Exploring Communication Through Braille and ASL! 🌟

Campers are learning the origins of Braille, mastering the alphabet and numbers, and putting their new skills to work, reading recipes and playing games like Braille Go Fish! 🎣

We’re also getting hands-on with where our food comes from, wheat to flour, milk to cheese, all in preparation for making our own camp-style pizza! 🍕

Outside the classroom, we’ve shared sweet moments at our sundae social, explored campus with a sensory scavenger hunt, walked to Romney Brew Station for a treat, and cheered on teams during American Sign Language (ASL) Family Feud. 🤟

#ASL #WVSDB #Braille
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A female camp participant wearing a bright yellow sweatshirt and curly blonde hair smiles as she holds an insect in her hand.
A group photo of camp participants standing side by side one another in front of a large tree.
Camp participants are seated around a coffee shop, mingling with one another.
A male residential care specialist uses ASL to communicate with camp participants. There is a female camp participant standing to his left. There are campers seated at a table in the background.
Camp participants seated around a light-colored table as they participate in an activity using dough.
A male camp participant looks down as he concentrates on putting butter on his piece of bread.
A female camp participant looks up with a silly face as she touches freshly made dough.
A female camp participant looks down as she focuses on buttering her bread that is sitting on top of a white-colored paper towel.
A female camp participant wearing a light , blue-colored sweatshirt touches a green-colored pine tree.
A group of camp participants stand side by side holding up a "Family Feud" paper.
Bootcamp is in Session! 🚨

The West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB) has officially kicked off our American Sign Language (ASL), Braille, and Technology Bootcamp, and we’re so excited to dive into the power of communication with our Summer Camp crew! 💬

These skills open doors, build confidence, and bring people together.

Let’s celebrate all the ways we communicate! 🤟

#EmpowerThroughCommunication #WVSDB #TechForAll
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
Camp participants are seated at a table as they using crayons, markers, and pencils to draw and color during an ASL activity.
A male camp participant wearing a blue shirt and hat holds a marker while he looks up at the camera and smiles.
Camp participants seated at a table waiting for directions during their ASL activity.
Two camp participants and a female teacher are presenting to the camp the ASL word for "fine" using a large smartboard.
Camp participants are seated in a circle during an ASL activity.
Two camp participants standing in front of a large smartboard sign the word "pink" in ASL.
Camp participants are seated in a circle during an ASL activity.
Camp participants are seated in a circle during an ASL activity.
As of July 29, 2025, the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind are accepting applications for the following vacancies:

LPN - 210 days
Substitute Aide
Substitute Cook III
Substitute Custodian
Substitute General Maintenance/Plumber II
Substitute LPN

To apply, please visit - https://www.applitrack.com/wvde/onlineapp/default.aspx?choosedistrict=true&applitrackclient=47369
about 2 months ago, Sondra McKenery
SLP w student at desk with We Are Hiring! Apply Now
The WVSDB Startup Portal is LIVE! 📣

We’re going fully digital for the 2025–2026 school year! All student forms are now available online through our new portal. 💻

In the portal, you’ll find:
✔️ Required Forms
✔️ Student/Parent Handbook
✔️ School Calendar
✔️ Key Resources

🔗: https://www.wvsdb2.state.k12.wv.us/page/20252026-school-year-startup-portal

#BackToSchool #WVSDB #DigitalStartup
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A male student smiles as he looks down and reaches for blue and red-colored alphabet letters. The phrase "2025/2026 Startup Portal" is in white-colored font inside of a yellow-colored rectangle. The WVSDB Black Bear logo is in the upper right-hand corner.
That’s a wrap on our Sports Summer Camp! 🏀

Our campers had an amazing week sharpening their skills in soccer, goalball, basketball, eSports, and track! They also soaked up some classic summer fun with swimming, fishing, and a trip to the ballpark! ⚾️

Next week marks the final week of our Summer Camp series, and we’re ready to end the summer on a high note! 🌟

#SportsCamp #WVSDB #SummerFun
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
Two camp participants pose for the camera while in the pool.
Camp participants participating in an activity outside.
A group of camp participants are gathered around one another as they pose for the camera while they are standing in the shallow end of the pool.
Camp participants shoot basketballs into the hoop inside of a gymnasium.
Camp participants are standing in two lines participating in an activity using a yellow and black ball.
Two female camp participants swimming next to each other in the pool.
A male camp participant is dribbling an orange basketball in a gymnasium.
Camp participants are gathered around one another as they shoot an orange basketball into the hoop inside of a gymnasium.
Camp participants watch where the orange basketball is going after someone threw it towards the basketball hoop.
Take us out to the ballgame! ⚾️

Our Summer Camp participants had an exciting opportunity to attend an Altoona Curve game and enjoy a picnic at the stadium! 🌭

For many campers, this was a first-time experience and a chance to make lasting summer memories. ☀️

Plus, check out these cool WVSDB t-shirts our campers rocked at the game! 🐻

@AltoonaCurveBaseball

#AltoonaCurve #WVSDB #WVSDBSummerCamp
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A group photo of camp participants standing side-by-side one another.
A camp participant wearing a gray-colored shirt smiles proudly for the camera.
A male residential care specialist is seated beside a male student.
Students seated inside of the baseball stadium laughing at a big, yellow mascot.
Camp participants getting a group photo with one of the yellow mascots.
Two female camp participants wearing matching shirts stand side-by-side smiling for the camera.
Two female camp participants seated in the stadium seats smile for the camera.
Three female camp participants pose and smile for the camera.
Elementary campers are having a BALL at Sports Camp this week! 🏀

They're learning all about different types of balls. Do all sports use a ball? Do all balls bounce, roll, or float? 🤔

They even made their own bouncy balls using just three simple ingredients! 🧪

So many fun ways to explore and create! 🤩

#SportsCamp #WVSDB #STEM
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A male camp participant wearing a black t-shirt is seated at a table while he touches a white-colored ball.
A male camp participant wearing a bright yellow shirt dips his hand in a green bowl filled with water.
A female camp participant wearing a pink shirt is seated at a circular table as she stirs a mixture together in a green-colored bowl.
A female camp participant wearing a tie-dye shirt is laying in a cart full of different colored balls.
A male camp participant wearing a tie-dye shirt is assisted by a female teacher wearing a navy-colored shirt with painting.
A male camp participant wearing a white helmet is getting assistance from a female aide with his paint project.
A female camp participant is seated at a circular table as she looks at the camera while working on her paint project.
Sports Summer Camp Kickoff! ⚽

So far this week, our students have been on the move, participating in Soccer, eSports, and Goalball! Each activity is helping build confidence and teamwork.

We took a break from the action to enjoy a peaceful afternoon at Lake Ferndale, where campers went fishing and relaxed with a picnic by the water. 🐟

We can’t wait to see what the rest of the week holds! ☀️

#SportsCamp #WVSDB #SummerAtWVSDB
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A male camp participant wearing a blue and gold-colored jersey with the number "5" on the back gets ready to roll a blue goalball.
A male teacher wearing a hat and sunglasses poses with a male student who is wearing a hat and glasses pose with a fish.
A female camp participant wearing a gray-colored shirt and navy-colored hat runs as she dribbles a black and white-colored soccer ball.
Camp participants seated in chairs as they watch large screens displaying video games.
A male camp participant wearing a blue and gold-colored jersey with the number "5" on the back gets ready to roll a blue goalball.
A female camp participant wearing a pink and white tie-dye shirt and pink glasses smiles at the camera as she is seated at a wooden picnic table.
A female camp participant is standing in the soccer goal net as she throws in the black and white-colored soccer ball.
A female camp participant wearing a tie-dyed shirt smiles for the camera as she holds a blue fishing rod in one hand and a fish in the other.
Camp participants running on the soccer field.
As of July 22, 2025, the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind are accepting applications for the following vacancies:

LPN - 210 days
Substitute Custodian
Substitute General Maintenance/Plumber II
Substitute LPN

To apply, please visit - https://www.applitrack.com/wvde/onlineapp/default.aspx?choosedistrict=true&applitrackclient=47369
about 2 months ago, Sondra McKenery
Chalkboard with WVSDB Jobs written on it
That’s a Wrap on Week 2 of our Summer Camp Series! 🚀 Students had a blast launching rockets with Dr. Ensign and NASA, flying drones, diving into robotics, and exploring all things STEM. Huge thanks to our amazing Residential Life team, WVSDB Outreach crew, and the dedicated aides who helped make it all happen. 🤩 Onto Week 3! ☀️ #STEMCamp #WVSDB #NASA
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A group photo of camp participants, Residential Life staff, and aides posing for a group photo in front of Keller Hall.
A group photo of drone competition winners and their male instructor standing side by side holding up their certificates in front of an auditorium stage. There is a large smart board in the background.
A group photo of all drone camp participants standing side by side holding up their certificates in front of an auditorium stage. There is a large smart board sitting on the stage in the background.
A male camp participant grabs the hand of the male drones instructor while he hands the camp participant his competition certificate.
A male drones instructor poses with a female camp participant as she holds up her certificate and laughs proudly.
A group photo of camp participants and robotics instructors standing side by side in a group. The campers are all holding up their certificates.
STEM Summer Camp was a blast for our Elementary students! 🚀 They launched water and stomp rockets, flew astronaut kites, and explored the skies with telescopes. 🔭 It was a week full of hands-on discovery and fun! 💫 #STEMLearning #WVSDB #STEMAdventures
about 2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
Two female camp participants are seated on the ground side-by-side while they look closely at snap circuits.
A female aide wearing a peach-colored shirt assists a male camp participant with his snap circuit project.
A female teacher wearing a green shirt and wearing glasses assists a male student in a wheelchair with looking through a telescope.
A male camp participant is running towards the camera while he is holding onto his astronaut kite.
A female camp participant wearing a cheetah-print shirt looks down as she concentrates on cutting her pink-colored play-dough.
A female camp participant looks down and smiles as she touches the snap circuit.
A male camp participant has his foot on the pedal of the stomp rocket machine. A female aide wearing a tie-dyed shirt stands beside him and watches him. Two females are observing in the background.
A male camp participant is excited about his rocket launching into the air. A female aide wearing a tie-dyed shirt and wearing sunglasses looks up into the sky to look for the rocket. One female observes in the background.
Our STEM Summer Camp has Been Non-Stop Excitement this Week! 🎉 Campers got creative with vibrant tie-dye t-shirts, cast their lines during an epic fishing adventure with @BreezewoodAdventures, and stepped into the world of technology with an awesome intro to drones and robotics. 🤖 From creativity to curiosity, every day has been packed with hands-on learning and unforgettable fun! 🤩 #STEMCamp #WVSDB #STEMinAction
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A male summer camp participant is seated at a table with his white t-shirt sitting in front of him for tie-dye.
A female camp participant wearing a hat looks down at her white t-shirt as she puts blue dye onto the shirt.
A female camp participant holds her cane in her right hand and holds a brown-colored horse’s head with her left hand.
A female camp participant poses with a male helper as they both hold each end of a fish.
A male camp participant proudly holds up a fish he caught. A male helper smiles for the camera while holding up a thumbs up.
A group photo of camp participants posing for a photo in front of a lake.
A female camp participant assists a male camp participant with learning how to fly a drone. They both have their hands on the remote controller.
A female interpreter assists a male camp participant with feeling the drone controller.
A male camp participant wearing a blue and yellow-colored hat smiles for the camera as he builds an infrastructure with legos.
A male camp participant looks down as he concentrates on building his infrastructure out of legos.
Graduate Spotlight! 🎓

Meet Cody, a proud graduate from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB)! 🐻

Cody, a 2025 graduate, is now employed at a local movie theatre! 🍿

His success comes from real-world experience paired with the strong support of our school, administrative, and residential teams.

That encouragement helped Cody successfully transition into the workforce, and we couldn’t be prouder! 🤩

#GraduateSpotlight #WVSDB #CareerReady
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
Cody Dean. A male individual stands proudly with his hands in his pockets while smiling at the camera. A movie theatre snack bar is in the background.
A male individual wearing an all-black work uniform, smiles for the camera as he holds a broom in his left hand.
Our Elementary Space Camp is Blasting Off! 🚀

Students began exploring the planets, practiced unplugged coding by programming each other like robots, and were inspired by watching the big kids launch their rockets into the sky! 🌠

The excitement is out of this world! 🌌

#SpaceCamp #WVSDB #STEMAdventures
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
Camp participants stand close together as they hold up inflatable balls that represent the planets.
A female camp participant wearing yellow glasses looks down as she places blue and red letters into a sentence.
A male camp participant wearing a blue shirt holds up a wooden rocket that was launched into the sky.
A female camp participant wearing yellow glasses smiles at the camera as she holds up a frog with the letters "F,R,O,G' spelling out the word.
A female camp participant jumps into the air excitedly as another female camp participant who is seated on the ground looks up at her and smiles.
As of July 15, 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 - Residential Program (eve/wknd hrs)
Secretary II, III - Itinerant - 261 days
Substitute Custodian
Substitute General Maintenance/Plumber II
Substitute LPN

To apply, please visit - https://www.applitrack.com/wvde/onlineapp/default.aspx?choosedistrict=true&applitrackclient=47369
2 months ago, Sondra McKenery
Fingerspelling of WVSDB with We're Hiring Apply Now and school logo
Lift-Off into Learning! 💥 Our STEM Summer Camp is officially underway at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB)! On Day 1, our Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, Low Vision, and Deafblind students teamed up with Dr. Ensign from NASA to build and launch their own rockets! 🚀 Through hands-on activities, they explored the principles of engineering, design, and flight, proving that STEM is for everyone. 🤩 #STEMForAll #WVSDB #SummerCamp2025
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A male Summer Camp participant wearing a gray shirt looks down as he assembles his rocket.
Dr. Ensign stands at the front of the room in front of students seated at a table. A female ASL interpreter stands to the right interpreting for camp participants.
Dr. Ensign stands in front of a table as he puts glue onto a piece of wood.
A female teacher assists a female camp participant with gluing pieces of her rocket together.
Dr. Ensign stands behind the rocket launch pad.
Dr. Ensign assists a male, blind camp participant with pressing a button to launch the rocket.
Dr. Ensign assists a male camp participant with pressing the launch button.
Two wooden rockets sitting on the launch pad. A green field is in the background.
Week 1 of Summer Camp = Success! 🎉

From building bridges to building friendships, students at both our Transition Camp and Elementary Engineering Camp had an incredible week of learning and growing together.

In Engineering Camp, our youngest students got hands-on with STEM as they learned about different types of bridges and constructed their creative designs. 🛠️

Meanwhile, our Transition Camp students focused on teamwork, communication, and social interaction, participating in team-building challenges, exploring downtown Romney, and even introducing new campers to the exciting game of goalball! 🥅

A huge THANK YOU to Ms. Rachel Lanham for leading our Transition Camp, Mrs. Shoemaker for guiding Engineering Camp, and to all the staff who made this week possible, including our amazing WVSDB Outreach team, Residential Life team, and dedicated aides. 💛

Here’s to more summer fun ahead! 🌞

#SummerCamp2025 #WVSDB #DHH #VI
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A male camp participant smiles for the camera as he holds up a blue umbrella.
Camp participants stand in a circle while holding up their arms.
A male RCS staff member does a "thumbs up" with both his hands while a camp participant stands beside him holding up a small gold-colored trophy.
Two female camp participants are seated at a table side-by-side while two trophies sit on the table in front of them.
Camp participants participate in a game of "limbo."
Two camp participants are seated in chairs, while they both smile at the camera.
One female student demonstrates how to play goalball to a new camp participant in the gymnasium.
📣Upcoming Weeks at WVSDB Summer Camp – Parent Reminders! 📣

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The next couple of weeks at WVSDB Summer Camp are shaping up to be full of exciting outdoor activities, and we want to make sure your camper is prepared!

Please remember to send the following items:
🎣 Fishing Gear – Campers will have the opportunity to enjoy some time by the water.
☀️ Sunscreen – We’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors, and you can never bring too much sunscreen!

Thank you for helping us ensure your camper has a safe and enjoyable experience!

-WVSDB Summer Camp Team
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
Engineering Fun at WVSDB! 🛠️

Our elementary students explored the world of bridges during Summer Engineering Camp! From learning about different bridge designs to building their own with creative materials, these young engineers put their skills to the test.

This hands-on experience was especially meaningful for our Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) and Visually Impaired (VI) students, offering a fully accessible way to explore STEM in action. 🤩

#EngineeringCamp #WVSDB #STEMForAll
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A group of camp participants, teachers, and aides pose for a photo while standing on a bridge. The bridge is surrounded by a green forest.
A camp participant holds up their bridge creation while smiling proudly at the camera.
A female camp participant smiles as she looks down at her green-colored bridge creation.
A male camp participant has some assistance with gluing his bridge together.
A male camp participant smiles at his blue-colored bridge creation.
A male camp participant seated at a circular-shaped table smiles at the camera with his bridge building materials in front of him.
Camp participants are seated around a circular-shaped table while building their bridges.
Camp participants are seated around a circular-shaped table while building their bridges.
Our Transition Camp students have had a week full of learning and adventure! 🌟

Understanding the transition from school to adulthood is especially important for our Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) and Visually Impaired (VI)students as they build the skills and confidence needed for independence and future success.

This week, they explored the voting process, then ROCKED the vote with a rock-climbing experience! 🧗‍♀️

At WVU’s Outdoor Education Center, they took on the low ropes course, learning how to communicate, work as a team, and recognize when to support one another. 💬🤝

They ended the day with a delicious meal from the Beehive Café because learning is always better with good food! 🍴💛

#TransitionCamp #WVSDB #EmpoweredLearners
2 months ago, Alyssa Hansrote
A group photo of camp participants in front of the Keller Hall Residential Hall.
A female student is seated while she holds up a heart shape with her hands.
A male camp participant wearing a bright blue rock climbing helmet smiles for the camera.
Camp participants seated at wooden picnic tables under a large tent enjoy their lunch.
A female camp participant wearing a blue rock climbing helmet climbs up a wall.
A male camp participant holds onto a piece of rope during the rope course activity.
A female camp participant looks down and smiles for the camera as she climbs up the side of a large rock.