Clarke Speaks 2012

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech • Clarke Hearing CenterMainstream Services • Graduate Program in Teacher EducationEarly Intervention • Comprehensive Educational Evaluations

SUMMER 2012

clarkeSpeaksSpring2012-6_Layout 1 4/30/12 1:54 PM Page 1

Clarke Board ofTrustees 2011–2012

ChairCatherine Bartlett, M. D.

Vice ChairsThomas E. FieldsTheodore L. Hubbard

Jan BlynnRev. Joseph J. Bruce, S. J.Carol T. ChristJulie CowanRobert F. DanahyDoug DeLeoJames H. DreikornKevin H. FranckJason FriedlandSally GriggsSara GrosvenorStephen KrevalinBarbara G. MaddernTheodore Mason, M.D.Dan Montero, M.D.Nancy PetersonSteven RaabAndy Sassine

Clarke School Alumni CouncilDeanna (Lambert) Bailey ‘84 James Barden ‘92–‘00 Hannah Bartini ‘04 Bruce Beston ‘81Laurie (Filios) Blanchard ‘82 Grady Congleton ‘05 David S. Del Pizzo ‘92 Ella Deych ‘02 Rodney Kunath ‘58 Jeffrey Liebman ‘99 Richard Mahaffy ‘81 John McGinty ‘02 Cynthia (Catron) Pierce ‘55 Curtis E. Reid ‘80 Ugo A. Ronghi, Jr. ‘85 Saul Schulman ‘90 Christine (Duffy) Skwersky ‘87 Lisa (Kozikowski) Taylor ‘90 Sharon E. Wade ‘80 Emma Wiegand ‘03

Steering/AdvisoryCommittees

BoSTonTracy BolandJoseph DelaneyStan EzekielPaul T. HanniganAshley HarmonMatthew LongGail MacKinnonGregory A. MurphyIraida WilliamsJennifer Woodbury

JACkSonVillE Nancy AndersonMay Gold Smith CoonsFrank and Bonnie DvoravicDarleen FletcherChris HandDrew Horlbeck, M.DGary D. Josephson, M.DLarry Lundy, M.DBruce and Barbara MaddernRobert E. MartinQuinn MillsJohn MurrayWilliam ScaggsRaymond G. Wolford

nEw YoRk George Alexiades, M.D.Nicholas ChuJames and Kassie DePaivaTrevor and Sandra DyerLawrence LogranoJoseph J. Montano, Ed.D, Simon C. Parisier, M.D. Eileen RianoSamuel H. Selesnick, MD. Kathleen TreniBob Woodruff and

Lee Woodruff

noRThAMpTonHugh AdamsMike AngelicaTara BrewsterMeredith BrownPatty CovalliJulie CowanSean DaveyDarla Gundler

Jeffrey Hoess-BrooksDavid F. LustegChristine MannixJames McKeeverJim MoranMelissa PikeJennifer E. Provost

pEnnSYlVAniA Sara Bachman, M.D.

and Mike Bachman, M.D.Bill Beatty and Krista BeattyJan BlynnBob Bush and Marie BushDan and Debbie CollinsEmily Clarke EspenshadeMichael Devon, M.D.

and Ronit Devon, M.D. Henry Fader, Esq.Sherri FickenscherMarsha FinisdoreJason Friedland

and Katy FriedlandMichael Gross, Esq.

and Nancy Peterson, Esq. Meredith DuBarry

Huston, Esq. Jeff JubelirerScott Kelley

and Jennifer RezeliGreg Kleiber, Esq.Brian Linz

and Caroline Linz, Esq. Susan MarshallPatrick G. MorganRobert C. O’Reilly, M.D.Sarah PetersonLisa M. Sheppard, M.D.

and Brett BoalSam SilbermanRichard A. Stone, M.D.

and Susan StoneZane Wolf, Ph.D.

BOSTON1 Whitman RoadCanton, MA 02021-2707TEL 781.821.3499TTY 781.821.3904FAX [email protected]

JACKSONVILLE9857 St. Augustine RoadSuite 6Jacksonville, FL 32257-8821V/TTY 904.880.9001FAX [email protected]

NEW YORK80 East End AvenueNew York, NY 10028-8004V/TTY 212.585.3500FAX [email protected]

NORTHAMPTON47 Round Hill RoadNorthampton, MA 01060V/TTY 413.584.3450FAX [email protected]

PHILADELPHIA455 South Roberts RoadBryn Mawr, PA 19010

3300 Henry AvePhiladelphia PA 19129V/TTY 610.525.9600FAX [email protected]

Mission: Clarke Schoolsfor Hearing and Speechprovides children who aredeaf and hard of hearingwith the listening, learningand spoken languageskills they need to suc-ceed. clarkeschools.org


MESSAgE FRoM ThE pRESidEnT

Welcome to the Spring/Summer edition of Clarke Speaks.Inside, you’ll find stories about our Clarke family: students,alums, teachers, families and donors.

This is an exciting time of significant growth and changefor Clarke:We have expanded our services and are reaching more deaf and hard ofhearing people than ever before and we are leveraging our resources to ensure thatour mission continues to thrive. Beginning with infants, we are preparing childrenwho are deaf and hard of hearing to enter the mainstream; and simultaneously, weare working with families, teachers and sometimes entire school districts to preparemainstream classrooms to maximize the potential of students with hearing loss.

Clarke’s school and center-based programs continue to serve as state of the artmodels for oral deaf education. On page 4, you will learn more about our nationallyrenowned Early Intervention Program. And on page 6, you’ll meet MarianHartblay, Director of the Northampton Preschool Program, whose skills andwarmth have improved the lives of hundreds of children and families.

At one time, the only way for children and families to access Clarke services wasto travel to us. Today, we offer more flexible options. Clarke’s Mainstream Services—our fastest growing program—sends teachers of the deaf to work with studentsand school staff in mainstream schools in order to help create an ideal learningenvironment for students with hearing loss. Additionally, each year, Clarke holdsthe only conference in the country on mainstreaming students with hearing loss(page 10), attracting some of the nation’s top educators and experts of oral deaf education.

On page 26, we are pleased to share with you the news of Northampton’s K-8 program,which this fall will be relocating to a mainstream public school. We are very excitedabout the opportunity this “school within a school” will provide for our students.

Another change on our Northampton campus is the anticipated sale of the majorityof our Northampton property and the consolidation of our programs and officeson Round Hill Road. While a bittersweet moment for many in the Clarke family,it also signifies the astounding impact that new technology and services have hadon the field of oral deaf education. Because of early screening, early diagnosis andearly services, Clarke children are being mainstreamed earlier than ever—themajority by kindergarten—and we no longer need such a vast campus to meettheir needs. Instead, we are leveraging our resources so that we can bring Clarkeexpertise to more children, families and professionals and do so in more settings.

Please visit our website at clarkeschools.org for stories and videos chronicling themany ways that Clarke is helping to create a future that is brighter than ever beforefor children with hearing loss. As always, we appreciate your encouragement andsupport and hope that you will contact us with any questions or comments.

Bill CorwinPresident

President’s Message

Infants and Hearing Loss

Preschool: A Bridge to the Mainstream

Clarke’s Little Learners

Clarke’s Mainstream Services

Clarke All Year Long

Meet the Campbell Family

Clarke’s InternationalReach

Meet Clarke Alum:Evan Brunell

FM Systems

Meet Dr. OJ Logue

Meet Dr. Barbara Hecht

MED Student,JennyKate Marble

Clarke’s CEE Program

Supporting Clarke

Northampton: Then and Now

Latest News!

EdiToRJennifer Einhorn

Director of Communications

MAnAging EdiToRJessica Appleby

Communications Project Manager

AddiTionAl ConTRiBUToRSDevan FoltsLiz Zelazo

dESignERLeslie Tane Design

phoTogRAphYJessica Appleby, Erin Casioppo,

Jennifer Einhorn, Angela Jimenez,Jim Gipe, Laurie Beck Peterson,

Shana Sureck, Kim Szakalun,Maureen Uhlig, Liz Zelazo


in the field

INFANTS AND HEARING LOSS


Babies listen before they talk, andfor young children with hearing losswho utilize assistive devices, devel-oping those listening skills is key.”

Clarke’s Pennsylvania Early Inter-vention (EI) Program is coordinatedby Novak, a Listening and SpokenLanguage Specialist certified Audi-tory/Verbal educator. Pennsylvaniarequires that early intervention serv-ices are administered in a “naturalenvironment,” which means thatClarke staff generally travel to a fam-ily’s home or daycare provider towork one-on-one. A big part of theprogram, says Novak, is educatingparents on exactly what it means tofacilitate listening skills at home andto be an active partner in the process.

“It’s simpler than it sounds; reallywhat we ask parents to do is drawattention to sound in the environ-ment. There are so many opportuni-ties in everyday life to do this – suchas pointing to your ear when youhear a sound (like the microwavebeep), turning and smiling when ababy acknowledges a noise, or mak-ing noises yourself. You can knockon everything: the refrigerator, cabi-nets, pots and pans.”

Novak says many families ini-tially approach the process withsome uncertainty. “They worry thatit may be difficult or unnatural toincorporate listening techniques, butour focus is really on integrating

these strategies into the natural rou-tines of the day: playtime, snacktime, buckling in the car seat. Theseare all opportunities for listeningand language.”

“This is an incredibly importantprogram for us,” says Judy Sexton,

Director of the Clarke Pennsylvaniacampuses. “With the advances intechnology and mandatory newbornscreenings, we’re working with chil-dren at younger ages than everbefore. We will never have the neu-ral availability that we have at birthever again in our life. That’s why we

believe early intervention is critical.”It is through these early experiences

with sound, Sexton explains, that chil-dren who are deaf and hard of hearingstart building the connections in theirbrains that facilitate language develop-ment. “We know that receiving anabundance of sensory input while thebrain is still developing helps createthe foundational structure for listeningand spoken language development. Itcan have a tremendous impact on achild’s overall development.”

Parents in Clarke’s Pennsylvania EIprogram also attend Toddler Group,which meets on campus several timesa week and allows families to worktogether in a group setting. “It’s a timeto connect to other families and shareexperiences,” says Sexton. “Parentsreally value this experience. We haveparents that have changed their workhours and rearranged their schedulesin order to be able to be here.”

In addition to working directlywith families on listening skills, EIProgram staff also support parents asthey navigate unfamiliar terrain likeaudiological appointments, cochlearimplant habilitation, educationaloptions, and support services. “Weprovide practical skills,” says Novak,“but also guidance and encourage-ment. Our goal is to give familiesthe tools and support they need toreach their goals.”

But the best part, she says, is hear-ing from families about the impact ofthe program. “What we hear againand again is that we give familieshope. I think it’s because even thoughour expertise is in hearing loss, wenever lose sight that people are notjust ears – they are families: children,moms and dads, grandparents. Thatis at the core of what we do.”

Jeana Novak has worked with hun-dreds of families of children newlydiagnosed with hearing loss. “Forthese children, the name of thegame is facilitating listening skills.

“Parents reallyvalue this

experience.”


PRESCHOOL:

Vincent palsa, 4, with classmate isabellaRaymond, 4, and teacher Meagan Benoit.


“When our teachers talk about thekids, their eyes just light up. Every day, they have a suc-cess story to share.” That’s Marian Hartblay referring toher colleagues at Clarke’s Integrated Preschool inNorthampton. As director for the past ten years of theprogram, she has seen how a Clarke education, coupledwith cutting-edge technology and partnerships with fam-ilies, can change the course of a child’s life.

She points to Northampton preschooler, VincentPalsa, who as an infant passed his newborn hearing screening test. Over time however, his parentsnoticed that his language was not developing. Whenhis hearing was finally rescreened as an older toddler,Vincent’s parents were shocked to learn that theirson was diagnosed with a severely-profound hearingloss. They immediately contacted Clarke.

Vincent came to the preschool at three years old, vocalizing but not using spoken language. He didn’thave names or labels for family members and would tearhis hearing aids off. “Now, after 18 months here,” saysHartblay, “his progress has been enormous. He’s speak-ing in phrases, initiating ideas, and socializing with hispeers verbally. His conceptual development is very good,and his hearing aids have become a part of him!”

Hartblay can recount hundreds of success stories likeVincent’s. But in the same breath, she’s quick to empha-size that the foundation of that success is based on astrong partnership between teachers and families. Ideally,they work as a team, with teachers consistently urgingparents to trust their instincts. Hartblay notes, “I alwaystell parents, if you have a child with a language delay,revisit the idea of hearing loss. Rule it out again. Toomany pediatricians respond to parents who suspect aproblem with the fact that ‘boys talk later,’ or attributethe problem to a second language issue.”

Designed as an excellent early childhood programthat would also meet the needs of children who are deafand hard of hearing, this integrated program alsoincludes hearing children. “Preschool,” says Hartblay, “isa time for learning to share, negotiate, respond, and initi-ate and continue conversations. So, for children who aredeaf and hard of hearing, their typically hearing peers

serve not so much as a model for language as they do amodel for social development.”

And how do typically hearing children benefit fromthis integrated philosophy? “Many of those parentsreport that their child’s language skills are often ahead oftheir peers, specifically because they attended a preschoolwhich placed so much emphasis on language skills.”

Clarke classrooms are all staffed with masters-level Teach-ers of the Deaf who are trained in auditory and languagedevelopment and who can also manage the market’s latest

sensory devices. There is audiological managementon-site, so that hearing tests are done at school andear-molds and personal equipment can be orderedor maintained immediately. The staffing of thepreschool also includes Speech and LanguagePathologists and additional providers such asOccupational and Physical Therapists as needed.

Hartblay explains that hearing loss is a lifelong challenge.“Once a child has developed foundational language, there isoften an inaccurate belief that they no longer need assistancefor their hearing issue. However, not only has their hearingloss not gone away, there is a strong likelihood that the stu-dent will continue to need support in a mainstream setting.Learning new concepts requires the learning of new lan-guage, and that is always an issue with hearing loss in anoisy and large group environment. However, early inter-vention helps to build foundational listening and languageskills that can be the best mechanism for lifelong success.”

This past spring, Hartblay was voted Teacher of theYear by her peers at Clarke. Having already earned twomaster’s degrees, she is now studying for her doctorate inChild and Family Studies. In addition to serving as thePreschool Director, Hartblay teaches a class in the SmithCollege/Clarke School Graduate Program in TeacherEducation, and also works with the Parent Infant Pro-gram, seeing families on site and in their homes.

When asked, she cites her most important role as oneof a partner or coach—providing parents with informa-tion and building on their skill sets so that they can helptheir child grow. “Ultimately, we want parent and childcommunication to be as rich and fulfilling as possible.It’s not only a joy, but a privilege to watch that unfold.”

A BRIDGE TO THE MAINSTREAM

Marian hartblay


“Violet was born with a severe con-genital heart defect and had to have3 heart surgeries when she was ababy. The surgeries were successful,but at 20 months old she still wasn’ttalking or even babbling. Tests con-firmed that Violet had a severe hear-ing loss, which was likely the resultof the strong IV antibiotics shereceived after the surgeries.

Violet received bilateral hearingaids at 28 months. Children withhearing loss need early identifica-tion and amplification. Addition-ally, they need an academic settingthat understands their uniqueneeds—and this is exactly what wefound at Clarke.

Violet now has a cochlear implantin her right ear and is thriving inClarke’s kindergarten class. She istalkative and loves playing house andtelling stories with her younger sisterand friends.”

dagnye doreClarke Jacksonville parent

“We first came to Clarke for theParent-Infant Program when ourdaughter Bella was just a baby.Bella was born with a profoundhearing loss in both ears andreceived her first cochlear implantat 13 months old and a second 6months later. It was, at times, a dif-ficult journey for our family. Mar-ian Hartblay, Director of Child andFamily Services, provided invaluableguidance and support throughoutthe whole process.

In just over a year in the pre-school program, Bella has madehuge strides in listening and under-standing language and has really

You' from Barney—and she isproud to know the words for letters,numbers, and colors. We love hear-ing her share what she’s learnedeach day with us!”

Andrea StolpinskiClarke northampton parent

“As a baby, my son Jerome alwaysloved music—he was even hummingtunes at ten months old! At two yearsold, Jerome was hitting all of his otherdevelopment milestones, but he was-n't talking. Because Jerome passed ahearing screening at birth, we didn'tlearn of his condition—sensorineuralhearing loss—until he was aroundtwo years old. He was immediatelyfitted with hearing aids to help himmaximize his residual hearing.

Even though he's only been atClarke for a year, Jerome has madetremendous progress. Now he's talk-ing up a storm and singing alongwith me every day at home. He'seven reminding me to help him puthis hearing aids in every day! Iencourage families to trust theirinstincts—if your child isn't talking,get them tested! And remember tohave hope, because it’s amazingwhat our children can do.”

Beverly owensClarke philadelphia parent

Clarke’s Little Learners


come into her own voice. She lovesto sing—her favorite song is 'I Love

“Both of our daughters attendClarke Boston. Meghan, our 5-year-old, is in the kindergarten class andErin, our three-year-old, is in thepreschool class. Meghan has a pro-found bilateral hearing loss in bothears and Erin has a severe hearingloss in one ear and a profound lossin the other.

Since they started at Clarke,Meghan has become much more con-fident with her peers, and Erin con-tinues to develop her listening andspoken language skills—she likes totry and keep up with her big sister!

We are very appreciative ofClarke's commitment to helping ourdaughters acquire strong academicskills, as well as a solid foundationin listening and speech.

The teachers are very open toour concerns or questions and havebeen very accommodating of ourfamily's unique needs—we are Deafparents, as well. Our experiencewith Clarke has been absolutelywonderful, and it’s been amazingwatching our girls grow.”

Michelle and greg MunroClarke Boston parents

“From the first day we walked intoClarke we felt welcome.Leo turned four on November

5th. He wears hearing aids and has abilateral, severe to moderate hearingloss. At first, we were in completedenial that he failed his hearing test.We didn’t know what to do. Thenwe found Clarke School.

When Leo first began at Clarke, hecried a lot because he could not expresshimself. At first, Leo didn’t want towear his hearing aids, but then he sawall the other Clarke kids wearing theirhearing aids and he knew that every-thing was OK. In fact, Leo has evenlearned to tell me when his hearingaids aren’t working! At first, I didn’teven know what kind of batteries toget for Leo’s hearing aids. Clarke hastaught us everything we need to knowabout managing Leo’s hearing loss.

Leo is going into kindergartennext year and I just can’t believe howfar he has come—from single wordsto complete sentences in just a year.We will never forget Clarke and howmuch the entire staff helped Leo.”

Juanicia goodmanClarke new York parent

wE MiSSYoU!CARA JORDAN,founder of theClarke Bostoncampus, resignedas director lastsummer. Caraaccepted aposition closer tohome, allowing herto spend more time with herbaby daughter. with Clarke for20 years, Cara’s commitment toher work and to children andfamilies has been an inspirationto staff, families and colleagues.it has been a privilege for somany of us to work with such aknowledgeable, caring and team-oriented professional. dr. Barbarahecht (see page 19), former CEoof the John Tracy Clinic hastaken Cara’s place as director ofthe Boston area campus.

SUSAN ALLEN,founder andguiding forcebehind ClarkeJacksonville formore than 15years, retired asdirector this pastSeptember. Susanand her husband moved fromthe Jacksonville area to becloser to her daughter’s family.Susan touched the lives ofhundreds of children and hasbeen an invaluable asset notonly to Clarke but to the field ofdeaf education in general. in2011, she was awarded theFlorida Association of Speechlanguage pathologists andAudiologists’ Clinical CareerAward. Cynthia Robinson andAlisa demico—Certifiedlistening and Spoken languageSpecialists with 42 years ofexperience in working withchildren who are deaf and hardof hearing—are now serving asco-directors.


“Every day, ClarkeMainstream Teachers

of the Deaf work withstudents, parents and

school professionals to provide teaching

services, support andinformation to help

ensure that every child has the chance

to reach their full potential.”

Clarke’sMainstream

Services


ABoUT ClARkE MAinSTREAM SERViCESBecause of increased early detection of hearing loss andadvances in hearing technology, more and more childrenwho are deaf and hard of hearing are learning in theirneighborhood schools, instead of specialized programs.Mainstreaming is a term used to describe the integrationof children with hearing loss into regular school classroomsso they can learn alongside their hearing peers. This nowhappens at earlier ages than ever before, with manychildren mainstreaming as early as kindergarten.

Students who are deaf and hard of hearing can thrive inmainstream classrooms, but it is vital that each studentreceive the personalized support they need to succeed.For over 30 years, Clarke Mainstream Services has beena resource for families and schools mainstreamingstudents with hearing loss. Through a variety ofcustomizable services, we work with students, parentsand school professionals to provide information, supportand teaching services to help ensure that every child hasthe chance to reach their full potential.

This past October, hun-dreds of parents and professionalsfrom around the country andCanada gathered in Springfield,Massachusetts for the 32nd AnnualConference on Mainstreaming Stu-dents with Hearing Loss.

Claire Troiano, Director ofClarke Mainstream Services, said theconference was initially created as away to help regular classroom teach-ers learn about the needs of studentswith hearing loss. It has since grownto be a national and internationalevent, attracting a diverse group ofeducators and parents. “Our presen-ters,” she said, “are well-knownexperts in the field of deaf educationand are able to demonstrate—invery practical ways—how to applytheir knowledge and research totheir every day work with childrenwith hearing loss."

This year’s theme, The LiteracyPuzzle, featured workshops on lan-guage development in children withcochlear implants, the importance ofphonologic awareness on literacydevelopment, techniques for buildingcontent-area vocabulary for studentswith hearing loss, and a special mini-workshop for itinerant teachers.

Four distinguished experts deliv-ered keynote presentations through-

out the two-day event. KathleenTreni, President of the Alexander Gra-ham Bell Association, presented anoverview of the current educationtrends in an opening keynote titled,“The Changing and Rugged Land-scape of Mainstream Education forStudents with Hearing Loss;” KarenL. Anderson, Ph.D., presented a talkon self-advocacy titled, “Helping Stu-dents with Hearing Loss BecomeIndependent Communication Advo-cates;” and Connie Mayer, Ed.D.,OCT, an Associate Professor at YorkUniversity, delivered a presentation onthe development of literacy in learnerswith hearing loss titled, “LiteracyDevelopment in Learners with Hear-ing Loss: Intervention and Practice ina Changing Context.” The closingkeynote speech was given by SusanElliott, M.A., who discussed her expe-riences as a young child with hearingloss in an engaging talk titled, “Wel-come to Kindergarten…You Failed!”

This year marked the 9thanniversary of the Making Connec-tions Program, an innovative trackdesigned specifically for high schoolstudents with hearing loss. “Whenstudents are out in the mainstream,”says Troiano, “they may be the onlyperson with hearing loss in theirentire school. We developed Making

Connections to provide a way forthese students to connect with otherteenagers with hearing loss andengage with peer mentors.” Making Connections has histori-

cally been coordinated by an adultwith hearing loss and this year’s pro-gram was led by two ClarkeNorthampton alums. Hannah Bar-tini, a 2011 graduate of the Massa-chusetts College of Liberal Arts, isnow a student in the Smith Col-lege/Clarke School Graduate Pro-gram in Teacher Education, andEvan Brunell is a baseball journalistand founder of Fire Brand of theAmerican League, an online destina-tion for all things Red Sox. “Han-nah and Evan did an amazing jobthis year connecting with the stu-dents and sharing their unique sto-ries. They are confident, creative andaccomplished young people whoknow firsthand what it’s like to growup with hearing loss.”

As the conference came to a close,Troiano expressed gratitude to thepresenters and attendees. “Thevibrant, collaborative nature of thisconference comes directly from thebreadth of experience of our partici-pants. Thanks to all of you for sharingyour special personal and professionalknowledge and expertise.”


BoSToni

Each year, Clarke Boston adds 12 days to their scheduleand adopts a summer theme. “Those extra weeks reallyhelp children retain their listening and spoken languageskills over the summer,” said Mary Jane Johnson,Assistant director. Students continue individualizedspeech therapy, language therapy and specializedinstruction from Teachers of the deaf. They also enjoyexciting trips to the Boston Zoo and blueberry pickingat wards Berry Farm. “we take a class picture, have anend of year celebration with our families, and enjoy thisspecial time together.”

JACkSonVillEi

Each summer, current and prospective Clarke Jacksonvillestudents attend a special 4-week summer diagnosticprogram. “it allows families to get a real feel for what wedo here,” says Cynthia Robinson, Co-director. “one year,our preschool classroom’s theme was camping. it wasgreat because it allowed students to practice combiningnew noun vocabulary with the preposition “in”—as in ‘theypacked lots of goodies in their lunchboxes and ate themin their tent.’ By using camping props we provided a lot oflanguage opportunities and allowed children to reallyreach out and grab them.”

SUMMER FUn And lEARning AT ClARkE!


Erin Casioppo, M.E.D., is talkingabout the value of hands-on experi-ences in learning language. Last year,she served as the coordinator ofClarke’s Summer Adventure program,which is designed for children whoare deaf or hard of hearing ages 9-13.“We developed last year’s theme, GetPsyched About Science, because wewanted to focus on a subject thatwould be exciting and engaging forthe kids and provide them with anarray of stimulating and innovativeprojects,” says Casioppo.

It was an action-packed twoweeks with students exploring the

world of science and naturethrough activities and field trips. Tolearn about density, students con-structed and launched a solar hotair balloon out of black trash bags.During a field trip to the Connecti-cut Children’s Museum, the groupinvestigated sound waves by chang-ing the pitch of their own voices,operated a robot to throw the per-fect baseball pitch, and exploredcause-and-effect with the museum’sexhibit on chain reactions.

For the first time, last year’sSummer Adventure also utilizedVoiceThread, a collaborative, multi-

media slideshow made up of images,documents, and videos that allowsstudents and counselors to con-tribute audio, text, or video. “Ourkids love it because it’s so interactiveand creative. It’s also a great tool forencouraging discussion and dialoguearound activities,” says Casioppo,who during the year works as ateacher of the deaf for Clarke’sMainstream Services.

The hike up Mount Norwottuckstands out as a highlight of the ses-sion for her. “At first,” she said,“the kids were skeptical. Many ofthem had never climbed a moun-tain before and they weren’t sure ifthey could do it. But as the daywent on, they began to gain confi-dence. By the end, kids were cheer-ing each other on, yelling, ‘You cando it!’ It was amazing to see every-one working together. Those kidswere such an inspiration, and it wasa powerful moment to end the pro-gram on.”

nEw YoRki

Every year, Clarke new York students attend school for12 months, and continue receiving regular servicesincluding speech and oT/pT therapy during thesummer. Field trips include the new York Children’sMuseum, the Museum of natural history, and Centralpark’s Swedish Marionette Theatre. “Summer is a greattime for our students to get out and see the world. Andbecause we use public transportation to get around thecity, parents can come along too!” says MeredithBerger, director of the new York campus.

pEnnSYlVAniAi

“our preschool classes always celebrate the end of theyear with a summer trip to the Adventure Aquarium inCamden, new Jersey,” says Judy Sexton, director ofClarke pennsylvania. “This was the first year our twopreschool locations—Bryn Mawr and philadelphia —came together for a summer activity.” in addition toprograms for students, Clarke pA also coordinatesprofessional development activities for staff throughoutthe year. “we recognize the importance of continueddevelopment for our professionals, and summer is agreat time to plan special activities for our staff anddiscuss reflections on the year.”

“If you’ve actually done something,it’s easier to use language to talkabout it. You can read about sailingin a textbook—but it’s differentwhen you hold the ropes yourself.”

all year long!Clarke


“what Clarke does is trulymagical. Their teachers and

Slps gave my son the tools toachieve whatever he wants in

life. if you didn’t see hishearing aids, you would never

know that he has a hearingloss because his speech is so

clear.” —Michelle Campbell

When Garrett was a newborn, he failed his new-born hearing tests. Although we had been to several audiologists, we couldn’t geta conclusive diagnosis. At 23 months we learned that he had a moderate to severehearing loss in both of his ears. It was permanent. And we were devastated.

We immediately decided that we wanted him to learn to listen and speak. But,at the same time, we had so many questions and fears. What would his life be like?Would he be able to communicate with his siblings? Would he be able to communicatewith us—his parents? Knowing that we had work to do, we pushed our worry aside,and after getting him fitted with hearing aids, enrolled him at Clarke.

We chose the auditory/oral method because we wanted his life to be filled withas many options as possible—and so he could reach his highest potential. Weknew he could be successful as long as we were willing to put in the time withtherapy, appointments, specialists, etc. And we were!

When Garrett first started at Clarke, so many things changed. At first, he was notspeaking at all, but in a matter of just weeks, his teachers had him saying sounds anda few words. Before I knew it, my deaf child was speaking! He was putting wordstogether and making sense to those around him. His major tantrums seemed less fre-quent. And not only did he become less shy, but he leapt out of his shell!

Throughout our whole experience at Clarke—from the Mom and Tot Groupto Preschool and Kindergarten—we had the support of an amazing team of pro-fessionals. Everyone we worked with took the time to explain the process. Ourspeech language pathologist always answered all of our questions and encouragedus to try out the same exercises she was working on with Garrett!

After four years at Clarke, Garrett entered a mainstream first grade classroomthis past fall and I could not have asked for a more successful transition. His speechis impeccable, he is thriving academically and he is receiving high marks in all sub-jects. He even got 100% on his last spelling test! Socially, he is making new friends,having a great time, and is sought out by his peers during playtime. Recently, hereceived a Character Award from his school for demonstrating caring for others.

Garrett explains his hearing aids to friends, tells his teacher when he needs a newbattery and is able to change it himself. He amazes me every day, and we owe it all toClarke. I cannot thank the staff enough for their time, energy, love and dedication.

MEETTHE CAMPBELL

FAMILY


Six thousand miles is a long wayto travel. But in July of 2011, 11 Kuwaiti professionals,including speech pathologists, teachers of the deaf and aneducational psychologist, traveled to the ClarkeNorthampton campus for five weeks of intensive work-shops and training.

The visit was part of Clarke’s new partnership with theKuwait-based Sada Center to develop a program to serveyoung children with cochlear implants—the first programof its kind in Kuwait. Many deaf children in Kuwaitreceive implants between the ages of 2 and 4, but therehave not been programs available to provide the intensivetherapy and support needed to maximize the benefits ofthe technology.

While at Clarke, Kuwaiti professionals attendedcourses on developing auditory/oral communications indeaf children, studied curriculum and lesson planning,and observed Clarke’s preschool program.

“Clarke has long been recognized as an internationalexpert in oral deaf education and assistive technologies,”said Clarke President, Bill Corwin. “We are very pleased tohave the opportunity to help create such a groundbreakingand comprehensive program that will serve children withcochlear implants in Kuwait. Our goal is to see the centergrow to become a model program for the Gulf region.”

The partnership began with Dr. Tareq Al Shatti, afterhe witnessed the success of a child whose family movedto the United States to receive services from Clarke. AlShatti is the director of The Sada Center and the Speech

and Language Program at the University of Kuwait. Afterproposing that the two organizations work together onthe creation of a program in Kuwait, the Aqwaf Founda-tion provided generous funding and the project formallycommenced in June 2010.

As part of the partnership, Clarke specialists providetraining for speech and language pathologists and teach-ers, and have provided assistance on the construction of anew facility to house the new program. Clarke will alsoconduct educational and therapy consultations for chil-dren with cochlear implants. In December 2010, profes-sionals from Clarke traveled to Kuwait City andpresented a series of workshops on developing listeningand spoken language skills in young children withcochlear implants. In addition to these in-person train-ings, plans are in the works for distance learning andtherapy via videoconferencing.

Raed Alwehaib, Director of the Awqaf Foundation'sFund for Health Development, said, “I am very proud ofthe achievements of this partnership to date, and amgrateful that together we will have the chance to help somany children and families.”

Clarke has a long history of working with interna-tional communities. The Smith/Clarke Graduate Pro-gram in Teacher Education has trained teachers from 34different countries. Clarke has also consulted with organ-izations in other countries on the development of pro-grams for children with hearing loss and hosted visitors

CLARKE’S inTERnATionAl REACh


from around the world.

Sports journalist EvanBrunell is not just your average RedSox fan. At Fenway Park, he scores athird of all Boston Red Sox games forMLB.com, enabling viewers to followgames live on their computers orphones. He is the founder of theESPN affiliate, Fire Brand of the Amer-ican League, a destination for all thingsRed Sox nd he has previously writ-ten for various outlets such as NBCSports, NESN and CBS Sports.

There is however, life beyond base-ball. Evan is engaged to be married thisfall. He loves to read, work out andvisit the beaches of Cape Cod. He alsoserves as the President of the Massachu-setts Chapter of AG Bell. Since 1888,AG Bell has been helping families,health care providers and educationprofessionals understand childhoodhearing loss and the importance ofearly diagnosis and intervention.

“I've had so many people give mevaluable lessons and mentorshipthroughout the years and I reallywanted to do my part to return thefavor. I've always had an interest inmentoring deaf children and teenagersmuch like myself, and I thought thiswas a good place to start.”

Diagnosed as profoundly deaf attwelve months, Evan began wearinghearing aids at that time and received acochlear implant as a teenager. The

implant failed and he was implantedagain nine months later. From kinder-garten through ninth grade, he com-muted two hours a day to Clarke’sNorthampton campus. Playing four-square at recess, the annual trip to LookPark, and dancing the Macarena (!) during school assemblies are just a fewof his many fond memories from whatwas a very special time.

“Clarke placed me in a positiveenvironment where I was able to easilyinteract with others. It helped set arock solid foundation for interacting ina hearing world.” After graduating to apublic high school, Evan was especiallypleased with Clarke’s MainstreamServices program. “Having Ms. Bakadvocate for me, and Mr. Anderson totalk to, was a major help. They bothhelped me in terms of personal growthand responsibility, and also workedwith the schools to give me what I

needed.” In 2009, Evan graduatedwith a degree in journalism fromNortheastern University, and justrecently, underwent surgery for a sec-ond implant.

Clarke interviewed Evan via emailfor this article, and he signed all of hisemails with a quote from Socrates: "Weare what we repeatedly do. Excellence,then, is a habit." A fitting mantra for aman who is excelling at his dream joband living life to the fullest.

MEET CLARKEALUM, EVANBRUNELL

A DREAM JOBCOME TRUE

“Clarke helped set a rock solid foundation for interacting in a hearing world.”


, a

“By definition, classrooms arenoisy environments—both for children who have typicalhearing and for those who don’t. Clarke classrooms,” saysNaomi Wicentowski, “are specifically designed for chil-dren who are deaf or hard of hearing. But even here —with our cork flooring and acoustic paneling—movingchairs make loud noises, toilets flush down the hall, ACsystems turn on, and clocks tick. The point is, childrenhave to contend with environmental noise everywhere.”

An educational audiologist at Clarke’s Bryn Mawrcampus, Wicentowski works with mainstream schools tooptimize their classrooms for children who are deaf orhard of hearing. Many mainstream teachers may beworking with a student with hearing loss for the firsttime, and most use a device called an FM system.

FM systems were introduced to classrooms in the1960’s. Before that, students and teachers relied on hard-wire devices, which improved access to a teacher’s voice,but were bulky and made it hard for students and teachersto move freely around in the classroom.

FM systems of today consist of a small microphoneand receiver and are sometimes described as similar totiny radio stations. Teachers wear (or hold) the micro-phone and a student wears a receiver that is tuned to thesame frequency. “The FCC has certain frequencies in theradio band set aside for educational use only,” saysWicentowski. "Because the microphone is situated close

to the speaker’s mouth, the listener receives much clearersound. FM systems are widely adopted tools becausethey make the teacher’s voice louder than the classroomnoise—what we call a better signal-to-noise ratio.”

For students who are deaf or hard of hearing, a prop-erly fit and managed FM can make it much easier tofocus on the subject being taught. “Children with hear-ing loss have to really concentrate on listening whenthere’s background noise. The FM system makes listen-ing in noisy environments easier.” All of Clarke’s class-rooms are equipped with FM systems and the technologyis strongly recommended for students as they entermainstream schools.

Wicentowski underscores the importance of providingmainstream teachers with the right information from thestart. “We work closely with schools in the beginning toensure that everyone knows how the device works, how tocharge the battery at the end of the day, and how to do alistening check to make sure everything’s working right.”

getting comfortable with the device. People are some-times intimidated when they hear terms like frequency andtransmitter, but FMs are actually surprisingly easy to use—much much simpler than smartphones or computers!”

For more information about FM systems and how theywork, we recommend the Phonak and Oticon websites.http://www.phonak.com and http://www.oticonusa.com

FM SYSTEMS: IMPROVING FOCUS AND SOUND


"The biggest challenge for some," says Wicentowski, "is

nEw FACES

Northampton campus formally address him as Dr. Logue it was a bit surprising.But actually, it makes perfect sense.“Deaf and hard of hearing children need to know that they can do anything

they want in this world. When I was growing up, I had no deaf role models.Not one. Since I’ve been at Clarke, I’ve had first graders coming up to me say-ing: 'Hey, you have hearing aids like me! Wow!'''

Born with a severe bilateral hearing loss in rural Maine, Logue didn’t beginspeaking until age five. He was misdiagnosed as having expressive aphasia (theinability to speak due to brain damage) and had it not been for his parents’strong belief that he was able to understand and process information, he wouldhave been institutionalized. At the time, there were no services in the region, sohis parents traveled long distances to find what little help there was. He wasthe only deaf child at his school, and his mother gave up her job in order tovolunteer there and be close by.

Socially, growing up was a struggle for Logue. However, a turning pointcame in high school, when he discovered—and then excelled at—running.Despite suffering from asthma, his parents allowed him to pursue the sport,and he was recruited to run for the University of Southern Maine. (Today,Logue is a member of the Maine Runners Hall of Fame, has run the BostonMarathon several times and competed in the World Games for the Deaf.)

After graduating from college, Logue earned a master’s degree in educa-tion at the University of Maine. Additionally, he earned an advanced certifi-cate in special education and counseling and a doctoratein education at Vanderbilt University. Logue served asan associate dean of academic services at the Universityof Maine, taught for twenty years on the college leveland was once a special education director for a Maineschool district.

Today, Logue is building personal relationships withevery student in the K-8 program—greeting each child atthe steps of Hubbard Hall each morning. His energy andoptimism is infectious: he arranged for the entire 8thgrade class to be outfitted with iPAD-2s, founded aClarke cross-country team, and is co-teaching a courseat the Smith College/Clarke School Graduate Programin Teacher Education.

Logue believes that, “With the skills and confidencethey acquire at Clarke, the future for children who aredeaf and hard of hearing is limitless. When one has beenshown their true potential, they flourish. And that’s cer-tainly happening here.”

OJ Logue is one of the most approachableand friendly people you’re likely to meet. Sowhen he requested that all students at Clarke’s

MEETNORTHAMPTON’S

K-8 DIRECTOR, DR. OJ LOGUE


they bought a kayak. It remains to be seen, however, howmuch time she’ll actually have to use it.

Hecht is the new director of Clarke’s Boston-areacampus, and she has ambitious plans. First, is to expandClarke’s Parent Infant Program so that every family inthe region who needs it can benefit from early interven-tion services. Next is a project to create a “home awayfrom home” for families with newborns, infants and tod-dlers. “We are going to cook, wash dishes, sort laundry—and talk about how to build listening and language skillsthrough these everyday activities.”

Hecht is a nationally recognized expert in early child-hood deafness, language intervention, and in parent andprofessional education. She has served as an educator,professor, advocate, innovator in distance learning, andmost recently, as the President of John Tracy Clinic(JTC) in Los Angeles. Since 1942, JTC has been provid-ing services to families of children with hearing loss freeof charge. While there, Dr. Hecht oversaw all programs,services, and strategic planning.

Hecht is passionate about providing parents with theinformation necessary to make good choices for their

children. “We are nowin a period ofunprecedentedadvances in deaf edu-cation. And we have aresponsibility toensure that ourexpertise is available to as many children with hearingloss as possible. We know that if we begin early interven-tion by six months, many children, before kindergarten,will be speaking on par with their hearing peers.”

“More than 90% of our families are hearing and haveno prior experience with deafness. Often, parents don’trealize that listening and spoken language is a viableoption for their deaf child. What first comes to mindwhen they hear their child has a hearing loss is, ‘how am Igoing to communicate with my baby?’ It’s our job to helpthem learn what is now possible in the 21st century.”

Dr. Hecht grew up in the Boston area, and receivedher bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and adoctoral degree in linguistics with an emphasis on childlanguage development from Stanford University. At JTC,she served as Vice President of Counseling, Audiologyand Teacher Education before being named President.She also served as a professor at the University of South-ern California (USC) Rossier School of Education andthe University of San Diego, and was a faculty memberin a special education doctoral program at UCLA.

Additionally, Hecht has served as a member of theU.S. Department of Health and Human Services“Constituent Expert Working Group for EffectiveInterventions for Infants and Young Children withHearing Loss;” on the United States Surgeon General’sPublication Committee on Hearing Loss in Childrenand on the Advisory Committee, California StateCommission on Post-Secondary Education, ImprovingTeacher Quality.

For some time, Hecht and her husband, who is arocket scientist (really!), had been hoping to return to theEast Coast to be closer to their relatives and two chil-dren. So, coming to Clarke was perfect timing—for herand for Clarke.

“There weren’t many lakes in LA,”says Dr. Bar-bara Hecht. So, after she and her husbandmoved into a house on a lake outside of Boston,

MEET PASSIONATELEADER, PROLIFIC EDUCATOR, DR. BARBARAHECHT


JennyKate Marble was initallyintroduced to the field of deaf education while an under-graduate at Smith College. A class with Dr. Janice Gatty,Clarke’s Director of Child and Family Services, left alasting impression. “Many of the videos shown in Jan’sclass were of Clarke students. And I never forgot them.”

Years later, after earning a master’s degree in informa-tion technology and library science, Marble became thelibrarian at Clarke’s Northampton campus. And for thepast four years, she has been a warm touchstone and awealth of knowledge for both students and teachers alike.

Recently, Marble decided that she wanted to servechildren who are deaf and hard of hearing in an evenmore direct and personal way. Last fall, in addition toworking four days a week, she entered into the SmithCollege/Clarke School Graduate Program in TeacherEducation to pursue a master’s degree in Deaf Educa-tion. Now in its 40th year, the internationally acclaimedprogram has trained more than 1400 teachers who haveimpacted children in all 50 states and 34 countries. Theprogram focuses on an auditory/oral approach whileworking with children with hearing loss who usecochlear implants and/or hearing aids.

After graduating, Marble plans to work in the field ofearly intervention for children with hearing loss. Sheunderscores the critical importance of providing parentswith as much accurate information as possible duringwhat can be a very uncertain and vulnerable time. “As aparent myself, I would want someone to truly listen to

me, and to empower me to make the best possible deci-sion for my child.”

“As the mother of a 21 month old, it’s been fascinat-ing to take certain classes—particularly in speech devel-opment. Here I was learning about the first speechsounds, and my daughter was starting to babble aroundthe same time.” Other core courses in the programinclude language acquisition, the development of audi-tory/oral skills, audiology and language instruction andcurriculum.

Because the MED program is based on Clarke’sNorthampton campus, Marble studies alongside sea-soned teachers of the deaf and their students. Graduatestudents also spend time with students outside of theclassroom, assisting with school projects and chaperoningthem on trips.

Over the years, Marble has worked with the ClarkeDrama Club on productions of Once Upon A Mattress,Grease and The Wicked Wizard of Oz. “Every year, duringthe first few weeks of rehearsals, I think the kids willnever learn the words and the dances. But they do. Infact, once in the middle of a production, a girl’s FM bat-tery died; she kept going as if nothing had happened,and the audience had no idea.”

“Parents talk about Clarke and all the people whowork here with incredible faith, gratitude and trust. It’samazing. I look at all of the kids and want them to behappy and successful. That’s my purpose. If I can haveany small part in that, I consider it worthwhile.”

MASTER’S STUDENT, JENNYKATE MARBLE


- -

ClarkeComprehensive

EducationalEvaluation

ProgramIndependent evaluations of children who are

deaf and hard of hearing by experienced staff.

A Comprehensive Educational Evaluation:• Explains the effects of hearing loss on

social and academic development• Determines learning style• Identifies potential learning challenges• Provides expert recommendations to

IEP Teams

Our team of professionals uses a whole childapproach to evaluate the audiological, lan-guage, academic, speech and psychologicalfactors that contribute to a successful educa-tional experience. We serve students of allages and in all educational settings.

To learn more, visit: clarkeschools.org/ceelinda Findlay, [email protected]

“The CEE provided a clear picture ofour son and his complex condition. This

has helped guide the restructuring ofhis IEP and revealed areas in need of

improvement and focus.”parent of a 6-year-old

“It gave me a sense of comfort to haveobjective professionals evaluate my child

and tell me where he stands, what I cando and how the school can help.”

parent of a 5-year-old

“The CEE provided us with acomplete plan to help with ourson’s college search. Thanks forall your help over the years.”parent of a 17-year-old


Dr. Ralph Guertin ’53 hasled a life of extraordinary accomplishment.After losing his hearing at the age of sevendue to meningitis and measles, Ralph gradu-ated from Clarke and went on to the Worces-ter Polytechnic Institute where he graduatedwith a 4.0 GPA, and Yale University where heearned a Ph.D. in Physics. His distinguishedcareer has encompassed work in academia,government, and the corporate world, includ-ing positions at the University of Nijmegen,the Middle East Technical University, RiceUniversity, the University of California atBerkeley, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin.Among his numerous professional achieve-ments is a mathematical algorithm that is akey component of a recent patent associatedwith a sophisticated defense system.

An inveterate traveler, Ralph has visitedLondon, Portugal, France, Turkey, and theStraits of Gibraltar on his many trips aroundthe globe. But, Clarke Northampton holds a

special place in his heart. “I loved the high quality academic programs,particularly science, math, and history, which prepared me well for achallenging academic career learning alongside hearing students. Iremember enjoying the many active discussions we used to have aboutnational and world events, both inside and outside of the classroom. Iwas also inspired by the achievements of Clarke School’s alumni.”

Ralph served on Clarke’s Board of Trustees from 1984 to 2004and was the speaker at Clarke’s 1984 Graduation Ceremony. Nowsettled in Arizona with his wife, Nu Nu Mae, Ralph’s generousannual contributions are a way of giving back to the school andhelping the next generation.

“I believe strongly in providing deaf children with the opportu-nity to attend Clarke and benefit from its exceptional teaching staff,”said Ralph. “Clarke makes it possible for individuals who are deaf torealize their potential in a society where most people can hear. I wantother children to benefit from Clarke by learning to communicatevia spoken language, as well as to benefit from the knowledgeableClarke teaching staff who encourage each child to succeed.”

Clarke Alumnus, Engineer, and Physicist Gives Back

“I want other children tobenefit from Clarke.”

SUppoRTing ClARkE


A LegacyFifty Years inthe Making Tell the world you BELIEVE…

• Children with hearing loss can learn to listen, talk,and succeed in school and in life, and that theydeserve every opportunity to do so.

• No child should be deprived access to life-changing hearing technologies or Clarke’sservices because of their family’s financialcircumstances or the outdated or biased policiesof their home state or local education agency.

Make a DIFFERENCE…• Tuition and fees cover only half the cost of

Clarke’s work. The rest comes from generousdonors like you.

Thanks to an extraordinarymatching grant, DOUBLE orTRIPLE the power of your gift!• Until June 30, 2012, gifts from previous donors

will be doubled, and new gifts will be tripled!

More ways you can BE HEARD!• Tell everyone you know what’s now possible for

children with hearing loss and encourage them tosupport Clarke.

• Leave a bequest or make a planned gift.• Celebrate a special occasion or honor a loved

one’s memory through Clarke’s CommemorativeGifts Program.

• Join our Heroes of the Month Club with yourautomatic recurring gift.

• Host a Party With A Purpose for Clarke. • Volunteer at our schools and events.• Invite a Clarke representative to speak at your

civic or social organization’s meeting.

Donate Now!• Online: www.clarkeschools.org/donate• By Mail: 47 Round Hill Road,

Northampton, MA 01060• To make a gift of stock or other type of non-cash

asset, contact Jane Lennox, Chief DevelopmentOfficer, 413-582-1182 or [email protected]

Priscilla Montgomery’s hearingloss inspired her to help children who were deaf and hardof hearing by regularly supporting Clarke. When shepassed away almost fifty years ago, her bequest establishedthe endowed Priscilla A. and Francis R. MontgomeryFund. Francis (Frank) honored Priscilla’s memory withhis continued gifts to the fund, and when he remarried,his wife, Margaret, soon shared his passion for the cause.

Frank and Margaret, who lived in California and Hawaii,were avid world travelers, and their first and only visit toClarke Northampton in 1983 must have been among theirmost memorable trips. In addition to annual gifts, the cou-ple included Clarke in their estate plans, and upon Mar-garet’s death in 2011, the final generous bequest was addedto the Priscilla A. and Francis R. Montgomery Fund,which willcontinue supporting children with hearing loss in perpetuity.

Beginning in 1869 with John Clarke’s extraordinary$306,000 bequest through the present day and into thefuture, hundreds of generous supporters have, and will,provide for future generations of children with hearingloss through bequests ranging from a few hundred dol-lars to millions. Bequests are a simple and meaningfulway for you to immortalize your support for Clarke andexpress your belief that children with hearing loss deserveevery opportunity to gain the listening, learning, andspeaking skills they need to succeed in school and in life.For information on Clarke’s Bequest and Planned

Giving Program, visit: www.legacy.vg/clarkeschools orcontact Jane Lennox, Chief Development Officer,413-582-1182 or [email protected]

Bequests are a simpleand meaningful way foryou to immortalize your

support for Clarke


WE MISS YOU!ABoVE: last year's retiring staff: (leftto right: Bob Storm, Judy Sheldon, Mikeo’Connell, deb Bak, Claire Blatchford,and dennis Moulton)

lEFT And BElow: All The World’s AStage: This Spring, Clarke’s drama clubonce again took to the stage for a per-formance of Rodgers and hammerstein'sState Fair. Congratulations to our castand crew on another fabulous show!

honoRing hARlEY M. SACkS,ESq, RETiRing BoARd ChAiR1992–2011

harley Sacks first heard aboutClarke in the late 1970s, when aclient he was advising made adonation to the school. “i was curi-ous, so i took a tour.”

Sacks did not have any personalexperiences with deafness, but feltdrawn to Clarke’s mission. “There aremany wonderful, worthwhile causesout there to support. But at Clarke,you see the difference you makeevery day—the impact of the work isthat profound. i knew that anything icould do for Clarke, any small waythat i could help, would make a realdifference.”

Sacks served on Clarke’s Boardfor over 19 years, spending the last 8years as Board Chair. “The Board’smost important responsibility is tosupport the people who make Clarkethe place that it is. The teachers andthe staff here are some of the mostdedicated, caring individuals you willever meet. it isn’t a job for them, it’sa calling. helping them be able to dowhat they do – that’s been our topgoal.” Sacks plans to use his new-found free time to spend more timewith his family, including his newgrandchild, Benjamin.

dr. Catherine Bartlett succeededSacks as Board Chair. “Cathy,” saysSacks, “is committed, dedicated,and forward-thinking. her leader-ship will continue to support thetransformative work done at Clarke.”

NORTHAMPTON THEN AND NOW


Top: Clarke students put on aperformance in thegymnasium.

lEFT: A scorebook for a gamebetween Belchertown highand Clarke School.

RighT: Clarke’s 1908 girl’sbasketball team.

wEwERE

wEwill BE

Join The Celebration!Clarke School Campus,

northampton MA

For information on events, lodging and registration, visit:

http://clarkeschools.org/reunion2012

wEARE

Clarke Northampton Alumni ReunionJuly 6–7 2012


NEWS UPDATE!

Clarke Launches Innovative SchoolWithin A School K-8 Initiative

This spring, Clarke announced an innovative educational initiative that willlaunch in the fall of 2012 when the K-8 component of Clarke’s NorthamptonSchool Program will relocate to Leeds Elementary.

This program is one that Clarke has been considering in recent years as a wayto provide more social opportunities for our students and to promote one ofour core goals: helping students who are deaf and hard of hearing transition tomainstream schools in a more fluid and efficient manner.

• The K-8 relocation will allow Clarke to keep the essence of its special pro-gramming intact, while giving students the opportunity to interact withtheir hearing peers in a mainstream setting.

• The classroom space will be renovated to provide the same state-of-the-artacoustics.

• Classes will continue to be held in small classrooms with a peer group ofchildren who are deaf or hard of hearing.

• Class sizes will remain small.• Clarke’s school curriculum and programming will remain the same.• Students will continue to receive the same superior instruction, individ-

ual speech and language therapy, and on-site audiological support as theydo now.

This collaboration will provide Clarke students with many excellent opportuni-ties for social integration with their hearing peers. For example, Clarke studentswill eat lunch, participate in physical education classes and work on specialprojects with hearing students.

The School Within A School will provide the best of both worlds: Students willcontinue to receive the same exceptional Clarke education from masters levelteachers of the deaf, while gaining a stronger bridge to the mainstream andmore opportunities for social interaction with peers.


FACES OFCLARKE


Established in 1867 as Clarke School for the Deaf

47 Round Hill Road, Northampton, MA 01060-2199

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit #183

Greenfield, MA


Documents

Clarke Speaks 2012