Rochester School For The Deaf

VISION: RSD, A LEADER IN CREATING A VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF LIFELONG LEARNERS - ONE STUDENT, ONE FAMILY, ONE SUCCESS AT A TIME.MISSION: ROCHESTER SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (RSD) PROVIDES EXEMPLARY OPPORTUNITIES IN A BILINGUAL ENVIRONMENT TO MEET STUDENTS' UNIQUE LEARNING. TOGETHER, AS A COMMUNITY, RSD CHALLENGES AND PREPARES STUDENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE EVER-CHANGING WORLD BY: -CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPOWERS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, ENABLES COMMUNICATION, AND ENRICHES SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT; -USING BOTH PROVEN AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING ALONG WITH CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES; AND -NURTURING STUDENTS IN MIND, BODY, AND SPIRITEDNESS CULMINATING IN SELF-AWARENESS, CULTURAL IDENTITY AND PRIDE.

EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES- ROCHESTER SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (RSD) PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR PROFOUNDLY DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN NEWBORN TO AGE 21, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (NYSED). THESE PROGRAMS ARE BASED ON THE UNIQUE LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF EACH CHILD APPOINTED TO THE SCHOOL BY THE NYSED. DURING THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, RSD SERVED 131 STUDENTS FROM 34 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN 11 COUNTIES. CHILDREN WERE ENROLLED IN DEAF INFANT, PRE-KINDERGARTEN, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS (NEW YORK STATE REGISTERED PROGRAMS AWARDING REGENTS AND HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES COMMENCEMENT CREDENTIALS AND SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENT COMMENCEMENT CREDENTIALS). ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR INCLUDE: - THE FAMILY INSTRUCTIONAL AND RESOURCE SERVICE TEAM (F.I.R.S.T.) PROGRAM AND PRESCHOOL WELCOMED 11 NEW STUDENTS WITH 36 TOTAL STUDENTS; 60 PERCENT IN HYBRID AND 40 IN VIRTUAL LEARNING SITTINGS. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER (ECC) ACCOMMODATED HYBRID STUDENTS HALF-DAYS TUESDAY-THURSDAY. BUILDING SPACES WERE MODIFIED TO ALLOW FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING. DESPITE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT PROGRESS CONTINUED FOR STUDENTS AGE 0 TO 5 WITH A LANGUAGE PLAN FOR EACH STUDENT IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL ACTIVITIES CONTINUED WITH BI-WEEKLY POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS (PBIS) RALLIES AND REWARDS. TEACHERS IMPLEMENTED THE REGGIO EMILIA INSPIRED PHILOSOPHY AND THE SPATIAL-TEMPORAL (ST) MATH CURRICULUM THIS YEAR. TEACHERS STARTED TO RESEARCH AN ANTI-BIAS CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE K-12 SOCIAL JUSTICE CURRICULUM TO START IN SCHOOL YEAR 2021-2022. INSTRUCTION VIA ZOOM INCREASED FAMILY MEMBER PARTICIPATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF ASL INSTRUCTION. EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER (ECC) STAFF CONTINUED WITH THEIR PARTICIPATION IN MONROE COUNTY EARLY INTERVENTION (EI) AND PROVIDERS IN PARTNERSHIP (PIP) ORGANIZATIONS. THE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE ECC DIRECTOR, HAD FOUR STUDENTS THIS SCHOOL YEAR. ACADEMICS FOR STUDENTS, DUE TO HYBRID LEARNING, FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA), MATH AND INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) GOALS.- GRADES 1-12 WERE IN-PERSON ON THE RSD CAMPUS TUESDAY-THURSDAY AND LEARNING REMOTELY FROM HOME MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS. CLASSROOMS IMPLEMENTED A NEW SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM CALLED ZONES OF REGULATION LED BY THE RSD MENTAL HEALTH TEAM. 3RD THROUGH 6TH GRADES PARTICIPATED IN STEM EXPLORERS LED BY COMMUNICATION SERVICE FOR THE DEAF (CSD) DURING OCTOBER. MIDDLE SCHOOL AGAIN PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS COMPETITION PROVIDED BY GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY AND ADVANCED INTO THE SEMI-FINAL ROUND. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A NEW CAREER SPEAKER SERIES THAT EXPOSED THEM TO SEVERAL DEAF ADULT PROFESSIONAL ROLE-MODELS. THE JUNIOR NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF CLUB CHAPTER HOSTED A PANEL DISCUSSION ON RACIAL INEQUALITIES AND HOSTED VIRTUAL TRIVIA CONTESTS TO PROMOTE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONG THE STUDENT BODY. TWO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE 4201 SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION ADVOCACY DAY. THEY MET WITH THE SCHOOL'S LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP IN ALBANY TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR SCHOOLS FOR DEAF LIKE RSD, BLIND, AND SEVERELY PHYSICALLY DISABLED P-12 STUDENTS. SIX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AT WILMOT CANCER CENTER TO EXPLORE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MEDICAL FIELDS. ALL GRADE 1-12 STAFF ATTENDED IN-PERSON TRAINING AND AWARENESS BUILDING ACTIVITIES ON TOPICS THAT INCLUDED RACIAL INEQUALITY, GENDER STEREOTYPING, DIVERSITY, LGBTQ RIGHTS, AND IMPLICIT BIASES. ELEMENTARY TEACHERS RECEIVED TRAINING IN THE NEW MATH CURRICULUM. KINDERGARTEN, 1ST AND 2ND GRADE STAFF RECEIVED BEDROCK LITERACY TRAINING ON TEACHING METHODS FOR READING INSTRUCTION FOR THEIR DEAF STUDENTS. SIX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADUATED; TWO WILL ATTEND COLLEGE AND FOUR WILL GAIN ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO ENTER THE WORLD OF WORK.

RESIDENTIAL - ROCHESTER SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (RSD) PROVIDES HOUSING FOR STUDENTS WHOSE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) REQUIRES IT AS PART OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. MOST OF THESE STUDENTS ARE RESIDENTS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUTSIDE OF MONROE COUNTY FOR WHOM A DAILY COMMUTE WOULD BE IMPRACTICAL. DURING THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, 22 STUDENTS QUALIFIED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM; ONLY 19 STUDENTS DID RESIDE ON CAMPUS IN THE GIRLS ANDS BOYS DORMITORIES DUE COVID-19 GUIDELINES AND PARENTAL PREFERENCES. DORMITORIES WERE OPERATIONAL EVERY TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. MOST RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A SCALED-DOWN MENU OF CO- AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING: ATHLETICS, YEARBOOK CLUB, HOMEWORK CENTER, JR. NAD (JUNIOR NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF RSD CHAPTER), GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC BOWL COMPETITION, AND CHESS TEAM. AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES WERE HELD FOR 15 STUDENTS WHO WERE IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 2ND GRADE.

DEAF INFANT PROGRAM AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER- EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN, NEWBORN TO AGE THREE. - EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DEAF OR HARD-OF-HEARING CHILDREN TO AGE FOUR. THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES: - A HOME-BASED INFANTS, TODDLERS AND TWOS PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING FROM BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS OF AGE AND OUR CENTER-BASED PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN FROM 18 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS OF AGE;- A FULL-DAY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 AND 4- A SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN- THE SHARED READING PROJECT, AN OUTREACH INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES IN-HOME SUPPORT BY AN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) SPECIALIST TO HEARING PARENTS OF A DEAF TODDLER, TUTORING THEM TO READ CHILDREN'S STORIES TO THEIR CHILD USING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL).- DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, HOME-BASED INSTRUCTION WAS CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY AND CENTER-BASED INSTRUCTION WAS LIMITED TO HALF-DAYS, TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021.- A NATURAL PLAYGROUND AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM THAT REPLACED TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR PLAY AREA FEATURES SEVERAL HIGHLY INTERACTIVE PLAY ELEMENTS MADE OF NATURAL MATERIALS TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE YOUNG STUDENTS.- PLANNING DURING SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021 WILL LEAD TO SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NATURAL PLAYGROUND SPACE, INCLUDING SIGNAGE, NEW INTERACTIVE EQUIPMENT, AND PLAY SPACE ENHANCEMENTS.- A MULTI-SENSORY SOUND ROOM WHERE TEACHERS LEAD YOUNG STUDENTS THROUGH A VARIETY OF VISUAL, TACTILE AND AURAL EXERCISES AND EXPERIENCES TO BETTER SIMULATE ALL OF SENSES. - RSD EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS STAFF DEVELOPED AND CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE "ECC ASL STORYTIME VIDEOS" FOR THE RSD YOUTUBE CHANNEL. THESE VIDEOS ARE USED IN THE CLASSROOM BUT ALSO SHARED WITH FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE DESCRIBED AND CAPTIONED MEDIA PROGRAM, UNDER THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF, CONTINUES TO SHARE THESE ASL STORIES NATIONWIDE ON THEIR WEBSITE. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 63 VIDEOS. DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS HAD TO CANCEL MOST IN-PERSON PARENT AND COMMUNITY GROUP VISITATION OPPORTUNITIES. AS A RESULT, ECC STAFF SHIFTED MOST OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO VIRTUAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDING: PHYSICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, ASL-RELATED STORIES, RHYMES, VOCABULARY AND CONCEPT LEARNING, AND LESSONS FOR ECC FAMILIES.