Tennessee School for the Blind Home

Greetings TSB Families,

 

It is hard to believe we have come to the end of another school year.  It is safe to say that the 2020-2021 school year will go down in the history books like no other.  Schooling in the age of COVID has been a challenge but working together, we provided great opportunities for our students.  This year was truly a collaborative effort between school and home.  I am so proud of the way that everyone stepped up to ensure our students received a quality education. 

 

First, I wanted to thank all of our families.  Having to transition between in-person and remote learning was difficult and many times hard to plan for.  I was blown away by how resilient everyone has been and the flexibility you all showed during these transitions.  Keeping our students, families, and staff safe remained a top priority.  This forced us to make some difficult decisions but through it all, you remained steadfast in your commitment to your children.  It was a heavy lift for sure, but you never let your children or our school down.  I will forever be grateful for the support our families have shown the school over this past year.  

 

Our staff has truly stepped up this year and gone up and beyond to serve our students.  Across the entire campus, all departments have worked to ensure we could safely operate the school.  Teachers, educational assistants, youth service workers, and all of those that serve students directly have had to figure out how to navigate online learning and interactions.  The school’s tech team put in long hours to ensure students had the devices they needed to learn remotely.  Our school leaders and clinic staff have had to double as contact tracers.  Our custodial staff has had to work double-time to keep our school clean and sanitized.  The school’s security team doubled as medical screeners for staff and visitors.  The maintenance team maximized the time students were away from campus to knock out a ton of projects.  Although we never figured out how to do distance lunches, the dietary staff used the time to deep clean and prepare for when students would be at school.  No matter if we were remote or on campus, our entire staff made stepped up to make sure students had what they needed. 

Finally, I wanted to thank the school’s leadership team.  Planning for this school year was daunting to say the least.  None of us were trained to lead school during a pandemic.  Each member showed tremendous poise and grace during some very stressful times.  No matter how difficult things were, the team never lost sight of ensuring students and families were cared for. 

 

As we transition to the summer break, I hope everyone gets some much-needed and well-deserved rest.  We are looking forward to welcoming all of our students back to campus in August.  As you travel, please stay safe and healthy.   I still urge all that are eligible to become vaccinated and it is never a bad idea to practice good virus hygiene (social distancing, washing your hands, and masks).  

 

Have a great summer TSB!

 

David Martin, Director of Schools