ASD Parent Newsletter March 2015

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

Parent News MARCH 2015

Jeffrey S. Bravin Executive Director 860.415.4206 (VP) Jeff.Bravin@asd-1817.org

Cindy A. Paluch Director of Admissions, Family Education Services and Student Management 860.570.2335 (V) 860.899.1603 (VP) Cindy.Paluch@asd-1817.org Tommy Meehan Director of Education 860.899.1082 (VP) Tommy.Meehan@asd-1817.org Jennifer Del Conte Principal, PreK—Middle School 860.570.2266 (V) 860.956.3904 (VP) Jennifer.Delconte@asd-1817.org Luisa Soboleski Principal, High School/Vocational/ International Program 860.899.1592 (VP) Luisa.Soboleski@asd-1817.org Nancy Forsberg Principal, PACES 860.570.2270 (V) 860.899.1065 (VP) Nancy.Forsberg@asd-1817.org Karen Wilson Director of PACES, Coordinator of PCS 860.570.2209 (V) 860.308.1597 (VP) Karen.Wilson@asd-1817.org Fern Reisinger Director, Outreach Services and Special Projects 860.899.1600 (VP) Fern.Reisinger@asd-1817.org Andrea Dillon Director of Student Health Ctr. (SHC) 860.570.2363 (V) Andrea.Dillon@asd-1817.org June Terry Dean of Students (CORE) June.Terry@asd-1817.org Ron Davis Dean of Students (PACES) Ron.Davis@asd-1817.org Find us...

From the Executive Director 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!

Jeffrey S. Bravin

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 Bravin Executive Director

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

FAMILY EDUCATION SERVICES 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.

March 20-21, 2015

• 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!

Online at www.asd-1817.org

• 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 cindy. paluch@asd-1817.org.

• 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.

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Keynote Speaker: Beth Benedict

Professor, Communication Studies, Gallaudet University; President, American Society of Deaf Children

Register Today!

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-Three Cody McEvoy Residential Counselor Cory McMahon Outreach Substitute Mattia Mikan Job Coach, Adult Vocational Services Eleni Miller Residential Counselor, PACES Robert Poteat Residential Counselor, PACES Katie Smolinsky Communications Facilitator, Outreach Educational Services Denny Voreck UAE Instructor/Consultant

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

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

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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CAMP ISOLA BELLA 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: IBDirector@asd-1817.org.

Enjoying some canoeing at IB

LITERACY CORNER 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!

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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!

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL/MIDDLE SCHOOL There 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!

Students have a lesson in drumming during an interactive session

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 recognized for their hard work during the second quarter.

“Paw Awards” were given to two students in each subject area. Congratulations to the recipients!

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

On February 25th, the Little Theatre of the Deaf entertained 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 facilitated an interactive dance workshop for all of our elementary students and several middle school students.

The day concluded with an interactive drumming session.

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

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

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HIGH SCHOOL/VOCATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL Our 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 6

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,

HIGH SCHOOL/VOCATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

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

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.

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PBIS The 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!

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

PACES The 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.

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

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 campuswide 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.

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PACES

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

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!

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

RESIDENTIAL LIFE 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!

Andrew Ray Taylor getting ready to go snowboarding!

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

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RESIDENTIAL LIFE • 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!

Samuel Osofsky enjoys a night on the slopes!

• 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!

Students experimented with making chocolate pops on a snowy day.

• 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!

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

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

• 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, littleknown 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

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

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!

Students gather to bid farewell to Darias Tower.

• 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 Students attempt to kick a field goal during their Superbowl Party! 13

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

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!

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 14

• 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!

TIGER On February 6th through 8th- the Girls’ Basketball Team traveled to Buffalo, NY for the Division II tournament-we opened the tournament by playing against the West Virginia School for the Deaf. This was a challenge 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 tournament 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 important 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 opposition 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 recognized as the All Star players for this team at the tournament. 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 Association 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 participate in the Division II league. However, because other 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.

SPORTS during the Division II tournament, so we were determined 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 practice 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!

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

During the second round, we faced the Delaware School for the Deaf once again. We lost to them 15

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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.

REMINDERS: Stop & Shop’s A+ Rewards Program

Simply visit http://smile.amazon.com/ch/060667600 and support ASD today!

American Society for Deaf Children

The American Society for Deaf Children produces AMERICAN and distributes, The SOCIETY for Endeavor, a magazine DEAF focused on the issues CHILDREN important to families of www.deafchildren.org deaf children. Topics ida Avenueare NE #2047 ASDC@deafchildren.org varied and include such issues as transition, deaf gton, D.C. 20002-3695 Parent Information & Referral Line culture, family experiences,Voice: etc.800.942.3732 This magazine is VideoPhone: 202.644.9204 printed three times per year and is available to all Fax: 410.795.0965 members of the American Society for Deaf Children.

ASDC-American Society for Deaf Children @deafchildren 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 parentdriven 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.

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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 School for the Deaf

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Hartford, CT Permit No. 1068

FOUNDED IN 1817

139 North Main Street West Hartford, CT 06107 (860) 570-2300 (Voice) (860) 570-2222 (TTY) www.asd-1817.org

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.

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; Betsy.Denorfia@asd-1817.org Cindy A. Paluch, 860-570-2335; Cindy.Paluch@asd-1817.org Visit the ASD Website: www.asd-1817.org Click on the Parent Tab for information about Family Education Services (FES) Programs

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 18

Parent/Sibling Sign Language Class Spring 2015 Thursday ParentEvenings Day Sign 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Language Class

Spring 2015

April 2, 9, 23, 30 Wednesday May 7, 14, 21, 28Mornings 10:00a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

(No Class on April 16) Gallaudet-Clerc Education Center March 4, 11, 18, 25 Parent/Adult April 1, 8 Family Classes – 2 Levels

Sibling Sign Classes (Ages 5 and above) If you have any questions, please call or email: Gallaudet-Clerc Education CenterMoms, Dads, Grandparents, Siblings and Extended Family are all welcome!

Betsy Denorfia, 860-570-2209; Betsy.Denorfia@asd-1817.org

Child care will be provided for ASD students and children younger than 4.

Cindy A. Paluch, 860-570-2335; Cindy.Paluch@asd-1817.org

Adult Family Members Are All Welcome!

Register and Join the FUN!

Register now and join the fun!

the ASD If Visit you have anyWebsite: questions,www.asd-1817.org please call or email: Click on the Parent Tab for information about Family Education Services (FES) Programs Betsy Denorfia, 860-570-2209; Betsy.Denorfia@asd-1817.org

Cindy A. Paluch, 860-570-2335; Cindy.Paluch@asd-1817.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FAMILY EDUCATION SERVICES (FES) cl VisitFORM: the ASD Website: REGISTRATION PARENTwww.asd-1817.org DAY SIGN LANGUAGE CLASS Click on the Parent Tab for information about Family Education Services (FES) Programs

Deaf/HH Student: _________________________________________________________

Cl ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Parent/Guardian Name: ____________________________________________________ FAMILY EDUCATION SERVICES (FES) Other Adults Attending: ____________________________________________________ REGISTRATION FORM: PARENT/SIBLING SIGN LANGUAGE CLASS Address: ________________________________________________________________

Deaf/HH Student: _________________________________________________________ Town: __________________________________________________________________

Adult/Relationship to Student Children/Ages/Relationship to Student Telephone: __________________________ Email: _____________________________ ________________________________ ___________________________________ _______________________________ ___________________________________ Please return to Family Education Services, ASD, 139 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107 ________________________________ ___________________________________ ________________________________ ___________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ Town: __________________________________________________________________ Telephone: __________________________ Email: _____________________________ Please return to Family Education Services, ASD, 139 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107 19

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ADULT FAMILY MEMBERS MUST ATTEND WORKSHOPS AND TEENAGERS ATTENDING FAMILY LEARNING WEEKEND MUST ATTEND TEEN ACTIVITIES.

PLEASE NOTE:

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES We have designed many fun activities for children and teens for the day on Saturday.

We will be asking you to provide us with information regarding any special needs (i.e. medical, dietary, etc.).

Registration also available on-line at www.asd-1817.org

HOW TO REGISTER Complete this registration form on the reverse side and return it in the enclosed envelope along with your deposit.

REGISTRATION Registration is open to all family members of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children. Limited housing in the dorms is offered on a firstcome, first-serve basis.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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Family Learning Weekend is your time to learn, share, connect and have fun!

Parents wishing their ASD student to remain after school on Friday, March 20, must pick up their child by 6:00 pm.

The swimming pool will be open Friday night only!

Please bring your swimming suit and towels.

Special dietary needs cannot be accommodated. Persons with special dietary needs will have access to a refrigerator.

If there are any special medical considerations for you or any of your child(ren), please check the medical box on the registration form. We MUST know of any medical problems or concerns regarding your children.

No medical personnel will be on campus for Family Learning Weekend.

ASD IS A SMOKE-FREE CAMPUS.

Family Learning Weekend is an alcohol-free weekend. NO ALCOHOL IS PERMITTED ON THE ASD CAMPUS.

Family Learning Weekend will be casual. Please feel free to dress informally throughout the weekend.

ABOUT FAMILY LEARNING WEEKEND

REGISTRATION

March 20-21, 2015

_____Number of children

Please read important information on reverse.

We look forward to seeing/meeting you at Family Learning Weekend!

Space is limited - REGISTER TODAY! Register on-line at www.asd-1817.org Deadline for Registration - March 16, 2015

Relationship ___________________________________

Name_________________________________________

Relationship ___________________________________

Name_________________________________________

Relationship ___________________________________

Name_________________________________________

Relationship ___________________________________

Name_________________________________________

Names of adults attending and their relationship to student:

E-mail ________________________________________

Phone (H) ____________________________________ (W) ____________________________________ Cell/Pager ____________________________________

_________ (# of children) _________ (# of adults)

I will need housing for Friday night:

Rooms are available on a first come, first serve basis utilizing the ASD High School dormitories. Preference for housing will be given to those families living outside commuting distance to ASD or for persons having transportation difficulties. Dormitory rooms consist of a dresser, desk, bed and mattress. Please bring your own towels, pillows, sheets, blankets or sleeping bags.

HOUSING

• •

I will be attending Family Learning Weekend: (Please check one) Friday night and Saturday Saturday only

Relationship/Age _______________________________

Name_________________________________________

Relationship/Age _______________________________

Name_________________________________________

Relationship/Age _______________________________

Address_______________________________________

City/State/Zip _________________________________

Name_________________________________________

Relationship/Age _______________________________

Name_________________________________________

Relationship/Age _______________________________

Name_________________________________________

Names and ages of children attending and relationship to student (please include ASD student):

Name_________________________________________

PERSONAL INFORMATION (Please print)

______Number of adults

YES, I WILL BE ATTENDING FAMILY •LEARNING WEEKEND!

REGISTRATION

FLW 2015 - March 20-21, 2015

FAMILY LEARNING WEEKEND

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If you have any questions, please contact Family Education Services (FES): Betsy Denorfia, Senior Administrative Assitant 860.570.2371 (v/tty)

American School for the Deaf 139 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107

Attn: Family Learning Weekend (FLW)

Please mail check and completed registration form to:

American School for the Deaf/FLW

Please make checks payable to:

Total Enclosed $____________

A non-refundable deposit of $30.00 is required to hold your reservation for Family Learning Weekend. We ask all families to pay this deposit.

There is a $120.00 family maximum. No ASD, Outreach, or Birth-To-Three family will be denied participation for financial reasons. Families requesting assistance should contact Ms. Cindy A. Paluch at 860.570.2335.

FREE per child ages 0-3 $20.00 per child ages 4-12 $30.00 per adult / teens ages 13+

All families:

PAYMENT

at 6:00 p.m.

after school on Friday, •MarchMy20.childI willis staying be at school to meet my child

• Transportation • Medical needs/concerns Financial assistance needed, but can pay •$______

(We will contact you if checked below)

SPECIAL ASSISTANCE