In July, Washington State School for the Blind’s Superintendent Scott McCallum and Associate Director of Transition and Residential Programs Corey Grandstaff received top honors during the National Federation of the Blind National Convention, the largest gathering of blind people in the world.
Superintendent McCallum was awarded the 2022 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students award for raising expectations for students, faculty, and staff at the Washington State School for the Blind (WSSB). As Superintendent of the Washington State School for the Blind (WSSB), McCallum is responsible for oversight of faculty, staff, curriculum, and management of the school’s facilities. He has served as a teacher of blind and low vision students, specializing in orientation and mobility, and was promoted to superintendent of WSSB in 2016.
“Scott instills a sense of pride in the young people served by the school,” said Marci Carpenter, President of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington state. “He inspires students to believe they can accomplish anything they want to, engaging with students at their individual levels and challenging them to expect more from themselves.”
McCallum’s ongoing work to ensure that students are able to affirm blindness as a positive part of their identity, advocacy for Braille literacy and early cane travel, and preparing blind students to pursue and live the lives that they want, all contributed to his nomination for the prestigious award.
“Attending the National Federation of the Blind convention was an amazing experience that impacts the way I think about the work I get to do as Superintendent,” said McCallum. “To be recognized as a distinguished educator of blind students BY blind people is the highest honor I can imagine.”
Corey Grandstaff, Associate Director of Transition and Residential Programs at WSSB, was honored at the National Convention with the 2022 Blind Educator of the Year award for his ongoing work helping students and setting an example for administrators and teachers to maintain high expectations of blind students at the school.
“Corey is a lifelong learner and is one of the best advocates for students I know,” said Janet Kurz, Executive Assistant at WSSB. “He brings life experience to his position and is a role model for every student and staff member here.”
The awards carried with it a $1,000 cash prize, and the opportunity to give their acceptance speeches during the National Convention board meeting.
Learn more about the important learning being done at Washington State School for the Blind at www.wssb.wa.gov/.
