The Learning Center for the Deaf (MA)

{Photo 1 description: Tori Wilson, Erica Israel, Kelly Sosebee, Lydia Colon and Mary Grace Hamme at the Visions Academy School for the Deaf in Hawassa, Ethiopia.}

{Photo 2 description: TLC community members and Visions Global Empowerment’s summer volunteers take a group photo with Deaf students, teachers, and families in Ethiopia.}

This summer, Visions Global Empowerment annual Ethiopia Deaf Education and Empowerment trip was a success. Several TLC community members, including staff and Alumni, were in attendance.

TLC Board Member Val Hollingsworth, and longtime friend and volunteer Carol Hollingsworth, of TLCGlobal, supported this trip. Their dedication to this organization, providing resources and advocacy for the Ethiopian Deaf community, shows incredible generosity; TLC is grateful for their contributions.

While in Ethiopia, volunteers worked at Visions Academy School for the Deaf in Hawassa, Ethiopia. This school is the first and only school for the Deaf in Hawassa.

Visions employs Deaf teachers and staff and all staff, programs and curriculum are made accessible in formal Ethiopian sign language. Volunteers led youth enrichment activities, audiology services, interpreter training, teacher professional development training, and conducted meetings with parents, Deaf community members and the national association of the Deaf. In addition, volunteers learned about Ethiopian sign language, Ethiopian Deaf culture, and did sightseeing. Follow up activities and support for Visions Academy school for the Deaf in Ethiopia continue.

If you have any questions or interest in this work, please contact any of the TLC community members involved or visit Visions social media platforms.

Walden Community Services Director Elisa Valles will moderate the upcoming UConn Deaf Perspectives on Mental Health & Su***de Prevention Panel on September 26th from 3:00 to 5:00 PM on Zoom.

This is a moderated virtual discussion about mental health and intersectionality, from a Deaf perspective. People from marginalized communities experience disproportionate mental health diagnoses, and the su***de rate among these communities reflect similar data. Many people are members of these groups in some way: they may be Deaf and Hard of Hearing, have visible or invisible disabilities, identify as LGBTQ+, or find their BIPOC identities adding to the risk factors while trying to navigate community and resources.

To register: https://shorturl.at/ZbyZ9

We hope to see many familiar faces, and some new ones, next weekend at the 2024 Ben Hollingsworth Memorial Ride. This fantastic event is put on by our friends at Hollingsworth & Vose and offers kids activities, raffles, and a wonderful lunch following a morning ride.

TLC is grateful to receive proceeds from this event, which benefit our students, and STEAM programs at Marie Philip School at The Learning Center for the Deaf and Walden School.

Event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/mtPgRzGn3xCfYyov/

TLC Board member Mike Higgins has been appointed to the Massachusetts Disability Commission. In attendance were City of Framingham's Janet Leombruno- City Councilor At-Large, and Michael Cannon.

Municipal Commissions on Disability (CODs) advise municipal governments on the disability community’s needs in their city or town. They can support local communities by advising and assisting local officials with compliance to federal and state disability laws; partnering with people with disabilities to make their voices heard in vital city or town affairs; assisting the city or town with ensuring their ADA Self-Evaluation meets ADA requirements; assisting the city or town with implementation and upkeep of their ADA Transition Plan, and other services.

Mike's background includes more than 15 years in business, education, and nonprofit sectors. He has three children at TLC and volunteers as a soccer coach for the school.

👋🏼 Hands waving 👋🏼 to the start of another year! Welcome, back, all students! 📙✏️

We love a good TLC Family Summer Party! Here are photos from our end of summer bash. Think you can spy your favorite TLC staffer? Give them a shoutout! 💙

Our end of summer/staff bash was a smash!! Thanks to The Grub Guru for delicious lunch options! It's always fun getting the whole TLC family together for food, games, and great laughs.

Our school staff can't wait to see all our students back on campus next week. 🤟🏽 💙

If you live in the MetroWest area, and you have younger children, here is a great opportunity to enrich them with a love for ASL! Check out our Intro to ASL for Kids class, starting in October. Held in Framingham one evening per week, students learn their ABCs, numbers, colors, animals, and basic communication signs. We ask that your child be age 5 or older by the first class; parents and caregivers are required to accompany their child to each class.

Sign up at tlcdeaf.org/aslclasses. 🤟🏼

Our Residential Childcare Workers (RCCWs) ensure the direct care and safety of children at Walden School. They foster a nurturing, safe, and supportive environment for our deaf youth who live, learn, and play on our beautiful campus.

When you join TLC, you are part of our journey to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates our TLC community members' diverse narratives.

Read more and start your application online: https://shorturl.at/qGpNg

Spotlight on: TLC Interpreting Services!

Under the Communication and Access Services Department, the TLC Interpreting Department strives to ensure that our broader community has their communication access needs met.

Our services include: ASL/English interpreters, Deaf interpreter, spoken language interpreters, written translations, and Deaf-blind interpreting support.

Our team works in a variety of environments, including education, medical, academic, and business.

To learn more, and to contact us about partnering to prioritize accessible communication for the Deaf and hard of hearing, visit tlcdeaf.org/interpreting

TLC representing on the green today for Rhode Island School for the Deaf's golf tournament! ⛳️

Registration is now open for Fall ASL Classes!

We offer Levels 1-5 for ages 16 and older. In-person and virtual options.

*AND* back by popular demand: Intro to ASL for Kids begins October 9th! For children ages 5 and older. Students learn their ABCs, numbers, colors, animals, and basic communication signs. This in-person class meets in Framingham one evening per week.

Learn more, and sign up online: tlcdeaf.org/aslclasses.

We are Hiring! Seeking Deaf and ASL-Fluent individuals to join our growing family. Our positions offer growth and opportunity; you could begin this fall!

Want to stay up-to-date about job opportunities? Join our email list at tlcdeaf.org/careers.

Spotlight on: TLC Audiology Clinic!

Our clinic provides comprehensive services to the MetroWest community and beyond. The audiology clinic is a Department of Public Health level II certified, non-profit entity, and all proceeds from services provided and products sold benefit the children and families served by The Learning Center for the Deaf.

We provide:
-Routine and diagnostic hearing evaluations for pediatric through senior populations;
-Hearing aid evaluation and orientation;
-Cochlear implant evaluation, orientation, activation, and support;
-Newborn Hearing Screenings;
-3-D digital ear scanning;
-Custom molds;
and more!

To learn more, or schedule an appointment, visit tlcdeaf.org/audiology.

Spotlight on: Public School Partnership Program (PSP)!

PSP currently supports almost *900* students across more than 90 Massachusetts school districts! Our team includes Teachers of the Deaf, Educational Audiologists, and Speech-Language Pathologists.

We provide direct service to students and consultation services with parents and faculty to facilitate the development of appropriate educational plans, meet individual student needs, support academic and social progress, identify classroom modifications, and enhance teaching practices to support participation and learning.

To learn more, or contact us, visit tlcdeaf.org/psp.

Today, we celebrated our Kindergarten, 5th, and 8th grade students as they "moved up" to the next grade level in the fall!

We're incredibly proud of their accomplishments and love celebrating this special milestone.

In addition to honoring our students, TLC presented the annual Brooke Donahue Award to Wander Moreno-Robles.

Today was MPS's last day of school; Walden School students have their last day on August 7th. We wish all MPS/WS families and staff a fantastic summer! We can't wait to welcome everyone back in September!

Spotlight on: Walden Community Services!

With locations in Springfield and Framingham, Walden Community Services (WCS) offers intensive care coordination (wraparound), family support & training, therapeutic mentoring, in-home therapy and in-home behavior therapy as well as family support & stabilization (DCF) for deaf and hard of hearing children, adults, and their families across Massachusetts. A new service will be opening up soon where deaf children and adults can receive outpatient therapy!

WCS is the sole statewide provider for deaf and hard of hearing services for the Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) under MassHealth as well as the statewide provider for Family Support and Stabilization Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals through a Department of Children and Families contract.

Learn more at tlcdeaf.org/wcs.

Learn ASL this summer; registration is still open!

Community ASL Classes, Levels 1-5, begins on August 5th. In-person and virtual options.

Our Advanced ASL for Kids runs from August 8th through September 19th. Designed for youth who have a good understanding of basic ASL and/or who have completed our Intro to Kids class, and who wish to build on conversational skills. Classes are held in-person in Framingham on Thursdays, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Sibling discounts available!

To view schedules and sign up, visit: tlcdeaf.org/aslclasses.

There's still time to register for our next session of ASL Classes!

Community ASL Levels 1-5: Begins August 5th. In-person and virtual options.

Advanced ASL for Kids: August 8th through September 19th. Designed for youth who have a good understanding of basic ASL and/or who have completed our Intro to Kids class, and who wish to build on conversational skills. Classes are held in-person in Framingham on Thursdays, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Sibling discounts available!

To view schedules and sign up, visit tlcdeaf.org/aslclasses.

TLC and Marie Philip School at The Learning Center for the Deaf hosted a special event for friends and family of students in our Early Childhood Center (ECC) and Elementary Department. "VIP Day" is an immersive ASL experience, where guests are invited to learn more about campus life at a Deaf school.

Our fourth- and fifth- graders hosted our guests restaurant style for a special breakfast. They were amazing servers taking food and beverage orders. After some opening remarks and fun trivia, our guests took a brief tour of campus, learning about each department and meeting the school principals. Then, families were invited to join our classrooms, where they participated fun activities to build their ASL skills, including learning about language structure and everyday signs.

Our guests left with some fun TLC goodies and an inspiring experience. We thank everyone for coming and sharing the morning with us, including a special thank you to representatives from Senate President Karen E. Spilka and Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis' office!

It's Prime Day! For two days, get extra special deals on Amazon. Did you know? We have a Wish List for our residential program. These items help support a nurturing, home-like environment for our students. We have both five- and seven-day residential programs at TLC!

Shop our Wish List and create big smiles here on campus:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1QV77WKAELM26?ref_=wl_share

Representing all areas of TLC pride at National Association of the Deaf - NAD Conference in Chicago! Pictured are TLC staff, Jr. NAD Delegate James, and Ben Wagenknecht, Class of 1992.

Our Marie Philip School at The Learning Center for the Deaf Early Childhood Center (ECC) and Badavas Parent Infant Program (PIP) families came together today to beat the heat with water, art, and smiles during a summer Sensory Party! ☀️🎨🫧

We are excited to welcome Kristin Feldman as the new Director of Walden School! Kristin is a TLC Alumni, and has nearly 20 years of experience in residential leadership and mental health counseling.

Kristin will begin in July. She will join our Walden School Leadership Team, including our new Director of Clinical Services Tiffany Bridgett, and work closely with the rest of TLC Program Leaders and Administration to support and grow our residential program for students and families.

Help us say Hello and Welcome! 👋

*Transcript in Comments*

New Walden School Director Transcript:Hello, I'm Kristin Feldman.I'm excited to become your new Walden School Director. I first joined The Learning Center for the Deaf in the Parent In...

We have just announced our next Advanced ASL for Kids class!

Beginning August 8th through September 19th, classes are held in-person in Framingham on Thursdays, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.

Advanced ASL for Kids is designed for youth who have a good understanding of basic ASL and/or who have completed our Intro to Kids class, and who wish to build on conversational skills.

Registration is also still open for our second summer session of Community ASL classes starting August 5th; levels 1 through 5 offered!

To view schedules and sign up, visit https://www.tlcdeaf.org/services/community-asl-classes.

Here's the latest BUZZ 🐝 about the newest edition to campus! TLC employees Natasha Rausch and Claire Miller recently installed a beehive behind the new yellow house:

"We are starting TLC's first beekeeping project and hope that staff and students will become interested in learning about beekeeping and how bees are critical to our ecosystem. We are gradually buying protective bee suits in various sizes so that students can become part of the fun as junior beekeepers. We hope to have live demonstrations and other bee-related events in the future." 🍯

Registration is now open for our second summer session of community ASL classes! Beginning August 5th through September 19th, our next session includes options for Levels 1-5.

Share our flyer and sign up online! tlcdeaf.org/aslclasses