NEWS

2008

Work it Out Program Receives Donation

Our very own Health Center project entitled “Work It Out” was one of the organizations receiving a $1,000 donation from Sam's Club "Good Work" program.
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TSD in the News

TSD students were in the news today regarding Image Microsystems, an Austin-based business that repairs and recycles computer parts, who has hired several students from our Transition Department.
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New Career Center Opens

Over five years in the works, finally, on August 29, in the CTE building, the Julius P. Seeger Career Center ribbon was cut.
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Summer Programs

The theme “Go Green!” was the focus and how we can help the environment be a cleaner and better place. Throughout the month-long programs, all of the teachers developed plenty of hands-on activities and curriculum related to the theme.
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See Video

TSD graduate Cruz Lane makes top five in "ASL Live" Competition at the 49th Biennial NAD Conference in New Orleans. Take a look at his award winning video audition
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Family Weekend Retreat

The 2008 Family Weekend Retreat was held on June 13-15th on the TSD campus. 218 parents, children and extended family members registered for the event and 166 people attended (89 children and 77 adults), representing 35 families from all across Texas.
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Boys Track #1

USA Deaf Track and Field recently released the official 2008 season statistic totals and named TSD's Boys Track Team Number 1 in the nation. Congratulations Rangers!
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2008 End of Year Activities

Wow! That went by so fast! The End of the Year Activities have come and now went, and 64 Graduates make their way into the world. Check out these photo galleries of all the EOY events.
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2nd Annual Diamond Event

On the evening of May 15, at the downtown Austin Hilton, the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation held its annual fundraiser and 15 Culinary Arts students got to help prepare and serve the reception and three course meal.
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Time Warner News 8 Partner of the Year

Salute 2008 was the theme of the Austin Partners in Education Awards this year, and the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation named Time Warner News 8 its partner of the year.
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Discovery Retreat

Hollywood came to Texas! Two well known deaf film producers, Chad Taylor and Wayne Betts, of mösdeux lead a film production workshop for mainstream deaf and hard of hearing teens at the Peaceable Kingdom Retreat.
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TSD Shines in MATHCOUNTS Competition

More than 50 students with hearing loss from across the country participated in the MATHCOUNTS® competition at the NTID on the RIT campus in Rochester, New York.
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Essay, Art & ASL Contest

Over 600 students throughout the country entered Gallaudet's National contest. The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center has announced the winners yesterday and TSD had 6 winners!!!
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Berg Seeger Track & Field Classic

TSD Tracksters win big at the Berg Seeger Track and Field Classic on Saturday. Girls took 2nd Place, the Boys took 1st Place and TSD won 1st overall. Congratulations Ranger Tracksters!!!
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Deaf History Month

On display now, through mid-April, Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) high school students are displaying a look at the history of Deaf heritage, Deaf culture and Deaf pride to commemorate Deaf History Month.
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Greek Festival 2008

In keeping with TSD’s ’07-‘08 theme, “Odyssey”, Elementary students culminated a week full of learning and activities focused on Greece and Greek culture with "Greek Festival 2008".
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Jungle Jim's "Bugs of the World"

Jungle Jim, brought his "Bugs of the World" tour to TSD and kids got to have all of their bug-related questions answered and their fasciantions piqued.
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Deaf Teen America Pageant

We are proud to announce that TSD students Juan Munoz and Amanda Weiser were awarded FIRST RUNNERS UP at this years' Deaf Teen America Pageant.
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Don Twomey Offers Expertise

Don Twomey, owner and sole propreitor of the infamous South Congress Twomey Auto Works shop, has been donating his time and lending his expertise to our own Auto Body Shop in the Career and Technology Education Department.
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Best Buy Tech Awards Grant

TSD applied for and received a $2,000.00 grant for innovative technology use. The equipment will be used for a reading project in the elementary department.
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Sertoma Pancake Breakfast

On Saturday, February 16, Sertoma held their annual pancake breakfast in the school cafeteria which was hugely successful endevour and more than doubled last years' turn-out.
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2007

Scarbrough Holiday Windows

TSD had the honor of decorating the Scarbrough building for the Holidays in downtown Austin on the southwest corner of 6th and Congress.
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Signing Santa

Even before the Thanksgiving Break, there are "signs" of holiday cheer. Members of TSD's notorious sign choir performed on Tuesday, November 12 at the Barton Creek Mall to help generate a buzz about this coming Sunday's Evening of Giving.
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TSD Honors Veterans

The Elementary School students invited veterans and all members of the U.S. military for a special ceremony in their honor at the TSD Gymnasium.
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International Team Visits

An International team of visitors, sponsored by the State Department, visited our campus today, Monday October 29, for an in-depth examination of how we here at TSD promote awareness and tolerance through the Arts.
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Homecoming Wrap Up

TSD's 2007 homecoming celebration was a huge success and such great fun! The Rangers trounced their opponents from the California School for the Deaf, 56-0.
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Deaf Triathlete - Nick Bannon

By day, mild mannered Instructional Curriculum Coordinator, by night and weekend, Ironman triathlete.
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Mosdeux Films

You will not hear the usual "Lights. Cameras. Action!"  on the set of this production, but you will feel a unique energy and experience the parallel vision of an entire deaf film team working together.
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Team Jam

Following Superintendent Claire Bugen’s annual start-of-the-school year celebration, each TSD staff member participated in a 3-hour teambuilding event called TEAM JAM.
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End of School Activities

As each year it usually does, May has once again flown by in a flurry of End of School Year activities. From the Elementary Graduation to the SND Senior Awards, from the Senior Walk to the Senior Dinner, see all the End of School Year Photo Galleries.
See all the end of school year activities

 

Graduation 2007

TSD wrapped up the school year with the graduating Class of 2007, celebrating their achievements among friends, family, TSD faculty and schoolmates at commencement ceremonies in the R. L. Davis Auditorium.
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2nd Annual Ranger Day

Local community partners from the Travis County Sheriffs Office, the Austin Fire Department, National Guard and Austin Police Departments SWAT, K-9, Motorcycle, and Boat Units visited with students on TSD's 2nd Annual Ranger Day.
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Jerry Hassell - In Loving Memory

By now many of you know that we have lost our dear friend, teacher, advocate and distinguished alumni Jerry Hassell. After a long and valiant battle he passed away peacefully at home on May 1st surrounded by his loving wife Dovie and his daughters Sharon and Sandra.
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Kars and Kids

The best word to describe Time Warner's fund-raiser 'Kars and Kids' is massive. It came revving onto the Athletic field on April 28th and for those of you who missed it, it was massive.
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Diamond Event at the Hilton

On the evening of April 25, at the downtown Austin Hilton, a very grateful community partner, the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation, held its annual fundraiser in their governor's ballroom and 16 Culinary Arts students got to help prepare and serve the four course wine dinner.
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Deaf Teen America Pageant

Top students from the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) were crowned Mr. and Miss. Deaf Teen America tonight. Juniors Bejo Goodridge and Toj Mora, both of Austin, were awarded college scholarships, prizes and the coveted 2007 Deaf Teen America title before a crowd of mostly hometown supporters.
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Midwest Academic Bowl

We placed 3rd in a challenging field of 16 schools. The competition was intense so please extend congratulations to our big time winners.
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2006

Sesquicentennial Closing Reception - Dec 15, 2006

TSD in collaboration with the TSD Foundation hosted a party to commemorate the special people and events that have made our 150th Celebration a success.  This event was held at the graciously donated, beautiful new space, Vino Vino, 4119 Guadalupe and will allow us to express our appreciation to the many individuals who contributed their time, treasure and talent to the year of Sesquicentennial activities.  A brief media presentation was made. 

The Grinch's Gala 2006

Net proceeds for the 2006 Grinch's Gala benefited the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation. Click here to view the Photo Gallery

Louis Shanks Hosts TSDF Black Tie Gala
The Foundation would like to thank Louis Shanks and everyone involved with 'Feel the Music' for making it such an overwhelming success. Click here to find out more.

Kick-Off Event with Governor Rick Perry
Our Sesquicentennial "Kick-Off" was a huge success. Govenor Perry's speech was compelling and powerful. Our kids were phenomenal! The amazing little hands and smiles in the TSD Song, the dramatic enactment on film by the SND kids, the Elementary academy award primer of Deaf Culture and history, the confident introductions and the closing song showed clearly who we are and what we do.

TSD would like to thank Rep. Pitts for his kind words, and Comm. Neeley for her blessings. TSD Alumnae, Anita Dalla gave a beautiful, heart-felt speech asking students to relish in the rich community TSD provides. Our sponsors, the TSD Foundation, AT&T, Giant Outdoor AD, Inc., and the Joel Craig family deserve a thousand thanks for making this event possible.

Many TSD Staff made a super-human effort to make this event a success, and ALL of the staff deserve credit for making TSD one of the leading schools in deaf education. Thank you for being there, for shining brightly, and for giving all you do to this school.

Reading Room Dedication to Jerry Hassell
Jerry Hassell’s life story reads more like an encyclopedic entry on deaf advocacy than one man’s accomplishments; perhaps then, that’s the reason Middle School students dedicated their new reading room in his honor. Jerry’s name is well-known around the TSD campus with most, if not all of the staff, but thanks to Middle School students, word is spreading among the younger generation as well.

Two years ago, TSD purchased the Accelerated Reading Program books and started to incorporate the Reading Connections curriculum into all of its classes. The idea for a reading room started when the ARP books came in and Terry Robbins, Middle School principal, wanted to provide a comfortable atmosphere for the students to enhance their reading experience. The room, on the first floor of the Middle School building, began to take shape last spring and lived up to its expectation of being a place where students can lie on a comfortable sofa or chair and dive into a good book to appreciate the joys of reading. Early this fall, after reading Hassell’s featured article in the Austin American Statesman, the Middle School students were fascinated by his legendary achievements and got the idea to immortalize Jerry by dedicating their new reading room in his honor.

The dedication ceremony, held in the afternoon on September 23rd, 2004, started with a question and answer session where Jerry relayed stories from his memorable past, and the students themselves told stories of Jerry’s life cued by a power point presentation. After migrating the students, Hassell’s family, and faculty in attendance from the lecture hall to the hallway in front of the reading room, the ribbon cutting ceremony moved most to tears and Jerry was visibly overcome with emotion. Dalton Allen, 7th grade, gave the formal invocation, Terry Robbins gave a quick speech and then it was time for Jerry to cut the blue ribbon. Jerry himself was awestruck upon entering the newly finished room. While learning about a living legend, students were offered inspiration and provided a newfound role model; meanwhile, appreciating the positive experience that reading provides.

SoCo Arts Festival Benefits TSD!

On Saturday, September 4th, the South Congress neighborhood just beyond the gates of Texas School for the Deaf was the site of a street fair billed as the SoCo Arts Festival. This noon till nine celebration of art, music, food, and fun brought a parade of visitors to the avenue and TSD's proximity allowed us to benefit by offering parking for a price. Approximately $2,500 was earned over the course of the day. Additionally, our school was promoted through a free booth donated to the TSD Foundation by the festival organizers. Many of the partygoers stopped by to buy t-shirts and/or get information about the programs offered at TSD. Thanks to all the staff and Foundation Board members who gave their time to work the booth and promote TSD.

Gifts

The TSD Foundation has continued to receive gifts in memory or in honor of individuals. The families of Mary Stovall and William Peace honored their loved ones by requesting that donations in their memory be made to the Foundation. Additionally, the Foundation received a financial gift from the estate of Donald Hood. On a lighter note, the family of Jerry and Dovie Hassell requested that their 50 years of matrimony be recognized with Foundation gifts. Board members were grateful but not surprised at the number of people who gave to TSD to honor this couple that has been a solid and positive presence in the Texas Deaf Community for many years.

Our thanks go to all of these families for choosing TSD as the beneficiary in memory or in honor of their loved ones.

Salute to Sprint Relay!

On Wednesday, April 20th, Austin Partners in Education held their annual spring gala, SALUTE!, to honor outstanding teachers and partnerships from the Austin community. Representatives of Texas School for the Deaf were there, front and center, eager to present an award to Sprint Relay recognizing this organization as their chosen “Partner of the Year.” Before awarding a plaque to Sprint Relay representatives Robert Giuntoli and Barbara Narvaez, Superintendent Bugen gave a brief summary of the many contributions made to TSD by this outstanding partner. To mention a few, Sprint Relay has provided support for: