About Louisbrailleschool.org

I have maintained a braille-related online resource since 1999. For the last few years that resource was also the online home of the Louis Braille School. Although the brick and mortar Louis Braille School closed at the end of the 2010-1011 school year, louisbrailleschool.org will continue to provide fresh resources for students, parents and teachers.

My business site, cmbrailleservices.com, focuses on my braille transcribing services and the needs of braille users. Over the last 20 years I’ve brailled everything from legal documents to the menus for cruise lines. I like challenging tasks that require creative solutions. Often these are seemingly small things that make a big difference.

~ Carolyn Meyer

1991-2006: The Louis Braille Center

The story of the Louis Braille School began in 1991 with the founding of the Louis Braille Center, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization. Under the direction of Carolyn Meyer, the Center offered braille transcribing services, braille instruction for all ages, and community outreach and education from a little two-room office in Seattle’s Northgate area.

January 2000: the Second Saturday Club

In January of 2000 the Center moved to Edmonds, WA and started the Second Saturday Club. The Club met during the ten-month school year and offered a social, recreational, and educational program for blind children and their families.

Highlights

  • Seeing children to develop confidence and self-esteem and begin to laugh and play and interact in a relaxed easy manner through a variety of experiences and field trips.
  • Observing development of academic skills and skills of daily living that promote independence.

Summer 2000-2010: Summer Braille Camp

Summer Braille Camp met for two weeks each July.

Highlights

  • Visits from Guide Dogs for the Blind puppies in training and their trainers for camps in 2006 through 2010.
  • Mastering new skills: tying shoes, brushing teeth, brailling the whole alphabet, understanding the abacus, getting over a reading hurdle.
  • Music jam sessions, sports, visits from PAWS, messy art, friendships, camaraderie

2006-2011: The Louis Braille School

In 2006 the Louis Braille School replaced the Louis Braille Center. From the 2006-2007 school year until the school closed in June of 2011, Carolyn Meyer was the director of the state-approved day school. The school provided an holistic, integrated program for children with special needs and continued summer the Braille Camp started by Louis Braille Center.

Highlights? Every moment of every day.

  • Seeing students break through old barriers to become socially, emotionally, and academically confident.
  • Observing children develop friendships with fellow students. For many it was their first experience in being a friend and having a friend.
  • “Real life” learning experiences through community involvement: riding the public bus, shopping at the grocery store, regular visits to a retirement home, science lessons on the beach, school room visits from community members who shared special expertise.
  • Weekly music program by Vern, leader of The Huckabillys country band, students playing and singing with The Huckabillys at the School’s annual fundraiser.

2011 and Onward

The Louis Braille School web site continues to be developed as an online resource center. The Louis Braille biography “A New Method” continues to be a popular destination.