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Learning Center for the Deaf closing Randolph campus - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News
Citing falling enrollment, the Learning Center for the Deaf will close its Randolph campus in July.
Executive Director Judy Vreeland said the decision to close the school, which serves 32 deaf and hard-of-hearing students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, was made in January.
"It just became clear there was less and less of a need for it," she said.
The closing coincides with the opening of the school's early childhood center at its main 848 Central St. campus this week. The facility can accommodate the Randolph students, and about 16 have already agreed to come to Framingham next school year, Vreeland said.
The Randolph school, which is the Learning Center's only satellite campus, opened in 1994, partly to fill the void left by the closing of the Boston School for the Deaf, which was also in Randolph, Vreeland said.
Enrollment at the campus has steadily dropped since then, Randolph Director Maureen Irons said.
"It's been a steady decrease of three to four students on average a year," she said.
In recent years, the campus has lost many Boston families in its parent-infant program to the preschool at the nearby Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Irons said.
"I think economics is one variable," she said. "They don't have to pay tuition to go there."
Vreeland said that cost savings will be small with the closing, but the consolidation in Framingham will be better for students. The Central Street campus offers the same services and programs as Randolph, but it provides a larger community, with more than 200 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
"The importance of peer groups to deaf children is critical," Vreeland said. "You can program for children much better and meet more of their needs when there's a critical mass."
Officials said the decision to close the Randolph school was difficult.
"There's a lot of sadness," Irons said. "Parents are all supportive, but devastated by its closing."
Some families are looking for placements at other schools next year since they are unable or unwilling to commute all the way to Framingham.
"That's been very difficult," Irons said. "There are parents who feel very strongly the Learning Center is really the option they'd choose for their children."
Several staff members in Randolph will also leave, although jobs are available for them in Framingham, Vreeland said.
The school is now moving students into the early childhood center, which will house the Learning Center's 38 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students as well as the parent-infant program. Students and families previously had to share space at another building on campus.
The new facility, which has been under construction for the past year, was a contributing factor in the Learning Center's decision to close Randolph, Vreeland said.
"The space is available," she said. "It just made a lot of sense to consolidate."
Citing falling enrollment, the Learning Center for the Deaf will close its Randolph campus in July.
Executive Director Judy Vreeland said the decision to close the school, which serves 32 deaf and hard-of-hearing students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, was made in January.
"It just became clear there was less and less of a need for it," she said.
The closing coincides with the opening of the school's early childhood center at its main 848 Central St. campus this week. The facility can accommodate the Randolph students, and about 16 have already agreed to come to Framingham next school year, Vreeland said.
The Randolph school, which is the Learning Center's only satellite campus, opened in 1994, partly to fill the void left by the closing of the Boston School for the Deaf, which was also in Randolph, Vreeland said.
Enrollment at the campus has steadily dropped since then, Randolph Director Maureen Irons said.
"It's been a steady decrease of three to four students on average a year," she said.
In recent years, the campus has lost many Boston families in its parent-infant program to the preschool at the nearby Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Irons said.
"I think economics is one variable," she said. "They don't have to pay tuition to go there."
Vreeland said that cost savings will be small with the closing, but the consolidation in Framingham will be better for students. The Central Street campus offers the same services and programs as Randolph, but it provides a larger community, with more than 200 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
"The importance of peer groups to deaf children is critical," Vreeland said. "You can program for children much better and meet more of their needs when there's a critical mass."
Officials said the decision to close the Randolph school was difficult.
"There's a lot of sadness," Irons said. "Parents are all supportive, but devastated by its closing."
Some families are looking for placements at other schools next year since they are unable or unwilling to commute all the way to Framingham.
"That's been very difficult," Irons said. "There are parents who feel very strongly the Learning Center is really the option they'd choose for their children."
Several staff members in Randolph will also leave, although jobs are available for them in Framingham, Vreeland said.
The school is now moving students into the early childhood center, which will house the Learning Center's 38 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students as well as the parent-infant program. Students and families previously had to share space at another building on campus.
The new facility, which has been under construction for the past year, was a contributing factor in the Learning Center's decision to close Randolph, Vreeland said.
"The space is available," she said. "It just made a lot of sense to consolidate."
