|
http://www.srsdeaf.org/
<< visit website
Categories: Educational, [ view all ]
St. Rita School for the Deaf Charity Profile
We are a Catholic day/residential program whose primary mission is to educate infants and students who need special methods of communication and technological support. We are committed to providing a safe, value-oriented environment which facilitates the educational, social and spiritual development of each student. St. Rita was built on 237 acres of fertile land and the dream of a young priest. The dream began when Father Henry J. Waldhaus was challenged by Archbishop Henry Moeller to provide for the deaf in the Diocese of Cincinnati. With the help of the Knights of del'Epee and the Saints Mary and Joseph Society, Father Waldhaus was able to raise the funds necessary to purchase land which would become St. Rita School in 1915. Beginning with only eleven students and a staff of three Sisters of Charity, Father Waldhaus embarked on a mission which would produce the first accredited high school for the deaf in Ohio.
As construction workers were breaking ground for new buildings, Father Waldhaus and the Sisters of Charity were breaking ground in their education of deaf children. They offered an atmosphere of learning and growing which was unique to deaf students in the Cincinnati area. The available technical equipment of the day enabled teachers to communicate with students who existed in a silent world. Religious and social training exposed the children to ways of life essential to functioning in the real world. Academic and vocational training helped the children become productive members of society. The homelike atmosphere offered camaraderie and a chance to grow and share with other deaf children.
Those first graduates of St. Rita took their dreams with them into the world, bolstered by the care and attention they received from Father Waldhaus and his staff.
We continue to believe that the best way to educate deaf and hard of hearing children is through Comprehensive Communication. This philosophy offers a child every available stimulus for human interaction, including sign language, lip-reading, assistive listening devices, visual aids, and technology.
Every student is different and has his or her own way of learning and communicating. Through the philosophy of Comprehensive Communication, teachers and students are able to choose which method of communication works best for them. This approach to communicating promotes an accepting and positive classroom environment, allowing students to focus their attention on what is really important, learning.
Speech therapy and auditory training are major parts of the comprehensive communication philosophy, as well as using sign language and speech simultaneously. Each student at St. Rita School for the Deaf receives therapy from the staff of certified speech therapists. In addition, unless a child has a cochlear implant, he or she is offered an auditory trainer through the sixth grade to take advantage of any residual hearing.
 |
St. Rita School for the Deaf Volunteer Information
This is the first of several steps you will take in making a difference in the lives of many children attending St. Rita School for the Deaf.
Since St. Rita School for the Deaf started, volunteers have been central to every activity at the school. Volunteers become involved directly with students through the tutoring program or after school activities. Indirectly, volunteers help with fundraising events, assist in the office, or serve on committees. Either way, the volunteer work is vital to the school.
As a volunteer of St. Rita School for the Deaf, we ask that you fill out a volunteer application and get fingerprinted. Once we receive the application and fingerprint results, you will need to attend an orientation on the school and child protection.
When you start your service, you will join the ranks of thousands of others who have dedicated a part of their lives to improving the lives of others. You will soon discover the significance of your visits and what a difference it can make in the lives of the children.
|
St. Rita School for the Deaf Donation Information
Rita School for the Deaf to benefit from your generous heart.
|
St. Rita School For The Deaf
