Task force to explore future of Braille and Sight Saving school

A task force appointed by the State Board of Regents begins discussing the future of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton today (Wednesday). Regents spokesperson Barb Boose says the task force was formed at the suggestion of the school’s superintendent. She says Dennis Thurman has been superintendent of the school since 1987 and he plans to retire in June 2005. She says Thurman reccomended the task force as a way to determine the best services for the school and to help in selecting a new superintendent. Boose says in the fall of 2003 the school had 31 students enrolled on-campus in Vinton and 561 students who use off-campus services. Boose says the task force will discuss how to best meet the future needs of all those students — including whether to close the campus in Vinton. She says the main goal of the task force is to determine the best services for the students and provide learning experiences that support their education and growth. The task force is scheduled to complete a report and recomendations on the future of the school for the Board of Regents by March.