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Syracuse.com
Many high school teammates talk and tell jokes on bus rides. The Solvay High School cheerleaders learn sign language.
Jena Kadlecik, a Solvay senior who was born deaf, teaches sign language on the bus to away meets. She is a member of the team.
"She taught us different words in sign language," said Nellie Flagg, senior captain of the cheerleading team. "Most of us understood but if not, she wrote it down."
Kadlecik, of Cicero, is one of the 14 students in the Program for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing at Solvay High School. She is deaf but uses her voice and sign language to communicate with friends and teachers.
Until five years ago, deaf and hard-of-hearing students at the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES were scattered across two districts and three schools: High school students went to Westhill, and middle and elementary pupils went to West Genesee schools.
Jeffrey Wilson, special education supervisor for the OCM BOCES, said administrators have always wanted the program to be K-12 within the same district.
"We want kids making communication and forming relationships with other students that don't end in eighth grade because they are changing districts," Wilson said.
In 1999, the program found a home Solvay wanted it.
"I knew BOCES was always looking for districts to take programs, so I went to them and said Solvay was soon expanding in its facilities. I asked if any of the programs were looking for a home," said Tom Helmer, superintendent of the Solvay district until 2005.
The program is in its third year in the Solvay school district, where 43 students come from 14 districts, including Syracuse, Baldwinsville, Auburn, Otselic Valley and Waterloo.
One of the perks was the chance to place BOCES students in regular Solvay classes.
And in return, Solvay students learn about the deaf community.
It starts at Solvay Elementary School, where deaf and hard-of-hearing pupils in grades kindergarten through three take part in all programs, including the weekly morning program, in which the entire school gathered in the gym, said Principal Paula Kopp.
Youngsters sign the Pledge of Allegiance, weather report and lunch menu during morning program.
They also help with the "word of the day," in which all youngsters learn how to sign a word every day. Kopp said the hearing children also are learning to sign their names.
And, in another move toward teaching about cultures, the pupils are learning how to say the "word of the day" in Ukrainian, another increasing population in the Solvay dis-
trict.
Families with deaf or hard-of-hearing students have three major options, said Frieda Heckman, who is with Aurora of Central New York, which offers services for hearing-impaired and visually impaired people. Students can attend school in their home district if the resources are available, attend private schools for the deaf or go through BOCES.
"All districts should and probably do have deaf services, but it depends on the extent of the disability," Heckman said.
Madison-Oneida BOCES does not have a program for the deaf and hard of hearing. Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES employs a teacher for the hearing impaired who works with students in special education classes at BOCES or in general education classes in component districts.
Oswego County BOCES has six teachers of the deaf who travel throughout the county and the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES area serving students from birth through age 21.
The OCM BOCES student's curriculum is designed by the home school district and implemented with the resources at Solvay.
Students with even the most severe impairment take basic classes such as gym, library, art and lunch with hearing students.
"Kids end up teaching each other. They always find ways to communicate," Wilson said.
Making friends with hard-of-hearing students requires more than a simple "what's up." Students have to figure out how to start a conversation, but Solvay High School Principal Joseph Rotella said that hasn't stopped kids from interacting and that extra challenge for students is what Solvay wanted.
Jena's story
Kadlecik has not let her hearing impairment get in the way of a high school experience.
She has been on the cheerleading squad since she was a freshman. She also attends a BOCES cooking class during the week, returning to Solvay for academic as well as after-school activities.
An interpreter goes to cheerleading practices and helps Kadlecik understand her teammates and coach. Kadlecik takes BOCES-related classes and then attends gym and lunch with hearing students.
"She can read lips, she has an interpreter that stands next to me at all practices, and if she is not facing the correct way, girls will just tap her on the shoulder to get her attention. She seems like everyone else on the team and is pretty well-adjusted," said Tiffany Zacholl, cheerleading coach.
Kadlecik and Flagg have been friends since they were freshmen and now they have adopted their own type of talking, using hand gestures and body motions.
"I don't know American Sign Language, but you build your own sign language. It's a lot of facial expressions and reading faces. You just understand," said Flagg.
Students from the BOCES program can join any sports or organization that Solvay offers. Rotella said the students learn some of the most interesting things about each other outside the classroom.
"The thing kids learned on the football field in terms of communication is really cool stuff. You think their hearing impairment would rule them out. It doesn't," said Rotella.
One purpose of bringing BOCES to Solvay was to generate more diversity in the district, Helmer said.
"The community of Solvay is wonderful, but the student population is not as diverse as it is in some other suburban schools," Helmer said.
Helmer also wanted to work American Sign Language into the curriculum at Solvay so that it was another language option for students. While that has yet to happen, Kadlecik and other BOCES students teach friends and staff every day.
"There is so much diversity that it all blends in," said Rotella. "It's become the norm."
Many high school teammates talk and tell jokes on bus rides. The Solvay High School cheerleaders learn sign language.
Jena Kadlecik, a Solvay senior who was born deaf, teaches sign language on the bus to away meets. She is a member of the team.
"She taught us different words in sign language," said Nellie Flagg, senior captain of the cheerleading team. "Most of us understood but if not, she wrote it down."
Kadlecik, of Cicero, is one of the 14 students in the Program for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing at Solvay High School. She is deaf but uses her voice and sign language to communicate with friends and teachers.
Until five years ago, deaf and hard-of-hearing students at the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES were scattered across two districts and three schools: High school students went to Westhill, and middle and elementary pupils went to West Genesee schools.
Jeffrey Wilson, special education supervisor for the OCM BOCES, said administrators have always wanted the program to be K-12 within the same district.
"We want kids making communication and forming relationships with other students that don't end in eighth grade because they are changing districts," Wilson said.
In 1999, the program found a home Solvay wanted it.
"I knew BOCES was always looking for districts to take programs, so I went to them and said Solvay was soon expanding in its facilities. I asked if any of the programs were looking for a home," said Tom Helmer, superintendent of the Solvay district until 2005.
The program is in its third year in the Solvay school district, where 43 students come from 14 districts, including Syracuse, Baldwinsville, Auburn, Otselic Valley and Waterloo.
One of the perks was the chance to place BOCES students in regular Solvay classes.
And in return, Solvay students learn about the deaf community.
It starts at Solvay Elementary School, where deaf and hard-of-hearing pupils in grades kindergarten through three take part in all programs, including the weekly morning program, in which the entire school gathered in the gym, said Principal Paula Kopp.
Youngsters sign the Pledge of Allegiance, weather report and lunch menu during morning program.
They also help with the "word of the day," in which all youngsters learn how to sign a word every day. Kopp said the hearing children also are learning to sign their names.
And, in another move toward teaching about cultures, the pupils are learning how to say the "word of the day" in Ukrainian, another increasing population in the Solvay dis-
trict.
Families with deaf or hard-of-hearing students have three major options, said Frieda Heckman, who is with Aurora of Central New York, which offers services for hearing-impaired and visually impaired people. Students can attend school in their home district if the resources are available, attend private schools for the deaf or go through BOCES.
"All districts should and probably do have deaf services, but it depends on the extent of the disability," Heckman said.
Madison-Oneida BOCES does not have a program for the deaf and hard of hearing. Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES employs a teacher for the hearing impaired who works with students in special education classes at BOCES or in general education classes in component districts.
Oswego County BOCES has six teachers of the deaf who travel throughout the county and the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES area serving students from birth through age 21.
The OCM BOCES student's curriculum is designed by the home school district and implemented with the resources at Solvay.
Students with even the most severe impairment take basic classes such as gym, library, art and lunch with hearing students.
"Kids end up teaching each other. They always find ways to communicate," Wilson said.
Making friends with hard-of-hearing students requires more than a simple "what's up." Students have to figure out how to start a conversation, but Solvay High School Principal Joseph Rotella said that hasn't stopped kids from interacting and that extra challenge for students is what Solvay wanted.
Jena's story
Kadlecik has not let her hearing impairment get in the way of a high school experience.
She has been on the cheerleading squad since she was a freshman. She also attends a BOCES cooking class during the week, returning to Solvay for academic as well as after-school activities.
An interpreter goes to cheerleading practices and helps Kadlecik understand her teammates and coach. Kadlecik takes BOCES-related classes and then attends gym and lunch with hearing students.
"She can read lips, she has an interpreter that stands next to me at all practices, and if she is not facing the correct way, girls will just tap her on the shoulder to get her attention. She seems like everyone else on the team and is pretty well-adjusted," said Tiffany Zacholl, cheerleading coach.
Kadlecik and Flagg have been friends since they were freshmen and now they have adopted their own type of talking, using hand gestures and body motions.
"I don't know American Sign Language, but you build your own sign language. It's a lot of facial expressions and reading faces. You just understand," said Flagg.
Students from the BOCES program can join any sports or organization that Solvay offers. Rotella said the students learn some of the most interesting things about each other outside the classroom.
"The thing kids learned on the football field in terms of communication is really cool stuff. You think their hearing impairment would rule them out. It doesn't," said Rotella.
One purpose of bringing BOCES to Solvay was to generate more diversity in the district, Helmer said.
"The community of Solvay is wonderful, but the student population is not as diverse as it is in some other suburban schools," Helmer said.
Helmer also wanted to work American Sign Language into the curriculum at Solvay so that it was another language option for students. While that has yet to happen, Kadlecik and other BOCES students teach friends and staff every day.
"There is so much diversity that it all blends in," said Rotella. "It's become the norm."