Public Notice

Notice: The IESDB Board of Directors will be holding a Regular Board Meeting Tuesday, June 10th at 2:00 pm.

Darcy to Retire after 15 Years

Brian Darcy, Agency AdministratorAfter 15 years of dedicated service to the Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind, Agency Administrator Brian Darcy has announced his retirement. Here is a final message from Mr. Darcy to the school's staff, students, parents, and community.

Welcome to Our Site

As the days grow longer and the first signs of spring emerge, I am reminded of the season’s promise of renewal, growth, and hope. Spring is a time of transformation—when the world around us awakens with new possibilities, and we, too, embrace change with open hearts and minds.

At Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind, we welcome this season as an opportunity to continue fostering learning, connection, and discovery. For our students who are Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have low vision, spring offers fresh opportunities to explore, create, and reach new milestones. Families, your unwavering support continues to be the foundation upon which our students flourish. And to our dedicated staff, your passion and perseverance breathe life into every lesson, every challenge, and every triumph – big or small.

This season, however, also brings a moment of reflection and remembrance. We mourn the loss of a beloved member of our IESDB family, Suszan Cadwell. A colleague, a mentor, a friend, and an unwavering advocate for our students, Suszan’s dedication touched countless lives. Her warmth, wisdom, and commitment to empowering others will remain an enduring part of our community. As we move forward, we carry her spirit with us—her passion for education, her kindness, and her belief in the potential of every student.

Spring teaches us that from loss, new growth emerges. As we honor Suszan’s legacy, we also look ahead with hope. Our classrooms and Outreach Services continue to expand, ensuring that every student, no matter where they are, has access to the tools and support they need to thrive. We remain steadfast in our mission to create an environment where learning is not just about knowledge, but about resilience, creativity, access, advocacy and the courage to embrace change. May this spring be a season of inspiration and renewal for us all. Together, let’s nurture the seeds of possibility, celebrate the beauty of learning, and continue to build a community where every student’s potential can blossom.

pre-school children posing in front of elephant statue

The IESDB Outreach Program offers preschool and community-based options for deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) and blind or visually impaired (B/VI) children ages of 3 -5 in the state of Idaho. The D/HH programs offer total communication (sign language and speech) and auditory-oral (aural and speech) choices:

  • Vocabulary and language development.
  • Introduction to basic concepts.
  • Kindergarten readiness.
  • Listening activities, sensory, and social skills.

The B/VI program focuses on similar goals in addition to:

  • Orientation and Mobility
  • Pre-Braille activities

There are several preschool and community-based centers in Idaho where we are serving 8 to 10+ children. Staff in our preschool centers and community-based includes at least one teacher and a teaching assistant. For more information, please contact the regional preschool centers.

Region 1, Coeur d'Alene

  • Cortney Peters, Total Communication

Region 4, Ponderosa Elementary School, Meridian

  • Jessica Waldbillg, Total Communication
  • Joy Kane and Julie Tobin, Listening and Spoken Language

Region 5, ISDB Campus, Gooding

  • Valerie McCabe, Total Communication
  • Jodie Hamilton, Special Needs
  • Judi Lethlean, B/VI

Region 6 - ISU Campus, Pocatello

  • Donna Wesen, Total Communication