Miss-Delectable
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Deaf students protest end of PHS program
No child left behind? Tell that to Chelsea Niles and Sam Long.
Last school year, both Long and Niles were Portsmouth High School students and were planning to be there when the first bell rang later this month. But, because they are deaf, they will be schooled elsewhere.
Long, 16, of Lee, is completely deaf and has been a tuition student in the Portsmouth system since preschool because the Oyster River Cooperative School District could not provide the services he needs. Niles, also 16, of Rochester, is partially deaf and attended five different schools prior to spending her freshman year at PHS last year.
In Portsmouth, Niles said she felt she finally had a place that met her needs and made her feel part of the student body. But during the last week of school in June, she found out the school was discontinuing the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, and she and Long — the only two students in the program — would have to go to a different school.
"They said they had to shut down the program because of no interpreter, but we think it's a lie and it's about money," said Niles. "I don't want to go to Rochester because I've been through it all (in the system) and it's not good. This is my sixth school. I want to stay here until I graduate."
For Long, a junior and member of the swim team, it means saying goodbye to many of the students he grew up with.
"I have been in Portsmouth since preschool," said Long through sign language, interpreted by Niles. "I grew up here and I know a lot of people. They are my classmates and I want to graduate with them.
"I'm really upset. We don't have a lot of choices. It's really messed up."
So upset, the pair — along with other deaf students who have bonded over the Internet — plan to protest in front of the State House in Concord today. Their hope is someone will listen, sympathize and resolve their plight.
From the school district, they have sympathy but no answers. Paulette Hoeflich, student services director for Portsmouth, said the district's two sign language interpreters left after the previous school year. Jobs were posted for almost a year ,she said, but no qualified applicants came forward. Because the district cannot provide service for the students, they must return to their home districts, which now have interpreters.
"It's not personal at all. We adored the kids. We felt very bad about it, but there's not much we can do," said Hoeflich. "We did an exhaustive search for interpreters, and I feel very confident we did all we can do."
The state changed the laws a few years ago, according to Hoeflich, and now mandates sign language interpreters meet rigorous standards to become certified, where before no certification was needed. The pool of qualified interpreters in the state decreased significantly.
The open positions were posted the same way all positions are, according to Hoeflich. It was a full-time position, she said, with benefits and an hourly wage of between $25 and $45.
Hoeflich said the fact that they are tuition students did not factor into the decision and, in fact, the program has never had a deaf student from Portsmouth. She also said it was not a matter of money. The district actually makes money when it accepts students with special needs from other communities.
"Nothing bad happened. We certainly would've taken them right to the end. They're lovely kids, popular and good students," she said. "We just couldn't provide the services."
Niles' mother, Cathy, said her daughter has worked tirelessly over the summer to try to get someone to help.
"We've tried everything — she's written the governor, commissioners, the (Legislature), and they all say there's nothing that can be done," she said. "It's just really sad."
They are hopeful today's protest will help, but they're not holding their breath.
"We decided to protest," said Niles. "It's our last chance."
No child left behind? Tell that to Chelsea Niles and Sam Long.
Last school year, both Long and Niles were Portsmouth High School students and were planning to be there when the first bell rang later this month. But, because they are deaf, they will be schooled elsewhere.
Long, 16, of Lee, is completely deaf and has been a tuition student in the Portsmouth system since preschool because the Oyster River Cooperative School District could not provide the services he needs. Niles, also 16, of Rochester, is partially deaf and attended five different schools prior to spending her freshman year at PHS last year.
In Portsmouth, Niles said she felt she finally had a place that met her needs and made her feel part of the student body. But during the last week of school in June, she found out the school was discontinuing the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, and she and Long — the only two students in the program — would have to go to a different school.
"They said they had to shut down the program because of no interpreter, but we think it's a lie and it's about money," said Niles. "I don't want to go to Rochester because I've been through it all (in the system) and it's not good. This is my sixth school. I want to stay here until I graduate."
For Long, a junior and member of the swim team, it means saying goodbye to many of the students he grew up with.
"I have been in Portsmouth since preschool," said Long through sign language, interpreted by Niles. "I grew up here and I know a lot of people. They are my classmates and I want to graduate with them.
"I'm really upset. We don't have a lot of choices. It's really messed up."
So upset, the pair — along with other deaf students who have bonded over the Internet — plan to protest in front of the State House in Concord today. Their hope is someone will listen, sympathize and resolve their plight.
From the school district, they have sympathy but no answers. Paulette Hoeflich, student services director for Portsmouth, said the district's two sign language interpreters left after the previous school year. Jobs were posted for almost a year ,she said, but no qualified applicants came forward. Because the district cannot provide service for the students, they must return to their home districts, which now have interpreters.
"It's not personal at all. We adored the kids. We felt very bad about it, but there's not much we can do," said Hoeflich. "We did an exhaustive search for interpreters, and I feel very confident we did all we can do."
The state changed the laws a few years ago, according to Hoeflich, and now mandates sign language interpreters meet rigorous standards to become certified, where before no certification was needed. The pool of qualified interpreters in the state decreased significantly.
The open positions were posted the same way all positions are, according to Hoeflich. It was a full-time position, she said, with benefits and an hourly wage of between $25 and $45.
Hoeflich said the fact that they are tuition students did not factor into the decision and, in fact, the program has never had a deaf student from Portsmouth. She also said it was not a matter of money. The district actually makes money when it accepts students with special needs from other communities.
"Nothing bad happened. We certainly would've taken them right to the end. They're lovely kids, popular and good students," she said. "We just couldn't provide the services."
Niles' mother, Cathy, said her daughter has worked tirelessly over the summer to try to get someone to help.
"We've tried everything — she's written the governor, commissioners, the (Legislature), and they all say there's nothing that can be done," she said. "It's just really sad."
They are hopeful today's protest will help, but they're not holding their breath.
"We decided to protest," said Niles. "It's our last chance."