Louis Braille School

When a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, adult new reader book club selected Out of Darkness, Russell Freedman’s biography of Louis Braille, to read little did they know the subject would lead to a study of the braille alphabet. Eager to learn more, members went online, discovered louisbrailleschool.org and our offer of a free braille alphabet card in exchange for a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We were pleased to fill their request and even more pleased to learn that the book club members studied the braille alphabet and translated some simple braille sentences. Hooray for Braille!

If you would like to receive a free braille alphabet card, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Louis Braille School, 10130 Edmonds Way, Edmonds WA 98020.

When Jesse selected Louis Braille as the subject for a school report, his parents visited the Louis Braille School for assistance. We were happy to give him a braille alphabet card and a braille calendar to share with his classmates. Jesse presented his report to the class but did not mention Louis Braille’s name. It was up to the students to figure that out. The class was puzzled until Jesse spoke of the six-dot system of reading that is read with the fingertips. That was the clue that brought the correct answer: Louis Braille.

The Louis Braille School website has information about Mr. Braille and the braille code especially for students working on school reports. Go to louisbrailleschool.org and click on Resources to explore FAQ about braille and Louis Braille, pictures of where Mr. Braille was born, and a braille alphabet chart.

On a drizzly Sunday afternoon in October, Louis Braille School director Carolyn Meyer joined guide dog puppies-in-training and their trainers at Fall City Farms in the foothills of Washington’s Cascade mountains. The trainers, affiliated with Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California, were from the Western Washington puppy training group. The crowd enjoyed freshly pressed apple juice, toured the working farm and purchased organic produce from the little store. One young pup showed up in a scarecrow costume in honor of the Halloween season.

For information about Guide Dogs for the Blind, visit www.guidedogs.com. To learn about puppy raising, click Programs/Dog Programs/Puppy Raising.

For information about the farm, go to www.fallcityfarms.com

We are taking advantage of the lovely fall days for outside O&M (Orientation and Mobility) practice. O&M includes the art of getting around efficiently, safely, and independently using a white cane.Students participate in regular one-on-one sessions in a public area where they learn to listen carefully to the surroundings and to distinguish with their canes features such as curbs, steps, and cracks.

In addition, we use traffic cones and rope to set up “obstacle courses” in the play area behind the school. The course changes from day to day.

Another helpful tool is a portable battery-powered “beeper box.” This box emits a steady beeping sound. The student navigates toward the direction of the sound, thus honing his sense of hearing and direction.

On Tuesday, September 4, 2007, the Louis Braille School will welcome students for the 2007-2008 school year.

The school, approved by the Washington State Board of Education, provides a ten-month academic program. Instruction in skills of everyday living and orientation and mobility is integrated into activities throughout the day. The school features individualized educational programs and hands-on individual attention for each student.

Tuition is $1,500 per month. Financial assistance is available. No child is denied because of a family’s inability to pay.

To register your child or to make an appointment to visit the school, call 425-778-2384, or email Christina