Private Special Day Schools

The school offers elementary education primarily for hearing but also for hearing-impaired children who are in pre-kindergarten through grade six, who live in Los Angeles County. It provides a traditional elementary school curriculum in an atmosphere which encourages the development of positive self-esteem, self-direction, self-motivation, self-reliance, critical decision-making skills and an active learning stance. A low pupil to teacher ratio allows teachers to offer each student more individual attention than is usually possible in the public schools. There are no geographic restrictions.

The school accepts hearing-impaired children who have a mild to profound hearing loss, have the potential to benefit from the mainstreaming process, and are participating in the Echo Center program. The school does not encourage applications from children who have significant physical or emotional disabilities apart from or in addition to hearing loss. A maximum of two hearing-impaired students are integrated into each classroom of twenty. These students are mainstreamed with the aid of specialized support services from the Echo Center which include individualized auditory and speech development training, and tutorial assistance, as needed, provided by licensed speech therapists and certified special education teachers. The use of sign language is discouraged. These specialists also provide in-service training for and work cooperatively with the regular teachers at the school to promote positive social and academic experiences for the hearing impaired students and to maximize the emphasis on the development of their hearing and speech skills.

Extended day care is available for students before and after school. In addition, the school operates a summer program for hearing and hearing-impaired children.

A parents' organization sponsored by the school is active in fund raising and public relations for the school; members also help to organize and conduct extracurricular activities and school field trips.