A Letter from the Superintendent
By Marybeth Lauderdale
Dear Students, Families, Friends, and Alumni:
Welcome to the Illinois School for the Deaf, where we celebrate a rich tradition. First, let me say that ISD is not an “institution.” it is a boarding school, where students attend school with other students like themselves, just like the Illinois Math and Science Academy, or IMSA, which is a boarding school in Aurora, Illinois for students who are gifted in math and science. Rich people send their kids to boarding school to be with other rich kids. Even Harry Potter went to boarding school! Children here go to school with other children who are deaf and hard of hearing, and discover their true potential and identity here, without some of the barriers that they may face in public schools. The Illinois School for the Deaf is a community.
Our theme for the year is “Commitment.” We are all committed to making the Illinois School for the Deaf a GREAT school for the education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing. We are also still celebrating community and communication at ISD this year. Fifty-two people received state service awards at our opening meeting, representing 970 years of service to our ISD community!
At the opening meeting, I shared the goals from last school year, and how we met them. They were:
1. We will require language planning schoolwide, based on the AEBPD model, making optimum use of ISD’s Language/Communication Policy and utilizing the bilingual approach in all areas of the campus.
2. We will work to make the Illinois School for the Deaf a statewide resource for all Deaf/hard of hearing students and Deaf Education programs throughout the state.
3. We will continue school improvement initiatives: Bilingual instruction, Language Planning, the Accelerated Reader and Math programs, Response to Intervention, Direct Instruction, and Visual Phonics.
4. We will initiate Phase 3 of the IEP changes.
5. We will continue the AEBPD program, Visual Phonics, and Direct Instruction as part of this process. Initiate AEBPD Levels 5 and 6, while continuing Levels 1-4.
6. We will continue administrative training in how to supervise and evaluate staff.
7. We will continue the physical maintenance plan for the campus.
8. We will continue to expand the outreach team concept to promote information sharing statewide.
This year’s goals are:
1. Continue school improvement initiatives: Bilingual instruction, Language Planning, the Accelerated Reader and Math programs, Response to Intervention, Direct Instruction, and Visual Phonics, including related longitudinal research. Require bilingual language planning schoolwide, based on the AEBPD model, making optimum use of ISD’s Language/Communication Policy and utilizing the bilingual approach in all areas of the campus.
2. Continue to work to make the Illinois School for the Deaf a statewide resource for all Deaf/hard of hearing students and Deaf Education programs throughout the state.
3. Continue staff development to support school improvement initiatives. Examples: AEBPD, ASL, supervision/evaluation of staff, visual phonics/direct instruction, workshops developed from school improvement team and supervisors/principals, etc.
4. Begin new academic and residential programming initiatives, including a pilot testing of the NWEA/comparison with the SAT. Work with ISBE in determining more appropriate and accessible assessment methods for students who are deaf/hard of hearing.
5. Focus on multiculturalism, campuswide.
6. Focus on school safety and anti-bullying.
7. Continue the physical maintenance plan for the campus.
We look forward to seeing you visit any time here in the ISD Community!
Sincerely,
Marybeth Lauderdale
Superintendent