Trellis 2014-2015 Volume 1
~ Supporting the development of children who are deaf-blind as they grow at home, at school and in the community ~
Graphics: Logo of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind: Large green letters capital S and capital C, with a white palmetto tree superimposed where the S and C touch each other. In smaller black print “School for the Deaf and the Blind”. Under this is a green rectangular box with white print inside that says “embracing the possibilities”. To the left of the SCSDB logo is the Trellis logo. The Trellis logo has a narrow rectangular background that is solid teal blue in color. The word “Trellis” is printed in white. To the left of the word “Trellis” is a picture of a leafy vine, five leaves graduating in size from largest to smallest going from left to right. Inside of a small lavender oval is printed “2014-2015 Volume 1”
Text: SCIDB Project Updates, Kelly Birmingham, Project Manager
Hello Everyone, and Happy August!
The team here at the South Carolina Interagency Deaf-Blind (SCIDB) Project is excited to ramp up our project activities, as we kick off of another school year. I am excited to join the team, and am thrilled to introduce our newest staff member Krista-Leigh Hodess. Please enjoy our new and returning staff introductions on the next page! Our focus this year, and moving into the future, is on COLLABORATION! We have an extremely qualified team, which is supported by an even more qualified Advisory Council. Our collaboration with our agency partners:
The South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind, the National Center on Deaf-Blindness, and the University of South Carolina, makes us even stronger!
We are at the beginning of a new 5-year grant cycle, and the United States Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has charged all state Deaf-Blind Projects
with the task of increasing communication and accomplishing goals as regional and national teams. We can accomplish so much more together than we can alone.
In June, we celebrated National Deaf-Blind Awareness Week in honor of Helen Keller’s birthday on June 27th. We have been working hard this summer to review details of the grant; attend local special education trainings and project directors’ meetings; and to make connections with our partners both in and outside of the state. Our grant goals focus on supporting teams (including families) at any phase of a child’s education, but especially during Early Intervention and Post-Secondary Transition.
We will also reach out to families and professionals all over the state to be sure all children with combined hearing and vision needs are a part of the South Carolina
Child Count Census data. We will be sharing information throughout the school year related to local events and trainings, as well as host a family transition weekend this year. We will also be working to connect families to one another during face to face get-togethers and by creating telephone and online groups for learning, sharing, and mutual support. If you would like updates and information,
please be sure that we have your current email or mailing address.
As always, if you have any questions, suggestions, or just need to connect, don’t hesitate to contact us. I look forward to meeting many of you in the upcoming months.
Kelly Birmingham
Program Manager
Inside This Issue:
A New Look2-3
Deaf-Blind Awareness Week June 22-284-5
Breaking It Down6-7
Ready for School? Check!8
TA Corner9
General Information10
Mark Your Calendar!11
How do you want your Trellis?12
Graphic: Located below “Inside This Issue”. Words related to the Deaf-Blind Project in various colors and sizes. Words include: Trellis, deaf-blindness, Project, Census, Carolina, child, SCIDB, children, interagency, related information, services, library, resources, community, Parents, provide, South, links, development, teachers, education, materials, professional, dual
Graphic: Located below “words” graphic, is a light green box with dark green lettering. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. –Helen Keller”
Page 2:
Heading: SCIDB Project: A New Look!
Text: The SCIDB Project welcomes two new members to the team, Kelly Birmingham, the new Program Manager, and Krista Hodess, the new Technical Assistance Specialist. They bring years of experience to the project. This is a great opportunity for our readers to learn a little bit about our staff on a personal level!
Graphics Layout: There are four squares with rounded corners on the page below the initial description above. There are two on the top and two on the bottom.
Text: (A red square with rounded corners located on the top, left of the four squares. A picture of Kelly Birmingham is in the top left corner of the red box.)
Kelly Birmingham, ED.S.
Program Manager
Hello! I grew up in and spent most of my professional career in Southern Arizona. I am a certified Teacher of the Deaf and a certified Principal. I have worked in the field of education for children who are deaf, blind and deaf-blind for over 15 years. I have worked in many roles: volunteer, Instructional Aide, Educational Interpreter, Communication Teacher, Middle School Teacher (Math and Science), Supervising Teacher, and Director of Statewide Early Intervention Services. I have a master’s degree in Deaf Education and an education specialist degree in Change Leadership in Education. My husband and I recently moved to South Carolina from the “dry heat” of Southern Arizona with our three dogs. We all are enjoying life with trees and water! A fun fact about myself is that I share the
same birthday as Helen Keller!
Text: (A purple square with rounded corners located on the top, right of the four squares. A picture of Norma Monserrate is in the top left corner of the purple box.)
Norma Monserrate,
Administrative Support
I was born in Jacksonville, Florida but have lived in SC most of my life. I graduated from Spartanburg High School and then attended Spartanburg Community College. My previous jobs include being a cosmetologist, paralegal
administrative assistant, and medical receptionist. I have
been an employee of the state for 28 years with 24 of
those years being at SCSDB. I currently split my work
time between Residential Life Services and the Deaf-
Blind Project. My connection with SCSDB is through
my predeceased deaf brother, Stanley Hayes, who attended SCSDB and graduated in 1978. My greatest
achievements are my 3 handsome sons, 4 awesome
grandsons and 2 beautiful granddaughters. When I am
not performing my many administrative assistant duties,
I enjoy art, decorating, calligraphy, organization, and
cooking.
Text: (A blue square with rounded corners located on the bottom, left of the four squares. A picture of Brett Grayson is in the top left corner of the blue box.)
Brett Grayson, M.S.
Technical Assistance Specialist
I was born Deaf and grew up just across the border in North Carolina. I attended Gardner-Webb University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. After working as a long-term substitute teacher and a camp counselor, I realized that working with kids is what I enjoy doing, so I decided to pursue this. I lived in Maryland for three years, working at the Maryland School for the Deaf as a Dorm Supervisor and a High School Math Teacher. While in Maryland, I earned my masters degree in Deaf Education from McDaniel College. Currently, I’m starting my third year at SCSDB and my second as a Technical Assistance Specialist. When I’m not working, I enjoy any outdoor activities, rooting for my teams, photography and playing with my German sheprador, Koda, which is short for ‘Kaine’ (Caine) of Deaf Adults. KODA (or CODA) is the acronym for Kid (Child) of Deaf Adults.
Text: (A green square with rounded corners located on the bottom, right of the four squares. A picture of Krista Hodess is in the top left corner of the green box.)
Krista Hodess, TVI
Technical Assistance Specialist
Hello! I grew up in Florida and attended Florida State University (Go Noles!), earning a degree in Visual Disabilities. I love to experience all my field has to offer. As a result, I’ve worked for a grant that assesses and provides low vision devices and training to students in the state of Florida. I also coordinated and taught for FSU’s South Florida Satellite Program in Visual Disabilities.
I’m passionate about working with children and have experience as a classroom teacher serving students who were visually impaired with additional disabilities (deaf-blindness included). I was an Itinerant Teacher of the Visually Impaired for 7 years, taught for a transition program for a non-profit agency for 6 years, and tutored students in braille and math! When I’m not working with
students, I love playing board games and just started
competing in beginner triathlons!
Page 3:
Text: As of August 1, 2014, the Trellis will begin a new distribution cycle. The new cycle will be on a biannual basis,
rather than quarterly, with one volume being distributed in August and another in February. If you, or somebody you may know, wishes to subscribe to the Trellis please contact us at or 864-577-7770. You may also fill out the “How do you want YOUR Trellis?” form on the last page and mail it back to us at: 355 Cedar Springs Road, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
Graphic: There are images of 3 previous issues of the Trellis newsletter. Beside the images, is a blue rectangular box with white lettering that says, “Trellis”.
Heading: A red rectangular box that says, “Grant: 2013-2018” inside of it. To the right of this text, is a picture of a scroll-like document, light red in color. Continuing to the right of the scroll is a logo that states, “IDEAS that Work, Office of Special Educational Programs”.
Text: The SCIDB Project is supported by federal funds via a grant from the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). We are excited to announce that our federal funding has been renewed for the next five years. For this grant cycle we have four objectives, effective October 1, 2013. Each objective has a set of indicators that help guide us through the five-year timeframe. Listed below are the new grant goals:
1. A process is developed and piloted to appropriately work with Part C families and children to ensure a successful and seamless transition to Part B services.
2. Families of youth on the deaf-blind child count census who are over the age of 14 will gain an understanding of the transition process, identify desired outcomes, and work as part of a team to develop a plan of action to achieve the desired outcomes.
3. Students with dual sensory impairments and their families, teachers, related services personnel, and other providers will have a network of support in which they can share information, access resources, learn teaching and assessment techniques, and learn about communication strategies specific to students with dual sensory impairments.
4. More children from all areas of the state with confirmed or suspected dual sensory impairments are listed on the deaf-blind child count census and they are included at a younger age.
Page 4:
Heading: “Deaf-Blind Awareness Week” (Inside of a purple rectangle.)
Text: Fast Facts about Deaf-Blindness:
Approximately 1.2 million individuals are deaf-blind.
The term, deaf-blindness, was formally recognized by the federal government in 1984.
Deaf-Blind Awareness week coincides with birthday of Helen Keller (June 27, 1880).
Deaf-Blindness occurs in three out of every 100,000 births.
Deaf-Blindness has over 70 known causes.
The term “deaf-blind” refers to people with both hearing and vision loss.
People can become deaf-blind at any age.
Deaf-Blind people experience greater adverse consequences than people with hearing loss only or vision loss only.
Among the greatest difficulties deaf-blind people face are those related to communication and mobility.
June 22-28, 2014
Be sure to take the time and review some quick facts about deaf-blindness and check out the website for more information: .
Image: A poster divided diagonally from the left, bottom corner to the right, top corner. The top half has a picture of an older woman using a communication device. On the bottom half, there is a young girl using her cell phone. Written on top of the images is text that reads, “She’s deaf-blind and holds the world in her hands just like her loved ones.” The bottom of the poster reads, “In an increasingly digital world, the Helen Keller National Center is working with deaf-blind individuals to stay connected to their friends, family, peers, and the world around them. Through the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program, HKNC is ensuring that qualified individuals with combined hearing and vision loss have access to groundbreaking telecommunication devices and the necessary training to use them.” Beside this text is a logo with “HK” on top and “NC” on the bottom. “Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults” is written inside a box on the bottom, right corner of the poster. Below the logo and box reads, “516-944-8900, 516-944-8637 (TTY), 866-351-9089 (VP)*, *Operated by Helen Keller Services for the Blind, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization.”
Text: (All components of this section have an American flag background.)
South Carolina Governor’s Proclamation
Nikki Haley, South Carolina’s governor, via a proclamation has acknowledged June, 22-28, 2014 to be Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week in South Carolina. An excerpt of her proclamation may be seen below. “Now, Therefore, I, Nikki R. Haley, Governor of the Great Sate of South Carolina, do, hereby proclaim June 22– 28, 2014, as Helen Keller Deaf- Blind Awareness Week throughout the state and encourage all South Carolinians to recognize the many contributions made by people who are deafblind
in communities across the Palmetto State.”
- Governor Nikki Haley
Image: On the left side of the article, there is a photograph of the signed proclamation.
It reads, “State of South Carolina, Governor’s Proclamation
WHEREAS, the combined loss of vision and hearing is one of the most severe of all disabilities, affecting mobility, communication, and access to information for more than a million people in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Helen Keller was one of the most accomplished, respected, and renowned Americans who was deaf-blind; and
WHEREAS, people who are deaf-blind live, work, play, and worship in our communities and are productive citizens, neighbors, and family members deserving of respect and opportunities for personal growth; and
WHEREAS, the 2014 observance of Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week calls attention to the abilities and potential of our residents with dual-sensory loss while recognizing Helen Keller as a guiding example of courage, hope, determination, and achievement.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nikki R. Haley, Governor of the Great State of South Carolina, do hereby proclaim June 22-28, 2014, as
HELEN KELLER DEAF-BLIND AWARENESS WEEK
throughout the state and encourage all South Carolinians to recognize the many contributions made by people who are deaf-blind in communities across the Palmetto State.
Below this text is the state seal and Nikki R. Haley’s signature. Under her signature states,
Nikki R. Haley, Governor, State of South Carolina”.
Image: To the right of the article, is a photograph of Nikki R.Haley, wearing a blue suit, with an American flag and the flag of South Carolina in the background.
Page 5:
Heading: Deaf + Blind = Deaf-Blind? (On a black background.)
Graphic: A color spectrum in the form of sound waves.
Text: (On a purple background.)
The federal definition of deaf-blindness for school-aged children:
“Deaf-blindness means concomitant hearing and vision impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.” (IDEA, 2004)
The federal definition of deaf-blindness for children between birth and 3 years of age:
“Concomitant hearing and vision impairments or delays, the combination of which causes severe communication and other developmental and intervention needs that specialized early intervention services are needed.”
Text: (Inside of a red box.)
Individuals who are deaf-blind can not fully depend on their vision or their hearing to gain access to information. So how do they gain access to information? They may gain access via one of the following:
Tactile: The sense of touch is the way many children who are deaf-blind explore their world. Their hands allow them to gain different types of information about their environment (i.e. shape, size, temperature). For tactile signers, this is also their primary mode of communication, allowing them to connect to others. When working with a child who is deaf-blind, a touch cue might be used to gain their attention. It is important to respect their need to explore their environment tactilely, as this may be the only or most efficient way for them to gain information about what surrounds them.