Deafweekly March 29, 2006

deafweekly

March 29, 2006
Vol. 2 No. 23

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers every Wednesday and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. Please visit our website to read current and back issues, sign up for a subscription and advertise.

Deafweekly is copyrighted 2006 and any unauthorized use, including reprinting of news, is prohibited.

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NATIONAL
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ILLINOIS MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER OF EX-GIRLFRIEND

A funeral service was held yesterday in Jacksonville, Ill. for Amber Burroughs, 26, a deaf woman who was found dead in her mobile home last Wednesday morning. Aaron Winfert, 26, the victim’s former boyfriend, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder on Friday, reported the Springfield State-Journal Register. Winfert, who is deaf, had been released from prison last Tuesday after being held since January on burglary charges. Burroughs, who reportedly helped him post bail, was found dead the next morning by her two sons, ages 7 and 4. Winfert is the father of both boys. Police said the cause of death was suffocation. Burroughs and Winfert both attended the Illinois School for the Deaf in the 1990s. A memorial page may be seen here: www.airsman-hires.com/obituaries/viewobit.php?oid=1694.

MAN CHARGED IN ATTACK WITH BASEBALL BAT

A deaf man was jailed without bail last week in Rockland County, N.Y. after allegedly hitting an acquaintance in the head several times with a baseball bat. Robert Russell, 45, was charged with second-degree attempted murder, reported the White Plains Journal News. The unidentified victim, 39, was in stable but critical condition at a local hospital. The attack occurred Friday evening, March 17, after the victim went to Russell’s apartment. Police brought in an interpreter to question Russell and his deaf girlfriend, who witnessed the incident. “We think it’s some argument over money,” said Detective Sgt. John Hickey.

HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN MINNESOTA

Police in Sioux Falls, S.D. received a call yesterday from the Rock County, Minn. Sheriff’s Office telling them that human remains had been found, reported Keloland TV. “We have every reason to believe that these are the remains of Darlene VanderGiesen,” said Sioux Falls Police Captain Dave Kull. A highway maintenance worker found the partial remains wrapped up in a ditch along Highway 6, half a mile north of Beaver Creek, Minn. Some of VanderGiesen’s remains had already been found in a Sioux Falls city landfill a week after the deaf woman went missing February 1. Kull said police previously had no reason to search across state lines but will now continue to search the area. “It’s a very significant find and we are hopeful that we have recovered the body of Darlene,” he said.

NEW HAMPSHIRE MAN SETTLES HOSPITAL LAWSUIT

A deaf New Hampshire man has settled a lawsuit he filed in 2004 against a hospital that failed to provide him with interpreting services on four separate occasions. David Muise of Hinsdale will receive $85,000 in damages and legal fees from Cheshire Medical Center, reported the Associated Press. The settlement requires the Keene, N.H. hospital to provide interpreters and other services as needed, increase staff training and post better information about patients rights.

INDIANA INTERPRETER CHARGED WITH MOLESTATION

A sign-language interpreter in Indiana has been charged with felony child molestation, reported the Merrillville Post-Tribune on Sunday. Chester Earl March, 63, was fired by the City School of Hammond shortly after police told school officials of the arrest. A court affidavit alleges that March touched a 13-year-old boy in a sexual manner at March’s home in January. The school system did a background check when March was hired, but failed to turn up a conviction of sexual misconduct with a Michigan minor in the early 1980s. School superintendent Walter Watkins said March “slipped through the cracks,” possibly because of the date and location of the earlier offense, and promised to “expand the scope of background checks.”

MAN CHARGED WITH TRADING DRUGS FOR SEX WITH TEEN

A deaf man in Bossier City, La. has been arrested for giving a woman cocaine in exchange for sex with her 14-year-old son, reported KTBS-3 TV in Shreveport. Germaine Morris is charged with crime against nature; the boy’s mother was also charged. Morris’ attorney argued in court yesterday that his client’s taped statement should not be used against him because he needs an interpreter to communicate and police didn’t make one available. But Detective Sam Wyatt, who conducted the interview, testified that Morris never indicated he had a hearing problem. After viewing the tape, the judge ruled that it could be used as evidence, saying he believed Morris understood his rights and voluntarily gave his statements to police.

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CALIFORNIA ADVOCATES PROTEST RADIO MOCKERY

Deaf advocates in Northern California spoke out last week against two radio stations that mocked the March 13 death of Miss Deaf Texas Tara McAvoy in an Austin train accident. “We need to tell those radio broadcasters that their mockery, insensitive and mean-spirited statements about Deaf persons and the recent tragedy are NOT acceptable,” said an email titled “Community Action Needed!!” The campaign targets Rick Delgado of WiLD 94.9 in San Francisco (415-975-5555 voice), who made train wreck sounds and pretended he couldn’t hear the callers, and Bob and Tom of 104.1 HAWK in Modesto (104.1thehawk@citcomm.com), who said “She is not ‘daf’ (as in being cool) but D E A F, ha ha ... of course, the train killed her.”

LAWMAKERS REJECT PLAN TO CLOSE IDAHO SCHOOL

The House Education Committee in Idaho last week rejected a proposal to close the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind in Gooding, reported the Associated Press. Three legislators had proposed closing the school in two years, citing declining enrollment and rising costs. A state study showed that it costs about $80,000 a year to educate each of the school’s 40 residential students. Committee members heard from a number of witnesses who opposed the plan, including several ISDB graduates. A task force set up by the State Board of Education will continue to study the issue.

TOP STATE OFFICIAL PAYS VISIT TO CALIFORNIA SCHOOL

A top level superintendent from the state Department of Education visited the California School for the Deaf in Riverside last week. Deputy Superintendent William Ellerbee’s visit “signified a possible turning point in decades of persistent problems at the school,” reported the Press-Enterprise. Ellerbee’s one-day visit resulted from an invitation by students and the school’s Community Advisory Committee to help evaluate the school’s problems. He declined to comment publicly but planned to return this week to continue meeting with school employees and representatives of the deaf community. Said Zibby Bayarsky, an advisory committee member: “I saw hope today, I actually did.”

MARYLAND OKAYS ASL FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE CREDIT

The Maryland State Board of Education has approved a proposal to make sign language courses count the same as foreign language courses in all public high schools. According to the Columbia Jeffersonian, the board voted unanimously February 28 to accept the recommendations of the American Sign Language Work Group, a task force made up of teachers and education administrators. Rather than define ASL as a foreign language, the board decided to make it the “equivalent” of a foreign language. As a result, officials will not have to comply with No Child Left Behind rules that require foreign languages to be taught by highly qualified teachers.

MILWAUKEE NEWSPAPER EXPLORES PRIEST’S MOLESTATION

The Journal Sentinel in Milwaukee, Wisc. ran a series of articles last week about the deaf victims of a Catholic priest who molested them as boys. Father Lawrence Murphy, who died in 1998, is believed to have molested dozens of boys at St. John’s School for the Deaf in St. Francis. Murphy worked at the school for 24 years before retiring in 1976 under a cloud of allegations. Twenty-one years later, two of the victims confronted him at his lake cottage. Murphy hurried inside, waving away the two men and saying, “That was a long time ago. Don’t bother me.” The newspaper also questioned the range of settlements paid by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. A Seattle man who was molested once received $200,000; a Texas man who was molested 50 to 70 times received only $5,000 because he signed a paper 12 years ago agreeing not to sue. “It is unequal and it pits the survivors against each other,” said Alisa Cohen-Stein, a Chicago social worker who has treated several of Murphy’s victims.

ROBERT BLAKE SEEKS NEW CIVIL TRIAL

Hollywood actor Robert Blake is seeking a new civil trial, in part because one of the jurors in the first trial was hard of hearing. Blake was acquitted of murdering his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, in a criminal trial but was later held liable for her death in a civil trial. According to the Associated Press, two jury members identified a third juror, Jose Elias, as being hard of hearing. When deliberations began, Elias reportedly said that he had not heard much of the testimony and asked to be replaced by an alternate juror. The foreman allegedly refused his request, saying that it would cause a mistrial. Elias later said in an affidavit that he had voted against liability but was pressured by other jurors to change his vote to avoid a hung jury.

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INTERNATIONAL
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PARROT SAVES U.K. MAN FROM HOUSE FIRE

BBC News in London reported last week on a deaf man whose life was saved when his parrot woke him up after a fire broke out in his home. Peter Taylor had taken his hearing aids out and was asleep when the fire began. Merlin, his African Grey parrot, woke him by running up and down his legs. Taylor told a reporter that he owed his life to the bird, who has also learned to imitate the sound of a smoke alarm. “Sometimes when I’m cooking, he’ll come out with the noise,” said Taylor. “I have to tell him that there isn’t a fire and he’ll stop doing it then. But he’s got it perfect.”

INDIAN TEEN IS COUNTRY’S YOUNGEST SCUBA DIVER

A deaf teenager in India has become the country’s youngest scuba diver, reported NewKerala.com. Gaurav Baidya, 13, received the Pacific Area Diving Institute (PADI) certificate, an internationally recognized certificate, after passing all the tests required to become a PADI open water scuba diver. Gaurav, described in the report as a “deaf and dumb boy from Andaman and Nicobar islands,” was presented with his PADI certificate by a government official at a valedictory function last week.

PHIL COLLINS SAYS ‘EAR-STROKE’ LEFT HIM DEAF

Another week, another rock star gone deaf. This time, it’s British singer and songwriter Phil Collins, 55, a member of the band Genesis from 1970 to 1996. More recently, he composed the songs for the Walt Disney animated film, “Tarzan,” winning an Academy Award and a Grammy for the hit single, “You’ll Be In My Heart.” Collins said he first noticed a loss of hearing in his right ear in 2000. “I wasn’t frightened,” he said, “but the sudden deafness has been described as ear-stroke and ... I accepted it philosophically and began to realize that I had better things to be doing.” He’s in good company: Sting, Mick Fleetwood, Neil Young, Ted Nugent, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend all suffer from hearing loss after years of exposure to loud rock music.

SAN DIEGO CHARITY HELPS VIETNAMESE KIDS

Fourteen people from a San Diego, Calif. foundation visited Ho Chi Minh City last week and donated more than 860 hearing aids for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Vietnam. Missionaries from the Americans Helping Asian Children Charity Foundation (AHAC) made the donation, reported the Vietnam News. The AHAC has also donated audiometers and other equipment through a partnership with the Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients. Over the past eight years, the charity has donated more than 5,000 hearing aids to Vietnamese children from 50 schools in 23 provinces and two cities.

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TOWN IN INDIA CALLED ‘VILLAGE OF IDIOTS’

The town of Tumulhaal in India is called the “village of idiots,” reported Daily News & Analysis last week, because of the large number of deaf people who live there. About 300 families reside in the village, and more than 130 people are said to be suffering from the “deaf and dumb” disease. “It is a curse for us,” said the mother of a 5-year-old deaf girl who gets sneered at by other children every time she tries to attend school. Health experts believe iodine deficiency is the cause, compounded by malnutrition, but villagers blame the “polluted” water they drink from the streams.

WOMAN PUBLISHES INSPIRATIONAL BOOKS

A deaf woman in South Africa is publishing a variety of inspirational books to raise money for a cochlear implant fund. AV Todorova, who slowly lost her hearing between the ages of 4 and 17, named her company Seashell Books after the seashell-shaped cochlea. Now a 26-year-old wife and mother, she hopes to raise money so she and other deaf people in South Africa can obtain cochlear implants. Her books include such titles as 101 Daily Inspirations and 101 Daily Angel Wisdoms, and she is publishing them through Lulu.com, a provider of print-on-demand books. They can be ordered at www.lulu.com/seashellbooks.

AUSTRALIAN ARTIST UNVEILS SOUND INSTALLATION

Lawrence English, a “sound artist” in Brisbane, Australia, has just put a sound installation for the hearing impaired in a local mall, reported the Courier Mail. The installation, called “Silence Listening,” is based on a series of ideas the musician has been researching for the past year. “As hearers, we can’t engage with this work,” said English, “but for hearing-impaired people, there is this listening experience.” The project uses an induction loop amplifier system that is already in place in the mall. Hearing-aid users can switch to T-mode and enjoy a 15-minute loop of sounds recorded throughout the city - “something personal for people who are usually left out of the equation when it comes to sound art,” said the report.

STUDENTS, COLLEGE OFFICIALS GO ‘DEAF FOR A DAY’

Students and administrators at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada took part in a program last week called Deaf for a Day. According to the Queen’s Journal, the event was designed to raise awareness by simulating hearing impairment with ear plugs and industrial headphones. “It was a sobering experience,” said Vice-Principal Patrick Deane. “There is a terrible sense of isolation ... we’re in these silos individually.” Participants ordered drinks at a coffee shop, attended a biology lecture and went to the Registrar’s Office to get a new student card. Afterwards, they made suggestions that included mandatory microphone use by professors, a greater emphasis on smaller lectures and more disability awareness training for staff.

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LIFE & LEISURE
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HEARING AID TECHNOLOGY ADVANCING QUICKLY

Hearing aid technology is advancing at an alarming rate, reported the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Monday. “In the past 16 to 24 months, I have seen more changes than I ever have before,” said audiologist Christopher Eckert. Researchers at Allegheny General Hospital are developing an implantable hearing aid that would be located under the skin behind the ear, offering a near-invisibility that would remove some of the stigma of the devices. But “they are many, many years away,” said neurotologist Todd Hillman. Meanwhile, hearing aids can now be tuned to deal with specific tones that are missed and can feature an adaptive directionality that blocks background noises. “You get a lot more for your $1,700 than you might have five years ago,” said Eckert.

BUTTON BATTERIES CARRY RISK OF INJURY

Button batteries that power hearing aids and other small devices pose serious injury risks, reported the Kingsport (Tenn.) Times-News. Nearly 2,000 Americans of all ages unintentionally swallow button batteries every year. The National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline and Registry (NBBIHR), created in 1982 to collect data on battery ingestion, reports that 62 percent of ingestions occurred in children under 5, with most between 1 and 2. Most hearing aid batteries are zinc air, which are not toxic, but they can still cause serious damage if they become lodged in the esophagus. Anyone who swallows a battery should seek immediate medical care. The NBBIHR (202-625-3333) and Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) are available to help.

TEENS INVITED TO PROGRAM IN PITTSBURGH

Phonic Ear is sponsoring a leadership program for students entering grades 9-12 who have a hearing loss and use spoken communication as their primary mode of communication. The four-day Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) will take place June 20-24 in Pittsburgh, Pa., just prior to the AG Bell 2006 Convention. Self-advocacy, self-esteem, team building and conflict resolution are some of the topics that will be covered. The registration fee is $250 and the program is limited to 20 participants. To apply, download an application at www.agbell.org.

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WORKING WORLD
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PROGRAM LAUNCHED TO BRING DISABLED INTO COMPUTING

The University of Washington announced Monday in Seattle that it is launching a new national program to help people with disabilities enter the world of computing. Funded with a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the new Access Computing Alliance aims to build a nationwide network with other universities and industry to identify students who could benefit from specialized instruction and make the tools available to help them succeed in computing programs and careers. “It’s very reasonable for these students to pursue a computing degree,” said alliance co-director Sheryl Burgstahler. “We want to find them and encourage them to enter computing careers." The alliance website is at www.washington.edu/accesscomputing.

SORENSON OPENS SIX MORE VIDEO RELAY CENTERS

Sorenson Communications announced last week that it has opened six more Video Relay Service (VRS) interpreting centers throughout the country. The new centers are located in Baltimore; Rochester, N.Y.; Sacramento, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; Tucson, Ariz.; and Lexington, Ky. “We experience a tremendous increase in the demand for our video relay service and for more qualified interpreters to relay the calls,” said Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting for Sorenson Communications. “We will go wherever qualified interpreters are located.” Only 10% of signing deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans currently have access to video relay service, said president and CEO Pat Nola, as many rural areas await affordable high-speed Internet access.

INVENTION WARNS OF APPROACHING EMERGENCY VEHICLES

A Tennessee man has invented a device to let drivers know when an emergency vehicle is approaching. Ralph Pickens, 84, designed the Early Emergency Detection System (EEDS) to plug into a vehicle’s cigarette lighter and notify drivers with a flashing light, a recorded message and a buzzer. According to the Kingsport Times-News, about 20,000 accidents occur every year in the U.S. involving emergency vehicles going to or coming from an emergency. For firefighters, these accidents are the second leading cause of death. “Emergency personnel put their lives on the line each day to protect the public,” said Pickens, who has applied for a patent. “With the EEDS, the public can be a help rather than a hindrance.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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DEAF SISTERS’ PHOTOGRAPHS ON DISPLAY AT GALLAUDET

An exhibition of photographs by Frances and Mary Allen is now on display at Gallaudet University. “The Allen Sisters: Pictorial Photographers 1885-1920" is a traveling exhibit of 50 photographs by the famed 19th century photographers, who were deaf. A pair of lectures next week will offer additional insight into the women’s work. Suzanne Flynt, the exhibit’s curator who wrote a book with the same name, will present the story of the photographers’ extraordinary lives next Wednesday at 11 a.m. in the Kellogg Conference Center on campus. The next day at 1 p.m., Brenda Brueggermann will lead a discussion titled, “Deaf Eyes: The Allen Sisters Pictorial Photography, 1885-1920,” examining what life was like to be deaf, female and photographers at the turn of the last century. More information may be found at www.gallaudet.edu/x2150.xml.

BREWSTER PAINTINGS ON DISPLAY IN FLORIDA

Thirty-two paintings by John Brewster Jr. are on display at the Mennello Museum of American Art, reported the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel. “A Deaf Artist in Early America: The Worlds of John Brewster” was organized by the Fenimore Museum of Art and will travel to New York and Connecticut. Brewster traveled throughout New England in the late 1700s and early 1800s, painting portraits of the new nation’s upper-class citizens. Supported by his wealthy father, Brewster would sometimes spend months with the same family to complete a portrait. He suspended his career in 1817, at age 51, to attend the Connecticut Asylum in Hartford - America’s first school for the deaf - where he learned to read and write. He then resumed his career until retiring in 1834.

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SPORTS
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RACE CAR DRIVER GETS CHANCE AT REALITY TV SHOW

Deaf race car driver Greg Gunderson of Sioux Falls, S.D. has been selected as one of 50 drivers to get a chance to be on a new reality TV show, “Racin’ for a Livin’,” which will premiere in the fall. Gunderson is the only deaf driver selected and he must be in the top 12 drivers to get on the show. If he wins, he will get seven sponsored rides in the 2007 NASCAR’s Busch Series season. Gunderson said he needs community support to make this happen. He asks that you go to his website (www.gundersonracing.com) for more information on how to help him get on the show. Be sure to sign up for the Gunderson Racing E-News to receive weekly updates, he said, and forward the news to friends, family and colleagues. “Also, I want you to vote for me as often as you can,” he added.

ALABAMA COACH INDUCTED INTO SPORTS HALL OF FAME

Alabama School for the Deaf coach Don Hackney was inducted last week into the Alabama High School Athletic Association Sports Hall of Fame. According to The Birmingham News, Hackney coached basketball at ASD in Talladega for 27 years and served as athletics director for the last 17. His career was cut short when he fell from a ladder at home while trimming trees, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He finished his coaching career with 485 wins, including six national deaf-school championships and eight Mason-Dixon titles, crowning the Southeastern champion of deaf schools.

IMPACT ON DEAF CHILDREN KEEPS CURTIS PRIDE PLAYING

Curtis Pride has played for six big-league clubs, 10 major league organizations and 25 professional teams over a 20-year career, reported USA Today last week. Pride, 37, is one of only two deaf players in professional baseball. (Los Angeles Dodgers pitching prospect Ryan Ketchner, recovering from major elbow surgery last May, is the other.) After nearly 1,600 games in the big leagues and the minors, Pride still loves the game but continues to play because of the impact he believes he has on deaf children. Citing a lack of deaf role models, Pride said he wants to “inspire the kids that you can achieve your dreams and goals if you just put your mind to it.” He hopes to land a job with the Los Angeles Angels, whose manager, Mike Scioscia, said, “Curtis is a tremendous athlete [with] a great baseball mind.”

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COMING EVENTS
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DEAF STUDIES CONFERENCE COMING UP NEXT WEEK

The Utah Valley State College in Orem will host the second annual Deaf Studies Today! conference next Thursday through Saturday. The theme is “Simply Complex.” The conference features an exposition, banquet, luncheon, live performances, movie screenings and other activities. Deaf poet and actor Patrick Graybill, one of the keynote speakers, will conduct a session for children who are deaf or who have deaf parents. In addition, UVSC graduate McCall Bateman Cannon will present her senior thesis about portrayals of deaf people in film. For more information, visit www.deafstudies.org.

DANCE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL SET FOR JULY IN PARIS

Planning is well underway for the first International Deaf Dance and Music Festival: “Festival du Silence” and Exposition: “International Accessibility for the Deaf,” which will take place July 5-8 in Paris, France. Organizers Fanny (Yeh) Corderoy du Tiers and Mathias-Henri Genard say they have reserved several famous landmarks for the opening ceremony, dance performances, night dance entertainment, exposition and dance-dinner gala. They have just unveiled the festival website and it can be found at www.festival-silence.org.

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EMPLOYMENT
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
Director
National Center on Deafness (NCOD)
Recruitment ID: M0623

The Position:
The Director of National Center on Deafness provides leadership, vision, and management direction for a student-focused department that supports the transition and mainstream education of approximately 200 students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing each semester, by creating student-learning outcomes and assisting students with academic planning leading to timely degree completion. Supervises all department personnel. Directs the daily operation of a comprehensive support services program, which include Academic Advisement, Student Development, and Leadership Programs; coordination of direct communication courses (regular university courses taught in sign language) with colleges in the university; and tutoring, captioning, and note-taking services. Manages the operating budget, prioritizes and allocates departmental resources, and approves all departmental expenditures. Develops procedures, program design and assessment, and fiscal policies. Works closely with the Office of Human Resources to implement new policies, procedures, and job standards. Establishes working relationships across the university to enhance the academic and personal success of students within NCOD. Provides leadership in obtaining external funding through development of funding proposals and extensive networking with funding agencies. Maintains close relationships with federal and state sources, other education and rehabilitation programs for deaf or hard-of-hearing people, and with the deaf community locally and nationally. Interacts with the University Corporation to oversee the operation of cooperative agreements and grants awarded to NCOD from federal, state, and private sources. Acts as ambassador representing NCOD in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community locally and across the country. Shares in division leadership through the Student Affairs Management Council. Serves on university, CSU system-wide, and divisional committees, as appropriate. Assumes other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
Master’s degree in education, administration, or related field from an accredited institution required. Equivalent to five years of responsible, related professional experience managing diverse and complex programs. Demonstrated ability in management within complex organizations, strategic planning, budgets, assessments, and evaluation practices. Familiarity with the concept of the learning-centered university model. Thorough knowledge of issues and trends in the field of deafness; demonstrated leadership ability; and a record of team building, problem solving, and organizational effectiveness. Ability to supervise, train, and evaluate staff; use sign language; communicate effectively with hearing, deaf, and hard-of-hearing individuals in a variety of settings; develop and maintain cooperative working relationships in a highly diverse community both on and off campus; and prepare clear and concise reports. Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communications skills required. Successful record in obtaining external funds preferred.

Applications: Submit cover letter, current resume including names and contact information of three professional references, and salary history for the last five years. Review of applications begins March 27, 2006 and will continue until position is filled. Submit application to: California State University, Northridge; HR; 18111 Nordhoff Street; Northridge, CA 91330-8229.

See our website at: http://www-admn.csun.edu/hrs/Employment/index.html for complete details.

EOE

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY BULLETIN
Ontario

The Ministry Provides a Smoke Free Environment

TEACHERS OF THE DEAF

and

TEACHERS - AUTISM/MULTI-EXCEPTIONAL CLASSROOMS
(Contracts rated under the Provincial Schools Authority)

A rewarding career awaits you with The Ministry of Education, Provincial Schools Branch which operates specialized schools across the Province for the Deaf. Our schools are dedicated to providing quality education to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in a residential setting. We operate The Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf in Belleville, The Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf in Milton and The Robarts School for the Deaf in London.

Additionally we are looking for Teachers who are interested and willing to work in classes dedicated to Autistic and multi-exceptional students. These teaching opportunities will have a province wide impact on the delivery of special education.

Employment opportunities in our schools come complete with:

-- the chance to be part of a team of specialized educators recognized as leaders in the field of Deaf and special education
-- comprehensive curriculum support in all grades and subject areas
-- small classroom sizes complemented with outstanding resources
-- commitment to your professional and personal growth
-- a competitive salary and benefits package

For more information regarding employment opportunities and required qualifications please visit this website:

http://www.psbnet.ca/webs/psb/employment.htm

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CEO Position Announcement

Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency (DCARA)
San Leandro, CA (San Francisco Bay area)

DCARA is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to build on over 40 years of continuous growth and evolution of the non-profit, community-based social service agency. DCARA serves the Deaf Community in the San Francisco Bay Area and 14 counties in Northern California. The CEO will be responsible for all aspects of the agency's operations, programs, finances, and personnel.

To see the full job announcement including information about DCARA, minimum qualifications and application process, visit: http://www.dcara.org/

CLOSING DATE: March 31, 2006

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AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE - INTERPRETERS & INSTRUCTOR FOR DISABLED

F·E·G·S is one of the largest health and human services organizations in the country with a budget in excess of $230 million and 3,500+ employees in more than 300 locations throughout the New York metropolitan area. We seek experienced professionals, fluent in ASL, to work with staff and adult disabled, deaf population at our Manhattan facility on Hudson Street.

Staff Sign Language Interpreters

FT: Reports to AVP for Deaf Services, provides sign language interpreting services in a wide variety of situations and settings throughout the organization. Occasional staff training on use of sign language interpreters.

PT: Provides interpreting services for individual and group counseling sessions, meetings, and other program activities for Continuing Day Treatment Program serving deaf, chronically mentally ill clients. Must have flexibility in working with client’s personal signing styles.

INSTRUCTOR/SPECIALIST - F/T

Day Habilitation Instructor/Specialist to supervise and support deaf adults with developmental disabilities in a classroom setting. Provide group and individual instruction. Tri-state driver’s license required.

Positions require BA (or equivalent combination of education and experience) and full fluency in ASL. Prior experience working with disabled population and RID/NAD certification strongly preferred.

Generous benefits. Send resume to our HR Consultants: HR Dynamics, Inc. (DEPT. JG/ASL), 345 Hudson Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10014. E-mail: jgardner@hr-dynamics.com. Visit our website: www.fegs.org.

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PLEASE CIRCULATE AND POST
California Department of Education
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

POSITION: Supervising Teacher III (FYE)
Director of Instruction
TIME BASE: Full time
LOCATION: CA School for the Deaf in Fremont
SALARY: $6,921 - $8,830 (plus $700 for R & R and $100 for sign language) monthly

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

DUTIES: Provide visionary shared leadership training, support, guidance, supervision, and direction to the Division of Instruction; provide leadership and direction to ensure school-wide consistency in management practices and adherence to school and state policies, education code and federal legislation; provide guidance in achievement testing; guide the WASC/CEASD accreditation process; work collaboratively with other school staff to facilitate coordination of services that support the instructional program; serve as a member of the school’s administrative leadership team; monitor division budget; coordinate the instructional division’s emergency response training procedures and school wide drill.

QUALIFICATIONS: Five years of experience as a classroom teacher in a program for the Deaf; three years of experience as a supervisor of teachers; fluency in ASL; fluency in standard written English and experience writing reports; Master’s degree and possession or eligibility for California credentials authorizing teaching and administrative services; knowledge of state and federal education laws; and ability to use technology effectively.

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES: Knowledge of professional standards for the teaching profession; skill in establishing consistent accountability practices among educational staff; ability to provide comprehensive mentoring for program supervisors; knowledge of all aspects of standard-based education and effective instructional strategies; knowledge of accreditation process; ability to model effective leadership techniques; ability to work collaboratively with staff, students, parents and the community; ability to facilitate change; knowledge of the dual language philosophy; knowledge of Deaf culture and ability to engage the Deaf community in fulfilling the mission of the school; knowledge of effective recruitment and hiring practices; skill in managing multiple tasks; ability to make effective presentations; skill in facilitating groups; ability to make decisions based on potential long-range impacts and school-wide needs.

WHO MAY APPLY: Candidates must submit a completed Faculty Application, Form SSS 100 to the Superintendent no later than April 1, 2006 or until position is filled. Applications will be screened and the most highly qualified applicants will be asked to interview. It is anticipated that interviews will be held in April, 2006.

LOCATION: California School for the Deaf
39350 Gallaudet Drive
Fremont, CA 94538
Contact: Henry Klopping, Superintendent
Telephone: (510) 794-3685 (V/TTY)
E-mail: HKlopping@csdf-cde.ca.gov

Employment provisions as outlined by the Department of Personnel Administrations State Restriction of Appointments (SROA) policy will prevail. In addition, current or future executive orders relative to filling vacant positions may also affect this process.
California Relay (Telephone) Service for the Deaf or Hearing Impaired: TDD Phones 1-800-735-2929 Voice Phones 1-800-735-2922

CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ALL REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, ANCESTRY, SEX, MARTIAL STATUS, DISABILITY, RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL AFFILIATION, AGE OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

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