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Secondary Department News
Preparing our students to “thrive “ in the 21st century has been this year’s theme. To that end, teachers are being encouraged to identify the skills, knowledge and dispositions our students need. Through our testing, we gain a glimpse of where students are as they climb the ladder towards mastering the standards. Teachers have been offered professional development training in various areas.
The faculty attended a one hour overview workshop focusing on curricular alignment given by Mary Farrell , a Canisius college adjunct. Aligning the written curriculum with the testing curriculum (NYS tests) affords an effective teaching curriculum. Research indicates substantial gains in student learning when teachers analyze state tests to identify important content and the level of cognition.
Teachers are being asked to look at what they do with “new eyes”. Observing and using data to determine how much of their classroom instruction aligns with state standards, what percentage of learning is retained from instructional practice and how to teach more efficiently. Time is of the essence. A few teachers have proposed to regroup students based upon NWEA testing information in the area of reading. We created 20 minute blocks of teaching time every morning for every student to address four aspects of reading. The goal of this twenty-minute academic intervention service is to provide students with the specific instruction that each student needs in order to demonstrate progress as assessed by NWEA.( Competencies Across Standards, Critical Analysis and Evaluation, Information and Understanding, and Literary Response and Expression. ) Our goal is to implement this by the third quarter.
Jean Odien and Diane Gonzalez have teamed up to promote increased student reading. Carmen Presti & some animals from the Niagara Primate Sanctuary will kick off a “Go Ape Over Reading” program which begins at the end of January. The program includes a read-a-thon component in which students will be asked to solicit pledges based on the number of books read. Students will be directed to read Reading Counts books . All students will receive a personalized recommended reading list. Funds raised will be donated to Mr. Presti’s foundation.The program runs from February 1 – May 1,2008.
Kirsten Helm’s PIG( Participation in Government) students participated in a UB Architectural student’s project. He designed a K-8 school on a site adjacent to the Buffalo Suzuki Strings School in North Tonawanda. Inspired by the music school, he designed a school for the deaf as he believes hearing is not limited to just the ears, but extends to sight, touch and feeling. His research included interviewing our students. He later returned. Students had the opportunity to see how their input became this students” architectural modal”.
Professor Drew Kahn in the Theater Department at Buffalo State College, invited our students to see one of our alumni, Sam Hemphil, perform the role of Teiresias, the prophet in the production of ANTIGONE by Sophocles. Pam Rohring and Nancy Moore worked with students to provide background to this play. Some read it others read a summary. Pam worked with the actors to ascertain the signs used for each character. Almost the entire secondary department attended. Professor Kahn stated “Sam's work in the show is a living testament that deaf students not only "can" but actually "thrive" in areas previously ignored.”
We have collaborated with Tapestry on student interviews as part of their deaf awareness unit. We conclude 2007 with SMSD students inviting THS to join us in some holiday fun….basketball and a holiday social involving board games and dancing.
Mark your calendars for our next spring musical, “Fiddler on the Roof”. There will be morning (10:30am) and evening (7pm) performances on April 23 and April 24.
Peace and good things to all,
Patricia M. Michalek
Secondary Principal
E-mail: pattimac@smsdk12.org
or
call (716) 834-7200 ext 164
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- Clothing and all jewelry must be safe and not disrupt or interfere with the educational program. The wearing of chains and jewelry that may be used or construed as weapons are prohibited. Hazardous jewelry cannot be worn, including but not limited to spiked jewelry or wallet chains.
- Coats and jackets (outerwear) are not to be worn in the building.
- Hats, hoods, bandanas, visors, non functional headgear, and sunglasses are not to be worn inside the school building.
- Students must wear footwear at all times. Slippers and flip-flops are not allowed.
- Skirts, dresses, and shorts must be of modest length.
- Pants/shorts should be worn at/near the waist. Pants/shorts should not be sagging and may only have holes from the fingertips down, unless covered by fabric. Pajama pants are not allowed.
- All underwear must be completely covered by outer garments. Girls should not have cleavage showing.
- Tube tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, backless tops, one shoulder tops, strapless tops, and off the shoulder tops are not allowed.
- Bare midriffs are not allowed. Shirts or tops must cover the waistband of pants, shorts, and skirts.
- Mesh/nylon see through clothing is not allowed. Gloves may not be worn in the classroom.
- Clothing and accessories must not display or promote:
- racial or ethnic slurs
- gang affiliations
- vulgar, subversive or sexually suggestive language or images
- messages including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
- words written/printed across buttocks of pants, shorts, skirts etc.
Dress Code Violation Consequences
- Students in violation of the dress code will be asked to change their clothing. Inappropriate clothing must be replaced. If a student does not have appropriate clothing on campus, replacement clothes will be available in the Principal’s Office , PE Department or other appropriate administrator’s office.
- Chains, inappropriate jewelry and hats will be confiscated for the day for 1st offense. These items will be confiscated and held until the end of the year for 2nd offenders.
- After each offense for both clothing and jewelry policies, parent or guardians will be contacted via telephone/TTY. After the 3rd offence parents or guardians will be called in for a meeting.
- Students will be given ISS starting with the 4th offense.
Cell Phone/Sidekick Usage
Cell phones, sidekicks, and other similar devices may NOT
be used during classes or study hall.
Consequences:
First Offense – Device will be kept by the adult in charge until 3:00 that same day.
Second Offense – Device will be taken by the adult in charge and given to the Principal.
Third Offense – Device will be taken by the adult in charge, parents will be contacted, device will be prohibited in school through the end of the school year.
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Facts and Figures
Established in 1927:
First High School for the Deaf in the United States
- The Secondary Department consists of a Middle School for Grades 6-8 and a High School for Grades 9-12.
- The Secondary Department is fully accredited by the New York State Education Department and grants Regents, Local, or IEP Diplomas.
- The Secondary Department serves deaf, hard of hearing, and functionally deaf students.
- The Secondary Department offers students educational learning opportunities which include a college preparatory program, occupational training, special classes for alternative learners, life skills classes, and special classes for the multiply-handicapped hearing impaired learner.
Academic Program
- A typical day in a Middle School student's life might include classes in English-Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Math, Computer Applications, Art, Home & Careers, Technology, Speech-Language Therapy, Physical Education, Group and/or Individual Counseling, and Health.
- A typical day in a High School student's life might include classes in English-Language Arts, Speech-Language Therapy, Deaf Studies and ASL, Global History, U.S. History & Government, Economics, Math(A)/Math(B), Earth Science, Living Environment, Introduction to Operations, Drama, Fairview Reading program based reading class, Electronic Publishing, Building Trades & Buildings - Grounds Maintenance, Culinary Arts, Group and/or Individual Counseling, Physical Education, Chemistry, and Journalism/Yearbook.
- Students in the Alternative Learner and Life Skill classes have a full array of alternative academic classes blended with an occupational training emphasis.
- Students in our SNAP unit (Special Needs Achievement Program for Multiply-Handicapped Students) are provided classes which blend basic academics and language development experiences with a heavy emphasis on activities of daily living and preparation for supported living and supported employment following graduation.
- Small class sizes are featured.
- A Total Communication Approach integrating conceptually accurate signed English with spoken and written language modeling is used throughout the Secondary Department.
- All classes taught by teachers who sign and therefore interact directly with the students as opposed to the use of interpreters.
- Mainstreaming opportunities are available at the beginning or end of the school day at students' home district school buildings.
- Day long communication access to all fellow students and staff.
- Opportunity to interact academically, socially, and athletically with a variety of deaf and hard of hearing peers.
- Occupational training opportunities include:
- Building Trades - Building and Grounds Maintenance Course
- Culinary Arts Course
- Job exploration opportunities in a variety of departments at neighboring Sisters of Charity Hospital
- Electronic Publishing Course
- Summer Youth Employment Program
- Access to supported employment occupational training in various closed workshops in the Buffalo Area.
- Half-day BOCES Vocational Training Center Programs
- Outstanding computer skills development opportunities.
- 1 ½ to 2 per day in English-Language Arts available for many high school students.
- Our staff is fully certified, experienced, and caring!
Support Services
- Speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work services, guidance counselor services, vocational assessment, individual and group counseling, teen topic assemblies, Captioned Media Program Depository services, Instructional Media Center services, college representative assemblies, parent advisement, and multi-cultural education services are all available to support students as they live and learn during their Secondary Department years of study.
- The St. Mary's Library is a model for electronic and printed material information centers.
Extra-Curricular Activities
- Leadership skill development through membership in the Junior National Association for the Deaf (Jr. NAD).
- Boys and Girls Athletics in which students compete against local high school programs and other schools for the deaf throughout the Eastern United States.
- Special dances and parties
- Chess Club
- Drama productions
- Yearbook Development
Secondary Department Facilities
- Separate wings for Middle School and High School students
- Student Lounge for student meetings and dining
- Science Lab
- Modern all-purpose computer lab
- Modern electronic publishing computer lab
- Newly constructed Culinary Arts Program kitchen and banquet room
- Comfortable classrooms
- Computers and Internet access available in every classroom
- Specially designed fire alarm systems
- Assistive communication devices for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Well equipped speech-language therapy classrooms