Electronic Library Initiative

In the Spring of 2006, the Board of Directors voted to spend the funds necessary to implement a fully functional electronic library catalog for the TSB Library.  With the project completion in the fall of 2008, the library's features now include:

Playground

FRIENDS BUILD TSB ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND

An estimated  six million children in the U.S. have some kind of disability that makes it hard, if not impossible, for them to play on a  traditional playground.  In 2003, Friends of TSB approved a project  that would provide the joy and learning experiences of an accessible playground for students enrolled at this school.

Phase I and II of the new playground created a wonderful play environment, meeting current ADA standards, and featuring vibrant colors and special equipment designed for blind and low vision students. In time, however, evaluations and observations from teachers and therapists noted a need for additional equipment, designed to be fully accessible to students with multiple disabilities, and in 2007 Friends responded with a plan for the Phase III, which was completed for student use in the spring of 2008.This area includes safety swings and accessible swings, for students needing upper body support and stabilization, as well as special safety surfaces, access paths, and swings designed to accommodate wheelchairs.  It insures that  the new TSB Playground is truly a place  where  students of all abilities can come to swing, play, and have fun.

 

Wonder Room

An innovative multi-sensory room, another major project of Friends of Tennessee School for the Blind,  was presented to TSB in a special ribbon cutting ceremony on November 4, 2005.   The TSB Wonder Room, as it is now called, is now being enjoyed by the students.

A welcome sign at the entrance to the room expresses appreciation to major donors whose gifts helped make the project possible. The Board of Directors would like to add our thanks for all the individual gifts, donations and contributions of time and talent that were so important to the completion of this project.

Band / Chorus Uniforms

In 2007 Friends provided the funding (approx. $19,000) to purchase replacement band uniforms and the material to make new chorus uniforms.  We are greatly indebted to Ms. Sue Alban and Ms. Janice Summar for the many hours devoted to making the outfits.   

The TSB Auditorium serves multiple purposes for the students. It is there that  experiences,  which are an integral part of their music education  take place,  and  it also provides the  setting for numerous student performances,  recitals, concerts, enrichment programs, and special events such as Graduation .

In the Fall of 2008, Friends of TSB  approved  an Auditorium Improvement Project, to provide new and necessary audio-visual  solutions, equipment, sound support and projection capabilities  for the auditorium seating and performance areas.  The project was completed in the Spring of 2009.

In 2008 major plans were developed for the state to make major renovations and upgrades to the TSB Gymnasium.  With the mission of Friends of TSB  being  to supplement state allocations in enhancing and enriching the lives of the students, the Friends Board  approved two projects  which will benefit students upon completion of the Gym renovation in the 2009-2010  school year.

The first is to provide a completely new high quality gymnasium sound system, which will benefit all TSB students to whom “sound” is  critical to both learning and athletic activities taking place in the gym.