSB’s Coronavirus Updates 
April 6, 2020 - 3 PM

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!

The nutrition committee's goal for the 2019-2020 school year is to increase health awareness on campus.

The nutrition committee, comprised of staff members, our Nutritionist, the Food Services Coordinator, staff and students, planned a taste test of a cherry smoothie and a cherry spinach smoothie. These refreshing smoothies are especially beneficial for decreasing inflammation and promoting health.

The students planned the lunch menu which consisted of honey lemon chicken, brown rice, broccoli and fruit.

They created a video that ran all during the taste test. It was another great day and another great way to integrate wellness into our daily habits. It is also a fantastic way to try new things you may not have tried before. 

Our students are dedicated to good food choices, thanks to the years of hard work, education, and creativity of our dietary, nutrition, food services, and speech therapy staff. 

We are proud of our focus on wellness. We are proud of the food we grow together and the menu choices we decide as a team. Good food tastes GOOD. It really is that simple, you just have to give it a try!

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

When The CW Network and CBS Studios reached out to us about casting a new role of a young man with a visual impairment in an upcoming series,  our staff responded at lightning speed. Reaching out to alumni, sending emails, texting. We were thrilled to find out that Doug Trinidad was sent a script to practice for an audition! Here he is with Mr. Sap going over his lines - which he had already memorized! One thing is certain, we love our alumni and it was so much fun having him back on campus for the day. He shines his light everywhere he goes.

We wish Doug the best of luck! We are grateful to The CW Network and CBS Studios for reaching out, creating a character who has a visual impairment, and for this exciting opportunity for so many in our community. 

Printable version of the 2019-2020 School Year Calendar. 

The Women's Track and Field Team had a group huddle before the event, to show each other solidarity and to encourage and inspire everyone. One of the team members was overheard saying, "And remember, we cheer for all teams, not only ours!". That right there is Husky Pride. Go girls!!

Please join us at the Kappen Aquatic Center, Thursday, May 2nd any time from 8 am until 11 am as Mr. Todd Reeves begins the first 3 miles of his 10-mile swim to Celebrate the 10-Year Anniversary of the Kappen Aquatic Center! We hope to see you all there! Please bring signs, poster boards, OSB clothing and any other form of encouragement!

Read the latest and past issues of our Parent Newsletter, News You Can Use.

Stephanie A. was asked by her internship employer, Overbrook Presbyterian Preschool,  to participate in one of their professional development sessions and she received a certificate of attendance in Fire Safety Practices from the Lower Merion Fire Department. We are so grateful to this wonderful employer for helping Stephanie to grow as an employee and also build a great resume! 

It is with deepest gratitude and heart-pounding excitement that we share this news! The incredible Philadelphia Flyers, Rookie goalie, Carter Hart took home the Toyota Cup award for accruing the most star of the game points. A check for $5,000 was presented in his name to Overbrook School for the Blind! We cannot even begin to thank him personally and the Philadelphia Flyers Organization for its generosity of spirit, its big, big Philly heart! We are beyond grateful and filled with pride! So many thanks! We can't wait to invite you here to see what becomes of your generous donation!

We would like to honor Overbrook Presbyterian Preschool and Mrs. Kate Nelson as our Employer of the Month. Read more about how Ms. Nelson has helped many students at Overbrook gain valuable work experience. We are incredibly grateful to all of our employers and you can see by Stephanie's smile how much she loves her job. Would you be interested in employing an OSB student, at no cost to you or your business? Contact The Transition Departmetn for more information. 

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!