Home
Mission Page
Admissions
Elementary Program
Secondary Program
Cochlear Implant Program
Student Affairs and Support Services
After School Program
Plant Operations
Activity Schedule
School Calendar
Residential Program
Jr. NAD
Homework Pages
School History
Sports
Events
Parent Center
Board/Parent Committee
Pupil Personnel Services
Culinary Training
Institute
Media Services
Captioned Media
Alumni Association
Employment
Board of Trustees
Community Support
Staff Directory

William Page Johnson, Ph.D.
Superintendent

Dear Readers:

     The one hundred and fifty-fifth year of providing educational services begins September 4th at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf.  A proud and rich tradition of excellence in educational programming continues with the intent to expand our services each year.   With great support from the Board of Trustees of the School regarding governance and the State of New York regarding financial funding, we look forward to another exciting, progressive, challenging and rewarding school year.
     The focus of the School remains the same as it has for its entire history.  We endeavor to provide the most appropriate educational program that we can provide for each individual student enrolled at the School.  Our exceptionally well qualified, trained and dedicated faculty and staff enable our students to have appropriate, specific learning opportunities that lead them towards successful post high school opportunities that they pursue.
     Our academic program is on a continuous review cycle, with faculty making adjustments to ensure the required curriculum content is taught in a manner that is effective for the students and consistent with the statewide curriculum mandates.  The vocational education program options are continuing to be expanded.  The residential program continues its wonderful work and looks for new activities that are pertinent to the growth and development of the students involved.  Support services, related services are appropriately available to all students.  We are delighted that we are able to provide tutorial services to any student that would benefit from the service.  We appreciate the cooperation of local school districts, with regards to transportation, on this particular service we provide.  The students have a wealth of extracurricular activities, including athletic team opportunities in soccer, volleyball, basketball and track.  Other sports can be provided in collaboration with another educational organization.  A most comprehensive program for our students is a goal, and we are pleased with what we can offer and always look to further opportunities to provide special learning situations for the students.
     The physical facilities of our campus have undergone some significant projects this summer.  We expanded the food services’ area and particularly the dining area for students.  Our charter high school partner is bringing some 70 new students to the campus.  This fact made it imperative that we expand our dining area facilities.  Our students and staff will appreciate these new facilities.  We have also started the extensive replacement of trees and shrubs that were destroyed by the severe snow storm we experienced last October.  This replacement activity will continue for several more years.  We also upgraded some unused space in the Main Building for Tapestry Charter High School, so that they could handle a significant increase in students they will have.  They paid for these upgrades, too, which is a part of this wonderful collaborative initiative. 
     Some of the activities that we are currently exploring include a much more extensive vocational education option.  There are significant opportunities for our students in these areas.  We are also exploring the possibility of providing these training opportunities for adult deaf persons.  We are exploring the possibility of implementing some special programs that the State of New York has expressed interest in seeing developed within the state.  We are developing a comprehensive, documented work experience program which the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s School for the Deaf and the Special Education Department for the State of New York will need to approve.  We are also pursuing activities that will lead to the implementation of the master plan for the School.  The master plan includes facilities and programs, and will require the involvement of many different entities as we do our best to move the School forward with providing the most appropriate programs in most appropriate, and easily accessible, facilities.
     When the reader of this article is in the area of the School, do stop in and see the many exciting activities that are occurring.  AND, we do hope that the reader will attend our 2007 Homecoming which will be on Saturday, September 29th.  My best wishes to all of you.                                              

Sincerely,

Bill Johnson, Ph.D.

School Superintendent
E-mail: wjohnson@smsdk12.org
or call 834-7200 ext. 101(tty)