Welcome to Good News!
Highlighting Achievements and Successes at
the Texas School for the Deaf.

Volume 8, Issue 2

Spike Out Tournament Championship

Congratulations to the High School Varsity volleyball team on their victory in the National Deaf Spike Out tournament against Indiana! Their hard work, dedication, and teamwork have truly paid off, and this achievement is a testament to their talents and perseverance.

The High School Varsity volleyball team posed for the team picture. 11 people stand in the back, 7 people sit in the front. They are wearing long sleeved blue and white uniforms with numbers on the front. The head coach is sitting on the far left, the two remaining assistant coaches are sitting on the far right.

Teacher Spotlight: Keith Baker

Congratulations to Keith Baker, a CTE teacher who was named a winner of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. Baker, an automotive teacher at Texas School for the Deaf won $50,000 for his school’s program. A total of $1.5 million was awarded to 25 public high school skilled trades teachers and their programs across the United States. Baker is one of three winners from Texas this year.

Upon receipt of this incredible honor, Baker shared, “I believe former students would say that they learned how to live in the world as a Deaf person, for example, how to access Vocational Rehabilitation Services, job placement programs, independent living programs, interpreting services, and they began to learn how to advocate for themselves.”

People are standing behind the warehouse, Peter Bailey welcomes Keith Baker with a big check.

Keith Baker thanking Peter Bailey on the podium, wearing a blue and white trucker hat and light blue polo shirt.

Keith Baker posed with his family smiling (two sons, two daughters, his wife, and his mother.) His son is holding the big check.

Check out the video of Fox 7 Austin’s interview with Keith Baker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg0q43No4EQ

Senior Fest 2023

In mid-October, our High School and CTE departments hosted our first-ever Senior Fest. The event provided a platform for seniors and their families offering a roadmap for their last year of high school, tasks to check off their “to do” list before graduation, and things to consider post-graduation. What a successful event for seniors and their families!

The seniors watching the presentation at Senior Fest in Deaf Smith Center.

4 tables with poster stands in the order from front to back: Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Career & Transition Team, Parent Liaison, and lastly, Purple/ZVRS Videophone with people in the background.

4 tables with poster stands in the order from front to back: ACCESS Adult Curriculum for Community, Employment, and Social Skills, Yearbook, Student Life, and lastly, STAP Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program with people in the background.

A person sitting behind the table, talking to a student and her mother about school counselors. The poster stand’s text: School Counselors.

three students interested in ACCESS, discussing with 3 staff from the department. The booth has brochures, water bottles, and poster stands. The poster stand’s text: ACCESS Adult Curriculum for Community, Employment, and Social Skills.

A parent is having a discussion with career counselors with his child next to him. The background consists of people and a powerpoint, “Thank you, come visit us at the booths.”

Elementary Students Create Mural in Celebration of Deaf Awareness Week

TSD Elementary Art Teacher Mindy Moore and her students crafted a stunning mural showcasing Ranger Pride in honor of Deaf Awareness Week and TSD. Be sure to visit the AWC lobby to admire their creation!

Beige canvas painted with a glitter gold circle, a horse with colors (blue, red, and yellow) inside of the circle. Horse’s mane and tail are white. 13 stars in blue, red, and yellow scattered around the gold circle. Wave lines of blue, red, and yellow on the bottom of the canvas. It hangs on the railing and has “GROW” below it.

Middle School Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

The Manos Club organized the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in late September. The club had the honor of hosting a special guest, Juan Bernal, president of the National Hispanic Latino Association of the Deaf (NHLAD). During the event, middle school students immersed themselves in learning about Central and South America. They also had the opportunity to taste different food from those regions. The Manos Club not only celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month but also fostered a sense of unity, understanding, and appreciation among the students.

Homecoming 2023

The TSD Homecoming event turned out to be a success with an unexpected twist! On the morning of the Homecoming game, the Giddings’ High School football team had to forfeit, leaving TSD in a bit of a pickle. However, quick on our feet, we improvised and organized a match between two teams from TSD, creating an exciting and unexpected game. Despite the last-minute changes, the event had its shining moments. We want to extend our congratulations to Xavier E. and McKenna B., who were crowned the Homecoming Royalty!

Two Homecoming Royalty, Xavier and McKenna, posed sitting in the back of the golf cart decorated with blue and white streamers and balloons. Both of them have stash’s text: Homecoming Royalty. They held their bouquet of yellow flowers and they smiled.

The volleyball athletes huddled together on the court, with their hands up in the air, wearing ribbons on their hair. From left to right: volleyball uniform numbers 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 18.

6 white uniforms football athletes on the field, three blue uniforms played defense, and the number 5 is holding the ball. On the far right, blue and white uniforms tackled each other.

3 cheerleaders cheering for the football team, the girl in the front with black curls and white bow, wearing cheerleader uniform with “Texas” on the front.

A Homecoming Booth, with black tablecloth, a man is talking to two customers with backpacks.

A Homecoming Booth, with a mexican blanket on the table, selling food, two people in red aprons talking with two customers.

TSD Foundation Gala

Presented by the TSD Foundation, TSD’s 15th annual gala, themed “Viva las Vegas,” was a student prepared, multi-course banquet with wine pairings and included silent and live auctions, unique entertainment, exciting prizes, and fun ways to support TSD students and programs. Sonesta’s executive staff gave a select group of TSD culinary students the opportunity to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience working in a high-tech, professionally equipped kitchen. Students worked alongside Sonesta’s top chefs to create a unique, gourmet banquet for 200 lucky guests during the fundraiser presented by the TSD Foundation. Proceeds from the event support the students at Texas School for the Deaf as well as the estimated 7,000+ other children all across Texas who are deaf and hard of hearing.

three culinary students with black chef hats and uniforms incorporating the appetizer meal for the Gala.

Two culinary students incorporating the appetizer dishes with the help from the culinary teacher.

Peter Bailey introduces the culinary students to the Diamond Gala. Far left: Peter Bailey, an interpreter, chef from Sonstra, culinary teacher, six culinary students, culinary teacher assistant on the stage.

The photo has 4 grids on types of food. Top left: An appetizer plate. Top right: Cubed potatoes seasoned with spices. Bottom left: A chef knife cuts the meat and the meat has pink in the middle. Bottom right: Stuffed mushrooms.

National Deaf Prep Cross Country Championship

Our cross country team secured 1st place at the National Deaf Prep Cross Country Championships hosted by Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, FL.

Overall Standings:

1st - Texas (Champions)

2nd - Arizona (Runner-Up)

3rd - Maryland

Congratulations on this remarkable achievement by our Cross Country Rangers under the leadership of PE Supervisor, Nick Bannon!

7 cross country athletes posed (some were smiling and some were not) behind two rows of palm trees and grass backgrounds. The athletics wore cross country numbered uniforms with words, “Rangers Cross Country” (navy blue and white). The background is cloudy with one palm tree. Different teams with different colors (red, navy, orange, and black) are on run.

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Published November 20, 2023 Print