This year has been a great year of growth for me and for clients of Beetle Press.

I have been expanding my media work, collaborating with clients who have a broader reach and also working for my brother Allan, who runs a restaurant and is a philanthropist and activist in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

It’s quite fun for me to see headlines popping in Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Washington; and Gilford, New Hampshire.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech

In partnership with Clarke, last year and in 2018, I have prepared—and in some cases, distributed—releases sent to media located near Clarke campuses in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville, Florida, as well as in this region.

Last year, we got some great coverage about Clarke Boston from The Patriot Ledger and in other print publications in eastern Massachusetts.

This year, we’ve made some great headlines together in Philadelphia. In July, I prepared a media advisory that went to media in Philadelphia; the focus was a music teacher from New Jersey who owns a dog who can’t hear. Chris Hannah visited Clarke with his dog to talk about differences, acceptance, and inclusion and to read from a book he penned called “The Adventures of Captain Cochlear and Maestro Mutt.”

The media response to the advisory was tremendous. ABC, NBC, and KYW Newsradio covered the story.

In August, I wrote a media advisory about Clarke Philadelphia’s graduation, featuring young students singing the Philadelphia Eagles theme song, “Fly, Eagles Fly.” This prompted NBC and CBS to cover the event. Clarke also saw coverage on One News Page and MSN.com.

Zoar Outdoor

This summer, I also prepared and distributed press releases for Zoar Outdoor in Charlemont.

One focused on women in the adventure industry—specifically two women at Zoar, Vivian Black, a rafting guide, and Rachel Maestri Hailey, Zoar’s canopy tour manager. It was picked up across the country by The Seattle Lesbian; see their coverage here!

A second release I prepared for Zoar, on its thorough training of five new guides who now lead the canopy tour experience, triggered gonomad.com to visit Zoar and write a feature story about the canopy tour.

Patrick’s Pub & Eatery

About a month ago, I began writing blogs for Patrick’s Pub & Eatery in Gilford, New Hampshire, which is owned by my two brothers, Allan and Jeff Beetle.

I repurposed one blog about a local businessman who sets up shop near the Winni Scenic Trail and the WOW Trail and sent it out to New Hampshire media. In the release, Brian Baxter, the owner of BB’s Hot Bites -N- Cool Delights talks about the boon that the bike paths are for the local economy.

Last week, a new colleague I’ve met at WEMJ in Laconia, New Hampshire, radio personality Pat Kelly, put Brian on his morning show, Good Morning New Hampshire, and talked with him about his business, the bike trails, my brother’s business, and other local topics. It was great fun to hear; Pat is a very engaging journalist.

And on Aug. 23, The Gilford Steamer, a newspaper in Gilford, New Hampshire, picked the release up in full, in print on page A6, complete with a large photo of Brian.

I will continue this expanded work and would be happy to talk with you, if you think you have a story that might be worthy of a broader reach. Feel free to start a conversation!

The post Expanding My Reach appeared first on Beetle Press.

Event scheduled for Oct. 18 and 19 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, will support students who are deaf or hard of hearing and feature American Ninja Warrior Contestant Nolan Gardner

MARLBOROUGH—Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech (Clarke) will hold its 39th Annual Conference on Mainstreaming Students with Hearing Loss on Thursday, Oct. 18, and Friday, Oct. 19 at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel.

This year’s event carries the theme “From Access to Achievement: Empowering Every Child to Succeed in the Mainstream,” and, for the first time, it will include a Mix & Mingle Social Hour for conference attendees, presenters and exhibitors.

Clarke’s Mainstream Conference is one of the only conferences of its kind in the country that offers resources and support to professionals who work with, and parents of, students who are deaf or hard of hearing who are in the mainstream—meaning they attend school with peers with typical hearing.  

The materials and topics are suited to teachers of the deaf, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, professionals in inclusive settings and students who are deaf or hard of hearing and their parents. CEU and professional development points are offered.

“What’s unique about the conference is our focus on students in mainstream classrooms—as opposed to those in schools specifically designed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing,” said Claire Troiano, director of Mainstream Services at Clarke Northampton, who has been involved with the conference since its inception and has held a lead role in planning the event for more than 20 years.

“Best practices and stories shared by our conference presenters really resonate with those in our audience,” said Troiano, who also serves as the educational administrator of Clarke Northampton’s Kindergarten through Eighth Grade Program. “We try to have speakers who are deaf themselves and have gone through the mainstream. They can speak about their own experiences and how they’re living their lives today. Conference participants also have the opportunity to ask questions.”

More than 20 professionals in the field of listening and spoken language will deliver presentations and workshops, covering topics related to the academic, social and emotional challenges that arise for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and are learning in typical classrooms.

The three keynote speakers are:

• Mary Ellen Nevins, professor and director of Auditory-Based Intervention at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who will speak on “Effective Communication Skills for Interprofessional Conversations: What’s in YOUR Toolkit?”
• Rebecca Alexander, a psychotherapist and the author of Not Fade Away: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found, who will present “Not Fade Away.”
• Nolan Gardner, a teacher specialist at The Help Group in Sherman Oaks, California, and the first competitor on the television show “American Ninja Warrior” to compete while using cochlear implants. Gardner’s talk is entitled “Trekking Through the Hearing World.”

“I am looking forward to meeting all the parents, educators and professionals that will be present during the conference, sharing my experience with them, and also hearing any suggestions or making new connections from all I meet,” said Gardner.  

An entire day of the conference is also dedicated to students from across the country, many of whom are the only students in their schools with a hearing loss. “Making Connections!” is designed specifically for teens in grade seven through 12 who are deaf or hard of hearing.

This year, the program will be co-led by Gardner and Emily Plant, a Clarke itinerant teacher of the deaf. “The day-long program will create an engaging, safe and nurturing environment in which students can hear and share their personal experiences in the mainstream,” Troiano said, noting parents will also have time to network with other parents.

“I am also looking forward to co-leading the ‘Making Connections!’ and meeting the younger teens with CIs and hearing of their successes!” noted Gardner.

Troiano said Clarke has long provided training for classroom teachers of students who are deaf or hard or hearing, and that training began with Clarke professionals visiting teachers in their own settings. “When we couldn’t get to all the teachers in their different locations, we decided to bring them together and train them as a group, and that’s how the conference got started,” she said.

The conference will also feature 16 exhibitor booths, showcasing the latest products, technology and services supporting students who are deaf or hard of hearing. This year’s exhibitors include several conference sponsors as well: Gallaudet University, Hearing Our Way, Oticon Pediatrics, Cochlear, MED-EL, and National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

Over the years, the conference has grown to include speech-language pathologists and parents. This year, Troiano expects about 250 attendees from across the country.

There is no deadline for registration; and walk-ins are welcome. Enrollment for the “Making Connections!” program, however, is limited to 30 students.

For more information or to register, visit www.clarkeschools.org/services/annual-mainstream-conference. Connect with Clarke and other attendees of the Mainstream Conference on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #MainstreamConf18!

About Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech

Since 1867, Clarke has provided children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the education needed to succeed in a hearing world, evolving to best meet the needs of children and families today through Infant-Toddler, virtual tVISIT (teleservice), Preschool, K-8, Mainstream and Summer Programs, as well as through hearing centers, comprehensive educational evaluations and research and professional development.  Annually, more than 1,200 children and their families benefit from programs and services at five campuses: Boston, MA, Jacksonville, FL, New York City, Northampton, MA and Philadelphia, PA. Learn more at clarkeschools.org.

The post Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech to Host 39th Mainstream Conference for Professionals and Parents appeared first on Beetle Press.

40+ students who are deaf or hard of hearing connected with Franti, an activist, yoga teacher, and musician

NORTHAMPTON—More than 40 students from across the country who are deaf or hard of hearing enjoyed a spontaneous and private concert and Q&A with Green River Festival headliner Michael Franti, of Michael Franti & Spearhead, on July 14.

The youths, in the Pioneer Valley to attend the annual Summer Camp led by the Northampton-based nonprofit Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, heard Franti and singer/songwriter Victoria Canal play “The Sound of Sunshine”—at their special request—as well as a new release.

Campers meeting with Franti and Canal at Beacon Field in Greenfield listened as Franti shared his story of being adopted and growing up in a busy household, and they also had the chance to ask him about his music career.

“A ‘meet and greet’ with Michael Franti was not part of our planned camp programming,” said Claire Troiano, Clarke Northampton’s director of Mainstream Services and the educational administrator of Clarke’s K-8 Program, co-located at Leeds Elementary.  “Teachers at our camp knew the band was in town for the festival and worked hard to coordinate this incredible camp activity, which was confirmed only the day prior!  The kids and teachers were equally excited!”

Heather Stinson and Ashley Kachelmeyer, fans of Franti’s for years and teachers at the camp, invited Franti to visit with Clarke’s campers after learning he was headlining at the Green River Festival. “Michael’s humanitarian nature and the lyrics to his songs align with our philosophy at camp—inclusion, equality, and celebration of diversity and differences,” Troiano said.

Clarke leads its annual Summer Camp for children ages nine through 17 from July 8-20 in Easthampton on the Williston Northampton School campus. Campers, who use hearing technology such as hearing aids or cochlear implants and communicate using listening and spoken language, participate in activities led by experienced teachers of the deaf and young adults with hearing loss.

The camp encourages leadership and independence while building skills and life-long friendships. This year’s camp theme, “free to be” aligns with Franti’s focus on social justice.

A world-renowned musician, Franti has been spreading his message of love, peace and social justice for decades. Among other endeavors, Franti’s Do It For The Love wish-granting nonprofit organization brings people living with life-threatening illnesses, children with severe challenges and wounded veterans to live concerts. Through the healing power of music, their goal is to inspire joy, hope and lasting celebratory memories.  

About Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech

Since 1867, Clarke has provided children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the education needed to succeed in a hearing world, evolving to best meet the needs of children and families today through Infant-Toddler, virtual tVISIT (teleservice), Preschool, K-8, Mainstream and Summer Programs, as well as through hearing centers, comprehensive educational evaluations and research and professional development.  Annually, more than 1,200 children and their families benefit from programs and services at five campuses: Boston, MA, Jacksonville, FL, New York City, Northampton, MA and Philadelphia, PA. Learn more at clarkeschools.org.

The post Clarke’s Summer Campers Rocked with Green River Festival Headliner Michael Franti at Pop-Up Meet & Greet appeared first on Beetle Press.

Cochlear Implant Awareness Day to be held February 25 to call attention to the technology and positive results

GAINSVILLE, FLORIDA—Chase Brannan doesn’t remember the moment his parents first questioned whether he could hear. He was too young, but he’s heard the story so many times, he knows their suspicions triggered concern and a series of physician visits.

Now a senior at the University of Florida, Brannan also well knows that, because of technology, paired with specialized listening and spoken language education, a diagnosis that one is profoundly deaf is no longer devastating.

Brannan, 24, has had a cochlear implant in his right ear for almost a quarter century and in both ears for 10 years. The technology has allowed him to access academic success, leadership and community activism. He assists his father with a cow-calf operation, and is a student senator, and an advocate for people with disabilities of all kinds.

Because cochlear implants transformed his life at a young age, Brannan is proud to call attention to Cochlear Implant Awareness Day, held annually since 2009 on Feb. 25, the date the first cochlear implant procedure was completed in Paris, France, in 1957.

Many manufacturers of the life-changing technology, as well as organizations in the field of deaf education, recognize the anniversary to raise public and government awareness about the benefits of the electronic devices.

“The main purpose of the implant is to receive sounds,” Brannan said. “Mine enabled me to talk. If you can speak, you can communicate with the majority of the population. My cochlear implants were a step for me in that direction.”

Cochlear implants, listening and spoken language

Cochlear implants are surgically implanted and provide a sense of sound to individuals who are profoundly deaf. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the external processor receives and transmits sounds in the environment and directly stimulates the cochlea, bypassing nonfunctioning areas in the inner ear.

Jan Gatty, Ed.D, the director of Child and Family Services for Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, was present at the hearings held by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration in 1984, when cochlear implant technology was approved for use in adults.

“It was groundbreaking,” she said, noting that by 2000, the technology was approved for use in children as young as 12 months old. Around the same time, hospital screenings for hearing loss in newborns allowed diagnosis of deafness in infancy.

Early diagnosis, combined with advanced hearing technology, radically improved outcomes. “The behavioral shift for deaf and hard of hearing children altered the course of education for students with hearing loss,” Gatty said.

She stresses early identification and cochlear implants are only two of the criteria that allow children who are profoundly deaf to listen and talk. The third is specialized instruction in listening and spoken language by experts and experienced professionals such as those at Clarke.

“The work of speech and language professionals then becomes helping children to learn the meaning of sound particularly as it relates to the development of that part of the brain that deals with spoken language,” she said.

In recent years, 60 percent of Clarke students have used cochlear implants, and outcomes for those with profound hearing loss are tremendously improved. Many students now enter neighborhood schools, in classrooms with their hearing peers in early childhood, as opposed to mainstreaming—as it’s called—in adolescence, Gatty said.

This shift to early mainstreaming was so dramatic that Clarke has transformed from a residential program established in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1867 to five campuses along the East coast: Northampton and Boston, Massachusetts; New York City; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Jacksonville, Florida, where Brannan received his Clarke education.

“As children with cochlear implants are mainstreamed into classrooms with hearing peers, it is critical that there are teachers of the deaf who have experience and expertise in the patterns of spoken language acquisition in children who use implants,” Gatty said. “Children need to hear spoken language early in life, to learn to control movements of their speech mechanism.”

About cochlear implants

Cochlear implants are also useful for adults who lose hearing in later life.

Nearly 188,000 individuals worldwide are fitted with a cochlear implant. In the United States, more than 41,000 adults and nearly 26,000 children have an implant, according to the NIH.

The first cochlear implants were developed in the 1950s and were designed for use with adults who were returning from active combat duty, during which time their hearing was impaired.  

A profound diagnosis

Brannan was six months old when his mother, the late Kimberly Loughrie Brannan, was vacuuming behind him and noticed he did not seem to be aware of the sound.

Later that day, Brannan’s father, Chuck Brannan of Macclenny, Florida, stood behind him and hit a pot with a spoon. “He didn’t seem to have a reaction to it,” the older Brannan said.

The eventual diagnosis was that Brannan had profound hearing loss. At six months old, he received hearing aids; Chuck Brannan said that was the best recommendation at the time. In 1999, when Chase Brannan was five, he received a cochlear implant made by Advanced Bionics in his right ear, and, said his father, “Immediately, Chase took off.”

He received the implant, from the same manufacturer, in his left ear in 2008. “It was a huge improvement in terms of hearing where the sound is coming from and being able to rely on both sides for communication,” Chase said.

Chase Brannan was a student of Clarke when he received the first implant. The specialized education in listening and spoken language, which helped him to use the cochlear implant technology, was so important to the Brannans, they drove two hours a day to take Chase to and from school. Clarke now offers a preschool classroom in Orlando to further support children with hearing loss in Florida.

“If it wasn’t for Clarke, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Chase added.

Future goals

After he graduates from the university’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences this spring with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and communication, Brannan intends to get advanced degrees in the same areas so that he can teach at the college level.

At the university, Brannan was elected by his peers to serve as a College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Senator and is a member of both the Information and Communication Committee and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. He is also vice-chairman of the Disability Advocacy Ad Hoc Committee.

“I like being involved and busy,” he said. “I have so much energy and use it to be able to help people. I like to help people.”

About Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech

Clarke has been teaching children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk for 150 years, evolving to best meet the needs of children and families today through Infant-Toddler, virtual tVISIT (teleservice), Preschool, K-8, Mainstream and Summer Programs, as well as through hearing centers, comprehensive educational evaluations and research and professional development. Annually, more than 1,200 children and their families benefit from programs and services at five campuses: Boston, MA, Jacksonville, FL, New York City, Northampton, MA and Philadelphia, PA. Learn more at clarkeschools.org.

The post Cochlear Implants Allow This College Student to Excel as a Leader appeared first on Beetle Press.

Event held in recognition of Clarke’s 150th Anniversary in 2017

CANTON—State legislators, Boston University graduate students and local business representatives were among visitors from around the Greater Boston area to attend an open house at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech on Nov. 15. They had the chance to tour the Boston-area campus, which is celebrating Clarke’s 150th anniversary this year, and to observe firsthand how Clarke teaches children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk.

Clarke’s visitors gathered on the campus at 1 Whitman Road for the event, held in recognition of the anniversary. In addition to receiving accolades about Clarke from State Senator Walter F. Timilty, Legislative Aide Hans Nagrath, and Joanne Tierney from the office of State Representative William C. Galvin, those in attendance also heard from a parent and child who received Clarke’s services.

Andrea Verlicco, of Braintree, said her 8-year-old daughter Kayleigh, received Clarke’s listening and spoken language services, beginning in a parent infant program when Kayleigh was 3 months old. When Kayleigh was 3 years old, she enrolled in Clarke’s preschool for deaf or hard of hearing children, which provided her with the skills and confidence necessary to successfully integrate into her neighborhood elementary school. Now a third grade student, Kayleigh is able to converse naturally with her hearing peers and to read above grade level. Most importantly, “She’s a happy, typical 8-year-old kid,” said Verlicco.  

“We were delighted to welcome state representatives, community leaders and a new generation of educators to Clarke so that they could meet our young students and see firsthand how Clarke changes the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families,” said Barbara Hecht, director of Clarke Boston. “We are proud of our students and our accomplished young alumni like Kayleigh, whose story helped our visitors to understand our work and the transformations we can accomplish.”

Timilty, whose state senate district includes Canton, has been a long-time supporter of schools and programs that provide opportunity to children who are deaf, hard of hearing or who experience other developmental challenges. “Senator Timilty has been such a great proponent of schools like Clarke and programs such as Best Buddies that provide children with new ways of learning and accomplishing things they never thought possible,” said Jennifer Whelen, development associate for Clarke Boston. “He really gets it.”

Timilty brought with him to the open house a citation issued by the Massachusetts State Senate, offering Clarke congratulations on its anniversary; he invited Kayleigh to help him read it.

“The Massachusetts State Senate extends its congratulations to Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in recognition of its exemplary commitment to providing children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the highest quality therapy and education on the occasion of its 150th anniversary,” said the citation, signed by Timilty, Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg and Senate Clerk William Welch.

Tierney delivered a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives in honor of Clarke’s 150th anniversary, reading and presenting it to Hecht.

Also among the guests were a group of graduate students from Boston University who are training to become teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students.

Clarke’s Boston campus opened 22 years ago, in 1995, and has been located in Canton since 1999. The campus includes four classrooms, therapy rooms, observation booths, a parents’ room, lunchroom, offices and an outdoor playground. Classrooms use sound field amplification systems and are designed to meet the unique acoustic needs of children with hearing loss.

Clarke Boston serves children from birth to age 3 for early intervention, from ages 3-8 in an on-site school program, and from preschool through high school in mainstream services provided to students in schools throughout eastern Massachusetts and beyond by Clarke’s itinerant teachers of the deaf. “We offer unique expertise and a learning environment designed to maximize each deaf or hard of hearing child’s development, while building their self-confidence and preparing them for success beyond Clarke,” said Hecht. “We partner with parents to provide the skills, knowledge and support they need to help their children reach their full potential.”

Children and families who receive services from Clarke Boston are from eastern and central Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

For more information on the anniversary events, or to donate to Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in its anniversary year, contact Lillian Rountree, chief development officer, at lrountree@clarkeschools.org or 973-453-5635.

Learn more about Clarke at www.clarkeschools.org.

The post Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech Draws Crowd for Open House appeared first on Beetle Press.

Event held in recognition of Clarke’s 150th Anniversary in 2017

PHILADELPHIA— As part of ongoing 150th anniversary celebrations being held on the East Coast this fall, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech will hold morning and afternoon open house sessions on Thursday, Dec. 7 at its preschool at 2 Penn Boulevard, Suite 220.

The event is free and open to the public and is offered as a way to show community members how Clarke teaches children who are deaf or hard of hearing how to listen and talk. Light refreshments will be served.

From 9:30 to 11 a.m., and again from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., members of the community are invited into the school to observe teachers and staff teaching and interacting with young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Tours will also be offered.

“We are eager to show members of the public the remarkable work that we do to change children’s lives,” said Judith Sexton, director of Clarke Philadelphia. “Teaching a child born profoundly deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk is an inspiring mission and one that we are passionate about.”

Registration is required to attend the open house by contacting Jenna Frederico at JFrederico@clarkeschools.org or 267-434-1802.

Clarke Philadelphia was founded in 2000 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and approximately five years ago, a second program was created in Philadelphia; that program now serves 45 families and children in the Birth to Three Program; 32 children in the Preschool and more than 120 students in the Mainstream Program, offering speech and language services to children of all ages in their school settings.

“We offer a unique learning environment designed to maximize each child’s development, while building their self-confidence and preparing them for success beyond Clarke,” Sexton said. “Clarke partners with parents to provide the skills, knowledge and support they need to help their children reach their full potential.”

Children and families come to Clarke Philadelphia’s locations from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

The open house in Philadelphia—and a private event for donors and supporters that was held on Nov. 8 at the Museum of the American Revolution—are being held in recognition of Clarke’s 150th anniversary to underscore Clarke’s rich history in serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families by teaching them to listen and talk.

Clarke was founded in 1867 in Northampton, Massachusetts, thanks to a $50,000 bequest from John Clarke, a wealthy Northampton businessman who lost his hearing in his later years. Alexander Graham Bell was also critical in the early development of Clarke’s listening and spoken language program, holding leadership positions at Clarke for over 51 years. His granddaughter, Sarah Grosvenor of Washington, D.C., now sits on Clarke’s Board of Trustees. She is the founder and president of The Alexander & Mabel Bell Legacy Foundation.

For many years, Clarke offered residential educational services for children who were deaf or hard of hearing in Northampton, and at that time, students often did not enter mainstream schools, learning or working alongside peers with typical hearing, until they were teenagers.

Today, newborn hearing screenings along with technology such as cochlear implants enables most students to enter their neighborhood schools by kindergarten. For this reason, 20 years ago, Clarke transitioned away from running one residential campus in Western Massachusetts to operating five campuses along the East Coast that together serve more than 1,200 children, and their families.

Clarke has campuses in Northampton and Canton, Massachusetts; New York City; Philadelphia; Jacksonville and a preschool program in Orlando, Florida. Clarke serves children from birth to age 18 who use hearing technology—including cochlear implants or hearing aids—to maximize their access to sound; they receive individualized support from Clarke’s teachers and therapists.

Among its wide range of programs, Clarke offers early intervention services for children from birth to 3, early childhood classes, and a team of itinerant teachers of the deaf who serve students in mainstream school settings from preschool through high school. In recent years, Clarke has also developed a virtual learning program through which it uses technology to reach children and families globally.

“I don’t think Clarke would still exist if it had tried to hang on to what it used to be,” said Ward Caswell, president of the Beveridge Family Foundation, Inc., in Westfield, Massachusetts, which has supported Clarke for roughly 50 years. “The transition has been marvelous. It’s rare that you see such a high level of success in dealing with change.”

Clarke, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is currently funded by foundations such as Beveridge, and the Oberkotter Foundation, which support its model for listening and spoken language, as well as private organizations, businesses and individuals.

While Clarke today is serving nearly 300 children from birth to age three, it has been identified that there are roughly 60,000 families with children in that age group in the United States who will need services by the year 2020, giving Clarke strong motivation to continue to expand its mission so that it can reach and teach more children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

As part of the 150th Anniversary celebrations, Clarke has established an 1867 Society, for those who make gifts of $1,000 or more, and it is actively raising funds with the hope of serving more families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing—in this region and across the globe.

“We have to be very nimble and figure out how to provide services to more families,” said Bruce A. Rosenfield, JD, executive director and one of three trustees of the Oberkotter Foundation, “Clarke is uniquely poised to do this.”

In recent years, Clarke has implemented new, innovative teaching tools, such as Project LENA, a technological coaching tool for parents, and the fun and educational Listening Walks at the Zoo, held in both Philadelphia and in Mendon, Massachusetts, and expanding to New York City in the spring of 2018.

Combined with the listening and spoken language tools Clarke has employed for many years, it is introducing sound to babies born into an otherwise silent world and inspiring young people who excel academically and grow into playwrights, actors, physicians and audiologists.

Upcoming anniversary events will also be held Dec. 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.

For more information on the anniversary events, or to donate to Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech or join its 1867 Society, contact Lillian Rountree, chief development officer, at lrountree@clarkeschools.org or 973-453-5635.

Learn more about Clarke at www.clarkeschools.org.

The post Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech to Offer Open Houses on Dec. 7 appeared first on Beetle Press.

Event held in recognition of Clarke’s 150th Anniversary celebrations in 2017

CANTON— As part of its ongoing 150th anniversary celebrations to be held on the East Coast this fall, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech will hold an open house on Nov. 15 at its preschool at 1 Whitman Road.

The event is free and open to the public and is offered as a way to show community members how Clarke teaches children who are deaf or hard of hearing how to listen and talk.

From 10 to 11 a.m., members of the community are invited into the school to observe teachers and staff interacting with young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. “We are eager to show members of the public the remarkable work that we do to change children’s lives,” said Barbara Hecht, director of Clarke Boston. “Teaching a child born profoundly deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk is an inspiring mission and one that we are passionate about.”

In honor of Clarke’s 150th, Gov. Charles D. Baker has issued a citation to Clarke, offering congratulations on the anniversary. Other legislators, including State Sen. Water F. Timilty and Jessica Doonan, chief of staff for the city of Boston Mayor’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities, are expected to attend the event.

Doonan assists the commission in reducing barriers for people with disabilities within the city of Boston. She got her undergraduate degree from Northeastern University in theater and American Sign Language and has been heavily involved with the deaf community in the Greater Boston area. At the commission, she has served on the Boston Deaf Tax Task Force, which works to provide free tax preparation to the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Doonan lives in Jamaica Plain and is pursuing a master of art degree in global inclusion and social development at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Registration is required to attend the open house by contacting Jenny Whelen at jwhelen@clarkeschools.org or at 781-821-3499, ext. 2226.

Clarke’s Boston campus opened 25 years ago, in 1995, and has been located in Canton since 1999. The campus includes four classrooms, therapy rooms, a parents’ room, offices and an outdoor playground. Classrooms use sound field amplification systems and are designed for the unique acoustical needs of children with hearing loss.

Clarke Boston serves children from birth to age 3 for early intervention, from ages 3-8 in an on-site school program, and from preschool through high school in mainstream services provided throughout eastern Massachusetts by Clarke’s itinerant teachers of the deaf. “We offer a unique learning environment designed to maximize each child’s development, while building their self-confidence and preparing them for success beyond Clarke,” said Hecht. “We partner with parents to provide the skills, knowledge and support they need to help their children reach their full potential.”

Children and families who receive services from Clarke Boston are from throughout eastern and central Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

The open house in Canton—and a private event to be held at the Endicott Estate in Dedham on Oct. 26—are held in recognition of Clarke’s 150th anniversary to underscore Clarke’s rich history in serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families by teaching them to listen and talk.

Clarke was founded in Northampton, thanks to a $50,000 bequest from John Clarke, a wealthy Northampton businessman who lost his hearing in his later years. Alexander Graham Bell was also critical in the early development of Clarke’s listening and spoken language program, holding leadership positions at Clarke for over 51 years. His granddaughter, Sarah Grosvenor of Washington, D.C., now sits on Clarke’s Board of Trustees. She is the founder and president of The Alexander & Mabel Bell Legacy Foundation.

For many years, Clarke offered residential educational services for children who were deaf or hard of hearing in Northampton, and at that time, students often did not enter mainstream schools, learning or working alongside peers with typical hearing, until they were teenagers.

Today, with the advent of technology such as cochlear implants, most students enter their neighborhood schools by first grade. For this reason, 20 years ago, Clarke transitioned away from running one residential campus in Western Massachusetts to operating five campuses along the East Coast that together serve more than 1,200 children and their families.

Clarke has campuses in Northampton and Canton; New York City; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jacksonville and a preschool program in Orlando, Florida. Clarke serves children from birth to age 18 who use hearing technology—including cochlear implants or hearing aids—to maximize their access to sound; they receive individualized support from Clarke’s teachers and therapists.

Among its wide range of programs, Clarke offers early intervention services for children from birth to 3, early childhood classes, and a team of itinerant teachers of the deaf who serve students in mainstream school settings from preschool through high school. In recent years, Clarke has also developed a virtual learning program through which it uses technology to reach children and families globally.

“I don’t think Clarke would still exist if it had tried to hang on to what it used to be,” said Ward Caswell, president of the Beveridge Family Foundation, Inc., in Westfield which has supported Clarke for roughly 50 years. “The transition has been marvelous. It’s rare that you see such a high level of success in dealing with change.”

Clarke, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is currently funded by foundations such as Beveridge, and the Oberkotter Foundation, which support its model for listening and spoken language, as well as private organizations, businesses and individuals.

While Clarke today is serving nearly 300 children from birth to age three, it has identified that there are roughly 60,000 families with children in that age group in the United States who will need services by the year 2020, giving Clarke strong motivation to continue to expand its mission so that it can reach and teach more children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

As part of the 150th Anniversary celebrations, Clarke has established an 1867 Society, for those who make gifts of $1,000 or more, and it is actively raising funds with the hope of serving more families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing—in this region and across the globe.

“We have to be very nimble and figure out how to provide services to more families,” said Bruce A. Rosenfield, JD, executive director and one of three trustees of the Oberkotter Foundation, “Clarke is uniquely poised to do this.”

In recent years, Clarke has implemented new, innovative teaching tools, such as Project LENA, a technological coaching tool for parents, and the fun and educational Listening Walks at the Zoo, held in both Philadelphia and in Mendon and expanding to New York City in the spring of 2018.

Combined with the listening and spoken language tools Clarke has employed for many years, it is introducing sound to babies born into an otherwise silent world and inspiring young people who excel academically and grow into playwrights, actors, physicians and audiologists.

Upcoming anniversary events will also be held: Oct. 26 in Dedham; Nov. 6 in New York City; Nov. 8 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Dec. 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.

For more information on the anniversary events, or to donate to Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech or join its 1867 Society, contact Lillian Rountree, chief development officer, at lrountree@clarkeschools.org or 973-453-5635.

Learn more about Clarke at www.clarkeschools.org.

The post Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech to Offer Open House on Nov. 15 appeared first on Beetle Press.

Events at the Integrated Preschool on Round Hill Road and Clarke’s K-8 program at Leeds Elementary School are part of continuous 150^th Anniversary Celebrations in 2017

NORTHAMPTON— As part of its 150^th anniversary celebrations to be held this fall, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech will hold two open houses on Nov. 3 at its Integrated Preschool on Round Hill Road and at its K-8 Program co-located at Leeds Elementary School.

The events are free and open to the public and are offered as a way to show community members how Clarke teaches children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk.

From 9 to 11 a.m., community members are invited into the preschool at 45 Round Hill Road to observe students and their teachers, playing and learning in a listening and spoken language environment, along with peers from the community.

From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., the K-8 Program at Leeds Elementary School will open its doors to the community. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet and interact with students and staff, visit classrooms and learn first-hand about the program.

Staff members will be on hand at both locations to answer questions and to offer tours to anyone who is interested. Visitors to the preschool can also experience the observation rooms, inside which parents of Clarke students can watch their children in their learning environment.

Registration is required for each open house by contacting Jan Folts at jfolts@clarkeschools.org.

Clarke Northampton’s Parent-Infant/Toddler Program and Integrated Preschool is led by Marian Hartblay, director of Early Childhood Services, and embraces Clarke’s philosophy that a student’s family is his or her most influential asset.

“Clarke’s work often begins with families shortly after an infant is diagnosed with hearing loss,” Hartblay said. “We meet with families in their homes, at the center and through virtual telepractice visits, made possible by technology. At age 3, children come daily to the preschool.  While our students are learning to listen, observe actively and interact with new concepts and people, their parents and other family members are learning, too.

“Parents, grandparents and other adults in the child’s life find a support network of families and professionals at Clarke, where they can share and learn,” she added.

Claire Troiano is the director of Mainstream Services and the educational administrator of the K-8 Program. She said the program—also family-centric—is led by creative and committed professionals, teachers who are all master level teachers of the deaf, and speech-language pathologists, all specifically trained in developing listening and spoken language in children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Clarke’s Mainstream Services Department originated in 1977 and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. It provides itinerant teacher of the deaf services in mainstream schools to students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as consultation and training to staff.

The open houses—and several other recent events—are held in recognition of the school’s 150^th anniversary to underscore Clarke’s rich history in serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families by teaching them to listen and talk.

Throughout 2017, Clarke will host additional events in the four other cities in which it provides services: Boston; New York City; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Jacksonville, Florida.

Clarke serves children from birth to age 18 who use hearing technology—including cochlear implants or hearing aids—to maximize their access to sound; they receive individualized support from Clarke’s teachers and therapists. The school has been teaching children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk for 150 years. It also continues to evolve to best meet the needs of children and families today through its toddler, virtual tVISIT, preschool, K-8 and mainstream and summer programs, as well as through is hearing center, comprehensive educational evaluations, and research and professional development.

As part of the 150th Anniversary celebrations, Clarke has established an 1867 Society, for those who make gifts of $1,000 or more, and it is actively raising funds with the hope of serving more families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing—in this region and across the globe.

Upcoming anniversary events will also be held: Oct. 26 in Dedham; Nov. 6 in New York City; Nov. 8 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Dec. 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.

For more information on the anniversary events, or to donate to Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech or join its 1867 Society, contact Lillian Rountree, chief development officer, at lrountree@clarkeschools.org or 973-453-5635.

Learn more about Clarke at www.clarkeschools.org.

The post Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech to Offer Open Houses on Nov. 3 appeared first on Beetle Press.

If ever there was a month that well highlighted the various ways in which I help organizations to raise awareness of their missions by planning and promoting events, this is surely it!

On Sept. 30, Ruth Griggs and I attended an event at 64 Gothic St. that we helped plan for Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech to call attention to its 150th anniversary and offer a look both at its history and current work in educating children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

A press release we sent out in advance of the event—held at the commemorative stone that marks the school’s original location in Northampton—was picked up in advance in the Daily Hampshire Gazette and Springfield Republican, and a Gazette writer and photographer were also on hand and told the story in print the Monday afterwards.

Rebecca Mullen crafted a story that captured the remarks made by alumni of the former residential program and more recent alumni of Clarke Northampton’s area preschool and mainstream programs, as well as comments made by staff and Mayor David Narkewicz. Photos by Sarah Crosby completed the story, which ran on the front page. The Gazette later also penned a wonderful editorial about Clarke.

Saturday, Florence Bank celebrated the opening of its new Hampden County Banking Center with a Dribble Parade, and Glenmeadow also has an action-packed month of events.

Led by a basketball Hall of Famer, the Dribble Parade featured 200 people dribbling basketballs who marched from the Boys & Girls Club of West Springfield to the new center on Union Street as the West Springfield High School band played Florence Bank’s “Always” song.

The parade and grand opening event began at 11:30 a.m. at the Boys & Girls Club, where Florence Bank President and CEO John Heaps Jr. spoke and presented club leaders with a gift of $50 per participating dribbler, up to $10,000. The parade then stepped off into Main Street from the club at 12:30 p.m. and proceeded down New Bridge Street to the banking center. More on that great event in a later blog!

Glenmeadow’s October events began on Oct. 11 at Glenmeadow with “Rock ‘n Talk: Young@Heart Film Q&A with Chorus Members,” a screening of the chorus’ award-winning documentary and a live session with chorus members. On Oct. 20, through its Glenmeadow Learning program, the life plan community will offer “Improv and Anecdotes: Lessons on Storytelling through Humor.” (Learn more about each program—and other upcoming programs as well—or register here.)

I work with organizations on event planning because educational programming—or an event that has some kind of community benefit, including entertainment and fun—helps to bring media exposure and, thus, raise awareness. This month is case and point.

Like Clarke, Florence Bank has also been featured for its parade in local publications—The Sunday Republican and the West Springfield Record, thus far, for the bank, and the Longmeadow News for Glenmeadow.

They are all leaders in their industries, and it shows.

The post Planning Events Helps Raise Awareness appeared first on Beetle Press.

Event scheduled for Oct. 19 and 20 in Marlborough

MARLBOROUGH—Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech will hold its 38th Annual Conference on Mainstreaming Students with Hearing Loss on Thursday, Oct. 19 and Friday, Oct. 20 at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel.

With the theme “Supporting Listening, Language, and Literacy in the Mainstream Classroom,” the event is one of the only conferences of its kind in the country that offers resources and support to professionals who work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing—and their parents—who are in mainstream settings with peers with typical hearing.

Over 20 professionals in the field of listening and spoken language will deliver presentations and workshops, covering a broad scope of topics from “Single Word Vocabulary Practice” to “Foundations for Literacy” and “Identifying Student Needs.” The material is suited to teachers of the deaf, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, professionals in inclusive settings, and students who are deaf or hard of hearing and their parents. CEU and professional development points are offered.

“The conference’s focus is on the students in the mainstream classroom, as opposed to those in schools specifically for students who are deaf,” said Claire Troiano, director of Mainstream Services at Clarke Northampton who has been involved with the conference since its inception and has held a lead role in planning the event for at least 20 years.

“It’s a very unique conference,” said Troiano, who also serves as the educational administrator of Clarke Northampton’s Kindergarten through Eighth Grade Program. “We always try to have speakers who are deaf themselves and have gone through the mainstream. These presenters can speak about their own experiences and how they’re living their lives today. Conference participants love that because they get to ask them questions about their experiences and how they can help their students.

“Setting up the academics for students who are mainstreaming is the easy part,” Troiano noted. “What’s more important are the social and emotional challenges. These speakers, because they’ve gone through the mainstream themselves, can speak directly to these issues. Parents get a lot out of these sessions as well.”

The conference will have three keynote speakers: Dr. Carol Flexer, an international lecturer in pediatric and educational audiology, who will open up the event with a talk highlighting the pivotal role of auditory brain development in children’s acquisition of spoken language and literacy; Sara Novic, who will share her experience as a mainstream student and writing professor at a public university; and drummer and songwriter Sean Forbes, co-founder of the Deaf Professional Arts Network.

An entire day of the conference is also dedicated to the students themselves. “Making Connections!” on Friday is designed specifically for teens in grade seven through 12 who are deaf or hard of hearing. “The day-long program will create a safe and nurturing environment in which students can hear and share their personal experiences in the mainstream,” Troiano said, noting parents will also have the opportunity to attend the conference for professionals as well as have time to network with other parents.

Troiano said Clarke has long provided training for classroom teachers of students who are deaf or hard or hearing, and that training began with Clarke professionals visiting teachers in their own settings. “When we couldn’t get to all the teachers in their different locations, we decided to bring them together and train them as a group, and that’s how the conference got started,” Troiano said.

Over the years, the conference has grown to include speech-language pathologists and parents. This year, Troiano expects about 250 attendees. “People come from all over the country now,” she said.

There is no deadline for registration; and walk-ins are welcome. Enrollment for the “Making Connections!” program, however, is limited to 30 students.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.clarkeschools.org/services/annual-mainstream-conference.

The post Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech to Host 38th Mainstream Conference for Professionals and Parents appeared first on Beetle Press.