Local Church Reacts to Tennessee Shootings

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Dates to Remember LUMCON trip
April 1415

Teacher of the Year
nominations due
April 16

Junior/Senior Prom
April 19

Dash for Deaf Kids
April 19

Teacher of the Year
Interviews
April 23

Baccalaureate
April 29

Student Art Display
May 19

Senior Trip
May 8 14

Elementary Awards
May 12

MS/HS Awards
May 16 Linda Gibson, LSDs Registered Dietician/Nutrition Services Director, retired on
March 20, 2008 with over 35 years of state service, 25 of them at LSD. A passion for
food goes back to Lindas earliest childhood memories. Her first Girl Scout badge
was the cook badge. She is the youngest of three girls and was the sibling who
eventually took responsibility for family meals while both of her parents were working.

Nutrition studies were a natural fit for Linda when she thought about a major in col-
lege. She attended Northwestern University in Natchitoches and LSU in Baton
Rouge. Linda married at 18 years old and had her son, Gary, at age 19. Lindas hus-
band earned a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Tennessee in Knox-
ville. While living in Knoxville for three years, Linda finished her Bachelor of Science
degree in dietetics. In 1976 Linda and her husband moved back to Baton Rouge,
where they have lived ever since.

Lindas first post graduate job was in the Hatcher Cafeteria at LSU, where she worked
for four and a half years. In that capacity she supervised 75 student workers! In
1982, when Sarah Goode announced her impending retirement as the long-term su-
pervisor of the LSD Cafeteria, Linda, with trepidation, applied for the job of Assistant
Manager. At that time, the school was functioning in two locations with the High
School and Junior High on the North Campus and the Prep/Elementary School on the
South Campus. It was difficult to supervise two different groups of staff in two differ-
ent locations. Eventually, the two campuses merged in 1985 and Linda became Man-
ager when Mrs. Goode retired in 1986. Old timers will remember that the high school
dining room and serving line were added on to an external wall that initially was the
Elementary cafeteria. Doris White and Mary Ann Richard are the two Food Service
Department staff members who, besides Linda, date back to early 1980s.

Linda said that her present staff is the most skilled and cohesive group of employees
she has ever supervised. She said that they are focused on providing high quality,
nutritious food in a welcoming atmosphere for our students. Linda enjoys catering
special events on campus like the opening of school, the prom and graduation recep-
tions. When asked about her favorite dish prepared by her staff, she diplomatically
said that she likes it all. She actually tasted all of the meals on a daily basis to ensure
quality.

Linda precedes her husband by retiring a year ahead of him. She plans on doing
needlepoint, reading for leisure and traveling. She has already traveled on several
occasions to Europe, particularly to Belgium and Italy. She enters sweepstakes con-
tests as a hobby and has recently won a trip to the British Virgin Islands. She will
also enjoy spending time with Ben, her seven year old partially deaf Dalmatian.

Linda, we wish you all the best in your retirement and thank you for your years of
dedicated service. Linda Gibson Retires With Over 35 Years of Service Louisiana School for the Deaf April 2008 On Eagles Wings Page 2 On Eagles Wings Empty Bowls Number 5 Citizens of the greater Baton Rouge area again proved their generosity by supporting
the fifth annual Empty Bowls Event held on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at the Louisi-
ana School for the Deaf. For a $10 donation, attendees were able to enjoy a bowl of
Chef John Folses renowned chicken and sausage gumbo, and choose from one of
more than 2,000 hand-made ceramic bowls which were made by students at 19 different
schools. Including money from a silent auction, the event raised a profit of more than
$17,000. The proceeds of the event are divided between the Greater Baton Rouge
Food Bank and the Saint Vincent DePaul Society. Thanks to LSD steering committee
members Julie Harrison, Phoebe Weaver, Susan Blackwell, Debbie Anderson, Lisa
Cook, Joey Nipper and Trish Mann and the countless other staff members who helped
with the event. Generosity Eileen Backus was a math teacher at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf in the Bos-
ton area. In 2005 she had her students fold 1,000 origami cranes and sent them to the
students at LSD as a sign of hope after the hurricanes. The cranes graced the ceiling of
the High School Cafeteria for one year as a reminder of the care and concern of the lar-
ger deaf community. Eileen retired this year and tried to pass on her origami supplies to
some of her fellow teachers. When none showed any interest, she decided to pack up
the supplies and mail them to LSD so that our teachers could teach this ancient Japa-
nese art of paper folding to our students. Laurie Williams, David Ledbetter and Mona
Alkadi were the recipients of this generous donation. It is amazing that Eileen is still
thinking about us two and a half years after the storms. We appreciate her generosity.

On Sunday, February 17, 2008 Starkey Hearing Foundation partnered with NBA Cares
to change the lives of more than 100 hearing impaired children of New Orleans by pro-
viding them with the Gift of Hearing - over 200 new, digital hearing instruments. The
NBA All Star Celebration is a showcase of some of the greatest athletes in the world and
served as a perfect backdrop to show the heart of NBA Cares; its players and partner,
Starkey Hearing Foundation coming together to make a difference in New Orleans.
Twenty nine LSD students received these brand new, state of the art digital hearing
aids. Thanks to Persis Daniels, LSD audiologist, who made all of the arrangements for
the trip to New Orleans and to Bunni Perich, Audrey Fleet, and Trish Mann who helped
chaperone our students. The Starkey staff members could not have been nicer or more
helpful. Thanks Starkey for this amazingly generous gift to our students. NBA Legend, Jerome Williams, poses with actor, Jet Li, and
several LSD students at the NBA Cares/Starkey Hearing Aid
event in New Orleans preceding the NBS All Star Game. Condolences Page 3 On Eagles Wings Lucius Eugene Walker Sr. Retired Dormitory Program Supervisor II at LSD with 26
years of service, Lucius died on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, at Lane Regional Medi-
cal Center, Zachary. He was 79, a resident of Baker and a native of Holmesville, Miss.
Interment was at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. He was a member of Grace Baptist
Church of Zachary and the Louisiana Association for the Deaf. He was preceded in
death by his wife, Lela Brown Walker. Many LSD alums mourn Mr. Lucius passing.
Prayers are extended to the Walker family.

Ruth Sikes Ms. Ruth Sikes passed away on November 27, 2007. She was a Cottage
Parent, later known as a Residential Advisor. She began employment in 1960 retired
May 29, 1977. She lived with her brother and sister-in law in Mobile, AL until her death. Dash For Deaf Kids, April 19, 2008 The LSD Foundation will host the seventh annual Dash for Deaf Kids at 8 a.m. on Satur-
day, April 19, 2008. The Dash is the major annual fundraising activity sponsored by the
LSD Foundation. The proceeds of the Dash directly benefit the students at LSD, specifi-
cally helping to fund the $13,000 commitment that the Foundation has made to pay for
the positive behavior support programs throughout the campus. There is a 1 mile race
(around the campus) or a 5K race (into Riverbend and back). The cost to participate in
the race is $12 for advance registration or $15 the day of the event. Registration the day
of the race will begin at 7:30 a.m. till the start at 8 a.m. This year, T-shirts are gold with
purple ink. Please support the Foundation by participating in the race or ordering a t-
shirt. Race forms can be downloaded from the school website at www.lalsd.org. Student Life - Damien Williams - Elem Student Development Specialist Arion Dodson - Elem Boys Residential Advisor Leslie Estes - Elem Boys Residential Advisor Instructional - Ryan Gollner - MS Instructor Joey Nipper - HS Instructor Shirley Judge - Principal's office ESS/Exec/Business David Kahn - Warehouse
Paula Rodriguez - Guidance
Mindy Dill - Guidance Students of the Month January February Elementary Tommy Vance Deondrick Brown Middle School Catie Taylor Diamonte Pierce High School Michael Williams Devante Wilson Praise and Recognition Winners, Second Quarter Birth Announcements Thomas Jacob Lewis, born at 11:03 a.m. on Friday, October 7, 2008, weighed 7 lbs. and
2 oz. and was 20 inches long. He is the son of Tom & Joy (Judge) Lewis and brother of
Robi Judge. Grandparents are JJ & Shirley Judge and Ted & Debbie Lewis. Page 4 On Eagles Wings New Staff Members Rebecca Jesgar LSD welcomes Middle School English and Language Arts teacher, Rebecca
Jesgar. Rebecca is not a newcomer to LSD, having previously worked as a student worker in
the Maintenance Department while an LSU student. Rebecca is a native of St. Louis, Missouri,
and became deaf at 18 months old when she battled spinal meningitis. She grew up primarily in
oral, mainstream schools, with the exception of two years at the Tennessee School for the Deaf,
which is where she became fluent in sign language. As a teenager, Rebecca played soccer and
managed her high school football team. She has a life-long love of all things connected to
sports.

Rebecca graduated from LSU in 2005 with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in
English. While at LSU, Rebecca worked in the Office of Students with Disabilities and helped
deaf and hard-of-hearing students adjust to life at LSU. After hurricane Katrina, Rebecca and
her fianc

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