Preschool

Children with hearing loss who have reached the age of 3 become eligible for the Rochester School for the Deaf Preschool Program. Our preschool program builds a solid educational and social foundation for deaf and hard-of-hearing children ages 3 and 4 who have an 80-decibel or greater hearing loss and live in the 17 county area surrounding Rochester, NY. Our multifaceted approach addresses the unique needs of the individual child and their family through our center-based, full-day preschool program. Communication accessibility is a critical aspect of each child's daily preschool experience at RSD.

What we offer:

• A low teacher-to-student ratio which allows for individual instruction and assessment
• Acquisition of both ASL and English through an environment rich in these languages
• Enhanced language skill development resulting in children who become bilingual
• In-class and 1:1 support from an audiologist and a speech/communication teacher to
  optimize the use of assistive devices including hearing aids, cochlear implants, and
  auditory trainers
• In-class support from an ASL specialist to maximize sign language development
• Culturally relevant experiences infused throughout the curriculum
• On-going collaboration between the family, classroom teacher, and our evaluation team
• Innovative and research-based "Best Practices" instruction
• A state-of-the-art multisensory sound lab
• Library, Music and Physical Education classes that enhance the preschool curriculum