[Nfbwv-talk] WVSDB Article from Cumberland Times

[Smyth, Charlene R]

I want to thank Debbi W for sharing this article.

WVSDB consolidating school for the deaf. ROMNEY, W.Va. - Floors are being repaired, rooms have been painted and walls are being reconfigured to consolidate the West Virginia elementary and secondary school for the deaf. "After holding many meetings with key school stakeholders and the administrators to discuss the feasibility ... we have determined that it would be both efficient and practical to proceed with this plan," said Martin Keller, superintendent of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Keller said in a report sent to the school community that, beginning in the fall, preschool and elementary classes for deaf students will be relocated in what is currently the secondary school for the deaf building. The preschool and elementary classrooms will be located on the first floor and in the basement; the secondary classrooms will be primarily located on the second floor. Due to room configurations and regulations, Career and Technical Education classrooms will remain on the first floor in a separate wing of the building, which cannot be accessed by elementary students. Keller said specialized services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy, as well as the school psychology office, will be located in the basement. "By the end of this month, we will proceed with renovating and retrofitting some of the existing classrooms in the secondary school building to better serve our preschool and elementary students' needs in preparation for the 2016-2017 school year," Keller said. "Our deaf student enrollment currently stands at 77, and the secondary school building can accommodate as many as 140 students, allowing room for future growth in student enrollment. The work is part school's Comprehensive Education Facilities Plan, said Mark Gandolfi, the school's chief financial officer. Keller said there are many advantages as to why the administration is proceeding with the consolidation plan, including significant financial savings in operations, staffing and maintenance, streamlined services, and creating a more inclusive learning environment. "With the change, our younger deaf students will have more opportunities to observe and learn from older deaf student role models and it will also create opportunities to utilize student-to-student tutoring and shared reading experiences," Keller said. During the 2016-17 school year, the elementary school for the deaf building will be used to accommodate Sign Language Proficiency Interview offices, Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College classes and to expand the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching research center. In addition, Keller said, "We are looking into the possibility of leasing some of the available classrooms to be used as office space by state government agencies as well as community business. The residential program for our elementary deaf and blind students will continue to occupy the elementary residential wing for the 2016-17 school year, which will not be accessed by the public. A bill to make the schools eligible for state School Building Authority funding has been introduced during the current session of the West Virginia Legislature. In April 2015, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed legislation that would give the schools that right. Tomblin ordered a study of campus needs, which included Lynn Boyer, former WVSDB superintendent; state Superintendent of Schools Michael Martirano; Larry Malone, director of policy in the governor's office; and outside consultants. Martirano said in the study, completed in July, that the schools were an integral component of statewide education. In the meantime, the consolidation will continue with existing funds. "We are truly excited about this plan and know it will pay off handsomely in the long run benefiting our deaf students' critical language, communication, cognitive, and social development," Keller said.





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