Happy Easter!

Hello everyone! Happy Easter!

I know all the children everywhere are excited and hyper-hunting down eggs hidden in yard, among those trees, plants, trying to be the best hidden egg! Those chocolate bunnies being broken into pieces to satisfy the sweet tooth each child has. But that's not all the Easter's about..

It's about our Christ who died and rose for our sins. We took our children to Church today after a long while of not being regular at Church. I felt real good about our visit today. I really felt that it was a perfect day for our attendance and everyone was happy to see us. It was real good visit. We went to eat at Shoney's with Mom and Dad and Robert and Sandy for our Easter luncheon.

Hope you get to celebrate Easter with family and loved ones.

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Happy Birthday to April Folks!

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to April Folks!
Happy Birthday to you!

April 1 - Larry Hayes - North Carolina
April 5 - Brittany Carver- North Carolina
April 5 - Craig Fields - North Carolina
April 8 - Scott Adams - Tennessee
April 10 - Fred Fleetwood - North Carolina
April 10 - Chris Barham - North Carolina
April 13 - Connie Henning - North Carolina
April 15 - Robert Bledsoe - North Carolina
April 15 - Randy Caines - North Carolina
April 16 - Michelle Gaddy - North Carolina
April 19 - Betty DeVault - Tennessee
April 20 - David Tamez - North Carolina
April 21 - Jeannie Parris - North Carolina
April 25 - Gramps Arthur Wilkinson - Tennessee
April 30 - Ronda Taylor - North Carolina

Happy Anniversary to you!

April 17 - Wilkinson's 64th Wedding Anniversary - Tennessee

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I discovered a blog that speaks of NCSD (North Carolina School f/t Deaf) director.. So I am going to post this because I do have concerns about ALL deaf schools.. Each school has its issues and I am concerned about Tennessee School f/t Deaf where my daughter attends. Many schools needs major shakedown and weeds out those weeds that doesn't belong in Deaf schools..

I would like to do a post about TN School f/t Deaf as I am deeply concerned for the education of our Deaf children at T.S.D. As well as their emotional well-being.

As you know, my daughter attended and still attends T.S.D. since she was 3 years old and she is now 13 year old, she only have 4 more years of high school to go through before she enters the real world with what she has learned at T.S.D.

She had rough 3 years in elementary as well as this year in middle school as a 8th grader. I am HOPING that her last 4 years as high schooler would be better and uplifting as well as positive than what she has to go through in elementary and middle school. Let me explain what occurred during those years I labelled as bad years.

She was supposed to have the teacher, Ms. Price for her 2nd grade year but the teacher went through separation from her husband and recently had a baby so she decided to leave her position and move away, her class didn't have any teacher for a whole year so she had to have several substitute teachers, one after another for a whole year. At end of that year, T.S.D. finally found someone to take the position which was Mrs. Collins for the 3rd graders (Tori's class)in Fall. Tori began her 3rd grade with Mrs. Collins but Mrs Collins discovered she was pregnant so she had to take her maternity leave after the baby was born after Christmas break which brought another 5 months of substitute teachers once again. When she moved to 4th grade the following year, she was supposed to have Mrs. Jetters, but Mrs Jetters was on medical leave and left the classes with substitute teachers once again for few months before they hired Ms. Koch from California, she was a horrible teacher and I expressed my feelings but was assured that she was a good teacher. Tori wasn't happy with the teacher and I wasn't either. When she finally moved to 5th grade and was under Mrs. Murphy. Mrs Murphy really worked hard to be able to bring the class to the level of where they should be at as a 5th grader. I was really mad and pissed off that T.S.D. actually wasted those years using substitute teachers and was not promptly hiring teachers to make sure that our children get all the education they need especially at that age in elementary school.

When Tori moved to Middle School as 6th grader, she was doing pretty good and enjoying school as much as she can until this year. The administration offices is on the same floor as middle schoolers and I felt that it brought more attention to the children from administration as a student in Tori's class was kept a close eye on and every move he made was made into a mountain from a molehill. Some behaviors was wrong on his part but some punishments that was given, has gone too far in my opinion.. I don't think deaf children should be deflated emotionally and educationally because the deaf children really do struggle comparing to hearing children. They have to work double harder to be able to be a equal. Not every deaf child has a easy ride as some other children do. It is the responsibilities of teachers, administration and staff at T.S.D. to encourage the students to strive for the best not to put them down and let them know that they amount to nothing. I have noticed that T.S.D. has many deaf employees as cottage counselors, teachers and administration but some of them are not very encouraging or standing for the Deaf pride. They bow down to the administration and become like what I call "hit the beaver".. I feel that is really shameful for those deaf children to be put in the position..

I am not very proud of putting my daughter in such a school like that but I don't want to put her in mainstream program because I feel it wouldn't benefit her very well, I feel that she would benefit greatly at Deaf school and having the deaf culture. Unfortunately she isn't getting the rich experience of deaf culture due to the fact of staff having to deflate the children's spirits and their curiosity and their independence..

I'm sure there are schools out there facing the same problems as we are facing with T.S.D. I have gone to local school board and tried to get them to assist us but I don't see any improvements.. It's no good for one family to go against big old school.. We need more families who has their children attending T.S.D. to band together and improve T.S.D. for better future..

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We are considering sending Tori to this Volleyball camp at Texas School f/t Deaf.. If your deaf child is interested, check this out..


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Prayers Needs

*Please pray for my mother, Lola Golden, who is recovering from a third stroke. For my stepfather, Mearle Swanson, who is in hospice. Please join mine and all of the families concerned and already praying. Lastly to help me strengthen my faith and for guidance about other personal needs. Thank you all, my wonderful friends. Bill Golden
*Doris Mitchell - Health and car accident, Safe trip coming to TN

*Lillian Wynn - Recovering from hand surgery

*Mary Carver - Recovering from cellulitis, job security

*Bucky Carver - Upcoming test on April 20th

*Bill & Tina Carver - Private issues, steady employment

*Hedy Garner-Taylor - Healthy pregnancy as days are getting closer to baby being born.

*Deanna Taylor - Regain her strength after being in hospital recently.

*Sandra & Robert McMillan - Private issue, employment

*Vicki Carter - Schooling

Please keep everyone in your prayers, let me know if they would like to be on prayer list.

Have a pleasant Easter and remember to celebrate our Christ's sacrifices for us..
Till then, M-