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Omaha Hearing School To Close - Omaha News Story - KETV Omaha
For nearly six decades, the Omaha Hearing School helped thousands of deaf and hearing impaired students. But this fall, the long-standing school will close.
Declining enrollment means less funding, and the school, which opened its doors in 1952, just couldn’t overcome the deficit shortfall.
“It’s a crying shame. I don’t know how else to put it,” said Monte Schatz, who is a father to two deaf children.
Schatz’s daughters first attended the school eight years ago.
“The hearing school worked extremely hard on their speaking skills, and it also prepared them in the event that their hearing would deteriorate -- that they would be able to do lip reading,” Schatz said.
Both girls are now thriving at St. Margaret Mary’s school thanks to the hard work at the hearing school.
“It also gave them preparation for what it would be like to be partially deaf or deaf in a hearing world,” Schatz said.
“We were taking students with cochlear implants and hearing aids and teaching them how to listen and how to speak using very little, if any, sign language,” said Suzanne Rogert, executive director of the Omaha Hearing School.
Rogert said a huge drop in enrollment has hurt the school’s funding, creating a $250,000 budget shortfall.
“The Omaha Hearing School has been a part of this community for almost 60 years, and having to close our doors this week was an extremely emotional decision for everyone involved,” Rogert said.
Schatz said the school’s closing leaves a void for other young students.
“It definitely eliminates a very viable option for the hearing-impaired community with (the school) not being there,” Schatz said.
The school’s executive director is hopeful the 11 part- and full-time staff can find work in other schools. There’s no word on what will happen to the building, but, Rogert said, she hopes it can be used for education.
For nearly six decades, the Omaha Hearing School helped thousands of deaf and hearing impaired students. But this fall, the long-standing school will close.
Declining enrollment means less funding, and the school, which opened its doors in 1952, just couldn’t overcome the deficit shortfall.
“It’s a crying shame. I don’t know how else to put it,” said Monte Schatz, who is a father to two deaf children.
Schatz’s daughters first attended the school eight years ago.
“The hearing school worked extremely hard on their speaking skills, and it also prepared them in the event that their hearing would deteriorate -- that they would be able to do lip reading,” Schatz said.
Both girls are now thriving at St. Margaret Mary’s school thanks to the hard work at the hearing school.
“It also gave them preparation for what it would be like to be partially deaf or deaf in a hearing world,” Schatz said.
“We were taking students with cochlear implants and hearing aids and teaching them how to listen and how to speak using very little, if any, sign language,” said Suzanne Rogert, executive director of the Omaha Hearing School.
Rogert said a huge drop in enrollment has hurt the school’s funding, creating a $250,000 budget shortfall.
“The Omaha Hearing School has been a part of this community for almost 60 years, and having to close our doors this week was an extremely emotional decision for everyone involved,” Rogert said.
Schatz said the school’s closing leaves a void for other young students.
“It definitely eliminates a very viable option for the hearing-impaired community with (the school) not being there,” Schatz said.
The school’s executive director is hopeful the 11 part- and full-time staff can find work in other schools. There’s no word on what will happen to the building, but, Rogert said, she hopes it can be used for education.
