asd parent newsletter march 2015

139 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107 860.570.2300 (Voice) 860.899.1217 (VP) 1.800.244.0420 (Toll-Free) www.asd-1817.org

MARCH 2015

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

Dear Parents,

As we gear up for spring after a seemingly endless winter, I am happy to share with you a few exciting things happening at ASD!

On March 3rd, we launched our brand-new, redesigned website! This highly interactive website is filled with recent pictures of our students, and is more user-friendly than our previous site. Please take a moment to visit www.asd-1817.org and enjoy all that this site has to offer!

The Gallaudet Hall demolition is in full swing and much progress is being made. In February, the Cupola was safely removed and is currently being stored for safe-keeping until a permanent location is determined. We recently discovered that when Gallaudet Hall was built in 1921, a time capsule containing items from that same year was built into the brick corner of Gallaudet Hall, popularly referred to as “The Cornerstone.” As Gallaudet Hall has been deconstructed, arrangements were made with the construction company to remove this time capsule. We will save this capsule to be opened during our Founder’s Day celebration in April. All of the items found in the time capsule will be safely preserved in our museum for future generations to enjoy.

As we continue to prepare for our 200th anniversary in 2017, we have made great strides in our museum. Brad Moseley, a dedicated member of the ASD family for many years, has accepted the position as Coordinator of the ASD Museum. He will work alongside Jean Linderman in organizing our many historical artifacts and preparing them for our anniversary exhibit. Stay tuned for exciting updates on this progress!

While planning for our historic anniversary, it is clear that paving a path for our future is as important as honoring our past. We are in the process of developing our strategic plan to guide us during the next several years. This is an interdisciplinary process and I am asking all of our parents for your input, as well! Meetings have been held to discuss the strategic plan and I am always available to discuss your ideas.

The Walk 4 Hearing is taking place this year on Saturday, June 13th at the Mortensen Riverfront Plaza in Hartford. We are holding a kickoff for this event at ASD on Thursday, April 23rd at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to join!

Our Family Learning Weekend is taking place on March 20-21st on the ASD campus. This two-day event is filled with informative parent workshops, fun family events, and children’s activities. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Beth Benedict from Gallaudet University who will share her approach to early intervention, family education, and language acquisition. I hope to see all of our parents at Family Learning Weekend!

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions!

Sincerely,

Jeff BravinExecutive Director

From the Executive DirectorJeffrey S. BravinExecutive Director860.415.4206 (VP)[email protected]

Cindy A. PaluchDirector of Admissions,Family Education Services andStudent Management860.570.2335 (V)860.899.1603 (VP)[email protected]

Tommy MeehanDirector of Education860.899.1082 (VP)[email protected]

Jennifer Del ContePrincipal, PreK—Middle School860.570.2266 (V)860.956.3904 (VP)[email protected]

Luisa SoboleskiPrincipal, High School/Vocational/International Program860.899.1592 (VP)[email protected]

Nancy ForsbergPrincipal, PACES860.570.2270 (V)860.899.1065 (VP)[email protected]

Karen WilsonDirector of PACES,Coordinator of PCS860.570.2209 (V)860.308.1597 (VP)[email protected]

Fern ReisingerDirector, Outreach Services andSpecial Projects860.899.1600 (VP)[email protected]

Andrea DillonDirector of Student Health Ctr. (SHC)860.570.2363 (V)[email protected]

June TerryDean of Students (CORE)[email protected]

Ron DavisDean of Students (PACES)[email protected]

Find us...

Parent NewsJeffrey S. Bravin

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Welcome New Students: Ti’jean (MA). WELCOME to the ASD Family/

Community and BEST WISHES for a smooth transition!

FES News and Events:

• Parent/guardian involvement is important. You are welcome to attend your child’s PPT/IEP meeting, sporting events and the many social events we offer. Family Learning Weekend is just around the corner! Join us for two days filled with informative parent workshops, fun family events, children’s activities, and of course, a lot of laughter! There will be time dedicated especially for parents to share, learn, and network together. Simply complete the registration form provided and return to Cindy Paluch.

• The Parent Center and the Parent Lending

Library is an area especially designed for all ASD parents and families. It is a warm and inviting atmosphere equipped with a television, VCR/DVD player, computer, and a wide variety of books related to deafness. Sign language videos and DVDs are available for families to borrow and take home on a two-week basis!

• Please contact Admissions/FES to inform them of any changes in your home address, telephone number, or e-mail address. We are also asking for your e-mail address so that we may quickly share important information and updates. Please send this information to Betsy Denorfia at betsy.denorfia@ asd-1817.org or Cindy Paluch at [email protected].

• For information regarding Admissions/Family Education Services events, please visit the ASD website at www.asd-1817.org and click on the “Parents Page” under the Admissions tab.

Upcoming FES Events:• Parent Day Sign Classes – Began March 4th

from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. and is scheduled every Wednesday until April 8.

• Family Learning Weekend (FLW) 2015 - March 20-21.

• Parent/Sibling Sign Classes – Beginning April 2nd and will continue on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

FAMILY EDUCATION SERVICES

March 20-21, 2015Keynote Speaker:

Beth BenedictProfessor, Communication Studies,

Gallaudet University; President, American Society of

Deaf Children

Register Today!Online at www.asd-1817.org

For more information, please contact Betsy Denorfia

or Cindy Paluch at 860-570-2209

Welcome to all employees who recently joined our team!

Amy Broderick Provider, Birth-to-ThreeCody McEvoy Residential CounselorCory McMahon Outreach SubstituteMattia Mikan Job Coach, Adult Vocational ServicesEleni Miller Residential Counselor, PACESRobert Poteat Residential Counselor, PACESKatie Smolinsky Communications Facilitator, Outreach Educational ServicesDenny Voreck UAE Instructor/Consultant

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FAMILY EDUCATION SERVICES PARENT CORNERAccreditation

The American School for the Deaf is undergoing a reaccreditation process to be approved by The Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD), which is an association of schools and educational programs involved with the education of deaf and hard of hearing individuals. We are also engaging in a second accreditation process through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

As a part of the accreditation process, there is an opportunity for the school community, including parents, to participate in a self-study program that will lead to program enhancements. The accreditation is designed for schools that adhere to a set of educational standards. The accreditation process is a means to effectively drive student performance while ensuring continuous improvement in the education of deaf and hard of hearing students. The accreditation

process includes a set of rigorous protocols and research-based processes for reviewing a school's organizational effectiveness. Both the school and the residential programs are being reviewed and the timing aligns with the school’s strategic planning.

The accreditation process is a positive experience for the ASD community as it brings the entire community together to assess the school. Surveys will be distributed to gather feedback from all individuals with an affiliation to ASD. All survey responses are anonymous and those who participate are provided with a link to the outcome reports from the survey. As parents, your input is vital to the success of our school. Please complete the survey online by visiting http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s.asp?sid=4hg9svbre3sdrk1622784.

The Measure of Success is An Evolving Curriculum

At ASD, we believe that the curriculum in our classrooms must constantly evolve to respond to the ever-changing needs of our student population. The curriculum is influenced by best practices in education, and special education mandates from our partnering school districts. We are happy to announce that we have recently created a position for a Curriculum and Instruction Specialist on our staff and Ms. Christa Bolen has taken on the position. Under her leadership, our curricula in all core content areas will be reviewed to align with and integrate the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which have been adopted by the state of Connecticut. We are also focused on providing authentic experiences through SDI (Specially Designed Instruction) for our students. We are committed to increasing the

academic achievement of our students by continuing our commitment to their health, social/emotional development and overall well-being.

As part of this process, instruction is becoming increasingly focused on differentiation. Differentiation is the process of creating individualized educational plans to meet the distinct needs of our students. It supports deeper thinking, using evidence to support ideas, and connecting learning in authentic ways to the world around us. The teachers and the principals are collaborating to discover new teaching strategies that will enhance student engagement and achievement in the classroom. As part of our long range planning efforts, ASD is focused on providing teachers with professional development opportunities that will support the sharing of best practice while formulating concrete suggestions for modifying course curricula.

It was once said that “the best schools are those who continuously change to mirror the world of contemporary society.” Our plan to view our curriculum as an ever-changing educational component is an indication that ASD continues to be “on the move”!

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High in the Berkshire Mountains lies a shining lake with a beautiful island in the middle. Each summer, this camp for the deaf beckons deaf and hard of hearing kids from all over the United States to come and enjoy its beauty. All the activities at Camp Isola Bella are designed first and foremost to be FUN. Of course, it’s fun with a purpose as we design our program to make sure our campers don’t regress during the long summer break from school.

For more information and to register now, please visit http://www.campisolabella.org or email: [email protected].

CAMP ISOLA BELLA

LITERACY CORNEREnjoying some canoeing at IB

We are springing forward with new literacy programs for our elementary, middle school, and high school students! We have included three new programs into our curriculum; two reading programs, and one grammar program. The two reading programs have completed their pilot phase and are being fully implemented into the classroom. The grammar program will be introduced very soon as a trial in the classroom. During the pilot phase, specific classrooms are chosen and teachers assess how effective the programs are with deaf and hard of hearing students. Because each program was initially designed for hearing students, modifications were necessary to meet both the needs of our students and the criteria for the Common Core Standards. The Reading Specialist works with the teachers to first determine the necessary modifications and then implement them for the students. It is quite a lengthy process!

The Reading A-Z program is an online program that enhances our students’ understanding of reading through pictures, videos, great visuals and even printable books. It is currently being fully implemented in the elementary classrooms. Raz-Kids is our second reading program that has passed through its initial trial phase and is being implemented in the classroom. This is also an online program that incorporates many of the same features as Reading A-Z, but it is geared specifically for older students. Raz-Kids is being utilized in various middle school and high school classes. Students have expressed enthusiasm in using both programs and teachers have reported success!

Grmmr! is the grammar program that is entering its pilot phase. This is a multisensory program developed for deaf and hard of hearing students to help them with writing, sentence structure, and grammar. Grmmr! consists of magnetic shapes (red triangles, blue circles, etc.) that represent the different parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.). The students work with and memorize these different shapes and use them to study the patterns that represent proper English sentence structures. Students then substitute words for the different colored shapes and use the patterns they learned to create a sentence. Once the order of the words is correct, the students work on correcting the grammar (tense and verb conjugation, etc.). Grmmr! will be used in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, middle school, and in some high school classes. This is a very exciting addition to our English Language Arts (ELA) program and we look forward to watching our students’ progress with these programs!

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL/MIDDLE SCHOOLThere has been a shared theme of “countdowns” and “celebrations” over the past few weeks. Recently, the Pre-K to 5th graders celebrated the 100th day of school! The 100th Day is a very important day for elementary school mathematics as the students have been counting and recording each day throughout the year while making collections of 100 things and participating in projects that involved counting to 100. On the 100th day of the school year, all of these student projects were on display in the lobby for all to see. It seems impossible that the school year is already two-thirds finished, but we are, of course, also counting the days until spring!

In addition to celebrating our countdown to summer vacation, we also celebrated each other on Valentine’s Day! All of the elementary students practiced their spelling and communications skills as they distributed Valentine’s Day cards and flowers to their teachers and classmates on February 14th.

Recently, several middle school students were recog-nized for their hard work during the second quarter. “Paw Awards” were given to two students in each subject area. Congratulations to the recipients!

On February 25th, the Little Theatre of the Deaf en-tertained our students and performed for them. Our students were captivated by the performers and it was a perfect introduction to our “Visual Arts Day” on March 5th. The Farmington Dance Company facilitat-ed an interactive dance workshop for all of our ele-mentary students and several middle school students. The day concluded with an interactive drumming session.

With spring on the horizon, we will soon shift our fo-cus to Founders Week in April, where we will continue our theme of celebrations by honoring and remember-ing our school’s founders.

The pre-kindergarten class makes fruit loop necklaces to learn how to count to 100 in celebration of the 100th day of school.

Students have a lesson in drumming during an interactive session

Elementary students showcased their 100th day projects in the lobby for all to see!

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HIGH SCHOOL/VOCATIONAL/INTERNATIONALOur high school students have been keeping themselves very busy and involved with many activities!

On Saturday Feb 7, our Robotics team, The ASD Tigers Team #273 attended the Connecticut FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Qualifier Tournament at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor and they won the Motivate Award! They also participated at the CT FTC Qualifier Competition at the Greenwich Academy in Greenwich, CT on February 21st and the CT State Championship Tournament at Greens Farm Academy in Westport on March 7th. We are very proud of them! Deaf iNews even traveled with the team to each of the competitions and broadcasted the competition in their news program throughout the country. Congratulations to our Robotics team members Javier Santana, Kaleb Walker, Jonathan Clark, Khaled Al Marzouqi and Nahyan Al Ameri!

The FIRST Tech Challenge is more than a high school robotics program. As described on their website, “it is a community focused on building a better world for tomorrow by engaging high school students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). FTC is about teaching students the value of hard work, innovation and creativity. It goes beyond competition by teaching teenagers the importance of working together, sharing ideas and treating each other with respect and dignity.”

One of our Alumni from the Class of 2010, Joseph Ronan, has been appointed as a head referee for all future FTC qualifying and championship competitions. Another ASD Alumni, Zachary Bessette from the Class of 2014, also recently became a new referee. It is wonderful to see our ASD Alumni volunteering in the community with the Robotics Program!

On February 25th, a group of students in the creative writing class from the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts met with ASD students for a second poetry writing collaboration. Students participating from ASD included Jenna Giglietti, Luis Burgos, Brittany Neis, Jon Campoverde, Faith Hensel, Edmarie Burgos, Hope Smith, Nikita Mallach, Craichelle Morrison, Dontae Pritchett, and Jann Michael Delgado. Each student participated in small groups of 4 or 5 and came to the table with

personal poems. Each group was provided with a picture from which their poems were inspired. Students within each group then shared their poems with each other and created one single poem using various lines and words from within each of the individual poems. Once each of the five groups completed their final drafts, they presented their poems in American Sign Language while students from the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts voiced them simultaneously. The result was quite moving and the event proved to be a beautiful and powerful experience. Students from both schools are looking forward to next month’s collaboration!

Since the fall, ASD students have been pen-pals with two ASL classes from Lewis Mills High School in Burlington, CT. On February 11th, the students met each other for the first time! Over the past several months, students have been corresponding through written letters and video footage. This activity encourages ASD students to practice their written English skills and assists the students from the Lewis Mills High School in fine tuning their receptive and expressive sign language skills. Our visiting students spent the day observing elementary and middle school classes and conducting interviews with deaf adults to learn about their life experiences. The entire group of pen-pals came together during lunch where games, including Telephone and Wagon Wheel, were played to practice the ASL lessons learned. The day ended with a group photo, many hugs and a promise to keep in touch. This experience has been a fun social and educational exercise for students from both schools and will hopefully result in lasting friendships!

The annual Marie Jean Philip ASL Poetry/Storytelling and Art Competition took place on February 26th. This competition serves to honor the memory of Marie Jean Philip, an ASD alum who tirelessly advocated for deaf children. Marie was especially dedicated to improving the quality of deaf education through improving the quality of signed communication between teachers and students. The competition also serves to provide a forum for public recognition of the talents and creativity of deaf children. The event was a huge success with great attendance among middle school, high school, International, Quad 1 and PACES students! Our first place winners in each of the competition’s seven categories were: Nikita Mallach, Travon Evan-Ross, Jennifer Soto, Hunter Oren, Jamal Aziz, Nhyan Aameri,

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HIGH SCHOOL/VOCATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

and Ericka Polanco. These students will have the opportunity to represent our school at the final competition to be held in Boston on Friday, April 17th, 2015. The competition continues to draw submissions from across the United States and Canada and we are always proud of our students’ successes!

The students in Quad 1 have also been busy with community service activities. Quad 1 classes collected non-perishable food items and brought them to the Food Pantry at the South Congregational Church in Hartford. The students were able to see firsthand the impact that their donations made in the community and they learned the process by which food is distributed to the homeless. This was a wonderful learning experience.

Nikita Mallach performs during the Marie Jean Philip ASL Poetry and Art Competition.

Glendy Scaletta performs on stage during the Marie Jean Philip ASL Poetry and Art Competition.

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PBISThe American School for the Deaf has adopted a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model which builds a positive social culture to enhance and promote social and academic success. PBIS is a system that supports positive reinforcement throughout the day by teaching positive behaviors, monitoring progress and collecting data. The expectations of PBIS are for students to be Respectful, Responsible, and Safe. Research supports that PBIS strategies can assist with a reduction in office referrals, reports of harassment, school suspensions, and safety violations. In addition, the PBIS model has been shown to improve attendance, increase positive behavior in school common areas, and boost academic scores. Our mission statement is, “The American School for the Deaf is a life-long learning community built on a foundation of Respect, Responsibility and Safety for each individual”. A leadership team attended training through the CT State Department of Education, which has led to the implementation of PBIS strategies school-wide. Just as we would teach a child who does not know how to read, we teach children who do not know how to behave by reinforcing and rewarding positive behaviors. We hope parents will join the ASD community in adopting the PBIS model in their own homes!

Quad 1 students participate in PBIS Wednesdays by wearing their t-shirts in support of the school-wide Initiative.”

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PACESThe PACES (Positive Attitude Concerning Education and Socialization) program is especially designed for deaf and hard of hearing students with behavioral and emotional challenges. Our program currently has nine teachers; four high school teachers, one middle school teacher, one elementary teacher, and three teachers implementing a “Work School” concept for our students with multiple disabilities. Currently, there are thirty-five students in the program, but this number fluctuates over the course of the year. For example, we recently lost one student who returned to his home district to complete his graduation requirements, but we will welcome a new student to the program in March.

Currently, two of the teachers involved with the PACES program are out on leave, but we have been successful in obtaining qualified long-term substitute teachers to cover their assignments until they return. They are doing a great job and the team is working well! Four teachers have recently completed training in Achieve 3000, a reading reinforcement program. Implementation of this program into the classrooms has begun and teachers are gathering data on student progress. This program should allow for our students to make great gains in reading!

The elementary class has been learning how to work together collaboratively as a team. They have been doing a great job and improving their skills every day! The middle school has been continuing their work using magnets in their Science classes. They have learned about a magnet’s penetrating force and have identified the magnetic fields surrounding various types of magnets. To witness this science firsthand, the students made a compass using a pin, a cork, and a cup of water. Everyone was delighted when their experiment was successful and they had created a functional compass! Next on the agenda is learning about the connection between magnets and electricity!

A new recognition program has been implemented to keep the high school students motivated during the dark days of winter. Each student is given a passbook where they can record stamps earned for good behavior. Stamps are earned for such activities as participating in class, completing classwork or finishing homework. Students who earn enough stamps to fill their passbooks are allowed to participate in “Team Friday”, where they engage in team building exercises and physical activities.

Students are enthusiastic about this program, which has been successful in reinforcing positive behavior.

Just as with the stamp program, students may also earn tickets each time they reinforce the campus-wide PBIS initiative and demonstrate Respect for others, Responsibility and Safety. The PACES “SUPER” Group collected 200 PBIS tickets, which were used collectively to earn a bowling trip. In keeping with the spirit of teamwork, students pooled their resources to ensure that all of their classmates could join them on their trip. The bowling trip was a fun way to encourage physical activity and positive social interactions, two significant components of the PACES program.

Luis Mandato shows off his bowling skills on the SUPER Group’s bowling trip!

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A weekly newsletter is sent home to families, including an event calendar listing upcoming activities that students will be involved in. During the February break, our students had a great time visiting local attractions such as Flight Trampoline Park and CoCo Key Water Resort. They also attended a performance presented by the National Theater of the Deaf, a movie, a CT AAU basketball skills camp and even a pizza party!

The PACES students have been very busy with community service activities, as well! Our students assisted a local church in preparing for a community Apple Pie Sale; served meals during two community dinners; and celebrated Valentine’s Day by creating special cards for their ASD friends. In recognizing Chinese New Year, students also prepared a Chinese dinner that was shared with the entire super group. The turn in seasons will bring about a change from indoor to outdoor activities—something our students are very excited for!

PACES

Simon Portelli cooks lunch in preparation for the SUPER Group’s Chinese New Year celebration!

Jacob Paye counts the PBIS tickets earned by the SUPER Group and puts them on display!

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Despite snow and school cancellations, our dormitory students have been very busy keeping themselves occupied! Although some of our student organization meetings were canceled due to the weather, many events did continue to go on!

• Our students have been diligently practicing basketball and playing games. There will be several games during the month of March and the season will close with a tournament on March 26th.

• Barbara French treated our students to a fireside reading at her house and shared many delicious treats after the reading. Our students always enjoy this evening together!

• The Girl Scout troop has been actively selling their famous Girl Scout cookies to anyone unable to resist this seasonal treat! They have already sold over 500 boxes of cookies- congratulations to them! To balance out the calories of the cookies, they have also been engaging in the peaceful exercise of yoga.

• Many of our students spent an afternoon at the

movies laughing their way through “Spongebob Under the Water.” Although primarily for children, this family film offered comic relief to the adult viewers, as well!

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Students, volunteers, and staff stop for a group photo during their annual ski trip!

Andrew Ray Taylor getting ready to go snowboarding!

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• The Dance Club has been carefully practicing to prepare for the ASD Talent Show try-outs. This popular school event will be held on April 2nd and information will be coming soon!

• After being postponed three times due to snow, eight of our students finally took the annual trip to Ski Sundown for adaptive ski lessons. Many thanks to Teacher’s Aide, Karen Mann, for planning this trip. This was the fifth year of this annual trip and we are hopeful that this tradition will continue for many more years to come! Of course, the trip would not have been possible without the time and dedication of many members of our ASD staff. Many thanks to Bill Halschied, Cheryl Harrington, Brad Hammond and Scott Robinson who volunteered their time to help our students learn to ski!

• The Rhode Island School for the Deaf (RISD) invited our students to participate in their Winter Ball. Five of our students attended this dance, along with students from eight other Schools for the Deaf. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the delicious food, music, and dancing. Due to the success of the event, RISD plans to continue this tradition with another Winter Ball next year. Our students will certainly look forward to that!

• Our Drama Club has been meticulously preparing

for their performance being held on April 9th. More information about this will be coming soon.

• The PACES Super Group participated in many activities with their Residential Counselors, including creating candy lollipops, baking a Valentine’s Day cake, making a peppermint scrub, playing many games and even going bowling!

• Chris Hammond presented an excellent PowerPoint to our PACES first and second floor dormitory students. The topic was “Deaf in War History” and the presentation included many interesting, little-known facts. For example, during the Revolutionary War, one of the deaf British soldiers fired the first shot before British officers officially gave the order. Another interesting fact was that President Lincoln sent a group of deaf soldiers to the Civil War artillery where they fired cannon balls. Chris Hammond also shared with the group the names of all deaf soldiers who fought during the Civil War. The evening ended with our own Jose Viera sharing his experiences serving in the army for six years. He explained about housing, meals, what is allowed in the army, what is not allowed, and

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Jose Viera shares stories with students about his experiences serving in the army.

Students listen to Chris Hammond as he presents “Deaf in War History.”

Students experimented with making chocolate pops on a snowy day.

Samuel Osofsky enjoys a night on the slopes!

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he even talked about hell drills! The students were very interested to talk with Jose about his experiences and they swamped him with many questions. The group emphatically thanked Jose for his service to our Country. The evening was interesting and educational for all involved!

• The boys in Clerc dorm have had a very busy winter! Joshua Fundanga, PACES Residential Counselor, taught the boys how to prepare a Spanish dinner. The delicious chicken and rice dinner is a favorite among Puerto Rican families and it was certainly a popular treat in the Clerc Dorm! To celebrate Black History Month, trivia related to Black History was presented to the dorm students. Many famous names were introduced, including Joe Louis, Nelson Mandela, Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, and others. The boys enjoyed learning about this important period of our history. A farewell party was held for Darias Tower, who is leaving ASD after four years. Cakes and snacks were served and everyone wished him much success in the future!

• To celebrate the Super Bowl, students in the PACES and Core residential programs teamed up together to host a well-attended Super Bowl party. ASD administrators and staff joined the fun and imitated members of the

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

The Clerc dorm boys learn the fine art of preparing a traditional Spanish meal.

Students gather to bid farewell to Darias Tower.

Students attempt to kick a field goal during their Superbowl Party!

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Students assemble the new popcorn cart that will be in each of the PACES dorms!

two rival teams. Ed Peltier, former Executive Director of ASD, acted as Seahawks Head Coach, and Cindy Paluch, Director of Admissions/Family Education Services, joined the party as Patriots Head Coach. Many games and activities took place throughout the night including trivia, lessons on throwing and catching a football, football pitching

strategies, best dressed team mascot contest, and of the course the students’ favorite activity- practicing kicking a field goal! The two teams were highly competitive as they took part in these activities. During an intense trivia game, the Seahawks were penalized for using a deflated football. During a suspenseful game of trivia, the Patriots rallied at the end leading to a tied score of 52 to 52. In the end, everyone was blindsided with the final play of the night—ice cream for all! This was a wonderful night of teamwork and excitement!

• Our December Dorm Students of the Month were: Brandon Macisco, Tracy Bernadel, and Dion Brantley. Our January Students of the Month were: Amber Dorwish, Jamel Roberts, and Christian Ramaza. Congratulations to the winners!

• An exciting change has come to the PACES dorms! As of this past winter, all PACES dorms will have popcorn carts available to make popcorn as a healthy after-school snack. Students worked together to assemble the popcorn carts and everyone is thrilled!

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

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TIGER SPORTS

The Girls’ Basketball Team poses for a picture after their tournament victory!

On February 6th through 8th- the Girls’ Basketball Team traveled to Buffalo, NY for the Division II tour-nament-we opened the tournament by playing against the West Virginia School for the Deaf. This was a chal-lenge for the team because we had not played against them before and we did not know their capabilities, but the Lady Tigers absolutely dominated the game and were able to cruise to the 2nd round of the tour-nament easily with a final score of 30-10. For the second round, we faced the Delaware School for the Deaf who we had lost to a few weeks prior to the game. Although our defensive plays were great, a few lapses on our end offensively led to our loss of the game. It was a tough loss to accept, but many import-ant lessons were learned. The Lady Tigers played for the 3rd/4th place position against the New York State School for the Deaf- Rome, which was a team that we had not played against but that we had the chance to observe throughout the tournament. We knew that this was a team that we could beat as long as everybody worked together and made essential shots. The fans rooting for our oppo-sition sparked a fire among the Lady Tigers and we swept away with a 3rd place victory in the Eastern Schools for the Deaf Athletic Association’s Division II tournament with a final score of 34-27.

Regina Fuller and Nikita Mallach were recog-nized as the All Star players for this team at the tour-nament. Congratulations to a well-deserved win!

On February 20th to 22nd; the Lady Tigers made an early return from their winter break to participate in the Eastern Schools for the Deaf Athletic Associa-tion Division I Tournament at the Learning Center in Framingham, MA. It is unusual that we were able to participate in this tournament as we usually partici-pate in the Division II league. However, because oth-er schools were unable to participate, the Lady Tigers were invited this year- and they were truly committed to the basketball program! On the first night, they played against the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and won with a final score of 27-22. During the second round, we faced the Delaware School for the Deaf once again. We lost to them

during the Division II tournament, so we were deter-mined not to give them a second victory. However, our offensive plays lacked the power necessary to take a win and we lost with a final score of 42-30. Although it was very difficult losing to this team three times this season, we did take valuable lessons away from each game and will put these lessons into prac-tice next season!

In the final round, we played for the 3rd/4th place position against the Lexington School for the Deaf. We played this team twice during the season and walked away with victories in both games, but because they were very close wins, we knew we had our work cut out for us. Because Lexington wanted so badly to defeat us, the first minutes of the game were tough. Due to foul trouble, Lexington lost a player. Now that they were down to only four players in the game, the Lady Tigers took one of our players out of the game in fairness. When another player from Lexington fouled out, we ended up with only three players on each team. This was the first time in the tournament’s history that something like this happened! Fans loved watching this unique game and the Lady Tigers were able to secure a 3rd place victory with a final score of 40-25. Edmarie Burgos and Nikita Mallach were recognized as All Star players for this tournament! Once again, congratulations to the entire team for a job well done and a very successful season!

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RESOURCESAmazon Smile

When individuals shop through the AmazonSmile website instead of the regular Amazon website, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of all eligible purchases to the American School for the Deaf.

Simply visit http://smile.amazon.com/ch/06-0667600 and support ASD today!

American Society for Deaf Children

The American Society for Deaf Children produces and distributes, The Endeavor, a magazine focused on the issues important to families of deaf children. Topics

are varied and include such issues as transition, deaf culture, family experiences, etc. This magazine is printed three times per year and is available to all members of the American Society for Deaf Children. Membership is free and a form is enclosed with this newsletter. For more information, please visit their website at www.deafchildren.org.

Hands and Voices

Hands and Voices is an organization “dedicated to supporting families with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing without a bias around communication or methodology. “ Hands and Voices is a parent-driven nonprofit that provides families with resources and

information to improve communication access and educational opportunities for their children. There is both a national chapter and a local chapter based in Connecticut. Both chapters may be accessed via their websites at www.handsandvoices.org or www.cthandsandvoices.org.

REMINDERS:

Stop & Shop’s A+ Rewards Program

ASD is registered to participate as a benefitting school in Stop & Shop’s A+ Rewards program! Anyone can register their Stop & Shop card online to earn CASH rewards for the school! Simply visit www.stopandshop.com/aplus/register-card/ to register your card. ASD’s school code is: 11011

Box Tops for Education

ASD earns cash every time you buy groceries! Just save the Box Top coupons from General Mills products and send them to Family Education Services. We send

the coupons to General Mills and receive a check worth 10 cents for each redeemed coupon. ASD can earn up to $20,000 annually!

Inspire a Child with Every Purchase

Sign up for Big Y’s Educational Express to help ASD earn free supplies while YOU save money! ASD’s school ID number is: 6645.

AMERICAN SOCIETY forDEAFCHILDREN

www.deafchildren.org800 Florida Avenue NE #2047Washington, D.C. 20002-3695

[email protected] Information & Referral Line

Voice: 800.942.3732VideoPhone: 202.644.9204

Fax: 410.795.0965

ASDC-American Society for Deaf Children @deafchildren

F O U N D E D I N 1 8 1 7

American Schoolfor the Deaf

139 North Main StreetWest Hartford, CT 06107

(860) 570-2300 (Voice)(860) 570-2222 (TTY)

www.asd-1817.org

Non-profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDHartford, CT

Permit No. 1068

Mission: The American School for the Deaf serves the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community as a multi-faceted innovative institution dedicated to the development of intellect and enhancement of quality of life, producing educated and self-directed citizens.

18

Parent/Sibling Sign Language Class Spring 2015 Thursday Evenings 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 2, 9, 23, 30 May 7, 14, 21, 28 (No Class on April 16) Gallaudet-Clerc Education Center Parent/Adult Family Classes – 2 Levels Sibling Sign Classes (Ages 5 and above)

Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Siblings and Extended Family are all welcome! Child care will be provided for ASD students and children younger than 4.

Register now and join the fun!

If you have any questions, please call or email:

Betsy Denorfia, 860-570-2209; [email protected] Cindy A. Paluch, 860-570-2335; [email protected]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FAMILY EDUCATION SERVICES (FES)

REGISTRATION FORM: PARENT/SIBLING SIGN LANGUAGE CLASS

Deaf/HH Student: _________________________________________________________

Adult/Relationship to Student Children/Ages/Relationship to Student ________________________________ ___________________________________ _______________________________ ___________________________________ ________________________________ ___________________________________ ________________________________ ___________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________ Town: __________________________________________________________________ Telephone: __________________________ Email: _____________________________

Please return to Family Education Services, ASD, 139 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107

Visit the ASD Website: www.asd-1817.org Click on the Parent Tab for information about Family Education Services (FES) Programs








Deaf/HH Student: _________________________________________________________





19








Deaf/HH Student: _________________________________________________________





Parent Day Sign Language Class Spring 2015

Wednesday Mornings 10:00a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

March 4, 11, 18, 25 April 1, 8

Gallaudet-Clerc Education Center Adult Family Members Are All Welcome! Register and Join the FUN!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FAMILY EDUCATION SERVICES (FES)

REGISTRATION FORM: PARENT DAY SIGN LANGUAGE CLASS

Deaf/HH Student: _________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Name: ____________________________________________________

Other Adults Attending: ____________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________

Town: __________________________________________________________________

Telephone: __________________________ Email: _____________________________



cl

Cl

If you have any questions, please call or email: Betsy Denorfia, 860-570-2209; [email protected] Cindy A. Paluch, 860-570-2335; [email protected]

21

REG

ISTR

ATIO

N

AB

OU

T F

AM

ILY

LEA

RN

ING

WEE

KEN

D

IMPO

RT

AN

T I

NFO

RM

AT

ION

RE

GIS

TR

AT

ION

Reg

istra

tion

is o

pen

to a

ll fa

mily

mem

bers

of

Dea

f and

Har

d-of

-Hea

ring

child

ren.

Lim

ited

hous

ing

in th

e do

rms i

s off

ered

on

a fir

st-

com

e, fi

rst-s

erve

bas

is.

HO

W T

O R

EG

IST

ER

C

ompl

ete

this

reg

istr

atio

n fo

rm o

n th

e re

vers

e si

de a

nd r

etur

n it

in th

e en

clos

ed

enve

lope

alo

ng w

ith y

our

depo

sit.

Reg

istr

atio

n al

so a

vaila

ble

on-li

ne a

t w

ww

.asd

-181

7.or

g

CH

ILD

RE

N’S

AC

TIV

ITIE

SW

e ha

ve d

esig

ned

man

y fu

n ac

tiviti

es fo

r ch

ildre

n an

d te

ens f

or th

e da

y on

Sat

urda

y.

We

will

be

aski

ng y

ou to

pro

vide

us w

ith

info

rmat

ion

rega

rdin

g an

y sp

ecia

l nee

ds (i

.e.

med

ical

, die

tary

, etc

.).

PLE

ASE

NO

TE

: A

DU

LT F

AM

ILY

ME

MB

ER

S M

UST

AT

TE

ND

WO

RK

SHO

PS A

ND

TE

EN

AG

ER

S A

TT

EN

DIN

G F

AM

ILY

LE

AR

NIN

G

WE

EK

EN

D M

UST

AT

TE

ND

T

EE

N A

CT

IVIT

IES.

Fam

ily L

earn

ing

Wee

kend

will

be

casu

al. P

leas

e fe

el fr

ee to

dre

ss in

form

ally

th

roug

hout

the

wee

kend

.

Fam

ily L

earn

ing

Wee

kend

is a

n al

coho

l-fre

e w

eeke

nd. N

O A

LCO

HO

L IS

PE

RM

ITTE

D O

N T

HE

ASD

CA

MPU

S.

ASD

IS A

SM

OK

E-F

RE

E C

AM

PUS.

No

med

ical

per

sonn

el w

ill b

e on

cam

pus

for

Fam

ily L

earn

ing

Wee

kend

.

If th

ere

are

any

spec

ial m

edic

al

cons

ider

atio

ns fo

r you

or a

ny o

f you

r ch

ild(r

en),

plea

se c

heck

the

med

ical

box

on

the

regi

stra

tion

form

. We

MU

ST k

now

of a

ny

med

ical

pro

blem

s or c

once

rns r

egar

ding

you

r ch

ildre

n.

Spec

ial d

ieta

ry n

eeds

can

not b

e ac

com

mod

ated

. Per

sons

with

spec

ial d

ieta

ry

need

s will

hav

e ac

cess

to a

refr

iger

ator

.

The

swim

min

g po

ol w

ill b

e op

en F

rida

y ni

ght o

nly!

Pl

ease

brin

g yo

ur sw

imm

ing

suit

and

tow

els.

Pare

nts w

ishi

ng th

eir A

SD st

uden

t to

rem

ain

afte

r sch

ool o

n Fr

iday

, Mar

ch 2

0,

mus

t pic

k up

thei

r chi

ld b

y 6:

00 p

m.

Fam

ily L

earn

ing

Wee

kend

isyo

ur ti

me

to le

arn,

shar

e, c

onne

ct a

nd h

ave

fun!

Mar

ch 2

0-21

, 201

5

22

Na

mes

an

d a

ges

of

ch

ild

ren

att

end

ing

an

d

rel

atio

nsh

ip t

o s

tud

ent

(p

leas

e in

clu

de

ASD

stu

den

t):

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__ R

elat

ions

hip/

Age

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__ R

elat

ions

hip/

Age

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__ R

elat

ions

hip/

Age

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__ R

elat

ions

hip/

Age

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__ R

elat

ions

hip/

Age

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

I will

be

atte

ndin

g Fa

mily

Lea

rnin

g W

eeke

nd:

(Ple

ase

chec

k on

e) •

Frid

ay n

ight

and

Sat

urda

y •

Satu

rday

onl

y

HO

USI

NG

Roo

ms

are

avai

labl

e on

a fi

rst

com

e, fi

rst

serv

e ba

sis

utili

zing

the

ASD

Hig

h Sc

hool

dor

mito

ries.

Pref

eren

ce

for h

ousi

ng w

ill b

e gi

ven

to th

ose

fam

ilies

livi

ng o

utsi

de

com

mut

ing

dist

ance

to

ASD

or

fo

r pe

rson

s ha

ving

tra

nspo

rtatio

n di

fficu

lties

. D

orm

itory

roo

ms

cons

ist

of

a dr

esse

r, de

sk, b

ed a

nd m

attre

ss. P

leas

e br

ing

your

ow

n to

wel

s, pi

llow

s, sh

eets

, bla

nket

s or s

leep

ing

bags

.

I w

ill n

eed

hous

ing

for

Frid

ay n

ight

: __

____

___

(#

of c

hild

ren)

__

____

___

(#

of a

dults

)

SPEC

IAL

ASS

IST

AN

CE

(We

will

con

tact

you

if c

heck

ed b

elow

)

• Tra

nspo

rtatio

n

• Med

ical

nee

ds/c

once

rns

• Fin

anci

al a

ssis

tanc

e ne

eded

, but

can

pay

$__

____

• My

child

is st

ayin

g af

ter s

choo

l on

Frid

ay,

Mar

ch 2

0. I

will

be

at sc

hool

to m

eet m

y ch

ild

at 6

:00

p.m

.

PAY

MEN

TA

ll fa

mili

es:

F

REE

per

chi

ld a

ges 0

-3

$

20.0

0 pe

r chi

ld a

ges 4

-12

$30

.00

per a

dult

/ tee

ns a

ges 1

3+

Ther

e is

a $

120.

00 fa

mily

max

imum

. No

ASD

, Out

reac

h,

or B

irth

-To-

Thre

e fa

mily

will

be

deni

ed p

artic

ipat

ion

for fi

nanc

ial r

easo

ns.

Fam

ilies

requ

estin

g as

sist

ance

sh

ould

con

tact

Ms.

Cin

dy A

. Pal

uch

at 8

60.5

70.2

335.

A no

n-re

fund

able

dep

osit

of $

30.0

0 is

requ

ired

to h

old

your

rese

rvat

ion

for F

amily

Lea

rnin

g W

eeke

nd. W

e as

k al

l fam

ilies

to p

ay th

is d

epos

it.

To

tal

Enc

lose

d $

____

____

____

Plea

se m

ake

chec

ks p

ayab

le to

:

Am

eric

an S

choo

l for

the

Dea

f/FLW

Plea

se m

ail c

heck

and

com

plet

ed re

gist

ratio

n fo

rm to

:

Att

n: F

amily

Lea

rnin

g W

eeke

nd (F

LW)

A

mer

ican

Sch

ool f

or th

e D

eaf

13

9 N

orth

Mai

n St

reet

, Wes

t Har

tfor

d, C

T 0

6107

If

you

hav

e an

y qu

estio

ns, p

leas

e co

ntac

t

Fam

ily E

duca

tion

Serv

ices

(FE

S):

BetsyDenorfia,SeniorA

dministrativeA

ssitant

86

0.57

0.23

71 (v

/tty)

FAM

ILY

LEA

RN

ING

WEE

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LW 2

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arc

h 2

0-21

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RE

GIS

TR

ATIO

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• YES

, I W

ILL

BE

AT

TEN

DIN

G F

AM

ILY

LE

AR

NIN

G W

EEK

END

!

____

__N

umbe

r of

adu

lts

___

__N

umbe

r of

chi

ldre

n

PER

SON

AL

INFO

RM

AT

ION

(Ple

ase

prin

t)N

ame _

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

A

ddre

ss __

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_C

ity/S

tate

/Zip

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

Phon

e (H

) __

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

(W)

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

C

ell/P

ager

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_E

-mai

l ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_

Nam

es o

f ad

ult

s at

ten

din

g a

nd

th

eir

r

elat

ion

ship

to

stu

den

t:

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

Rel

atio

nshi

p __

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

Rel

atio

nshi

p __

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

Rel

atio

nshi

p __

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_

Nam

e ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

Rel

atio

nshi

p __

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_

Spac

e is

lim

ited

- RE

GIS

TE

R T

OD

AY!

Reg

iste

r on

-line

at w

ww

.asd

-181

7.or

gD

eadl

ine

for

Reg

istr

atio

n - M

arch

16,

201

5Pl

ease

read

impo

rtant

info

rmat

ion

on re

vers

e.W

e loo

k for

ward

to se

eing/

mee

ting

you

atFa

mily

Lea

rnin

g W

eeke

nd!

asd parent newsletter march 2015

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