North Dakota School for the Deaf Society

Published in The NDAD News, Fall 2009 issue

  Passed by the 2009 North Dakota Legislature House Bill 1013, Section 19 stipulates that the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and NDSD shall develop a plan for future services to be offered by NDSD and begin implementing the plan for the biennium beginning July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2011. Furthermore the bill states that DPI and NDSD shall meet regularly with a transition team appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction consisting of representation from the legislative assembly, parents of school for the deaf students, school for the deaf employees, members of the Devils Lake community, school for the deaf alumni, and others. 

  Michele Rolewitz, NDAD President, and I have been appointed by Dr. Wayne Sanstead, Superintendent of Public Instruction to represent NDAD and NDSD Society respectively. I believe we are the only two deaf representatives on the team of 10 members who will: 

1. review the needs of all deaf and hearing-impaired persons throughout the state and develop a plan to 

provide comprehensive outreach services to all North Dakota citizens who are deaf or hearing-impaired; 

2. explore the development of partnerships with other states relating to the provision of residential and 

educational services to individuals who are deaf or hearing-impaired; 

3. review current research and national trends in the provision of services to students who are deaf or 

hearing-impaired; 

4. explore the feasibility of implementing revenue-generating activities at the school for the deaf; and 

5. develop a long-range site and facility plan for the school for the deaf campus. 

  While intentions of the bill are too broad to make any definite interpretation until the transition team begin meeting monthly on October 29 in Bismarck, it may be obvious to you, dear readers and NDSD alumni, that the Legislative assembly is not really going to close NDSD but to expand the scope of NDSD mission to serve deaf and hard of hearing individuals of ALL ages. Also NDSD is expected to go into business of making money providing services, probably both current and new. Partnering with other states to provide services will have to benefit NDSD and the State of North Dakota, not the other way around. Lastly I wouldn’t be surprised to hear proposals to utilize facilities, both current and new, for the purposes other than educating deaf and hard of hearing children. 

  The team will first meet in Bismarck on October 29 and meet there every month thereafter until May 2010. I will post a vlog on the NDSD Society website after each meeting to keep you appraised of everything that was discussed. To help Michelle and I better represent our respective organizations I urge you to email, write or videophone us to share your opinions, concerns, ideas and issues and we will make sure the team HEARD you because you have BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT as a NDSD student as well as being a deaf North Dakota citizen.