Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech • Clarke Hearing CenterMainstream Services • Graduate Program in Teacher Education

Early Intervention • Comprehensive Educational Evaluations

SPRING 2011

Clarke Board ofTrustees 2010–2011

ChairHarley M. Sacks

Chair ElectCatherine Bartlett, M.D.

Vice ChairsThomas E. FieldsTheodore L. Hubbard

Jan BlynnRev. Joseph J. Bruce, S.J.Carol T. ChristLouise CollinsJulie CowanRobert F. DanahyDoug DeLeoJames H. DreikornDwight G. EbelingJason FriedlandSally GriggsSara GrosvenorMatthew LongBarbara G. MaddernTheodore Mason, M.D.Dan Montero, M.D.Nancy PetersonSteven RaabEileen RianoAndy Sassine

Clarke School Alumni Council

James BardenHannah BartiniLaurie BlanchardGrady CongletonDavid Del PizzoRodney KunathRichard MahaffyJohn McEnanyJohn McGintyCynthia PierceCurtis ReidUgo Ronghi, Jr.Christine SkwerskyLisa TaylorSharon WadeEmma Wiegand

Steering/Advisory Committees

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.D.Gary D. Josephson, M.D.Larry Lundy, M.D.Bruce and

Barbara MaddernRobert E. MartinQuinn MillsJohn MurrayWilliam ScaggsRaymond G. Wolford

NEW YORK George Alexiades, M.D.Nicholas ChuTrevor and Sandra DyerJames and Kassie DePaivaLawrence LogranoJoseph J. Montano, Ed.D.Simon C. Parisier, M.D.Eileen RianoSamuel H. Selesnick, M.D.Kathleen TreniBob Woodruff and

Lee Woodruff

NORTHAMPTONHugh AdamsMichael AngelicaMelissa BoyleMeredith BrownPatty CovalliJulie CowanSean DaveyDarla GundlerJeffrey Hoess-BrooksDavid F. LustegChristine MannixJames McKeeverMichael J. MoranJennifer E. ProvostTara Tetreault

PENNSYLVANIA Sara Bachman, M.D. and

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

Ronit Devon, M.D.Henry FaderSherri FickenscherMarsha FinisdoreJason and Katy FriedlandMichael Gross and

Nancy PetersonMeredith DuBarry HustonScott KellyGregory KleiberBrian and Caroline LinzSusan MarshallPat MorganRobert O’Reilly, M.D.Sarah PetersonJennifer RezeliLisa M. Sheppard, M.D. and

Brett BoalSam SilbermanRichard Stone, M.D. and

Susan StoneZane Wolf, Ph.D.

BOSTON1 Whitman RoadCanton, MA 02021-2707TEL 781.821.3499TTY 781.821.3904FAX 781.821.3905info@clarkeschools.org

JACKSONVILLE9857 St. Augustine RoadSuite 6Jacksonville, FL 32257-8821V/TTY 904.880.9001FAX 904.880.9007info@clarkeschools.org

NEW YORK80 East End AvenueNew York, NY 10028-8004V/TTY 212.585.3500FAX 212.585.3300info@clarkeschools.org

NORTHAMPTON47 Round Hill RoadNorthampton, MA 01060V/TTY 413.584.3450FAX 413.584.8273info@clarkeschools.org

PHILADELPHIA455 South Roberts RoadBryn Mawr, PA 19010V/TTY 610.525.9600FAX 610.525.9655info@clarkeschools.org

MissionClarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf andhard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills theyneed to succeed. clarkeschools.org

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

It is my pleasure to present you with the firstedition of Clarke Speaks in its new expandedformat. With this publication we hope to bringyou the breadth of Clarke’s services andprogramming and introduce you to some ofthe students, families, staff, supporters andvolunteers that make Clarke such a unique andtransformative organization.

Clarke’s school programs continue to be the core of our work, even as theyevolve to meet the needs of today’s students and families. Many of you may notknow the extent to which Clarke is also engaged in a wide array of importantinitiatives outside of our school programs that contribute to our mission as well.

For example, we are currently collaborating with an organization in Kuwait tohelp create the first oral program for children with cochlear implants in thatcountry. We are continuing the expansion of our Mainstream Services and haveformed a groundbreaking partnership with the city of Brockton, MA, that hasallowed us to support 50 new students in the mainstream and that will serve as amodel for potential future collaborations. In addition, the Smith College/ClarkeSchool Graduate Program in Teacher Education continues to be one of theleading programs of its kind.

Our school programs are growing as well. Clarke Pennsylvania recently added apreschool program within the City of Philadelphia, and our New York Citycampus launched a new integrated preschool program, which allows children withtypical hearing and children with hearing loss to learn together in one classroom.

Clarke is serving more children in more places in more ways than everbefore. We have always offered a comprehensive continuum of services, andnow we are expanding the reach of those services each and every day. We aretaking our experience and expertise out into the community—and the world—to help more children and families. A Clarke education, coupled with therapid growth of technology, is helping to ensure that the future hasnever been brighter for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

I hope you enjoy this new version of Clarke Speaks and that you will also visitour website, where you can view videos of our students and professionals inaction. Thank you for your interest in our work.

Bill CorwinPresident

3 President’s Message

4 Infants and Hearing Loss

6 Preschool: A Bridge to the Mainstream

8 Clarke’s LittleLearners

10 Clarke’s MainstreamServices

12 Meet Clarke Student,Jessica Cavanaugh

13 The MED Program

14 Clarke’s SummerAdventure

16 Meet Clarke Alum:Erin Dominov

18 Meet Surgeon:Dr. Ted Mason

20 Hearing for Everyone

21 Clarke’s CEE Program

22 Supporting Clarke

24 Northampton: Then and Now

26 Clarke By theNumbers

EDITORJennifer Einhorn

Director of Communications

MANAGING EDITORJessica Appleby

Communications Project Manager

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORSDevan Folts

Tammy LandonLiz Zelazo

DESIGNERLeslie Tane Design

PHOTOGRAPHYAngela Jimenez, Shana Sureck,Laurie Beck Peterson, Jennifer

Einhorn, Grady Congleton, Hannah Bartini

INFANTS AND HEARING LOSS

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“Clarke has always focused on therelationship with the family; thathas never changed,” says Gatty. “Wetalk to parents about their concerns,their fears, their triumphs. We wantfamilies to understand that they arenot alone in this journey. Getting toknow the family and being a part ofthat relationship is so rewarding. Ithink that sense of partnership andcommunity is what sets Clarke apart.”

After 37 years at Clarke’sNorthampton campus, Gatty, cur-rently the Director of Child andFamily Services, has worked withhundreds of families. And she’ll bethe first to tell you that no two havebeen exactly the same.

“Each family has its own naturaldynamics and interaction style,” saysGatty. “It is important to honorthose dynamics and build on thatfoundation. When one of our pro-fessionals is working with an infant,they quickly become part of an inti-mate family relationship. This is adelicate time of adjustment for theparents. You have to build trust asyou help the parents to know thatthey can do this, that they can helptheir baby grow and learn, and itcan be a fun and natural process.”

Approximately three children outof every thousand are born withsome degree of hearing loss and onechild out of every thousand is bornwith a severe to profound loss.

Babies who are born deaf or hard ofhearing today have many moreopportunities to achieve higher levelsof spoken language, reading skills,and academic competencies thanever before.

“Jan has been one of the mostinfluential people in my life,” saysJudy Tambasco of Amherst, MA.Judy’s son Mareo has a severe to pro-found hearing loss and received earlyintervention services at Clarke.Mareo, who uses two hearing aids, isnow a talkative, energetic twelve-

year-old, who loves to play basket-ball, baseball and soccer. Mareo’steachers say he is a curious andenthusiastic student who loves tolearn and asks great questions.

“Jan always looked at Mareo asa person — not a deaf child,”Tambasco says. “She was frank,but positive, assuring us that we

could deal with this reality and lifewould be wonderful. She took aholistic approach to Mareo andour family, and brought us back toour solid foundation.”

Clarke’s Birth to 3 programsprovide a variety of services, includ-ing individual family sessions atClarke or at home, group meetingsat Clarke where parents can meetother families, and information-based, short-term courses on topicsrelated to hearing loss. In addition,some families receive audiologicalservices at Clarke’s Hearing Center.

“Our work is to figure out howthe deafness is contributing to theoverall development of the child,”says Gatty. “In our sessions withfamilies, we help parents learn tonarrate what they and their child aredoing throughout their day. Weguide the children’s play in ways that

help them understand how theworld works. They begin to build amodel of the world that becomes afoundation for learning language. ”

“Jan provided guidance, knowl-edge and encouragement that havemade a huge difference,” says Tam-basco. “She will forever be a memberof our extended family.”

Ask Dr. Jan Gatty just about anyquestion regarding her work withinfants who are deaf and hard ofhearing and she will inevitablyanswer, “It’s all about the family.”

“You haveto build

trust as youhelp the

parents toknow that

they cando this.”

PRESCHOOL:

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“It’s more like a pep rally than thebeginning of a school day.” That’s Meredith Berger,Director of Clarke’s New York Campus, describingmorning arrival time. “The kids are so excited to seetheir friends and teachers; you’d think they’d been sepa-rated for weeks instead of hours.”

Her student body is quitediverse. “Many of our studentscome from homes where languagesother than English are spoken—Spanish, Albanian, Mandarin, Taga-log, Cantonese, Fuzhou, Arabic,and German, to name a few. Thereis also an array of socioeconomicbackgrounds. However,” she says,“what seems to surprise some peopleis the diversity and range of hearingloss levels.”

“Often professionals and familiesare under the impression that we havea decibel requirement, similar to someof the other programs in the NY area;but Clarke does not. We do have pro-foundly deaf children with cochlearimplants or children who are pre-implant candidates. But we also havechildren with mild-moderate or sin-gle-sided hearing loss. When you lookin the classrooms, you’ll see childrenwith a single hearing aid, hearing aids,cochlear implants, or a combinationof any of these.”

In fact, children who have amoderate loss “fall through the cracks” as often if notmore often than children who are profoundly deaf. Anydegree of hearing loss can present educational difficultiesfor children; children with mild to moderate hearinglosses can miss up to 50% of classroom discussions.Unless they receive help, these children could face therisk of long-term difficulties with social relationships,education, and self-esteem.

Take, for instance, 4½-year-old Henry. As a baby,

Henry passed his newborn hearing screening and seemedto be achieving his developmental milestones. At aboutage 2½, when most hearing children typically use clearerspeech, longer sentences and more complex communica-tion, Henry didn’t. His parents began to investigate thecause and discovered that he had a moderate to severe hear-

ing loss. He was fitted for his firstpair of hearing aids a month after histhird birthday.

Both of Henry’s parents stronglybelieved that Henry could get hisneeds met in a regular preschool,where he was already enrolled. Butafter visiting the preschool class atClarke, they realized it could offerHenry a head start in learningdesigned especially to meet hisneeds. “From the minute wewalked through the door we couldsee (and hear) the difference. Onthe tour, Meredith explained thatthe classrooms had been designedto create an ideal listening environ-ment. Unlike a mainstream pre-school, all of the services Henryneeded were in one place: speechtherapists, audiologists and teachersof the deaf and hard of hearing.You could see that the childrenwere thriving, and we knew thatClarke was the right place forHenry,” said his mother.

“When Henry first came toClarke he was sweet, occasionally playful and a bit shy.His speech and language were at about the level of achild half his age and he inconsistently “tolerated” hishearing aids for short periods of time. Within days,upon seeing classmates wear hearing aids and implantsto school and seeing the teachers and therapists do dailylistening checks, Henry was doing the same. By the endof the first quarter of school, he went from being achild with the language of CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

A BRIDGE TO THE MAINSTREAM

Top photo: Henry, 41⁄2-years-old

8

“Delsin, a happy Northampton pre-schooler, delights at coaxing a giggleout of his classmates and teachers.Just the other day, during a languageexercise using a baby doll as a prop,Delsin belted out a dramaticallysuave, ‘I’ll be back, baby!’

It’s hard to believe that just a yearago Delsin was only able to speaksingle words. Born with a moderate-to-profound hearing loss, he was fit-ted with high-powered hearing aidsbut was having trouble developingauditory, speech and language skills.With the benefits of a very support-ive family and the specializedinstruction he’s received fromClarke, Delsin is now talking up astorm! He hasn’t just found his voice,but his funny bone too!”

Marian HartblayPreschool Director, Northampton Campus

“Lianis first came to us in our EarlyIntervention class. She has a profoundhearing loss and had recently receivedbilateral cochlear implants. Lianis wasvery close to her mother, and very shy.She was often seen hiding behind hermother's leg or sometimes evenwrapped around it! When the time forpreschool came, mom and dad were abit nervous, and we talked a lot abouthow to ease the transition. So it cameas a real surprise to mom that whenthe bus pulled up on the first day, Lia-nis simply got on and didn't evenlook back! No tears, not even a wave!

It makes me so proud to know that weare a part of Lianis’ development.She's now in the 3-year-old class, andserves as our unofficial welcomewagon. She has recently mastered say-ing the /H/ sound in words. Shedelights in running over to greet ourvisitors with a Hi or Hello! and ifsomeone doesn't respond, she comesback and says it again!"

Meredith BergerDirector, New York Campus

“Destiny just celebrated her 5thbirthday with Clarke and has beenwith us since infancy. While study-ing community helpers, Destiny vis-ited with a fire fighter, police officer,dentist, and a U.S. soldier. In prepa-ration for meeting the soldier, Des-tiny mastered reciting the Pledge ofAllegiance, standing at attention,and saluting. Destiny's enthusiasmis contagious!

Watching our students set their owngoals — and achieve them — is oneof the most rewarding things aboutmy work here.”

Mary Jane JohnsonAssistant Director, Boston Campus

Clarke’s Little Learners

“Just last week I sat in on a speechtherapy session where AlisaDemico, our speech pathologistwas working with Violet, a bubblylittle girl in our preschool class. Inthe lesson, they were talking aboutwhat it means to be ‘bossy.’ Violetturned to me and said, ‘Mrs. Allen,are you bossy?’

I laughed and explained that I was‘the boss,’ but that everyone atClarke tried to have a positive atti-tude and work together. We thentalked about the word attitude —that someone could have a goodattitude, a bad attitude, or just sim-ply ‘cop an attitude.’

It amazes me what Violet hasachieved in her short time with us.She loves new words and her vocab-ulary has exploded! She came to theschool through our early interven-tion program, struggling to learnwords. Watching her become excitedat learning new words — even bossy— makes me proud of the work wedo at Clarke.”

Susan AllenDirector, Jacksonville Campus

“Sam is a wonderful and chatty lit-tle boy in our preschool class. Bornwith a bilateral sensory neural hear-ing loss, Sam received a cochlearimplant at 12 months and laterenrolled in a program at Clarke. Inconsultation with our staff, his fam-ily decided that Sam would receivea second implant. I’m delighted tosay that Sam has been doing won-derfully and will be attending amainstream school next fall!

Right now, Sam attends a main-stream kindergarten class once aweek to help facilitate the transi-tion. His parents tell us, ‘Over thepast three years, not only hasClarke been instrumental in help-ing Sam achieve his high academiclevel, but you’ve been a wonderfulsupport in guiding our school dis-trict in what needs to be done tohelp make Sam successful.’”

Judy SextonDirector, Pennsylvania Campus

9

FIND US, FOLLOWUS, VISIT US —AND PLEASE SENDUS YOUR EMAILADDRESS!DID YOU KNOW that you can nowconnect with Clarke on Facebook,Twitter and YouTube? You can alsovisit our website to view studentprofiles, news and videos!

Looking for up-to-the-minute newsfrom our campuses? Then sign upfor our brand-new electronicnewsletter, The Clarke Connection.

Our website:clarkeschools.org

Find us on Facebook through the shortcut:http://clarkeschools.org/fb

Follow us on Twitter:http://twitter.com/clarkeschools

Visit us on YouTube.com:http://youtube.com/clarkeschool

Sign up for our new e-newsletter,The Clarke Connection:http://clarkeschools.org/subscribe

10

GivingSt

uden

tsTheFullPicture

Clarke’sMainstream

Services

COUNSELOR, TUTOR, CONSULT-ANT AND FRIEND: an itinerantteacher can be all of these thingsand more to a child with hearingloss in the mainstream.

Heather Stinson is a Clarke itinerantteacher working with children inmainstream schools. This year,Heather is working with severalstudents at various grade levels,including Audrey, a graduate ofClarke now attending Keene High School.

“One of the things I ask mystudents to do at the beginning ofthe year is to make a list of goals.Audrey wrote that her number onegoal was to make new friends,“says Stinson.

“We talked a lot about how peoplemake friends, how they approacheach other, how they choose theirfriends. Audrey told me this girl inher class kept coming over andtalking to her, bothering her.”Stinson laughs a bit and says, “Wecontinued our discussions andAudrey was able to realize that thisgirl wasn’t trying to bother her, shewas trying to be her friend!”

With Heather’s encouragement,not only did Audrey make a newfriend, but she even got up thecourage to join Ink, a literary clubbased at her school. “She loveswriting, anything creative, so it’s agreat match for her,” says Stinson.“It’s wonderful to be a part of thesekids’ lives as they grow.”

11

“I think what we do is revolutionary—still,”says Claire Troiano, Director of Clarke’s Mainstream Services. “Even though theprogram was started more than 30 years ago, the impact of our work—bringingthe knowledge of hearing loss to mainstream teachers, helping kids reach theiracademic and social goals, and supporting parents—cannot be underestimated.”

Today, as a result of the advances in hearing technologies, many more chil-dren who are deaf and hard of hearing are transitioning from specialized pro-grams to mainstream schools. However, mainstream classrooms can present achallenge for these children.

“As soon as you introduce noise into a setting, the percentage of what theyunderstand goes down. Classrooms are really noisy places! There’s a risk ofchildren mishearing or not getting the full picture.” But with help fromClarke Mainstream Services, children who are deaf and hard of hearing canthrive in mainstream classrooms.

Clarke holds an orientation at the beginning of the school year at the stu-dent’s new school. “We introduce people at the school to the student, and wegive them a kind of ‘crash course’ in hearing loss. Teachers take part in simu-lations of different kinds of hearing loss and receive a detailed report abouttheir new student.” Six weeks later, professionals from Clarke return to theschool and observe the child in class. “We work closely with the school dur-ing follow-up, asking, ‘What are your questions, what’s come up?’”

Troiano describes the biggest challenge for mainstream schools as“understanding, not just the technologies, but also the effects of hearingloss on the child.”

Clarke Mainstream Services offers a wide array of services to schools, fromconsulting and educational products to itinerant teaching services, wheretrained teachers of the deaf work directly within mainstream classrooms.Troiano is particularly proud of Mainstream’s Buddy Program, in which olderstudents from Clarke’s K-8 Program are paired with hearing peers from aneighboring school for activities and field trips.

Troiano says that the most important thing for parents to remember whentheir child enters the mainstream is: “They are kids first—they are kids whohave interests and talents and hobbies. Parent have to be aware of the hearing

loss as it’s going to have an impact and implications; but itdoesn’t define who their children are.”

Above: Current and former Clarke Northampton Students; Inset: Claire Troiano, Director of Clarke's Mainstream Services

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MEET CLARKE STUDENT,

JESSICACAVANAUGH

About Jessica: “Jessica is avery conscientious and hard

working student who gets veryenthused about learning,” says

her teacher Marilyn Buuck.“She has a delightful sense of

humor and can really keep meon my toes!”

Clarke’s K-8 Program in Northampton continuesto offer a unique setting for children who are deaf and hard of hearing to developtheir listening, learning and spoken language skills and prepare for success in highschool and beyond.

Jessica Cavanaugh, an 8th grader who will be graduating this year, is makingplans for her transition to a mainstream high school in her hometown. But rightnow her attention is on the upcoming Drama Club production, The Wicked Wiz-ard of Oz, in which she co-stars.

“We just had our first rehearsal where we had to memorize our lines,” Jessicasaid. As a veteran of Clarke productions, she doesn’t mind helping the newerplayers. “I help them figure out where they need to be and tell them to watch thedirector. That’s the most important thing.”

Jessica, who has a severe to profound hearing loss and uses a cochlear implant,has been at Clarke since she was in preschool. “As parents, we can’t thank theClarke staff enough for always being there for our family when we needed supportor new understanding, and for helping Jessica become the person she is,” say Jes-sica’s parents, Jutta and Dan Cavanaugh.

“Jessica is eager and ready to move on and there is no doubt in our mind thatshe will succeed, make new friends and deal with daily situations, self advocateand bring as much to her new environment as she gets out of it.”

When asked what advice she would give other students who might feel nervousabout trying new experiences and meeting new people, Jessica says, “I just be myselfand talk and talk and talk! It’s not that hard to find something you have in common.”

Jessica participates in community sports, the newspaper club and has traveledto Germany many times to visit her mother’s family. “Clarke has instilled in Jes-sica a confidence that will be with her forever,” says Jeanne Cavanaugh, Jessica’sgrandmother.

Although Jessica still has a lot left to do at Clarke over the next few months,she’s not worried about what comes next. “I will miss Clarke and my friends here,but I’m also excited to go to a new school,” she says. “I’m definitely ready.”

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“With other graduate programs,you study the material, but may not necessarily beimmersed in the environment. Here at Clarke, we eatlunch with the children, help them with their homeworkand get to know them really well. It’s a very warm andhomelike environment.”

Olga Corral Carrillo is from a small village in theGalicia region of Spain. Currently, she is living inNorthampton and working towards a master’s degree inDeaf Education through the Smith College/ClarkeSchool Graduate Program in Teacher Education.

Helping children with hearing loss became the focusof Olga’s career when a cousin in Spain was born pro-foundly deaf. “I had previously studied special education,but with early intervention and new hearing technolo-gies, so much had changed. My family and I had to learna lot in a very short period of time.” Olga contacted aSpanish organization, CLAVE (Caring for HearingImpairment) to learn more about deaf education andearly intervention. “I realized immediately that this waswhat I wanted to do with my life.”

Very few graduate-level programs in Spain aredesigned specifically for working with children withhearing loss. CLAVE, in partnership with Clarke andSmith College, arranged for Olga to travel to the UnitedStates and receive specialized training in deaf educationand child development.

As part of the master’s program, Olga is takingcourses in language acquisition, the development ofauditory/oral skills, audiology and language instructionand curriculum. Because the program is based on theNorthampton campus of Clarke, Olga has the benefit

of studying alongside deaf students and experiencedteachers of the deaf.

“Clarke’s program is internationally recognized. I’m tak-ing classes, learning from teachers who have years of experi-ence, and working with children all at the same time.” Aspart of the program, Olga will complete classroom rota-tions with each age group and observe speech therapy ses-sions. When she graduates, Olga plans to return to Spainand work in CLAVE’s early intervention program. “I lookforward to helping families of infants with hearing lossunderstand its effect on their child’s development.”

“Olga is dedicated and focused on making a big impactin the world,” says Dan Salvucci, Interim Director of theSmith College/Clarke program. “Olga and her fellow stu-dents bring new enthusiasm and curiosity to the field.”

Olga’s drive to help others has taken her far from herSpanish village. While earning her undergraduate degree inSpecial Education and Pedagogy at Granada University,Olga volunteered with several international organizations.In England, she tutored Spanish schoolchildren; in Irelandshe interned with a national wheelchair accessibility organi-zation; and in New York City, she interned at the Metropol-itan Museum of Art working with visitors with disabilities.

“They have all been incredible experiences. I’ve alwayswanted to get out into the world and make a difference.”By all accounts, she already has.

“I realized immediatelythat this was what I

wanted to do with my life.”

OlgaCarrillo isMaking aDifference

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SUMMER MEMORIESKids are still talking about Elizabeth.She came to Clarke’s SummerAdventure last year at age 9.Although her family was hesitant tosend her off to a new place for twowhole weeks, they soon realizedthat it was one of the best decisionsthey ever made. For the first fewdays, Elizabeth was nervous aboutmeeting new people and beingaway from home.  But that quicklychanged, and Elizabeth says herfavorite activities were “the fieldtrips to Howe Cavern, the Coral ReefAquarium and Look Park.”

At the closing night celebration,Elizabeth volunteered to share herspecial talent: singing. Her knockoutrendition of the Star SpangledBanner captivated students andstaff alike. Following her, otherstudents jumped up to share theirtalents in an impromptu talent show.

“For the first time, Elizabeth felttruly confident and comfortable tobe who she is,” wrote Elizabeth’smother. “Being surrounded by otherstudents and staff with hearing losshelped Elizabeth to know that she isnot alone, is part of somethingbigger than herself and that she canaccomplish many great things. Shecan’t wait to go back next summer.”

15

For children who are deaf or hard ofhearing, summer may also be theirfirst time away from home and theirusual support network.

“This is often a big step for fami-lies of children with hearing loss,”says Martha deHahn, Director of Pro-gram Information at Clarke. “In addi-tion to the usual anxiety over a childgoing away to a sleep-away program,there are a host of other concerns:Will the counselors understand the assis-tive technologies my child needs? Willthey know how to change a hearing aidbattery? Will my child be able to partic-ipate in all the activities?”

That’s where Clarke’s SummerAdventure comes in. This two-weekprogram of activities for children whoare deaf and hard of hearing has beenheld on the Northampton campus ofClarke Schools for Hearing andSpeech for over 30 years. Days arefilled with educational and enrichinglearning activities along with hiking,swimming and field trips.

Parent testimonials from over theyears fill multiple folders in deHahn’s

office. Said one parent: “The peopleat Clarke ‘get it.’ Everyone: adminis-trators, staff, and teachers, took thesteps to not only ensure that our sonunderstood what was being said butthat his voice was being heard. It wasworth traveling across the country tohave this experience for our son.”

“Each Summer Adventure has atheme,” says Bob Storm, whohelped establish the first summerprogram in 1981. “One theme wasInvention Convention; we learnedabout famous inventors and thekids created their own gadgets.There’s always been a focus on cre-ativity and exploration.”

Perhaps the most unique featureof the program is the staff. In addi-tion to trained teachers of the deaf, aswim instructor, a physical educationinstructor, and a computer labinstructor, there are also teenage jun-ior counselors, all of whom have ahearing loss. “The bond the kidsdevelop with the junior counselors isincredible,” says deHahn. “Theyknow that the counselors understand

what they’re going through, becausethey’ve been through it themselves.”

The program also provides a spe-cial opportunity for students who aredeaf and hard of hearing who attendmainstream schools to meet otherchildren like themselves. “At the endof the two weeks, you’d think thesekids had known each other forever!And now, with email and Facebook,kids who attend one summer programwill stay connected for a lifetime.”

CLARKE’SSUMMERADVENTURE

For many adolescents, summertimemeans swimming, hiking, and mak-ing memories to last a lifetime.

CreatingCommunity

16

MEET CLARKEALUM, ERIN

DOMINOV

“Sometimes life takes you on adetour before getting to whereyou want to go.” Those are wisewords coming from WellesleyHigh School science teacher, andClarke Alum, Erin Dominov.

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Promise and PeALUMNI CORNER

When asked about Clarke, Erinhas many fond memories. “There

were a lot of students just like meand I didn’t feel that I was alone oran oddity.” Not surprisingly, herfavorite subject was science—bothat Clarke and when she main-streamed to public school. It wasthat love of science coupled with afierce sense of self that propelledErin to work as hard as she did tobecome a teacher.

Although Erin wanted to teachimmediately upon graduating fromBridgewater State College, sheneeded more time to pass herMTELs (Massachusetts Tests forEducator Licensure). So she enrolledin UMass Amherst’s master’s programfor three years, and then passed thetest. She ended up student teachingat Wellesley High School where sheworked with a wonderful mentor,

and where she made such an impres-sion that she has remained there andbecome a part-time (soon to be full-time) earth science teacher.

But Dominov is teaching muchmore than ninth grade science. Any-one observing her in the classroomquickly recognizes that she is teach-ing her students about promise andperseverance, about life. She is

demonstrating—first hand—what itmeans to follow your dreams andovercome obstacles. “I have beenupfront with my students since dayone about my deafness; what Iexpected from them and what theycould expect from me.”

Of course, there are challenges.Sometimes she needs to remind stu-dents to speak up a bit; and shehelped the school rig a sound sensorto light up when the school bell rings.But Dominov has persevered and feelsincredibly fortunate to be an educa-tor. “I enjoy teaching my studentsnew things about the Earth and giv-ing them a different perspective.”

A new perspective indeed. “Lifedoesn’t take you on one path,” shereminds us. “And that can be a goodthing.”

“I have been upfront with mystudents since day one about my deafness; what I expected

from them and what they couldexpect from me.”

17

ALUMNI LIAISONFOR MORE THAN 40 years, BobStorm has been a treasure —teacher, mentor, and friend — to thestudents of Clarke Northampton.So, when creating the new staffposition of alumni liaison, Bobseemed like a perfect fit.

“We are committed to keepingan open, welcoming, and growingrelationship with our alumni,” saysClarke President, Bill Corwin, “andBob is the perfect person toensure that special connectionstays strong and vibrant.”

Whether it be coordinating thesummer program, or teaching sci-ence and math in the middleschool, Bob has been a prominentforce in the lives of literally hun-dreds of students — some stillyoung adults, and many now par-ents and grandparents themselves!

Now teaching part time, Bob isimmersed in all things related toClarke alumni. Recently, he’s beenworking to coordinate the beginningphases of the History Project, a proj-ect designed to archive and preserveClarke’s long and rich history. Bobalso keeps busy on his brand newFacebook account. “It’s a wonderfulway to catch up with alumni. I’veconnected with people I haven’t seenin years or who live very far away.”

“It’s such a great reward,” saysBob, “getting to have personalinteractions with so many wonder-ful people each day. It is so heart-ening to be in touch with so manyalums as they realize Clarke is stillhere for them, and that we careabout and are interested in them.”

“It’s really a perfect job for me.And after more than 40 years I canstill say that from day one, Clarkehas been a perfect fit.”

Visit Bob on Facebook at: Facebook.com/robertd.storm

erseverance Dominov, who was born deaf, was not diagnosed until she was three and a half years old. At that point, she was outfitted with hearing aids. Six months later, she began kindergarten at Clarke’s Northampton Campus where she remained for the next nine years. She received a cochlear implant in 2003 and again in 2008.

18

Changing Lives MEET

COCHLEARIMPLANT

SURGEON, DR.THEODORE

MASON

“Nobody does it better thanClarke.” So says Dr.Theodore Mason, who choseto practice in Springfield,MA, in large part, because ofthe proximity to Clarke’sNorthampton campus.

Mason, a member of Clarke’s board of trustees, is one ofWestern Massachusetts’ busiest and most respected surgeons in avery specialized field.

“If children with cochlear implants and hearing loss want tosucceed in the hearing world, they need to be taught a set ofskills. Clarke,” says Mason, “teaches these children to use theirresidual hearing with amplification; and it teaches them tounderstand and produce speech. It’s delightful to know that I canconfidently tell a parent, if they send their child to Clarke, theodds are vastly increased that their child will succeed.”

When asked about the next venture in hearing loss technology,he cites research on re-growing inner ear hair cells to restore hear-ing. Unfortunately though, the research is slow-going and he’d besurprised if it came to fruition anytime in the next twenty years.

Something that will emerge in very near future, says Mason,is a completely internal and wireless cochlear implant. But he iscautious about that option as well. “Since the microphone isembedded underneath the skin, the clarity won’t be as good.”Another concern Mason has is that he does not want childrento think that implants are something to be embarrassed by orhidden. In fact, he always encourages young patients to getpink and purple devices and turn their amplification into“cool” accessories.

So, what is the next big thing on the horizon? Mason isadamant: “It’s already here. Cochlear implants are exceptional

18

Each Day

devices, and patients are going to do great with them.” Heexplains that if a child meets the criteria for getting animplant, the signal received from the implant can be evenbetter than a hearing aid because it restores the clarity ofspeech that a hearing aid simply cannot.

Although cochlear implants comprise only ten per-cent of his surgical volume—he works with dizziness and

balance problems, fixes eardrums and removes cysts—many of Mason’s favorite moments are with formerimplant patients. “I love seeing a child who wasimplanted at age one and now, at seven, is talking awaylike all the other kids. If it were not for the surgery, thatchild’s life would have been vastly different.” He pauses.“Hugs from those kids are pretty special.”

1919

“It’s delightful to know that I can confidently tell aparent, if they send their child to Clarke, the odds are

vastly increased that their child will succeed.”

20

Kathryn Girardin’s grand motherwas the first person she knew with hearing loss.“She lostthe ability to hear after having scarlet fever. The morningbefore she was to give her Valedictorian speech, she wokeup deaf.”

Fiercely determined, Kathryn’s grandmother deliveredthe speech anyway.

Girardin is an audiologist and Director of the Hear-ing Center on Clarke’s Northampton Campus, a positionshe has held since 2007. The Center provides diagnostichearing tests, hearing aid selection and fitting manage-ments to all ages – from infants to adults. Girardin saysserving a diverse population benefits both her staff andother patients. “Older people coming in see childrenwith hearing aids, and learn firsthand that hearing healthis an issue for everyone.”

“It was because of my grandparents that I decided topursue audiology,” she reflects. Girardin’s grandfatheralso experienced a severe hearing loss, the result of anindustrial explosion at the family’s quarry. “I grew uparound the whistling and squealing of hearing aids.”

But, says Girardin, advances in hearing technologyhave made whistling and squealing a thing of the past.

“Hearing aids used to be straight amplifiers, now they aresmart listeners: analyzing sounds, amplifying discrete fre-quencies to maximize speech and reduce noise interfer-ence,” says Girardin. “Recommending and fittinghearing aids today is so much better because the benefitsare so much greater.” However, in some ways, modernlifestyles present greater hazards to hearing health.“Noise in general is a problem in our society,” saysGirardin. “From portable music players like iPods tooccasional power tools usage, firecrackers, target shoot-ing, and snowblowers, many commonplace things cancause hearing loss, from either one-time exposures orgradually over time.”

But, Girardin can’t emphasize enough the incredibleadvances in technology; thanks to high-powered hearingaids and cochlear implants, the benefits for young patientsare greater than ever. “I remember working with a childwho was 3 or 4 after he received a cochlear implant.Shortly after his surgery he was in the bathroom andstarted laughing hysterically. When his mom asked himwhat was going on, he replied, “mommy, it makes noise.”Girardin laughs and reflects that, “It makes you realizehow much of a child’s life is impacted by sound!”

HEARING FOR EVERYONE

Dr. Kathryn Girardinand patient

21

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, Coordinatorlfindlay@clarkeschools.org413.587.7324

“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

22

A native of Bennington, Vermont, and a Harvard University graduate,Richard S. Holden first came to Northamp-ton during World War II as an instructor atthe Naval Reserve Midshipman’s School forWAVES at Smith College. After the War, hisbanking career first took him to New York,but later he returned to Northampton, aplace he called “the end of the rainbow forme and my family.” Richard served as Presi-dent of Northampton National Bank, andwas a widely recognized community leader,earning the “Outstanding Citizen of theYear” award in 1967.

The Holden family—Richard, Isabel(known to many as “Matthew”) and theirdaughter Constance, lived next door to ClarkeSchool. They were a fixture on campus fordecades and gave generously to the schoolduring their lifetimes. Richard served as aTrustee, they were charter members of TheCoolidge Fellows Program, frequentlyattended school functions, and were a popularstop for Clarke’s trick-or-treaters. To this day,Richard’s portrait hangs in Clarke’s BoardRoom serving as both a tribute to his leader-ship and an inspiration to the generations oftrustees that have followed in his footsteps.

“Matthew” was active in the vibrant civic and intellectual life ofNorthampton, serving as President of the Northampton HistoricalSociety and teaching music at the Smith College Campus School.She is remembered as an ardent animal lover who would often stopto chat with Clarke’s students and staff as she rode her horse orwalked her dogs on Round Hill Road.

In the spring of 2010, the Holden’s daughter Constance,“Tancy,” passed away. Her colleagues at Science magazine — where

she worked for 40 years in the news department — remembered heras, “... a lively presence in our offices, with fiery red hair and a gre-garious, straight-shooting personality who earned the admirationand affection of her colleagues and friends. In addition to her role asa top science journalist, she was also an accomplished painter, spe-cializing in oil portraits, and an avid enthusiast of piano playing,cats, and a good argument.”

This year, Clarke received a most generous bequest from theHolden family’s estate. “We are deeply grateful that the Holdens choseto continue their legacy of leadership with this extraordinary gift,” saidBill Corwin, Clarke’s President. “Their donation will provide scholar-ships and financial support for Clarke’s programs that help childrenwho are deaf and hard of hearing gain the listening, learning and spo-ken language skills they need to succeed in school and in life.”

TheUltimateGoodNeighbor

To this day, Richard’s portraithangs in Clarke’s Board Room.

23

Talk about going the extra mile. Dan Montero, aClarke - Jacksonville alumni parent and member of Clarke’s Board ofTrustees, ran 26.2 miles — to be exact — to benefit Clarke children.

“I have wanted to run a marathon for some time. I am always thinking ofways to promote Clarke Schools, so I made a few t-shirts with Clarke’s logo,created a Facebook Cause and here we are,” said Montero. The DisneyMarathon took place Sunday, January 9th and attracted 53,000 runners from60 countries.

Through his efforts, Monteroraised over $7,000 for Clarke -Jacksonville, which will bematched dollar-for-dollar by acharitable foundation committedto furthering Clarke’s mission.

Montero’s son, Pierce, age 8,has a profound bilateral hearingloss, and uses bilateral cochlearimplants to help him accesssound. Pierce has attendedClarke-Jacksonville since 2007,and he is preparing to enroll inhis neighborhood school bySeptember.

“I can't find the right wordsto describe what Clarke has donefor our son, Pierce. Just listen tohim talk — enough said. Clarkehas taught him the fundamentalsof speech and language whichgive him endless opportunities he did not previously have before receiving hiscochlear implants and attending the Clarke School,” said Montero.

When asked what he would say to others to encourage them to supportClarke Schools, Montero responded, “I would say nothing. I would let my sondo the talking, and then I would remind anyone listening that he is deaf. Iwould also tell them that it does not come natural or easy. Countless hours ofspeech and language therapy and oral/deaf instruction helped get us here. Thetalented staff at Clarke have spent numerous hours receiving specialized train-ing in order to serve children like my son. I am grateful to Clarke and to allthe wonderful people who support this amazing organization.”

Going theDistance for Clarke

WAYS TOGIVE• Annual Fund Donations

• Stocks/Bonds

• Monthly Giving

• Gifts in kind

• Special Events

• Named Endowments

• Planned Gifts

• Memorial Gift/Honoring Gift

• Your Employer’s Matching Gift Program

PLANNED GIFTS• Bequests

• Real Estate

• Retirement Plans

• Life Insurance

• Charitable Gift Annuity

• Charitable Remainder Trusts

Your gift to any Clarke campuswill have twice the impact on ourchildren and families. Ananonymous, charitable foundationthat is committed to helpingchildren with hearing loss reachtheir full potential will match allgifts to Clarke’s five campuses ifthey are received by June 30th.

To learn more, contact Clarke'sChief Development Officer, JaneLennox at 413.582.1182 orjlennox@clarkeschools.org

24

Clarke's AlumniCouncil enjoys a freemoment whileplanning a ClarkeNorthamptonhomecoming. Back row (l ot r):David Del Pizzo '92,Richard Mahaffy '81,James Barden '00,Curtis Reid '80, UgoRonghi '85Front row (l to r):Laurie (Filios)Blanchard '82,Cynthia (Catron)Pierce '55, SharonWade '80, Christine(Duffy) Skwersky '87

CLARKE ALUMNI HONOR NOLANAt Homecoming 2010, the day’s activities closed with aceremony honoring Kevin Nolan, Sr., class of 1958, inGalbraith Center, Clarke’s gymnasium.  Mr. Nolan workedat the Northampton campus for 21 years in a variety ofcapacities before becoming the first deaf politician everto be elected into office in the United States.

Clarke Northampton 2010 Graduating Class

NORTHAMPTON THEN AND NOW

25

ABOUT THEHISTORY PROJECT Telling Our Story Clarke is embarking on an exciting proj-ect to preserve our history. “The ClarkeStory is a big part of the history of theexperience of being deaf in America fromthe late 19th century to today,” said BillCorwin, President of Clarke. “As one ofthe first oral schools for the deaf in thenation, we feel a responsibility to pre-serve our story, not only to celebrate ourrich history, but also to make it availablefor future generations of historians,researchers, educators, and people whoare deaf and hard of hearing.”

The History Project will capture and tellthe story of Clarke’s people—students,alumni and their families, teachers andstaff. “After all,” said Bob Storm, veteranClarke teacher who now serves as AlumniLiaison, “it is on their shoulders that westand to see the future.”

The History Project is currently in theinitial planning stage during which thescope, goals, budget and fundraisingplans are being developed. “Since wehave been educating students since1867, this is a huge undertaking that willtake many years to complete,” saidBob. “Our goal is to have it finished byour 150th anniversary in 2017.”

For more information or to get involvedwith the History Project, contact Bob Storm, Clarke Alumni Liaison,alumniliaison@clarkeschools.org or visithim on Facebook at Facebook.com/robertd.storm

PHOTOS, FROM TOP:Grace Coolidge with students, 1928

Student and teacher, circa 1950

Circa 1980. Can you identify thesestudents? Email Bob Storm at theaddress above and let him know!

26

Clarkeby the

Numbers

In fiscal year 2010,

Clarke made an

impact on nearly

4,500 people

through our academic

programs, services,

workshops, and

outreach efforts.

1,117 children were

served through

educational and

early childhood

programs, audiological

services, and

mainstream services

at five locations.

2,204 educators,

teachers-in-training,

parents and specialists

benefited from Clarke

Mainstream Services

workshops and

publications and

Clarke Educational

Evaluations.

27

an 18-month-old to being able to follow one stepdirections, use new vocabulary in and out ofschool, and answer simple questions,” says Berger.

Henry is now in the integrated class (a mix ofchildren with and without hearing loss) and can beheard discussing which artist he likes better (Jack-son Pollack vs. Matisse), laughing, playing andbeing more than a little silly with all of his friends-regardless of their hearing status. He can also beseen changing his hearing aid batteries and “synch-ing” his FM system.

“Our students are very savvy about their ampli-fication,” says Berger. “They have to be, so thatwhen they go to kindergarten they can advocate forthemselves. While we support families transitioningfrom Clarke to their next school and advocate forthe appropriate support services to be in place, weknow that our responsibility and goal is to havechildren leave here with the strongest skills possiblethat will insure a successful experience in kinder-garten and beyond.”

Accordingly, children know the technical termsfor their personal amplification systems; can iden-tify many common problems; and know how to askfor help. The staff use real classroom experiences tosupport the children in developing the language andstrategies they need to repair communication break-downs—asking for repetition, for clarification or forsomething to be louder (or quieter).

“At Clarke-New York, we try to take the attitudethat failure is not an option. We have until the endof preschool to do everything we can because theyare moving on to kindergarten. So when childrenleave to go to public school, our intention is thatthey leave with skills above their hearing peers.With all of the changes they experience—biggerclasses, acoustically unfriendly environments,adults talking faster—they need to have the confi-dence and a level of mastery in language andkindergarten readiness skills that will enable themto focus and adapt to those new things.”

As for Henry, his teachers and Meredith Bergerhave no doubt about where he’s going. “We haveevery expectation that his next step will be in amainstream setting. His progress, in a very shortperiod of time, has been extraordinary.”

1,169 adults received

diagnostic hearing

evaluations, hearing

aid consultations

and fittings, and

personalized

attention at Clarke’s

Hearing Center.

As of June 2010,

1,489 teachers

trained through the

Smith College/Clarke

Graduate Program in

Teacher Education

have impacted the lives

of thousands of

children with hearing

loss in all 50 states and

34 nations.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

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