West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

As October comes to a close, we want to celebrate our extraordinary Principal, Mrs. Melanie Hesse. 💛

Mrs. Hesse’s commitment to fostering a supportive and inspiring learning environment exemplifies the very best in educational leadership. 📚

Thank you for leading with heart, making every student feel seen, and shaping a school where everyone can thrive.

We are so grateful for you! 🌟

#NationalPrincipalMonth #WVSDB #EducationExcellence

about 22 hours ago, Alyssa Hansrote

📣Hands Up, West Virginia! Is Back! Join Jen Casto from the WVSDB Outreach Team every Tuesday from 6-8 PM (EST) on Zoom for a fun, interactive American Sign Language (ASL) learning experience! 💬🤟 ➡️Each week features a new topic, live ASL instruction, and guest appearances from members of the Deaf community. Come learn how to communicate, connect, and celebrate Deaf culture, all from the comfort of your home! 🗓 Upcoming Dates: Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Dec. 2 Dec. 9 Dec. 16 🔗: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84540081655?pwd=VVacqExsddUraMXWamTraCGXq4hfMa.1 #HandsUpWV #WVSDB #WVSDBOutreach

1 day ago, Alyssa Hansrote

📢 Attention Families of Children Who Are Visually Impaired (VI)!

Join Wendy Bailey from WVSDB Outreach for an online Braille class designed for parents and caregivers. Learn the basics of Braille, explore tools like the Perkins Brailler, and get tips to support your child’s literacy at home.

🗓 Interest Meetings:
➡️November 4, 2025, 7 PM
➡️November 6, 2025, 7 PM

👉 Sign up here: https://forms.office.com/r/zshYtk74yF

Help your child’s Braille journey start at home! 🏠

#Braille #WVSDB #WVSDBOutreach

2 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Adventure starts here! ⛺️

WVSDB welcomed back Boy Scouts with our first troop meeting; excitement is already building. 🤩

Our Scouts are ready to learn and explore, from outdoor skills to teamwork and service! 🌲

#BoyScouts #WVSDB #AdventureAwaits

3 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Boy Scout participants seated around a circular table as they meet with their Scout Leader.

Two students and a male Residential Care Specialist (RCS) making trail mix snacks.

Two students put together their trail mix snacks.

Two male students seated at a circular table with their bags of trail mix sitting in front of them.

It’s a HUGE competition day for the WVSDB Black Bears! 🐻

🎮 eSports battles Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and Rochester School for the Deaf in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

🏊‍♂️ Swim hits the pool at Overbrook School for the Blind

Let's Go, Black Bears!

#eSports #WVSDB #SwimTournament

3 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

eSports Rocket League Match Day. Purple and pink accents surround a group of students playing video games on large TV's.

Swim Tournament Announcement. A swimmer splashes water while they compete in the butterfly stroke.

The WVSDB Lady Black Bears are gearing up for the 2025–26 season! 🏀

📅Take a look and mark your calendars.

Let’s go, Black Bears! 🐻

#BasketballSeason #WVSDB #SupportOurAthletes

3 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

🔔 Don’t Miss the First Session of Hands Up, West Virginia!

Kick off our new ASL series with Jennifer Casto, WVSDB Outreach ASL Communications Coordinator, and a special guest!
Learn practical ways to communicate with members of the Deaf community through live ASL demonstrations, hands-on activities, and Q&A.

📅 Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 6:00 PM ET
📍 Zoom
🔗 Join Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85788747852?pwd=hAFbCMtUaFtasfrq8vkygjqM5cfG4a.1
Meeting ID: 857 8874 7852 | Passcode: 9EsPL7

We hope to see YOU there! 🤩

#AmericanSignLanguage #WVSDB #WestVirginia

4 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Game Day Alert! 🚀

It’s Rocket League match day! Our eSports team battles Wallkill Valley High School for glory on the digital field. 🎮

Who’s scoring first? 👀

#RocketLeague #WVSDB #eSports

4 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

eSports Rocket League Match Day. Purple and pink accents surround a male student playing video games on a computer.

As of October 28, 2025, the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind are accepting applications for the following vacancies:

LPN - 210 days
RN - 220 days
Substitute General Maintenance/Plumber II
Substitute LPN

To apply, please visit - https://www.applitrack.com/wvde/onlineapp/default.aspx?choosedistrict=true&applitrackclient=47369

4 days ago, Sondra McKenery

Student reading at desk reading Braille page with Brailler in front and Join Our Team banner.

Why do we love WVSDB? 🐻

Let our staff show you in American Sign Language (ASL)! 💛

⬇️⬇️⬇️

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0wX2nk2ueM

#ASL #WVSDB #deafculture

5 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Hands Up, West Virginia! – A New Series of ASL Classes

Join us for a dynamic, interactive session with Jennifer Casto, WVSDB Outreach ASL Communications Coordinator, and a special guest (to be announced), designed to provide practical insights into communicating with members of the Deaf community.

📅 Date & Time: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 6:00 PM ET
📍 Location: Zoom
🔗 https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85788747852?pwd=hAFbCMtUaFtasfrq8vkygjqM5cfG4a.1
Meeting ID: 857 8874 7852 | Passcode: 9EsPL7

This session will feature live ASL demonstrations, interactive exercises, and a Q&A segment.
Live captions and ASL/spoken English interpretation will be provided.

A Guest Spotlight will offer a unique opportunity to hear firsthand from members of the Deaf community and learn from real-world experiences.

#AmericanSignLanguage #WVSDB #WestVirginia

5 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Mastering Independence with Orientation & Mobility (O&M)! 👨‍🦯

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) helps the Blind or Visually Impaired (VI) navigate the world safely and confidently.

Through personalized training, O&M teaches skills like:
➡️Using a cane or other tools confidently
➡️Understanding and navigating various environments
➡️Building spatial awareness and independence

O&M empowers learners to move confidently, explore new places, and live life to the fullest! 🤩

#Orientation&Mobility #WVSDB #MobilityMatters

9 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Two male students stand side-by-side with their white canes, standing on a sidewalk. There is a bus in the background behind them.

Two male students use their white canes to navigate getting off of a bus.

Two male students navigate getting to a restaurant using their white canes to help guide them.

A male student uses his white cane to help guide him to the entrance of an Italian restaurant.

Two male students seated at a table in a restaurant smile for the camera.

Blue and Gold Bash 2025! 💙💛

The WVSDB and Discovery P.O.I.N.T. students brought the glamour to our semi-formal dance, dressing up and dancing the night away in the brand-new Blue and Gold Student Union! 🎉

Music, laughter, and unforgettable memories, what a way to celebrate together! 🤩

#BlueandGoldBash #WVSDB #StudentLife

10 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Two female students dressed in their semi-formal attire pose for a photo together.

Students seated on blue-colored couches mingling with one another.

Two female students dancing side-by-side.

Two female students stand side-by-side and smile for the camera, dressed in their semi-formal attire.

Two male students stand side-by-side for a photo.

A group of students dancing with one another.

A male student socializes using American Sign Language (ASL).

Students in a group dancing with one another.

Students mingling and dancing with one another.

Bindi and Bray say… your seat isn’t going to fill itself! 🎃✨

🗓️ October 30th, 2025, | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 WVSDB
💲25/Person

Snag your ticket to WVSDB’s Halloween Dinner Show for a night of frightful fun and tasty bites! 🍽️👻

#HalloweenDinnerShow #WVSDB #SpookySeason

10 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Two female students, Bindi and Bray stand side-by-side holding up tickets and a Halloween Dinner Show flyer.

Black Bears Shine in New Jersey! ⚽️

The Black Bears made their mark at the New Jersey tournament, winning the Sportsmanship Award and celebrating James for being named to the All-Star Team! 🏆

Black Bears, you shined on every level. 🐻

#SoccerTournament #WVSDB #BlackBearPride

11 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Group photo of the WVSDB soccer team and coaches posing with the Sportsmanship Award trophy.

James, a male student poses with tournament officials with his All-Star award.

Blast Off! 🚀

As part of their force and motion study, Mrs. Park's class partnered with Ms. Biddle to build and launch their very own rockets! 🌟

Students put their science skills to the test and watched their creations soar sky-high! 💫

#STEM #WVSDB #RocketLaunch

11 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

A male student looks down and smiles as he sands a part of the rocket before it is assembled.

Ms. Biddle assists two students with launching their rocket using the controller.

A female student looks down as she sands a part of the rocket before it is assembled.

A male student is seated as he receives help sanding a part of the rocket from a female teacher's aide.

A female student assists Ms. Biddle as they put together the tail of the rocket.

Ms. Biddle smiles for the camera as she assists a male student in a wheelchair press the rocket launch button.

A tan-colored rocket sits on a red-colored launchpad.

The rocket after it was launched coming down to the ground with its parachute.

As of October 21, 2025, the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind are accepting applications for the following vacancies:

LPN - 210 days
Professional Interpreter I, II
RN - 220 days
Substitute General Maintenance/Plumber II
Substitute General Maintenance/Security
Substitute LPN

To apply, please visit - https://www.applitrack.com/wvde/onlineapp/default.aspx?choosedistrict=true&applitrackclient=47369

11 days ago, Sondra McKenery

October Discovery P.O.I.N.T.: Opening Doors for Every Student! 🍁

Students who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing (DHH), and Visually Impaired (VI) from across West Virginia came together at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB) for our October Discovery P.O.I.N.T. session. Through our Career and Technical Education (CTE) Academies, they explored career paths, built real-world skills, and connected with peers. 🧑‍🍳🛠️

They also got hands-on experience in the outdoors during Youth Hunt Day, in partnership with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR). 🌲

Discovery P.O.I.N.T. empowers students of all abilities to break barriers, embrace opportunities, and step boldly into their futures. 🚀

#DiscoveryPOINT #WVSDB #DHHStudents #VIStudents

12 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

A female student dressed in a black culinary uniform smiles for the camera as she holds up cookie dough in her hand.

Two male students work together using a carpentry machine.

A male student wearing hunting gear proudly poses with a deer.

Chef Brian Olden demonstrates how to properly put frosting on a cookie to two female students.

A male student looks down as he uses a table saw.

A female student and a male DNR officer pose for a photo with a deer.

A female student concentrates as she puts frosting on a cookie.

A male student uses a nail gun on a bench they are building.

Two male students work together using a table saw.

SOCCER TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE! ⚽️ Friday, October 17 4:00 PM (Game #5): Loser of Game #1 vs. Loser of Game #2 5:00 PM (Game #6): Loser of Game #3 vs. Loser of Game #4 Saturday, October 18 8:30 AM (Game #7): Winner of Game #2 vs. Winner of Game #1 9:30 AM (Game #8): Winner of Game #3 vs. Winner of Game #4 10:30 AM (Game #9): Loser of Game #5 vs. Loser of Game #6 [7th/8th Place] 11:30 AM (Game #10): Loser of Game #7 vs. Loser of Game #8 [3rd/4th Place] 12:30 PM (Game #11): Winner of Game #5 vs. Winner of Game #6 [Consolation Game] 2:00 PM (Game #12): Winner of Game #7 vs. Winner of Game #8 [Championship Game]

15 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

It’s National School Lunch Week! 🍽️ Our kitchen team doesn’t just serve meals, they serve home-cooked comfort. Every day, they whip up favorites like soups, meatloaf, pepperoni rolls, stromboli, and pancakes, all made from scratch! 🥞 We hand-cut every fresh fruit and vegetable, and this year we’re proud to serve locally sourced produce from Spring Valley right here in Romney, WV. 🥕 We’ve also swapped out several ingredients for whole foods with less salt, sugar, and preservatives, keeping our meals healthy, flavorful, and always USDA-approved. 💛 #HomeCookedMeal #WVSDB #NationalSchoolLunchWeek

15 days ago, Alyssa Hansrote

Group photo of three female kitchen staff members.

Meal tray featuring a hamburger with toppings, fresh fruit, corn, and chocolate milk.

Two baking trays full of cinnamon rolls with icing drizzled on top.

Up-close photo of pepperoni rolls on a baking tray.

Up-close photo of a a pastry on a baking tray.

Two trays full of a dessert with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

A basket full of yellow bananas with motivational quotes written on each banana.