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Education Stories from KELO for South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota
The South Dakota School for the Deaf has seen a lot of changes: declining enrollment, programs moved off-campus and now a new administrator.
Marje Kaiser is already the superintendent for the School for the Visually Impaired in Aberdeen and has high hopes for both facilities.
The School for the Deaf used to house an average of 100 students. But now, the building sits mostly empty.
"Numbers on campus had gotten very small, so we had to look at new ways we can ensure students get the direct teaching they need," Kaiser said.
Kaiser says the role for the School for the Deaf is changing within communities. She says a change in education law back in the 1970's has made it so home schools were often doing just as good a job at providing services.
"Philosophically, we want that education to be appropriate for the child and as close to home as possible,” Kaiser said. “That's the basic premise for that law."
Classes are no longer offered at the School for the Deaf in Sioux Falls, and the two main programs have been moved to surrounding schools. About a dozen students who use cochlear implants now attend school at Brandon Valley, and Harrisburg just announced it's taking on the American Sign Language program.
But there are plenty of students whose needs don't fit into either program, and they're scattered all over South Dakota. That's why the Deaf School has expanded its outreach program with a mobile lab that travels the state.
"Send people out to work with public school teachers in home districts,” Kaiser said, “so they still have the advantage of a deaf educator on their team.”
Kaiser says the changes are helping the school move forward and redefine its role.
"The important message for me to get out is the School for the Deaf is not going away. We've changed how we provide programs, but are still a very important component in deaf education in South Dakota," Kaiser said.
The Board of Regents is saving money by having her head up both the blind school and deaf school, and many of the administrative duties are the same. Kaiser is getting ready to take some sign language classes this fall.
The South Dakota School for the Deaf has seen a lot of changes: declining enrollment, programs moved off-campus and now a new administrator.
Marje Kaiser is already the superintendent for the School for the Visually Impaired in Aberdeen and has high hopes for both facilities.
The School for the Deaf used to house an average of 100 students. But now, the building sits mostly empty.
"Numbers on campus had gotten very small, so we had to look at new ways we can ensure students get the direct teaching they need," Kaiser said.
Kaiser says the role for the School for the Deaf is changing within communities. She says a change in education law back in the 1970's has made it so home schools were often doing just as good a job at providing services.
"Philosophically, we want that education to be appropriate for the child and as close to home as possible,” Kaiser said. “That's the basic premise for that law."
Classes are no longer offered at the School for the Deaf in Sioux Falls, and the two main programs have been moved to surrounding schools. About a dozen students who use cochlear implants now attend school at Brandon Valley, and Harrisburg just announced it's taking on the American Sign Language program.
But there are plenty of students whose needs don't fit into either program, and they're scattered all over South Dakota. That's why the Deaf School has expanded its outreach program with a mobile lab that travels the state.
"Send people out to work with public school teachers in home districts,” Kaiser said, “so they still have the advantage of a deaf educator on their team.”
Kaiser says the changes are helping the school move forward and redefine its role.
"The important message for me to get out is the School for the Deaf is not going away. We've changed how we provide programs, but are still a very important component in deaf education in South Dakota," Kaiser said.
The Board of Regents is saving money by having her head up both the blind school and deaf school, and many of the administrative duties are the same. Kaiser is getting ready to take some sign language classes this fall.