Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired

PUBLIC NOTICE:

Upcoming Meeting Announcement
The SSD Board of Directors will hold a meeting on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.

Location: 2888 Brightside Dr
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
Student Center Board Room

To see the Public Notice on our website as a PDF visit the following link:
https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5932944/Public_Notice_SSD_Board_Meetings.pdf

REMINDER: Board of Directors Special Meeting
Date: 07/23/2025
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location:
2888 Brightside Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
SSD Board Room 196-Student Activity Center

If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be Livestreamed on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/jTqYqcHIzug

You can find the agenda for the meeting at the following link:
https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5894473/SSD_Agenda.pdf

REMINDER: SSD Board of Directors Special Meeting
Date: 07/21/2025
Time: 9:00 a.m.

Location:
2888 Brightside Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
SSD Board Room - Student Center

If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be Livestreamed on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/live/oyRSiLzSHIk?feature=share

You can find the agenda for the meeting at the following link:
https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5884387/SSD_Agenda_7.21.25_KS_7.3.25_7.16.25_7.17325.pdf

Notice of Cancellation - Board of Directors Meeting 07/15/2025 The Board of Directors of the Louisiana Special School District meeting scheduled for July 15, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. has been cancelled. The next Special meeting for the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Special School District will take place on July 21, 2025 at 9:00am. Please contact Kattie Sheppard at Kattie.Sheppard@swe.la.gov if you have any questions. You can read the full announcement on our website at the following link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5802857/7.15.25_Cancellation_Notice_KS_6.23.25.pdf

REMINDER: Board of Directors Meeting is Tomorrow Date: 05/13/2025 Time: 9:00 a.m. Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 SSD Board Room - Student Center If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be Livestreamed on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/RUPhZES32CQ?feature=share You can find the agenda for the meeting at the following link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5630167/Agenda_5.13.25.pdf

UPDATE: Agenda for Board of Directors Meeting Please note, the agenda for the board meeting has had one additional item added. The revised link is included below. Date: 05/13/2025 Time: 9:00 a.m. Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 SSD Board Room - Student Center If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be Livestreamed on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/RUPhZES32CQ?feature=share You can find the agenda for the meeting at the following link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5630167/Agenda_5.13.25.pdf

ANNOUNCEMENT: Board of Directors Meeting Date: 05/13/2025 Time: 9:00 a.m. Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 SSD Board Room - Student Center If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be Livestreamed on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/RUPhZES32CQ?feature=share You can find the agenda for the meeting at the following link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5615182/Board_of_Directors_Meeting_Agenda_05.13.25.pdf

Announcement: Raptor Visitor Management System to Be Used to Screen Visitors Coming Onto SSD’s Baton Rouge Campus The Louisiana Special School District is pleased to announce that we will begin using the Raptor Visitor Management System at our campus at 2888 Brightside Drive in Baton Rouge, to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and faculty. Part of keeping students and faculty safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system will allow us to do that. The Raptor system will better allow us to screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff. Upon entering campus via our security guard station, visitors will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor system. The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not entering our school campuses without our knowledge. The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency. Once entry is approved, SSD security will issue a badge sticker that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. Users whose identification returns a positive match against the offender registry will be denied entry onto the campus. This badge is to be worn by the visitor at all times while on campus. The safety of our students is our highest priority and the Raptor visitor management system allows us to quickly identify those that may present a danger to our students. Thank you in advance for your understanding and your support in enhancing the school safety protocols in our district. A link to this announcement as a PDF can be found on our website at this link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5511342/SSD_Raptor_Notice_04.07.2025.docx__1_.pdf

REMINDER: Board of Directors Meeting Today Date: 03/18/2025 Time 9:00 a.m. Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 SSD Board Room - Student Center If you are unable to attend in person the meeting with be available via Livestream on SSD's YouTube Page. A link for the stream is here: https://youtube.com/live/f2pWYiYzqg4?feature=share You can find this agenda here: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5403543/Agenda_3.18.25_Final.pdf

NOTICE: SSD Newsletter Published The February edition of the SSD newsletter has just been released. This issue features a story about the new barn project which we cut the ribbon on last month as well as articles from other departments across SSD. You can see the newsletter at this link on SSD's Website: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5299014/February__SSD_Newsletter__FINAL.pdf

NOTICE: The Louisiana Special School District Board of Directors' meeting scheduled for Feb. 11, 2025 at 9:00AM has been cancelled.  The next scheduled board meeting is March 18, 2025 at 9:00AM.

ANNOUCEMENT: Board of Directors Meeting Date: 02/11/2025 Time 9:00 a.m. Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 SSD Board Room - Student Center If you are unable to attend in person the meeting with be available via Livestream on SSD's YouTube Page. A link for the stream is here: https://youtube.com/live/sz0xKivhoEY?feature=share You can find the agenda for the meeting on SSD's website linked here: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5266294/Board_of_Directors_Agenda_02.11.2025.docx.pdf

In addition to the State office closure on Wednesday, 1/22, State offices are also closed on Thursday, 1/23, therefore all SSD offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. We will continue to provide updates as they become available. Stay safe!

LSDVI will be closed on Monday, 1/20, for the MLK Holiday and will be closed on Tuesday, 1/21, due to the predicted winter weather. The situation is being monitored closely and will be reevaluated on Tuesday. The decision has been made that residential students will not come to campus next week but will participate in virtual learning when school reopens.

ANNOUNCEMENT: LSD Student Performance Scores Show Record Increase From: Dr. David Martin, SSD Superintendent Date: November 22, 2024 The Louisiana Department of Education released the 2023-2024 School Performance Scores this past Wednesday. The Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD), which is operated by the Louisiana Special School District (SSD), posted a record increase of 27.4 points moving it up a letter grade and off of the F list for the first time in 20 years. This 27.4 point improvement ranks the school as one of the top increases in school performance scores statewide. Dr. Natalie Delgado serves as the LSD Executive Director. The 2023-2024 school year was her first year serving as the leader of the school. She attributes the increase performance score to the hard work of the staff and intentional focus on student outcomes. “LSD has been laser focused on student outcomes,” Delgado commented. “Through increased teacher collaboration and addressing the complex needs of the whole child, we are moving the needle on student achievement.” She further added, “Ensuring student success is truly a collective effort and every LSD staff member and student played a part in this accomplishment.” “I am really proud of the progress made by Dr. Delgado and her team this past year,” Dr. David Martin, SSD Superintendent commented. “The whole LSD community truly rallies behind its students and makes remarkable opportunities happen for them each and every day.” Kristy Flynn, SSD Board President stated, “The growth seen at LSD can be directly attributed to the hard work of the school’s leadership and teachers. The SSD has some of the most skilled and dedicated educators in the state and working together, they are moving students forward.” Aside from LSD, the SSD operates the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LSVI) and the Special Schools Programs (SSP) which provides special education services for the Office of Juvenile Justice, Department of Corrections, and educational programming for selected Department of Health sites. More information about the SSD can be found at www.ssdofla.org. Media Outlets: Please contact Dr. David Martin for any further information. David.Martin@la.gov or via telephone, 502-422-0571. Link to full press release in PDF format visit: https://5il.co/31ohk

TODAY: LSVI's Annual Family Engagement - Bake Sale and Silent Auction Date: Friday, November 22, 2024 Time: 9:00AM -11:00AM Join us this year to help raise money for our Trojans! We are seeking donations of sweet treats, cakes, cookies and morel. A silent auction will be held at school to auction all items donated. Watch out for the specialty items auctioned as well! You Never know what's in store! *All monies raised will be added to the student activity fund.. This fund helps pay for field trips, special events, and more.

REMINDER: Tuesday - Board of Directors Meeting Date: 11/12/2024 Time 9:00 a.m. Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 SSD Board Room - Student Center If you are unable to attend in person the meeting with be available via Livestream on SSD's YouTube Page. A link for the stream is here: https://www.youtube.com/live/mq384BDV0kc?si=Wz72ueynO2deJ2Sz You can find this agenda here: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5006651/Agenda_11.12.24.pdf

REMINDER: SSD Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday; November 12th, 2024 Time: 9:00 am Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 Student Center Board Room Link to agenda: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5006651/Agenda_11.12.24.pdf

Each year the students from LSD and LSVI trick or treat around our campus getting treats from our staff. The departments really get into the spirit and this year the team from District Wide Supports (DWS) chose a PAC man theme.