Sterck (Margaret S.) School

This teachers and staff at the DE School for the Deaf / Statewide Programs are very knowledgeable about the students whom they teach. They are accessible and helpful to families as they navigate through the life journey of raising a deaf / hard of hearing child. I have been very satisfied with the services both my child and my family have received. My child is happy, thriving, and learning in this school. I can't say enough about this wonderful community.
--Submitted by a parent

This school utilizes a bilingual approach to teaching children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The natural language of deaf people is a visual one, and in the United States, this is American Sign Language (ASL). Instruction at the Delaware School for the Deaf is done through a bilingual approach, with ASL and English being the two languages used in the classroom. For some students this means ASL and written (print) English, and for other students this means ASL and spoken/written English. It depends on each individual student. The teachers are highly trained Deaf Education professionals, and the school is regarded as a very progressive school for the deaf, compared to many other schools for the deaf around the country. Students have the opportunity to learn in a barrier-free environment, because they have full visual access to the curriculum and all discussions around them. Students also develop a strong self-concept and have the knowledge that they are not "alone" in the world - that there are many other individuals like them.
--Submitted by a parent

Parents are advised to carefully consider the appropriateness of the school's current communication philosophy for their individual child. It may not represent the most appropriate approach for many students with partial hearing loss/ or CIs and a preference for primary teaching with a spoken language approach. Staff primarily communicate or receive language through sign only/ silent voice ( ASL) and encourage spoken language primarily during lunch and therapy times. Students with usable hearing will miss the pronounciation of critical vocabulary words during instruction with ASL. Families embracing an ASL/ written english program will likely be pleased with the philosophy.

This is a great school with equal asscess to communication.
--Submitted by a student