This week's School Helper is full of pictures of exciting things happening at GSD! The 100th Day of School was celebrated and upper elementary students were rewarded for their math accomplishments! There are TWO important surveys for parents included in the newsletter--we greatly appreciate your participation in these surveys. Remember, there will be no school on Monday in observance of the MLK holiday. Residential transportation will be on Monday instead of Sunday. Enjoy your long weekend! You can download the School Helper here: School Helper Issue 22

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Happy 2019! GSD is back in session and students are already back into the swing of learning. This morning we celebrated Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance achievements. This week's School Helper has information about an important parent survey that will only take a few minutes of your time, upcoming ASL classes, and more! You can download it here: School Helper Issue 21

It is that time of year--flu season! Have you gotten yourself and your child vaccinated yet? Read up on these myths and facts about the flu!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It is that time of year again! Flu, Strep, Stomach Viruses, and all sorts of other nasty bugs are floating around EVERYWHERE! 

There are things you can do to avoid illness:

• Hand washing is number one! Wash your hands often--before and after meals, after using the bathroom, after touching a dirty surface, etc.
• Cover your sneeze in the crook of your elbow--this helps prevent the spread of germs. 
• Don't touch the "T Zone"--this is the eyes, nose, and mouth area of your face. It is a good way to avoid spreading illness-causing germs!
• Stay home when you are sick! Keep your child home from school if he/she is sick! 

Here is a guide to help you decide on staying home if you don't feel well:

Click here to download the flyer:  When To Stay Home

Stay well, everyone!

The Atlanta Area School for the Deaf (in Clarkston) will be hosting a Medicaid Waiver and Developmental Disabilities Workshop, Saturday, February 23 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Students receive many services during their years in school. Some will need support beyond graduation. The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and Parent to Parent of Georgia will partner with AASD transition staff to offer this workshop. Navigating multi-year waiting lists can be challenging. It is never too soon to start the application process. If you think your child may qualify, please consider attending. For more information, please contact Patti Lombardi at plombardi@doe.k12.ga.us or 404-300-5858.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Atlanta Area School for the Deaf (in Clarkston) is offering a free internet safety class called "What Your Kids Don't Want You To Know About Technology" on Saturday 26 January from 9am-12 pm. See the flyer for more information. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Georgia Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is offering ASL I and ASL II classes in Decatur starting 12 January 2019. Please see the flyer for more information, including registration details and fees. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Make improving your ASL skills your New Year's Resolution! New classes in 3 locations start in January. Contact Patti at plombardi@doe.k12.ga.us or 404-272-2769 with questions.

Saturdays, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM at AASD Campus

Monday evenings 7:00 - 8:30 PM Lilburn

The Georgia Pathway Advisory Committee is accepting applications for members. Georgia Pathway is a group of concerned parents, professionals, and advocates for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children. The group's mission is to promote literacy. Their goal is for every Deaf and Hard of Hearing child to be on grade level in reading by the end of third grade. If you are interested in serving on this advisory committee, please complete the application by 30 January 2019. 

Download the application here: GA Pathway Application

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Parents, your help is needed! GSD is an accreditated K-12 school and will go through the reaccreditation process in February. Parent input is an important part of this process. Please complete the Parent Climate and Culture Survey and give your feedback on how well GSD is doing as a school. The survey is available in English and Spanish and will only take about 5 minutes. You can complete the survey here: Parent Climate Survey. Thank you so much for your participation! 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Opinion Matters! Take the Parent Survey!

The Parent School Climate Survey for the 2018-2019 school year is open!

This survey is YOUR opportunity to give your feedback about the school climate at the Georgia School for the Deaf. This survey is not very long—only 24 questions—and is available in both English and Spanish. You can complete the survey using your personal computer, smartphone, or tablet. Parents will also be allowed to complete the Georgia Parent Survey at GSD during any regular school day.

The Georgia Parent Survey is for parents of all students in Georgia. The data collected is used as part of the calculation of the School Climate Star Rating. Survey responses are anonymous and will be submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education for analysis. Schools with less than 15 parents participating in the Parent Survey will be designated as Low Participation (LP) and the results will not be calculated. Schools with no parent or low parent participation will see a negative impact on the school’s School Climate Star Rating. So we need your help—GSD doesn’t want to be a Low Participation school!

You can take the survey here at any time:http://gshs.gadoe.org/parents. Once you start the survey, you can choose English or Spanish. Choose "State Schools--799" in the first drop-down menu, then "Georgia School for the Deaf" in the next drop-down menu.

Thank you in advance for your participation and honest feedback. It is greatly appreciated! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Marie Dickinson, GSD Family Engagement Coordinator

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Congratulations to GSD's 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year, Dana Tarter!! Dana is in her 4th year teaching at GSD and teaches Elementary and Middle School Access classes. She is beloved by students and staff for her true devotion to her students, her cheerful attitude and positive outlook. Thank you, Dana, for all you do for the students and the school. Congratulations on an honor well deserved! 

 Dana Tarter, Teacher of the Year, holds her certificate and flowers. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

The GSD football team was written up in the Rome News-Tribune newspaper this week! The team played at home against the Mississippi School for the Deaf. While we lost 58-24, the team showed progress, having a stronger second half than the first, and played hard the whole game. Good work guys! 

Read the article here: GSD Football in the news

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------