News & Announcements

Austin, Texas – September 20, 2022 – The high-school cross-country team at Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) is in for a real surprise today at track practice, when at 4:00 p.m., Ari Perez from Fleet Feet Austin delivers brand new running shoes the company has donated to the team. While inspiring long-distance runners, the TSD team has been ill-equipped to compete among their peers. Some even determined to get the job done wearing their everyday school shoes or gym shoes.

On this issue (Volume 7, Issue 1): Opening Day • School Safety Training • TSD Welcomes New Teachers • Troy Kotsur Visits TSD • Wawa Encourages Graduating Class to Make Dreams a Reality • Texas Deaf Festival Helps Support TSD Rangers • Student Spotlight: Sam S.

As I mentioned on Opening Day, we know that COVID-19 is still present. However, we’ve also shown that it no longer defines the way we live, learn and engage at TSD.

Ranger Nation, we are getting ready for HOMECOMING, which will be on Saturday, October 22nd.
Click the link (above) for booth festival registration.

Dear TSD Board, Staff, Families, Colleagues and Community, The purpose of this letter is to let you know that I have been working with the TSD Governing Board in planning for my eventual retirement. This is not a good-bye message and I don’t have any firm date set, but I wanted you to hear it from me before my position is posted and the search becomes more active.

Dear TSD Parents, Guardians and Caregivers, I hope you are enjoying the remaining days of summer and ready to begin a new school year. I wanted to share some important safety updates with you. Although we cannot erase what happened in Uvalde we can work together to ensure that our school is as safe as possible. On June 30, 2022, in coordination with the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the Required School Safety Action Steps This Summer that outlines immediate steps that schools are required to take to support the safety and security of our campuses.

While Oscar winner Troy Kotsur was at TSD, he recorded this special message for Father’s Day, which is celebrated this Sunday.

Sixty-two extraordinary individuals graduated on June 2nd, 2022 from the Texas School for the Deaf. Julian Mateo Zea, Salutatorian, and Trey Scott Johnson, Valedictorian, addressed their graduating peers and audience. Dip-hop sensation Warren "Wawa" Snipe delivered the commencement address. Joel Pennington ended the evening with the benediction. Watch the full video here.

On the heels of winning an Academy Award for best actor in the movie CODA, Troy Kotsur visits Austin Texas with a stop at Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) today. Kotsur is in Austin to be featured in a documentary being shot at the school produced by Austin-based non-profit content studio, Emergent Order Foundation, for its’ Dad Saves America content initiative.

Austin, Texas – June 2, 2022 – At 7:00 p.m. today, acclaimed hip-hop recording artist, Wawa, delivers the commencement speech to Texas School for the Deaf’s (TSD) 62 extraordinary graduates. Warren “Wawa” Snipe has been a viral sensation since his half-time performances at the last two NFL Super Bowls. In 2021, Wawa performed The Star-Spangled Banner alongside Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan, and in 2022, he was on the global stage alongside fellow rappers, Sean Forbes, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 cent, and Kendrick Lamar.

TSD is hosting a back-to-school carnival for parents, families, and students on Friday, August 12th, from 9 AM to 3 PM.

On this issue (Volume 6 - Issue 6): Deaf Authors Book Festival • Mad City Money • National Student Poet Shares Skills with Middle Schoolers • State Police Surprise ELC and Elementary Kids • Business Appreciation Breakfast • Student Spotlight: Skyler W. • Austin Animal Center Post Big Thank You to TSD First-Graders • Congratulations to Class of 2022 Graduates!

Dear Families, We are all deeply saddened by the events of yesterday’s school shooting in Uvalde, TX.  For many of us these are like our backyard neighbors. We feel the incredible pain of the families of the students and staff that did not survive another senseless tragedy.

On this issue (Volume 6 - Issue 6): CTE Showcase • Baby Chickens in ELC • Math Hacker • APD cadets provided a presentation on Deaf awareness • TSD Welcomes TFC Commissioners to New Facilities • Spotlight: Promotoras and TSD is accredited by CEASD!

Austin, Texas – Twenty published authors from across the country are in Austin for the first Deaf Authors Book Festival (DABF), May 6-7, hosted by Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) at 1102 South Congress Avenue. The two-day event with author signings, panel discussions and informal chats, brings together a diverse selection of written works in a variety of genres by authors from Deaf, hard of hearing, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC communities. Free and open to the public, everyone will find something to their appeal, including the Deaf culture buff, the sci-fi geek, the sports fanatic, comic book lovers, and even RVs whose home is on the road.

Austin, Texas – April 28, 2022– Students from Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) represent Team U.S.A. at the international summer games for elite athletes who are deaf and hard of hearing. In Brazil today, they’ve joined an estimated 4,500 athletes, from more than 100 countries, to begin training for the summer Deaflympics, May 1 – 15, 2022.

Austin, Texas – The first Deaf Authors Book Festival (DABF) comes to Texas School for the Deaf (TSD), May 6-7, and features 25 books written by 21 Deaf authors from all parts of the United States. Free to the public, DABF brings together a diverse group of Deaf, hard of hearing, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC authors displaying their books for sale in a variety of genres, certain to appeal to the Deaf culture or history buff, the sci-fi geek, the sports fanatic, magic lovers, and even RVers.

*Update* The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has set a deadline to use all awarded SSES funds by May 6, 2022.

On this issue (Volume 6 - Issue 5): TSD's VEX Robotics Teams Score High in Recent Tournaments • Sunshine 2.0 Performs at TSD for Black History Month • Two TSD Athletes Receive High Accolades by NDIAA • Chess Champions • Our Book Tasting Party at the MS & HS Library • Education and Advocacy Summit • Ribbon Cutting Open House.