December 4, 2006 - The Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) will host Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Flanagan at its bimonthly meeting on December 11.  The Michigan Commission for the Blind will meet at the Kellogg Center, 55 South Harrison Road, on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing.  The 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. meeting is open to the public. 

Flanagan will discuss high school graduation requirements, the new Michigan Merit Curriculum, and how all students, including those who are blind, will be held to higher standards and expectations.  Flanagan is scheduled to speak at approximately 10:30.

Also on the agenda are the Achievement Honor Roll Awards, presented annually to MCB clients selected for their excellence in achieving their goals for employment and/or independent living, and to exemplary employers and organizations that have worked in partnership with MCB.  The awards will be presented after lunch, from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

The complete meeting agenda is available on the MCB website at www.michigan.gov/mcb under MCB Board, Commission Meeting Agendas.

For those who cannot travel to the meeting, live audio of the meeting can be accessed free of charge via the Internet at the MCB website: www.michigan.gov/mcb.  The meeting site is accessible.  Individuals attending the meeting are requested to refrain from using heavily scented personal care products in order to enhance accessibility for everyone.  People with disabilities requiring additional accommodations (such as materials in alternative format) in order to participate in the meeting should call Tish Kingaby at (517) 335-4265 by December 7.

Through its state- and federally funded training and services, MCB provides opportunities for individuals who are blind and visually impaired to achieve independence and employment.  The commission's five-member policy board, appointed by the governor, oversees programs throughout Michigan that annually serve an average of more than 4,500 state residents who are blind or visually impaired.  Visit the Michigan Commission for the Blind website at www.michigan.gov/mcb or call MCB toll-free at 1‑800‑292-4200 (voice) or 1‑888-864-1212 (TTY).

The Michigan Commission for the Blind is part of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG), which is investing in Michigan's future by helping to create the jobs of today and tomorrow, ensuring that our children and adults have the skills these jobs demand, making Michigan a better place to do business, and training and placing those who need jobs now.  For more information about DLEG, visit the department's website at www.michigan.gov/dleg.

 

Read more Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth press releases