Best Deaf School?

[shel90]

My daughter went to PDSD here in Phoenix, while I don't consider it a
good school the fact is almost all the mainstreaming options were even worse.


I looked around for years and finally moved to a good school district that
had a good deaf program in one of their schools so I mainstreamed my daughter.

I used to be asked often by other parents if they should mainstream their
kids and I always told them "If your not in a school district that has a good
deaf program or you cant move to one stay at PDSD

U are right..I was mainstreamed orally in Phx...my needs werent met at all..

 

[Em903]

Indiana school for the deaf has 21 smart and deaf first graders and a pretty nice facility. The education is trying to be " on level" with hearing kids. The school is in an ugly depressed neighborhood that is more deserted than dangerous. The large number of deaf families in the area and Deaf teachers /administrators make this kind of a voice off environment. Its great to see so many deaf kids together learning and having fun. But its in Indiana.

ISD is a GREAT school. These teachers have really poured their heart into teaching. Yes the neighborhood looks a bit scary but it isn't all that bad. They get the kids involved in so many activities there and the students excel. Then again, I am a bit biased, the man I am seeing teaches there

 

[Buffalo]

My daughter went to PDSD here in Phoenix, while I don't consider it a
good school the fact is almost all the mainstreaming options were even worse.


I looked around for years and finally moved to a good school district that
had a good deaf program in one of their schools so I mainstreamed my daughter.

I used to be asked often by other parents if they should mainstream their
kids and I always told them "If your not in a school district that has a good
deaf program or you cant move to one stay at PDSD

Ever take a look at ASDB in Tucson? Or is it too far for you?

 

[bbnt]

Ever take a look at ASDB in Tucson? Or is it too far for you?

Yes it is to far, PDSD is a day school ASDB is a residential school but
if I lived in Tucson she could have come home every day.

They are both run by the same superintendent have have a lot of the
same problems so even if I could have moved to Tucson I wouldn't have
let her go to ASDB unless it was my only viable alternative.

 

[Cheri]

I'm curious as to what your opinions are on what would be the best Deaf school in North America? For elementary education? Mainstreamed program? Secondary education? I'll put out some opinions, but admittedly, they are colored by my perceptions and subjective observations in meeting tons of Deaf people from all kinds of educational backgrounds.

For elementary education, the Best Deaf School would be:
1) KDES

For secondary education, the Best Deaf Schools would be:
1) MSD at Frederick
2) MSSD
3) Lexington
4) CSDF

As for mainstreamed programs, I really don't know a lot, but I'll put one out anyway;
1) University H.S. in Orange County

Any other suggestions? Please put away your personal biases and perceptions about your own Deaf school and try to add in this thread objectively. In interests of disclosure, I'm a FSD alum.

None, I don't think any deaf schools is best in the nation, same goes for public schools. With my experience in mainstream, I liked some and I hate some.

 

[Jolie77]

Granted, All Deaf Schools are not expected to be perfect or best. But, Each of these schools do excel in some areas that other schools may not be able to excel at.

Since I've had experience attending with 2 different Schools for the Deaf (Indiana and Kentucky) - IMO - Both schools have fare well in different areas. With Indiana - It is nestled in a large deaf community which can stand out whereas with Kentucky - it is nestled in a small town but with their multi-media access, it has made things a lot easier and efficient for students to learn through the progress.

Both schools comes well when it works with the language comprehension which I believe is always imperative.

 

[deafdyke]

My daughter went to PDSD here in Phoenix, while I don't consider it a
good school the fact is almost all the mainstreaming options were even worse.

bbnt, at least she got a good foundation for mainstreaming. Most mainstream programs can't really offer great early intervention the way a Deaf School can.

 

[ASLGAL]

Indiana school for the deaf has 21 smart and deaf first graders and a pretty nice facility. The education is trying to be " on level" with hearing kids. The school is in an ugly depressed neighborhood that is more deserted than dangerous. The large number of deaf families in the area and Deaf teachers /administrators make this kind of a voice off environment. Its great to see so many deaf kids together learning and having fun. But its in Indiana.

Western pa school for the deaf is beautiful, well run, state of the art. Truly BiBi teachers say and sign everything. There are only 5 first graders. the neighborhood is shot, real ghetto on one side right outside the front gate. Kids could be on the bus for 45 minutes to get to a decent suburb. Beautiful homes next to the school are going cheap.

Ohio school for the deaf is big and a renovation is planned but enrollment amounted to only a handful of elementary students grouped K&1st, 2nd and 3rd etc. Nice school, no budget problems but no kids.

Maryland school for the deaf at Frederick I would call a classic deaf school. The new elementary school was soon to open when I visited in the fall of 07. I don,t know who will attend the new school because there were only a few first graders at the time of our visit. And the school is coupled with a deaf community that lives nearby and is voice off. the neighborhood is OK compared to the others I visited but traffic is horrible and the new school is on a busy off ramp. Like Ohio, the if you build it they will come plan May or may not work out.

Kendall model school is a very nice facility but is run like the federal program it is. I thought the place was stiff and
it had only a few first graders. It is on the campus of Gallaudet and is not surprisingly voice off. The neighborhood is rough and the university is planning to remove the fence surrounding the school. Why?

New jersey school for the deaf is shot. The state is giving operations over to a commission with no deaf ed experience. Something good could emerge say 3 to 5 years from now but currently you are looking at an old school with no funding and dwindling enrollment. Also the campus has been rented to all kinds of crummy social programs with nothing to do with deaf education. Its a mess.

Interesting observations Peteydid. What have you decided for your son? Is it feasibile to move where your school choice takes you?

I have heard nothing but good things about Kentucky School for the Deaf.
I have not been there but my hubs was there as SSP for retreat a few years ago and liked it very much.

He and his class were mistaken as higher level ITP by the Kentucky folks and wondered why they were not already SKPE(Skippie) [I know I mangled that] certified already.

 

[shel90]

Granted, All Deaf Schools are not expected to be perfect or best. But, Each of these schools do excel in some areas that other schools may not be able to excel at.

Since I've had experience attending with 2 different Schools for the Deaf (Indiana and Kentucky) - IMO - Both schools have fare well in different areas. With Indiana - It is nestled in a large deaf community which can stand out whereas with Kentucky - it is nestled in a small town but with their multi-media access, it has made things a lot easier and efficient for students to learn through the progress.

Both schools comes well when it works with the language comprehension which I believe is always imperative.[/QUOTE]


As a teacher, I find that very important too.

 

[shel90]

ISD is a GREAT school. These teachers have really poured their heart into teaching. Yes the neighborhood looks a bit scary but it isn't all that bad. They get the kids involved in so many activities there and the students excel. Then again, I am a bit biased, the man I am seeing teaches there

I have heard great things about ISD.

 

[westcoastz]

I'm curious as to what your opinions are on what would be the best Deaf school in North America? For elementary education? Mainstreamed program? Secondary education? I'll put out some opinions, but admittedly, they are colored by my perceptions and subjective observations in meeting tons of Deaf people from all kinds of educational backgrounds.

For elementary education, the Best Deaf School would be:
1) KDES

For secondary education, the Best Deaf Schools would be:
1) MSD at Frederick
2) MSSD
3) Lexington
4) CSDF

As for mainstreamed programs, I really don't know a lot, but I'll put one out anyway;
1) University H.S. in Orange County

Any other suggestions? Please put away your personal biases and perceptions about your own Deaf school and try to add in this thread objectively. In interests of disclosure, I'm a FSD alum.

Obviously we can't argue with the east coast's thoughts of which deaf school suits the best for deaf children. There isn't even best school that exist in east coast due to their various methods of conduct education curriculum towards deaf children from deaf school. Which is why they are arguing to see which is the best deaf school to boost their egoism. That is okay because, they doesn't know the truth from their audism and oppression that was conducted by deaf schools. There's many more things that verify the factoid that we doesn't discuss due to belittle others. as i do recall gallaudet University does accept any kind of education levels from 12 th level to 1st level in education general settings from deaf school to enroll and it is a University, TSK. The degree is made out of toilet paper which is why most of jobs in california doesn't accept their job application unless they complete many more courses in california to meet their requirement. the outcome still failed because they eventually end up work for deaf school once again to repeat the cycle. Anyway, that's okay as long you still have your mojo.

 

[shel90]

Obviously we can't argue with the east coast's thoughts of which deaf school suits the best for deaf children. There isn't even best school that exist in east coast due to their various methods of conduct education curriculum towards deaf children from deaf school. Which is why they are arguing to see which is the best deaf school to boost their egoism. That is okay because, they doesn't know the truth from their audism and oppression that was conducted by deaf schools. There's many more things that verify the factoid that we doesn't discuss due to belittle others. as i do recall gallaudet University does accept any kind of education levels from 12 th level to 1st level in education general settings from deaf school to enroll and it is a University, TSK. The degree is made out of toilet paper which is why most of jobs in california doesn't accept their job application unless they complete many more courses in california to meet their requirement. the outcome still failed because they eventually end up work for deaf school once again to repeat the cycle. Anyway, that's okay as long you still have your mojo.

It is not because of the schools themselves. It is because of society's prejudices against Deaf schools and deaf people.

 

[Awaiting]

List where?

I've seen some in this thread assert that one school or another is "ranked highly" etc. My question: where are these rankings? Did I miss a US News issue on Best Deaf Schools?

Please provide a link to a legitimate study or ranking when talking about where particular schools are "ranked." If your information is based only on ur own perceptions or on what others have told you, please disclose that.

Otherwise I do not want to hear about where a school is "ranked."

thanks.

 

[orangeearths]

What about NJSD?

 

[zeroality]

The worst deaf school would be ...Alabama School for the Deaf (ASD, located in Talladega) ...

Talladega is just ugly, decayed, not many prime shopping and place make me so ill...

I certainly hope you aren't going to base your opinion of the school around the town that it is located in. The ASD academic bowl, after going two undefeated seasons in the Southeast regionals in '98 and '99, have consistently put up winning seasons - including a second place finish in '00.

As an extension of their education, they also have an excellent extracurricular program. Our sports teams fare pretty well when compared to other deaf schools; we have quite a string of National championships for our basketball teams as well as reaching 1A Boys' Final Four in the state tournament at least twice.

I might be a little biased since I graduated there but these are facts, not opinions. As for Talladega, I'll just say whatever is around town is perfectly suitable for students. It might suck for adults living there but you aren't far from Pell City, Birmingham, or Jacksonville. Even Montgomery and Huntsville are only a few hours away by road.

ASD might not be the best, or even among the best, but it is not on the bottom or anywhere near it.

 

[deafdyke]

One good thing at least that most Deaf Schools have sizable number of academic kids. Unlike for example, schools for the blind(although there are some states with sizable numbers of academic blind kids) or schools for autistic kids. And they are improving a lot! There are "dumping ground" Deaf Schools, unfortunatly.....but there are good ones too!

cuz some questions are related to syllables and phonics. ugh!!

Oh yeah! I have never understood the importance of syllables and phonetics I distinctly remember sitting in my second grade classroom staring at a workbook that had syllables and vowels and phonetic work ....and being puzzled as to what exactly those were and why I needed to know them. I still don't understand syllbels and vowels and stuff like that.

 

[shel90]

I certainly hope you aren't going to base your opinion of the school around the town that it is located in. The ASD academic bowl, after going two undefeated seasons in the Southeast regionals in '98 and '99, have consistently put up winning seasons - including a second place finish in '00.

As an extension of their education, they also have an excellent extracurricular program. Our sports teams fare pretty well when compared to other deaf schools; we have quite a string of National championships for our basketball teams as well as reaching 1A Boys' Final Four in the state tournament at least twice.

I might be a little biased since I graduated there but these are facts, not opinions. As for Talladega, I'll just say whatever is around town is perfectly suitable for students. It might suck for adults living there but you aren't far from Pell City, Birmingham, or Jacksonville. Even Montgomery and Huntsville are only a few hours away by road.

ASD might not be the best, or even among the best, but it is not on the bottom or anywhere near it.

I hate it when people make judgements about Deaf schools especially when they have never worked nor attended one.

I used to think low of Deaf schools until I started working in them and was like "oh..wow!"

 

[Daredevel7]

I certainly hope you aren't going to base your opinion of the school around the town that it is located in. The ASD academic bowl, after going two undefeated seasons in the Southeast regionals in '98 and '99, have consistently put up winning seasons - including a second place finish in '00.

As an extension of their education, they also have an excellent extracurricular program. Our sports teams fare pretty well when compared to other deaf schools; we have quite a string of National championships for our basketball teams as well as reaching 1A Boys' Final Four in the state tournament at least twice.

I might be a little biased since I graduated there but these are facts, not opinions. As for Talladega, I'll just say whatever is around town is perfectly suitable for students. It might suck for adults living there but you aren't far from Pell City, Birmingham, or Jacksonville. Even Montgomery and Huntsville are only a few hours away by road.

ASD might not be the best, or even among the best, but it is not on the bottom or anywhere near it.

When was the last time you were there? I know someone who graduated from there decades ago and he often talks about how different it is now.

 

[warpedpink]

Yesterday a friend of mine watched the Gallaudet President, Alan Hurwitz's, speech. He said that out of all the Deaf schools he visited, he was by far the most impressed by CSDF. Not just the school, but the strong, diverse community.

I'm glad you're doing your homework (lol). My vote is for CSDF, without a doubt.

 

[warpedpink]

well, do deaf schools teach English?

:jaw: what. the. fuck? you must be joking.