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by Cindy Williams, TSVI
NDVS/SB Coordinator of Student Programs

Welcome to the new school year! As this school year begins, there is a familiar sense of excitement, preparation, and possibility. Educators are preparing, families are adjusting to new routines, and students are learning, growing, and making new connections. For families and educators of students who are blind or have low vision, back-to-school preparation can involve some additional questions: Will my child have the tools they need? Will teachers understand how to provide accessible instruction? Are we connected with the right professionals and resources?

For blind and low-vision students, community is a catalyst for confidence, self-advocacy, and independence. Because many students with low vision or blindness are the only students experiencing this in their local public schools, they may experience social isolation. Short-Term Programs (STPs) hosted at North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind (NDVS/SB) play a vital role in building this community. 

The Importance of Community Full Article

by Paul Olson, NDVS/SB Superintendent

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

This quote is widely attributed to Teddy Roosevelt, but he actually borrowed it from a previous author and restated it in one of his many speeches. Whatever its origin, I would contend that it is one of the wisest pieces of advice for living I have ever heard. It might even be said that it applies well to any organization striving for success. It has become my mantra when I am frequently thinking about how to manage the many complex demands of a small but very important agency serving our citizens. I do not believe I am exaggerating when I say that the quality of our service is crucial to people’s lives. Real outcomes leading to people living independently, success in school, and ultimately their employability, really does depend on expert-level service from NDVS/SB, as well as our schools and our partner organizations.

We very much attempt to be proactive in the management of our resources, staff, and expertise, but by nature we are somewhat reactionary. The number of children and adults needing support and instruction ebbs and flows. Having highly trained teachers and other staff in the right places at the right times to serve our wonderful citizens well is an ongoing, challenging endeavor. So, we look ahead, gauge changing societal needs, attempt to recruit and train the best staff possible and then….do what we can, with what we have, where we are at.  Thanks for the advice, Teddy. 

Superintendent's Scoop Full Article

Retirement usually brings rest and relaxation to a person’s life. To Janelle Olson, retirement has, unexpectedly, brought fresh ideas, new connections, and new opportunities to learn. Even though she’s been legally blind since she was a child, retirement brought her to North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind to gain new information and skills. 

The youngest of four daughters, Janelle and her sisters – twins Karlyn and Kathy and middle sister Loris – grew up on a farm near Williston, ND. When Kathy was 8 years old, she started having vision issues and was diagnosed with Cone Rod Dystrophy, which is a deterioration of the cones in the retina. Then, when Loris was 8, she, too, began experiencing sight loss. Finally, at the same age, Janelle was also given the diagnosis. Three of the four daughters have it, but instead of any of them considering themselves unlucky, they were all grateful to have had good vision until the age of 8 – and each other. “We had our own built-in support group with our sisters,” Janelle says. As they’ve gotten older, “the deterioration continues. I can tell when I go someplace and realize that the last time I was there, I saw it better.” 

Leaning and Learning Full Article

by Alexis Read

Alexis Read grew up in Williston, ND, and received services from NDVS/SB as a child. Last summer, she attended an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) program at Leader Dogs for the Blind in Michigan to learn O&M skills that would allow her to independently cross a complex intersection near her home in Florida. As Alexis shares in this article, both the on-campus and in-home instruction from Leader Dogs made a huge difference in her life, giving her more independence and confidence. She hopes this article will encourage others to take steps that will expand their world.

I graduated from high school in 1999. Prior to graduation, I received services from North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind. In my adult years, I learned about a resource that I want to share with others.

I was born in Australia in early 1981. My parents did not receive the official diagnosis of my visual impairment until I was four months of age. After my first birthday, my mother decided to move back to her home state of North Dakota with my older brother and me. She realized she would need family support raising a child with a visual impairment. Her parents still lived in the small community where she grew up. 

I started to receive vision services in the summer of 1982 from a woman who was my teacher until I graduated from high school. Phyllis taught me skills related to the Expanded Core Curriculum; however, I would meet another teacher in 1991 who would help me learn to navigate my home area. Paul Olson, then the Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist for NDVS/SB, had to travel six hours to work with me so his trips were infrequent but beneficial. 

After I moved away from North Dakota in 2006, I received O&M instruction on a more frequent basis. I was exposed to many different teaching styles and methods over the years. 

My O&M Journey Full Article

NDVS/SB APH Coordinator

I grew up in Grand Forks, ND and graduated from Central High School. I went to UND right after high school but didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I spent some time at Northland Community and Technical College and got my associate’s degree. I took some time off and revisited UND years later. I graduated with a master’s in Kinesiology in the spring of 2022.

I’ve held a lot of different jobs. The longest job I’ve held was at a company called Support Systems Inc. in Grand Forks. I worked as Supervisor and Direct Support Professional. I managed a large caseload of clients and staff. I worked with clients in their homes and in the community. I found this work to be extremely rewarding. The most random job I’ve held so far was working at a kiwi factory in California! I worked on a line where I picked the best kiwis to be packaged and shipped across the country! 

Meet Jessica Full Article