Department for the Deaf

The Department for the Deaf, as an educational agency, views as its fundamental responsibility the provision of long term sequential educational services leading to self-dependence for children with severe to profound hearing impairments. Basic objectives of the educational program are these:

The achievement of self-realization.
The development of proper human relationships.
The attainment of economic efficiency.
The assumption of civic responsibility.

The educational responsibility encompasses the whole day, every day, rather than the traditional academic school day because of the residential nature of the program. Lack of daily family involvement in the lives of the students places additional responsibility upon the school for the development of skills to cope with life situations.

Finally, recognizing that a severe hearing impairment inhibits the ability of these individuals to develop communicative and language skills in the same way as their hearing peers, it is our philosophy to provide each student with the tools of communication which enable him to reach his life potential.

Curriculum in our elementary and middle school areas consist of Language; Emerging Literacy; Math; Science; Social Studies; Social-Emotional Development; Motor Development; Health and Physical Education; Family Life Education; Reading' English; and Virginia History. Our high school curriculum incorporates the subjects of Math; Algebra I & II; Geometry; Consumer Math; Functional Math; Functional Academics; U.S. & World History; World Geography; Va. and U.S. Government; Physical Science; Earth Science; Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Computer Literacy; English; World Literature; Reading; Life Management Skills; Family Life Education; Law Related Education, and a Life Long Learning Program.

Vocational offerings include Home Economics; Industrial Technology; Exploratory; Food Service; and Carpentry/Cabinetmaking. Students are given opportunities to attend classes at Valley Vocational Technical School, located a short distance from our campus, which offers many types of varied vocational courses. On campus/off campus work study programs also are offered as part of vocational training. As a part of each student's IEP, a transition plan is developed and updated annually, including preparation for standardized testing, such as the Virginia Standards of Learning tests (SOLs), which are given upon completion of grades 3, 5, and 8, and end-of-year courses in the high school area.

Support staff enhances the program with their skills and expertise. Among this group is a Program Coordinator; an Audiologist to assess student hearing; a Librarian; a Communication Skills Therapist to provide direct diagnostic, habilitative and rehabilitative services in the areas of speech, speech reading, language and auditory training, and a Behavioral Management Specialist to conduct individual and group counseling in the areas of emotional, social, and behavioral needs and concerns. Guidance counselors and a psychologist are available to assess student's needs; a H.I./L/D/ Resource Teacher provides remedial services for hearing impaired students with a secondary handicap of learning disabilities, and teacher aides to assist in the dormitories and classrooms. A parent/education teacher works to assist parents to better communicate with their children.

Students in our Deaf Department are also given opportunities to take courses in local public schools, and to experience work-related activities through jobs acquired in the community.