OSB Family: - Overbrook School for the Blind

As with all programs, Middle
School, which served 33 students
last year, emphasizes literacy and
communication skills. The program
educates children between 11
and 14 years of age with academic,
functional academic, life skills, and
experiential components. Academic
students follow the typical curriculum
for students their age.
The familial aspect of OSB is
always in evidence when children
move up from one program to
another. It is usual for parents,
students, support staff, and
education staff to come together to
cheer the students in the auditorium
as they prepare to move from
Elementary to Middle School.
Smiles, laughter, tears, pride, and
awards abound–as they do within
other programs–with families and
staff coming together in the
common cause of doing all that
they can do to celebrate the
students’ accomplishments.
High School (HS), School
to Work (STW), and the
Work Experience Program
(WEP)
Throughout most of the last school
year, OSB educators and administrators
set the framework to expand
and fully implement our Extended
School Year (ESY). As a result, in
addition to serving eligible
Elementary students, ESY now also
serves the eligible students in
Middle School, High School, and
School to Work. One program
coordinator, seems to speak for
everyone when she says, “ESY is
huge. Those six weeks in the
summer are very important.
Having the students continue
following their IEPs past June, in a
fun and friendly atmosphere,
continues their education and
preparation for the world.”
OSB’s HS students are between
15 and 18 years of age. Depending
upon their needs and abilities, they
follow a typical academic curriculum
that prepares them for college,
technical school, or competitive
employment; or they follow a
functional academic program with
core curriculum classes designed to
help them lead independent lives.
School to Work serves students
who are 19 - 21 years of age. With
a focus on preparing the students
to lead productive and satisfying
lives, transition planning is an
important part of the program.
Forty-eight students were served
by the HS this past year and 33 by
STW. A total of 26 students
graduated this June–the largest
graduating class since 1972. But
Page 6 Overbrook School for the Blind Annual Report 2009-2010