New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

O&M Trip – last week of May (depart 5/27 or 5/28)

NMSBVI is resuming the O&M trip. The last time the trip was run, it involved using public transportation in Albuquerque, getting to the airport, taking a flight to Tucson, using public transportation in Tucson, taking a train to El Paso, and taking a Greyhound back to Albuquerque. That is the rough outline for the trip this year but is subject to change based on transportation schedules. This trip has a heavy focus on public transportation options available to our students (city bus, Greyhound, Amtrak, air travel) and is for high school students who have well developed O&M skills, can manage their behaviors, not need a nurse, and can dress/toilet/self care independently. Nomination for the O&M trip MUST come first through each student’s local O&M in order to ensure each student on the trip has the prerequisite O&M skills. No more than 10 students will go on this O&M trip.

Paperwork needed: all of it (because NMSBVI is operating in loco parentis and trip is several days/nights long)

Special consideration: the trip will leave the borders of New Mexico and New Mexico Medicaid may or may not cover a student if s/he requires some kind of emergency medical service.

ECP camp—last week of May, first week of June

This camp is exclusive for NMSBVI students who attend the ECP during the regular school year. The ECP will send out more information to the families of their students as the year goes on.

Paperwork needed: none (because students’ paperwork from regular school year carries through the camp)

Special considerations: NMSBVI does not run transportation for this camp.

Satellite camps—two 1 week long camps in June, locations yet to be determined

These are the camps where NMSBVI takes the show on the road and sets up shop in a local district with a focus based largely on needs expressed by the local TVI. In the past this has included technology, math, science, O&M, and life skills. These camps have allowed some students to attend a camp who otherwise would not have had the opportunity and also helped introduce local TVIs and staff to NMSBVI personnel who can be used as resources during the regular school year. The locations will be chosen based on your input—NMSBVI wants to make as much of an impact as possible and tends to gravitate toward locations with at least 8-10 students as well as those in areas that are underserved. Past satellite camps have been single district (such as Las Cruces, or Santa Fe) and regional (such as Artesia and Farmington) that drew in students from multiple districts.

Paperwork needed: Enrollment Information Update SY 2023-2024

Special considerations: NMSBVI has limited ability to help with transportation for satellite camps and any students who are transported by NMSBVI may need additional paperwork. NMSBVI will not have a nurse at these camps but in the past some districts have had one available.

Secondary camp in Alamogordo—week of July 3^rd (including camp on July 4^th—frequent question)

This is a camp at the residential campus in Alamogordo for secondary students who are in functional academic and academic programs. Technology, Independent Living Skills, Math, O&M, and other important skill areas are addressed during the camp. Students must be able to manage their behaviors, dress/toilet/self care independently. NMSBVI has nursing staff throughout the day and can dispense medications, assist with HGH/diabetic needs, etc.

Paperwork needed: all of it (because NMSBVI is operating in loco parentis and the camp is a week long)

Special considerations: NMSBVI runs transportation to/from Albuquerque/Santa Fe every year and can provide some transportation support to other parts of the state—but it may be necessary for a parent to transport to/from a rendezvous point. (A parent in Grants may need to transport to/from Albuquerque, for example.) This camp should be timed for the week that STEP is on break, meaning students don’t have to choose which to do—they can do both.

Elementary camp in Albuquerque—week of July 10^th at the ECP

The elementary camp has been held at the Alamogordo campus but this year NMSBVI is moving it to Albuquerque. This will allow students in the Albuquerque area, who may have been at the ECP a few years earlier but who aren’t yet ready to go to Alamogordo for a camp, to reconnect with NMSBVI. Technology, Independent Living Skills, Math, O&M, and other important skill areas will be addressed, though tailored to the age/ability levels of the students. The students need to be able to manage their own behaviors and be in functional academic or academic classes in their current school programs.

Paperwork needed: all of it (because NMSBVI is operating in loco parentis and the camp is at a NMSBVI facility)

Special considerations: NMSBVI has limited ability to help with transportation for this camp.

NMSBVI needs to have all of the paperwork – for any of the camps except the satellite camps – turned in by March 30^th. The medical forms can take a bit to get doctors offices to complete. Signatures must be actual signatures, not electronic signatures.

Downloadable Forms

HIPAA Acknowledgement Form

Medical Information Form PCP

Medical Permission To Administer A Specialized Diet and-or Feeding Procedures

NM Interagency Eye Exam Report

Notice of Privacy Practices

Parent Medical Information Update

Photo Consent Form

Prescriber's Orders sheet

STP checklist

Summer Camp Checklist

Authorization to Admin Special Health Service