RSD K12 School Newsletter

K-12 School News

March 22, 2024

Greetings from Westervelt Hall!

Hello RSD Families,

As the vibrant colors of spring blossom around us, we hope this newsletter finds you soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the fresh air with your loved ones. It’s been an eventful time here at RSD, filled with educational activities and family engagement.

Pink Shirt Day:

On February 28th, we proudly participated in Pink Shirt Day, a day dedicated to standing up against bullying. It was heartwarming to see our students and staff donning pink attire in support of one another. The highlight of the day was the friendly competition among classes to wear the most pink clothing. Congratulations to the 3rd-grade winners who earned the privilege of pie-ing Principal Susan Ogden. Jeff's middle schoolers pied Psychologist Sadie Graydon, and the seniors pied high school ELA Teacher Sheila Puzio.

ASL Celebration:

March 1st marked our ASL Celebration, where parents had the joy of witnessing their children showcase their ASL skills through performances and improv activities. The gymnasium was abuzz with laughter and learning as high school students facilitated engaging games such as the classifier handshape beanbag toss, ASL Tic Tac Toe, and the Rochester Method activity. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to shine and for families to bond over the beauty of American Sign Language.

Spectacular Eclipse Event:

Mark your calendars for March 26th, as we prepare for our school-wide Spectacular Eclipse event! Students will delve into the wonders of the solar eclipse with educational insights from NASA. Each student will receive complimentary solar eclipse glasses to safely observe this celestial phenomenon. Additionally, there will be hands-on activities where students can create posters about the solar eclipse and experiment with sun paper. It promises to be an enlightening experience for all involved.

We are thrilled to see our students actively engaging in diverse learning opportunities and fostering a sense of community spirit. As always, we appreciate your continued support in nurturing our students' growth and development.

Wishing you a joyful and rejuvenating spring season ahead!

Carah

Carah Taylor, Acting Dean of Students

Announcements

The Addams Family School Play

SAVE THE DATES! Students are working hard to prepare for the upcoming play on May 22 and 23rd! To read the poster in bigger detail, please click here.

RSD Family Festival

SAVE THE DATE! Plans are underway for the 2024 Family Festival on May 23rd from 5 pm to 7 pm. The Addams Family School Play will follow afterward, so this is shaping up to be an exciting night! To read the poster in bigger detail, please click here.

PSA Summer Camp Scholarships

The RSD Parent-Staff Association is now accepting applications for a camp scholarship. Learn more about the eligibility/process and complete the application.

Food Pantry Open on Wednesdays & Sundays

The Rochester Deaf Kitchen Food Pantry is OPEN and thriving. They are located at RSD in Galloway Hall (use entrance/lot A) and are open on Wednesdays from 9-11 AM and Sundays from 1-4 PM. RSD families and staff are encouraged to make use of the pantry as needed. Please help us spread the word in the ROC Deaf community!

To follow and/or support the pantry, check them out on Facebook & Instagram.

News & Notes

PINK SHIRT DAY (FEBRUARY 28TH)

What's Pink Shirt Day, you ask? It's a powerful stand against bullying. Our elementary students decorated classroom doors with uplifting messages and engaged in activities centered around sharing positive comments about their peers and teachers. Then, National Pink Shirt Day carried on into the afternoon with our high school and middle school students putting their creativity to work decorating classroom doors! The winners of the decoration contest had a blast playing Pie Face with our RSD staff!

RSD SENIORS VISIT NATION'S CAPITAL

Our RSD seniors had the most amazing time in Washington, D.C.! They really got into American history and advocated for Deaf education. They checked out cool spots like the White House and Capitol Hill, learning tons about where we come from as a nation. From sitting in on legislative briefings to hanging out at Gallaudet University, they're feeling super inspired to be even stronger advocates. Special thanks to CEASD, Hands On Travel, and the Perkins Fund for making this trip possible!

Grateful to Congressman Joe Morelle for meeting with RSD Superintendent Antony McLetchie, Teacher Assistant Vicki Nordquist, and our seniors during CEASD's Education and Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill! Thank you for your unwavering support of Deaf education!

RSD STUDENTS WIN PILOTING SKILLS AT DRONE COMPETITION

Several students from RSD with Science teacher Keith Bonilla traveled to Austin, TX for the Aerial Drone Tournament hosted by Texas School for the Deaf and NTID Regional STEM Center. We're thrilled to announce that Ryan and Manuel showcased their exceptional piloting skills and emerged victorious in the Piloting Skills competition! Additionally, our middle school team secured an impressive 2nd place finish out of 8 teams in the ROV competition! Next stop: Nationals! Hands waving to all the talented drone operators!

DEAF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT EGYPT TRIP We're grateful for the incredible support from the Rochester Deaf Rotary Club! Their generous donation, which includes funds raised from the Santa Breakfast fundraiser back in December, is making our Travel Abroad Program to Egypt possible for our students this year. This contribution empowers RSD children to explore, learn, and connect with the world! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Big shoutout to Ron Rood and the MCDHub - Monroe County Deaf Hub, Inc. for their support! Thanks to their generous contribution, fueled by the success of their recent MCingo Night with 50/50 and raffles, our Travel Abroad Program to Egypt is becoming a reality for our students very soon!

MATHLETES TRAVEL TO FRAMINGHAM, MA

Our middle school mathletes with Middle School Math Teacher Joey Ausanio traveled to The Learning Center for the Deaf to participate in NTID’s Northeast Region Math Competition.

BADMINTON MADNESS!

RSD's Phys Ed Team traditionally hosts the Badminton Exhibition, and it was a thrilling event! Our MS/HS staff and students witnessed intense matches as our talented students and teachers showcased their skills on the pinewood. Braulio and Ashley won in the final game against staff members Carah Taylor and CJ Everingham!

GAGA BALL IS A HUGE HIT ON RSD'S CAMPUS!

We are LOVING our new Gaga Ball Pit! What an amazing addition for play, recreation, and PE at RSD. Funding for the Gaga Pit was provided by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Youth Sports. Many thanks to the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the Rochester Area Community Foundation for making this lasting investment in free play and youth sports at RSD.

ASL SHINES AT RSD'S ASL FESTIVAL

RSD welcomed families to campus for the ASL Festival! We enjoyed engaging in ASL activities and watching our classes showcase their storytelling skills on the main stage. ASL is not only a beautiful language but also an essential tool for our students, teachers, and families to support our children's future success.