Dawn StearnsName: Dawn Stearns

Campus: Jefferson (office)

Title: Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired

Years with AISD: 15

Where are You From? Abilene

What School Did You Attend?

Elementary: Jackson
Middle School: St. John’s
High School: Cooper

Tell Us About Your Family: I have two beautiful daughters: Hannah and Cherokee. Hannah and her boyfriend, Kolby, live here in Abilene and have my awesome little grandson, Kolby Jr. (1). Cherokee and her husband, Josh, live in Colorado and have my sweet, amazing granddaughters: Lynlee (6) and Adelyn (2). I am very close with my mom, Kathy, and my brother, Daniel, who both live in the metroplex.

Dream Vacation Spot and Why?: I would love to go hiking in Yellowstone or Glacier National Parks. I love being in nature and seeing beautiful sights & animals.

What Do You Enjoy Away From Work: I enjoy spending time with my family & friends, reading, walking, & hiking.

Tell Us Something Interesting About You: I am going to school to be an Orientation and Mobility Specialist so I’ll be able to teach people with visual impairments to navigate their environments safely.

What Is Your Favorite Part of Your Job: I love teaching Braille. I love figuring out how to make activities & concepts accessible to my students. I also love that in the field of visual impairments, you can never learn it all. I’m always learning and growing as a professional and a person.

What AISD Executive Director of Special Education Teri Reece says: Dawn is an exceptional teacher in every way and works diligently to ensure that her visually impaired students learn the skills they need to be successful now and in the future. In addition, she involves them in activities outside of their school day to broaden their experiences. We are very fortunate that she is a part of AISD.