The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind president has been involved with Helen Keller School of Alabama since before it was reorganized in 1980, creating what is known today as a national model for educating children who are deaf, blind and multidisabled. Graham began his career with AIDB as principal of the Helen Keller School of Alabama in 1977 and stayed in that position until 1983.
AIDB has built its programs around a passion for meeting the unique educational needs of children and adults with innovative program development. According to the proclamation read by Planning and Policies Committee chair Burks, Graham has demonstrated that passion and a talent for the development of new programs and ideas that have shaped the organization’s comprehensive canvas of services for individuals of all ages throughout his continuing roles with AIDB.
Graham served as director from 1983 to 2002, providing leadership that helped gain an expansion of a statewide network of regional centers for AIDB, outreach services and the coordination of AIDB’s health and clinical services.
“As president since 2002,” the proclamation states, “Dr. Graham has continued to lead with a vision for transforming AIDB programs and facilities into stellar opportunities and experiences for individuals with hearing and vision loss through emphasis on accountability, physical plant and program improvements. Through the “Living with Pride” campaign, facilities in every major AIDB service area have been renovated or newly constructed in an effort to provide appropriate dormitories, instructional and service environments. A new student center has been constructed on the Helen Keller School of Alabama campus that will give students and staff an opportunity to foster new education, art and recreational experiences … Be it further resolved that in recognition of Dr. Graham’s visionary leadership and contributions that positively impact the lives of so many children and adults who are deaf and blind, this Board of Trustees hereby names the new facility on the Helen Keller School campus the Terry Graham Student Center.”
After Burks finished reading the resolution during a board meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17, Board of Trustees chair James Montgomery asked for a motion and a second applause and a standing ovation for Graham. The resolution was approved by a unanimous vote.
In other matters earlier in the meeting, the board heard reports from Graham and its finance and operations, planning and policies and facilities and property committees.
During his report, Graham first spent time talking about the unveiling of the Helen Keller statue in Washington, D.C., Oct. 7, a ceremony in which four lucky AIDB students were able to participate.
Nichole Gordy and Tasha Mastrowski signed along to patriotic songs while Malia Thibado and Tomario Woods sang at the Rotunda.
Thibado, 4, who was adopted and brought over from China when she was only two years old, has lost most of her eyesight due to glaucoma. She stole the show in Washington, and she stole the show again when the four recreated their performance for everyone at the board meeting Tuesday. She and all the other children received signed photographs from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to commemorate their day, but Thibado is the only one who could brag that Pelosi held her and she has the signed picture to prove it.
“I am so proud of these students and everyone who worked with them to get them ready,” Graham said. “The national media coverage, as well as the local coverage, made Oct. 7 a great day for the state of Alabama and for AIDB. The artist, Edward Hlavka, truly captured the expression of enlightenment and wonderment on Helen Keller’s face, that moment when she got it. It will be a teachable moment when parents take their children to see that statue and that will be great for Alabama.”
Graham also talked about the difficulties AIDB will face in the coming year with proration cutting the institution’s budget by about 18.5 percent. He members expressed frustration that some legislators forget that unlike public schools and universities, who can use taxes and tuition respectively to supplement their losses, AIDB has not other sources of funding. He was pleased to report that some legislators have since come to realize that stimulus money would have been well deserved, and if anything like this ever happens again AIDB will not be left out. But it does not help AIDB this year.
“This has created one of the most challenging and frustrating episodes of my career,” Graham said. “The playing field is not level and we are very dependent on the legislature to make the playing field level. I understand tough economic times, but we are at a disadvantage.
“Now, all our programmatic components are alive and kicking. We are okay. The reason for that is because of your help, preemptive cost cutting and being conservative by doing such things as maintaining our fund balance. We will probably exhaust that in the next year or two if things stay they way they are, however.”
Potential projects Graham mentioned for 2010 include funds for overcoming communication barriers for the deaf and blind, biodiesel production at AIDB and its use in AIDB vehicles, an at-risk program and an education and employment program.
The Finance and Operations Committee sought board approval on items including approving purchases over $15,000 and contract renewal of the liaison to Washington. The board approved both items.
The Planning and Policies Committee sought board approval on changes to an AIDB information technology accessibility policy, changes to its admissions policy, revisions to its fixed assets policy and a resolution concerning an annual matching funds agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation. The board approved all the items the committee brought before it.
The Facilities and Property Committee told the board it had received a report on projects from Chief Financial Officer David Akins.
Also during the meeting, the board:
• Approved the minutes from its Aug. 18, Sept. 15 and Sept. 28 meetings.
• Entered into executive session to discuss the good name and character of “a few individuals.”
• Voted on personnel items, including amendments based on what was discussed in executive session. This involved doing away with a secretary position in its now defunct Auburn Regional Center and creating another secretary position.
Post a Comment
