Deafweekly December 6, 2006

deafweekly

December 6, 2006
Vol. 3 No. 6

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. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly at no charge.

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EDITOR'S NOTE
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Deafweekly has been on hiatus due to my recent move to a new home. Our regular weekly publication schedule will resume again now that things have settled down. Thank you for your patience.

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NATIONAL
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FLORIDA MAN DIES OUTSIDE BOWLING ALLEY

Police are investigating the death of a deaf Florida man after he was thrown out of a Yulee bowling alley early Saturday. Bruce Doss, 22, was reportedly intoxicated and belligerent, said the Florida Times-Union, and was being held down by three men outside in a ditch when deputies arrived. Doss wasn’t breathing and his pulse had stopped, said a Nassau County Sheriff’s Office report, and he was pronounced dead at an area hospital. Police are now studying security videotapes and awaiting an autopsy report. “He was fine when he left my place,” said Nassau Bowling Center owner Doyle Claxton.

MOTORIST REPORTEDLY BEATEN BY POLICE

A deaf Minnesota man was allegedly beaten by police last month after running a red light, reported the Pioneer Press. Doug Bahl, a sign language instructor at St. Paul College, was “treated appallingly by the police,”said Joy Bartscher of the Neighborhood Justice Center, which is representing him. Other reports indicated that Bahl was jailed for three days and denied access to a TTY and interpreter. Bahl, 56, isn’t talking with the media, and St. Paul police aren’t commenting while an investigation is underway. But police say Bahl was the aggressor - shaking his head no, grabbing the officer’s jacket, punching the officer and biting his thumb. Bahl’s video message can be seen here.

MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL LEADERS ‘NO LONGER EMPLOYED’

Mississippi State Superintendent of Education Hank Bounds confirmed last Friday that two Mississippi School for the Deaf administrators “are no longer employed” at the school, reported the Jackson Clarion Ledger. Bounds would not say if the dismissal of Superintendent Delores Mack Smith and Principal Pamela Hervey was related to a student protest last Tuesday over complaints that some teachers are not proficient in sign language. Mississippi School for the Blind Superintendent Rosie Pridgen will be superintendent of both schools, said the report.

NURSING HOME EVACUATED BY CHEMICAL PLANT BLAST

Residents of the New England Homes for the Deaf in Danvers, Mass. were evacuated in the early hours of November 22 when a chemical plant across the Danvers River blew up. The residence houses 84 people, said the Boston Globe, and most found temporary shelter at the Danvers High School gymnasium. Within a day, 51 residents were relocated to Beverly’s Essex Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in a wing that had been closed for renovation. Executive Director Barry Zeltzer said it could be a month before the home considers reopening. “It’s amazing to me no one was killed,” he said. “Glass fell on top of them, ceilings collapsed on them. And not one scratch.”

‘DEAF MOSAIC’ HOST GIL EASTMAN DIES AT 72

Gilbert Eastman, a Gallaudet University professor emeritus best known as host of Deaf Mosaic, died Saturday at age 72. Eastman was a professor in the Theatre Arts Department from 1957 to 1992 and co-hosted the award-winning Deaf Mosaic show from 1985 to 1995. A 1952 graduate of the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, Conn., Eastman authored six plays, wrote several books and was involved in the production of more than 50 plays as a writer, actor, stage manager, translator and director. An April 6, 2007 memorial service will coincide with a two-week revival of Eastman’s play, Sign Me Alice, which premiered on the same date in 1973. A video tribute may be seen here.

DECISION DUE SOON ON GALLAUDET INTERIM PRESIDENT

A Gallaudet University committee has selected three finalists to be interim president following the dismissal of President-designate Jane K. Fernandes. They are Robert Davila, William Marshall and Stephen Weiner. Candidates were interviewed via telephone by the 15-member Interim Presidential Search Advisory Committee and finalists were notified last Friday, said Chairwoman Jane Dillehay. A final decision by the school’s board of trustees will be announced Sunday on campus. The interim president will take office January 1 and serve 18 months to two years while the board searches for a permanent president. More information can be found here.

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VIRGINIA MAN IMPRISONED FOR MAKING BOMB THREATS

A deaf Staunton, Va. man will spend 11 years in prison after having his probation revoked November 21, reported The News Leader. Jason P. Smith, 33, pleaded guilty in May to making bomb threats against a restaurant and gas station, which violated terms of probation, and earlier was convicted of threatening a man he blamed for his arrest on arson charges. Smith was also convicted of falsely summoning emergency personnel after placing a call through Virginia Relay and saying his car exploded with three children inside. A psychologist said Smith, who has been convicted of 13 felonies since 1997, “suffers from depression and some insomnia.”

FOX FINED $12,000 FOR NON-CAPTIONING OF EMERGENCY

Broadcasting & Cable reported last month that Fox has agreed to pay a $12,000 fine for not captioning emergency warnings during a thunderstorm and tornado watch in Washington, D.C. on May 25, 2004. The fine, levied by the Federal Communications Commission, originated with a consumer complaint after Fox’s Washington affiliate, WTTG, failed to make audio information accessible to viewers with hearing impairments. Fox also agreed to take steps to avoid a reoccurrence, including staff training and maintenance of a computer dedicated to captioning.

OHIO GROUP VICTIMIZED BY BURGLARY

Someone broke into the Dayton (Ohio) Association of the Deaf’s office Monday, using chains and a tow belt to break the door down. “We don’t know how many persons,” Lieutenant John Bardun told WDTN, “but they forced open the front door and broke into a number of offices and did a sizable amount of damage.” Stolen items include a cabinet with fax machine, a stereo system with speakers and a large-screen TV used for video telephoning. Police said they have no suspects or surveillance video and asked anyone with information to call 222-STOP.

RESTAURANT EVICTS WOMAN WITH HEARING DOG

A deaf Indiana woman and her hearing dog were thrown out of a restaurant recently by a manager who “apparently never heard of a hearing ear dog and does not know the law,” reported the South Bend Tribune. Gladys Peterson, 84, and Murray were ordered to leave after someone threatened to call the health department. “I wish they would have,” said Nick Molchan , administrator of the county health department. His office would have set them straight. Peterson doesn’t want revenge or publicity, “but I really would like people to know these dogs are allowed to go wherever the person goes.”

‘DEAF LOST TO AIDS’ LIST ADDS 33 NAMES

In recognition of World AIDS Day last Friday, 33 new names were added to a list of people in the deaf community who have died from AIDS and HIV-related complications. The list, which was first created by Mikey Krajnak in 1995, includes deaf people, children of deaf parents, interpreters and other hearing people who were active in the deaf community. To view the list, visit www.deafaids.info.

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The 16th Winter Deaflympics are fast approaching! Preparations and plans are on target for the best Winter Deaflympics ever February 1-10, 2007 in Salt Lake City. Don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime. There will be something for everyone, Deaflympics Expo, International Deaf Coffeehouse, International Deaf Club, and great sporting events. Come and visit beautiful Utah, home of the "Greatest Snow on Earth"!

Teachers and families, don't forget to check out the Education Program on the website.

Adult and children's combo ticket prices are now posted on website. You can reserve rooms and order tickets online at www.2007Deaflympics.com. See you there!

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INTERNATIONAL
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STUDENT'S MOM SHOT, KILLED AT JAMAICAN DEAF SCHOOL

Students and staff at a Jamaican school for the deaf are recovering from a tragedy that occurred November 21 on school grounds. Rose-Marie Grey, 35, was shot and killed moments after dropping off her 4-year-old student at the Danny Williams School for the Deaf in Papine, St. Andrew. The alleged shooter, her common-law husband, police Sergeant Alderman Dorrant, shot himself in the neck but survived and was removed from intensive care a week later. Counselors have been working with the school’s 83 students and 17-member teaching staff. “We are moving forward as best we can,” Principal Maureen Simmons told the Jamaica Gleaner.

MALAYSIAN WOMAN SAYS RAPE LEFT HER PREGNANT

A deaf woman in Malaysia told police last month that she was raped and left pregnant by a co-worker. The woman, 30, said she was raped five times in a two-week period in May by a man she worked with at an electronics factory. The assaults occurred at a flat where she lived alone, said the New Straits Times, and her deafness left her “unable to scream or cry for help.” After moving home with her mother and learning she was pregnant, the woman went to a police station to report the rape. She claimed she could not stop the rapes because the 25-year-old suspect, who is believed to have fled to East Malaysia, “had cast a spell on her.”

INDIAN MAN GETS PRISON SENTENCE FOR RAPE OF GIRL, 9

Chandigarh Newsline in India reported last month on a man who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a 9-year-old deaf and mute girl. Badal Verma also received five years for abduction. Charges were filed by the victim’s mother after the girl went missing one night in August 2003 and was found the next morning lying outside “in an injured condition.” With the help of a pediatric psychiatrist, a doctor and an interpreter, the girl testified in court that she was raped by Badal. In addition to the prison sentence, Badal was fined Rs 7,000 ($157 US).

STREET TRADERS ARRESTED, DENIED BAIL

Eight representatives of Sierra Leone’s Deaf Welfare Organization “stormed the Awareness Times offices in tears” last month to complain that nine of their members were arrested and denied bail. DWO Chairman Alhaji Lahai Vangahun said the nine were detained November 6 by Operation Free Flow Unit police on a street where “they are known for fending for their daily bread.” None were in prohibited areas or obstructing traffic, he said. Vangahun added that the government should provide facilities to accommodate street traders to avoid the “daily running battle between traders and the police.”

DEAF MUSICIAN OFFERS INSPIRATION TO FUTURE TEACHERS

A deaf music teacher visited the U.K.’s University of Hertfordshire last month to encourage deaf education majors to provide musical opportunities for deaf children in schools. Ruth Montgomery, described by the Welwyn & Hatfield Times as a top flute player who has played with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Moscow Symphony orchestras in Russia, said music can help children to learn in many ways. “I’m not saying all deaf children will be musical and will love music the way I do,” said Montgomery, 25, “but all children should be given the chance to learn about and experience music in school.”

SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENTS UNHARMED IN BUS ACCIDENT

Seven students from the St. Vincent School for the Deaf in Johannesburg, South Africa, “emerged shocked but unscathed” after an accident on their way to school last Monday, said Independent Online. The accident occurred when a furniture truck hit a tree branch, causing part of the truck to come loose and hit the deaf school’s minibus. Paramedics assessed the schoolchildren and found that none had sustained injuries, though “all of the children were clearly shocked at what happened,” said a school spokesman.

DENIAL OF SECOND IMPLANT ‘BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS’

The parents of a deaf U.K. toddler who was denied a second cochlear implant say the decision is a “breach of their son’s human rights,” reported The Guardian. Oskar Berknov, 2, was fitted with one surgical implant a year ago, “allowing him to access sound and to develop language skills,” said the report. His parents, Kim and Bettina Berknov, want Richmond Primary Care Trust to fund a second implant so he can be educated in a mainstream environment. Said Oskar’s father: “His ability to learn to talk, to make friends, to be safe in traffic and manage independently in school is all dependent on the directional hearing this implant would allow.”

SEVEN U.K. TRAIN STATIONS TO BE FITTED WITH LOOPS

Seven U.K. train stations will have new or upgraded induction loop systems for the hard of hearing, reported the Welwyn & Hatfield Times. The project will cost £600,000 ($1.175 million US), with half the money coming from the Department of Transport’s Access for All program and the other half matched by the rail operator. Work will begin in the next few months and is expected to be completed by April.

SOCIAL WORKERS ‘PREPARED TO FIGHT’ FOR BETTER PAY

Counselors with a Canadian social services group are “prepared to fight for workplace equity, fair wages and respect,” said a news release from the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The union represents 90 employees of the Bob Rumball Association for the Deaf in Milton, Ont., some of whom have not had a pay raise in 10 years. The social workers provide job and life skills counseling to deaf people with developmental disabilities. In addition to a pay raise, they want paid benefits for hearing aid batteries, full health benefits for part-time workers, and “a rights protocol for workers injured on the job to return to work.”

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LIFE & LEISURE
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CEREMONY HONORS FOUNDER OF DEAF CENTER IN TEXAS

The Corpus Christi (Texas) Area Council for the Deaf held a ceremony last Thursday to rename its Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center the Susan S. Tiller Building. Tiller, 66, retired last December after 27 years with the center. Tiller founded the center after her daughter, Teri, was born severely hard of hearing. “She wasn’t hearing enough for regular school, and she wasn’t deaf enough for deaf school,” Tiller told the Caller-Times. “There were no services in the area we could go.” Today, the center makes about 18,000 new contacts each year. “We have anything and everything that helps the deaf and hard of hearing to make a connection with the real world,” said Tiller.

NEW WEBSITE OFFERS FREE HEALTHCARE INFORMATION

A deaf doctor in Rochester, N.Y. has teamed up with her husband to create a new website of healthcare information targeted to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Carolyn Stern, M.D., and Alan Spanjer designed DeafDoc.org with separate areas for deaf consumers, interpreters, healthcare providers and others. The site includes a medical video dictionary with all videos voices and signed in American Sign Language. Visitors can also use the website to arrange a speaker or schedule a workshop. Stern is a board-certified family physician and medical director at the Rochester School for the Deaf. The site may be seen at www.deafdoc.org.

CHURCH GROUP ‘HOPES TO REACH OUT TO DEAF’

The Southeast Missourian reported recently on Holy Hands, a group of teenagers at Calvary United Pentecostal Church in Jackson, Mo. who use sign language to “sing” about God. Five of the group’s seven members recently performed at the church, dressed in black and signing the words to 10 Christian songs played on CDs. Director Michelle Ganeles says the group hopes to reach out to area residents who are deaf or hard of hearing. “We have always had a special place in our heart for the deaf,” she said. The church used to have several deaf members, said the report, but they have all moved away.

CLERC-GALLAUDET WEEK HONORS LIBRARY PIONEER

This week (December 3-9) is Clerc-Gallaudet Week, said Alice Hagemeyer of the Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action (FOLDA). The week was first celebrated by the District of Columbia Public Library in 1974. This year, librarians and friends are invited to pay tribute to Irene Helen Hodock, who died November 27. Hodock was the Indiana School for the Deaf librarian from 1950 to 1988. In 1972, she earned a master’s degree in library science and became the first librarian of deaf culture to become an active member of the American Library Association. “Like Clerc and Gallaudet, she deserves the recognition of the public for her impact on American society,” said Hagemeyer.

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A perfect gift for Christmas, the gift of laughter!

A keith wann asl comedy dvd 'watching two worlds collide' in the stockings on the fireplace mantle will make any asl student happy! Deaf parents with hearing children will want this dvd to know the things codas try to get away with and often do. 'Watching two worlds' is a 70-minute comedy dvd performed in asl with voice over. $25.00. Pg-13. About a coda growing up in both the deaf and hearing world. Order forms on www.keithwann.com. Or email keith@keithwann.com for bookings and performing requests. Next performing in New York 12/9.

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WORKING WORLD
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FLORIDA LAW FIRM CREATES DEAF ADVOCACY PROGRAM

A Florida law firm that serves low-income clients has started a program for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid , Inc. (JALA) recently hired Sharon Caserta, an attorney who is fluent in sign language, and established its Deaf / Hard of Hearing Legal Advocacy Program, designed to assist clients with a range of legal help from consumer disputes to child custody issues. According to the Jacksonville Daily Record, the new program was introduced at a recent meeting of the Jacksonville Bar Association. “There are 1.8 million people with some sort of hearing impairment in Florida,” Caserta told attendees. “They have nowhere to go with their legal needs.”

UTAH COLLEGE OK’S DEGREE PROGRAMS IN ASL, DEAF STUDIES

The Utah Valley State College Board of Trustees approved four new bachelor’s degrees last month, including programs in deaf studies and American Sign Language. The college, located in Orem, currently enrolls 60 deaf students and ranks in the top three schools (excluding Gallaudet University) for enrollment of deaf students, said The Daily Herald. UVSC “is going to be the premier site in the entire state” for the deaf studies degree, said William Cobb, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The new curriculum, which awaits approval from the state Board of Regents, is expected to be implemented by next fall.

INDIANA EDUCATOR NAMED ‘TEACHER OF THE MONTH’

An Indiana teacher of the deaf was “ambushed” in her classroom last week and presented with the Teacher of the Month award, reported the LaPorte Herald Argus. Twenty students “sat open-mouthed and wide-eyed” as Melissa Kitkowski, 28, was given a plaque, flowers and gift certificates by Principal Barbara Maitland, school administrators and Herald-Argus staffers. She is the second person to win The LaPorte County Herald-Argus Teacher of the Month Award. Kitkowski, who was nominated by the parents of one of her students, was appreciative of the award. “This makes me feel what I’m doing is the right thing,” she said.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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PLACIDO DOMINGO LENDS VOICE TO HEARING FOUNDATION

Opera singer Placido Domingo has teamed up with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to raise awareness of hearing loss and technology. Domingo and members of the orchestra were at Carnegie Hall last Tuesday to announce the formation of the new Hear the World Foundation, a non-profit based in Zurich, Switzerland. The effort is sponsored by Swiss hearing device manufacturer Phonak. The foundation will launch next month with $400,000 in initial capital, said the Associated Press, and Phonak will donate 1,000 hearing aids to people in China, India and South America. “By speaking out,” said Domingo, “maybe I can steer someone in the right direction.”

HARRIS PORTRAYS COMPOSER IN ‘COPYING BEETHOVEN’

Ed Harris found inspiration in his own family to portray Ludwig van Beethoven in the new film, “Copying Beethoven.” Harris’ own father is deaf and “can’t hear a lick,” the actor told The Harvard Crimson. Harris immersed himself in the role for almost a year, taking piano lessons and practicing every day. The actor admits that the film, which focuses on the legendary composer’s later years, takes some liberties: “Beethoven would converse with people in writing and you can’t make a film like that,” he said. “You have to make the conceit that he reads lips.”

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SPORTS
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DEAFLYMPICS ATHLETE RESPONDS TO NEWSPAPER STORY

Jeff Pollock, an athlete planning to compete in the 2007 Winter Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, had an essay printed in the Salt Lake Tribune recently. Pollock, responding to a story on funding shortages, said he wished “to enlighten my fellow Utahns.” He maintained that deaf people are not disabled but rather a cultural and linguistic minority, and he criticized the U.S. Olympic Committee for discontinuing Deaflympics funding while denying deaf athletes the same opportunities that hearing people enjoy. He also rejected “paternalistic” comments by those who question the deaf community’s ability to pull off the games. “The Deaflympics are being organized by many deaf people with advanced degrees and years of organizational leadership,” he said.

DEAF BOXER MAKES PRO DEBUT AT AGE 30

Leni Hall, a deaf boxer from Encinitas, Calif., made her first professional appearance November 17 at 4th and B, a San Diego, Calif. venue. Hall, 30, “never heard the bell, nor will she ever hear one,” said the Union-Tribune, boxing four rounds to a draw against Carly Batey, an England native who learned to box in the U.S. Marine Corps. Hall’s handler, Bernie Navarro of the Encinitas Boxing Club, said Hall can become “a big factor” in women’s boxing. “We will move up,” he said. “We will fight anybody.”

TEXANS FORM ‘DEAF SOCCER COMPANY’

The Ranger in San Antonio, Texas reported last month on the Deaf Soccer Company, a group of college and high school students who began playing soccer every Saturday in September. Andria Cantu, 19, and Marcela Baca, 15, founded the group to provide deaf people with exercise and a way to communicate with one another. Cantu posted flyers on campus bulletin boards and said about 23 people responded. “We love playing soccer,” she told a reporter. “It’s lots of fun for us to stay together.”

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** TWO NEW BOOKS BY TOM WILLARD **

-- A Sorry Stick of a Man, Indeed ... And Other Short Essays on Deafness
-- Deaf Haiku -- A GREAT STOCKING STUFFER!

Perfect for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and students of deaf culture, sign language and interpreting -- and ideal for parents of deaf children.

For more information, please visit www.canalstreetpress.com

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COMING EVENTS
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'DEAF UNITY GALA' PLANNED IN CALIFORNIA

Plans have been announced for a “Deaf Unity Gala” on Friday, December 22 from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Hilton Hotel in Pleasanton, Calif. Organizers say the event is designed “to reflect on what happened at Gallaudet University during the recent revitalization through the recent protest.” Planning organizations include the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency (DCARA) and the Bay Area Gallaudet University Alumni Association Chapter. Tickets are $40 each and may be purchased at www.dcara.org/gala.

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPONSOR DEAFWEEKLY?

Deafweekly currently has an opening for a sponsor. As a sponsor, you receive a banner ad on the home page, a banner ad on the Current News page and a 100-word text ad in each issue. A sponsorship costs $50 per week and there is a three-month minimum commitment (13th week is free). To learn more, contact mail@deafweekly.com or visit www.deafweekly.com/advertise.htm.

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MILESTONES
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MARVIN CLATTERBUCK, 95, DIRECTED OREGON SCHOOL

Marvin Clatterbuck, a former longtime director of the Oregon School for the Deaf, died Sunday, November 19 at the age of 95. According to the Statesman Journal, Mr. Clatterbuck served as an educator and director at the Salem school for nearly 40 years before retiring in 1973. Nineteen buildings opened on campus while he was director, said Jane Mulholland, the school’s current director. Mr. Clatterbuck went on to serve as a director for Ivory Coast Academy, a school for the children of missionaries in Africa. He and his wife, Margaret, who died in 2003, served twice in Africa for two-year terms. Mr. Clatterbuck, who was living with family in Arroyo Grande, Calif. at the time of his death, is survived by three sons, a daughter, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

‘SANDY’ EWAN, 66, PRINTER, GALLAUDET SPORTS BOOSTER

Alexander “Sandy” Ewan, a longtime printer and well-known Gallaudet University sports booster, died November 9 at a Washington, D.C. hospital after five days in a coma. He was 66. Mr. Ewan attended the Kendall School in Washington, D.C. and went on to work for The Washington Post and The New York Times before joining the Government Printing Office, where he retired in 1996. He “un-retired” to become the full-time executive director of Gallaudet’s Bison Booster Club before “re-retiring” in 2002, said a family statement. Mr. Ewan was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan and held season tickets with the Washington Redskins and the University of Maryland’s football and basketball programs. He was a past president of the Metropolitan Washington Association for the Deaf and was conferred with honorary memberships in the Kappa Gamma and Alpha Sigma Pi fraternities at Gallaudet. He is survived by his wife, Teddy, and children, Karl and Darlene. Condolences may be mailed to 5019 Odessa Road, College Park, MD 20740.

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EMPLOYMENT
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You can advertise your job openings here for just $20 a week (up to 100 words, 10 cents each add'l word) and reach nearly 6,000 Deafweekly subscribers. Our website gets an additional 5,000+ page views each week. Start spreading the news! To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT GLAD

GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

- Building Manager - Los Angeles, CA
- Community Interpreter - Riverside, CA
- Job Developer/Interpreter - Crenshaw, Norwalk, Riverside and West Covina, CA
- Community Health Educator - Los Angeles, CA
- Grant Writer - Los Angeles, CA
- Accounts Receivable Specialist - Los Angeles, CA
- Program Assistant/Interpreter - Los Angeles, CA
- LIFESIGNS Dispatcher - Riverside, CA

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

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POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

POSITION: American Sign Language (ASL) Teacher

TO BE FILLED BY: As soon as possible.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: Teach ASL courses; teach ASL to students in an individual or small group setting; provide ASL assessments to intake students and serve as a sign language tutor for students with limited ASL skills; serve as ASL teacher and mentor to RSD staff; present short-term seminars on ASL grammar and related topics; and perform other related duties.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Master's Degree
New York State certification as a teacher of the Deaf or in second language teaching
American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) certification
Three to five years of successful teaching experience.
Superior Rating on the Sign Communication Proficiency Interview (SCPI)

FILE APPLICATION WITH:
Harold Mowl, Jr., Superintendent/CEO
Rochester School for the Deaf
1545 St. Paul Street
Rochester, NY 14621

CLOSING DATE: Until filled.

Job application is available online: www.rsdeaf.org/employment.asp
Applications received will be screened and the most highly qualified will be asked to interview.

RSD is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of non-qualifying disability, race, religion, color, sex, marital status, age, national origin, and veteran status.

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Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the Deaf
Hampton, Virginia
Pay Band 4 - Salary Range: $30,146 - $61,872
Position #00283
Closing Date - Open Until Filled***

The Field Rehabilitation Services Division is seeking a qualified VR Counselor for the Deaf to provide comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services to eligible persons with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities in the Hampton and surrounding areas.

Responsibilities: Provides comprehensive case management services including guidance, counseling, training and physical/mental restoration and job placement services. Develops, implements and manages vocationally focused service plans that identify customer goals, services and costs to help them achieve an employment outcome. Maintains detailed case notes and prepares position-related reports. Due to regional coverage, extensive travel is required.

Requirements: Considerable knowledge of the social, economic, medical, psychological and vocational issues impacting persons with disabilities; interviewing, evaluation, and counseling techniques; methods and tools for career counseling and exploration; and ADA compliance requirements. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community resources and individuals from diverse environments. Abilities to establish employment opportunities through contacts with businesses and organizations within the community; effectively communicate, orally and in writing; interpret and apply policies/procedures; and organize/manage multiple duties. Fluency in American Sign Language required. Successful candidate must have considerable knowledge of and understanding of the communication, cultural and psychosocial needs of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. Working knowledge of Windows based computer software. Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling or closely related field or current CRC required. Master’s level transcripts or copy of current certification, if applicable, must accompany application. Must have a valid driver’s license and access to transportation for daily travel. Salary is negotiable above the minimum of the pay band based on qualifications. This is a sensitive position, and the successful candidate will be subject to fingerprinting/ background investigation.

Contact Information: Please visit our Career Center at www.vadrs.org for the application process. Save time by applying on-line. You can even save your application for future use! If you don’t have computer access call 804-726-1919 or contact your local VEC office for assistance. ***Applications will be accepted until at least 5:00 p.m., December 18, 2006. Applications received after this date may or may not be considered depending on the applicant pool. Applicants interviewed will be required to sign the application the day of the interview. Resumes may not be substituted for fully completed State applications. Minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. EEO/AA/TTY - Reasonable accommodations upon request.

Closing Date: Open Until Filled***
State Form 10-012 Required

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POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

POSITION: Network Administrator

DATE POSITION TO BE FILLED: ASAP

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Deploy, Maintain, and Manage all network equipment
Configure routers, switches, firewall, and servers
Network Backups
End user support and problem resolution
Document all network maintenance and upgrades

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelors Degree in Computer Science or Equivalent Area
3 to 5 years experience in managing computer networks
Ability to work independently
Strong problem solving, diagnostic skills
Ability to interact effectively with staff

FILE APPLICATION WITH:
Harold Mowl, Jr. Superintendent/CEO
Rochester School for the Deaf
l545 St. Paul Street
Rochester, New York l462l

Applications received will be screened and the most highly qualified will be asked to interview.

CLOSING DATE: Open until filled

Job Application can be downloaded at http://www.rsdeaf.org/employment.asp

RSD is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of non-qualifying disability, race, religion, color, sex, marital status, age, national origin, and veteran status.

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OPPORTUNITIES AT FEGS

FEGS is one of the largest not-for-profit health & human services organizations in the nation with 3500+employees in more than 350 locations throughout the New York metropolitan area, and an annual operating budget of $240 million.

Our Behavioral Health Residential division offers excellent opportunities to become as vital member of a multidisciplinary team strongly rooted in the deaf community. We are seeking experienced professionals fluent in ASL to work with disabled deaf population.

SERVICE COORDINATORS - Full Time/Part Time
Counsels and aids hearing deaf and deaf-blind individuals and families by conducting home or community visits. Administers and monitors the Kosher Lunch Program. Conducts periodic reviews of treatment/service plans to assess progress toward goals. Makes referrals to community resources and advocates on behalf of tenants.

B. A. Degree in a health or human service field or an Associates degree in Health or Human Service field with 2 to 3 years experience may be considered. Fluency in American Sign Language required.

DIRECT CARE WORKER
Assists emotionally disabled and deaf individuals with personal care, social skills, money management and life skills in order to maximize their functioning in the community and prevent hospitalization.

High School diploma is required along with fluency in ASL and 1 year working with the disabled population preferably in a residential, health or treatment related setting.

We offer competitive salaries and an excellent benefits package.

For consideration please e-mail cover letter and resume, indicting position of interest to jwachtel@HR-Dynamics.com or fax Jwachtel at 212-366-8555

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