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The Clarke Connection: November 2016
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THE ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER OF CLARKE SCHOOLS FOR HEARING AND SPEECH
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Clarke Speaks Fall 2016 Issue Now Available Online!
Hot off the Press! The Fall 2016 issue of Clarke Speaks is now available online. Inside, we chronicle the extraordinary impact Clarke continues to have on the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and their families. Get the interactive version, complete with a myriad of articles and video links featuring Clarke children reporting the weather, selling hot cocoa and more!
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Connections Profile: Claire Troiano, Director of Mainstream Services and Dedicated Clarke Leader
"Claire has been an incredible work partner in my many years of working with Clarke," says Laurie Farkas, director of Student Services for Northampton Public Schools. "Claire is a team player, always supporting creative ways we can improve services for students with hearing loss and increase their exposure and interactions with students in our school community while helping us to maintain our other goal of fiscal responsibility. She is kind, sensitive and positive. I feel fortunate to know her and work with her." Read more >
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Clarke Corner Column Featured in Hearing Health Magazine
Clarke has joined forces once again with Hearing Health Magazine and published its fifth article in a series focused on children with hearing loss who are learning to listen and talk. This collaboration allows Clarke's expertise to reach new audiences with key information, tips and resources about pediatric hearing loss and listening and spoken language therapy and education. This issue features a column focusing on the importance of continued support during the preschool years for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
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Mark your Calendar for Giving Tuesday: Nov. 29
We're gearing up for #GivingTuesday with an exciting awareness campaign to celebrate listening and spoken language. Clarke is actively joining this global day of generosity on Tuesday, November 29, to celebrate sound and how we are providing a lifetime of opportunities for deaf or hard of hearing children. Our goals are to inspire you to help us reach new audiences who will share the limitless possibilities for children with hearing loss and create a social media buzz. Mark it on your calendars now to visit our Crowdrise page on #GivingTuesday. You don't want to miss the NOISE we're going to make.
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Team Clarke Conquered the NYC Marathon Again!
Thank you Team Clarke! Charlie Page, Denae Dostal (pictured here), Kristen Kuhn and Sandra Laflamme ran their hearts out on Sunday, November 6 at the 40th running of the TCS New York City Marathon! An injury prevented Chris Gallant from joining his team mates on the 26.2 mile journey through New York's five boroughs, but Team Clarke crossed the finish line and, together, have raised nearly $17,000 for the children served by Clarke. Congratulations to all our runners! We couldn't be prouder. There's still time to say "thank you" with a gift in honor of any of these Clarke heroes by visiting the Crowdrise page >
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Clarke Earns Platinum Seal of Transparency
Great news! Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech just earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar
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the world's largest source of nonprofit information. To reach the Platinum level, Clarke added extensive information to its Nonprofit Profile on GuideStar: basic contact and organizational information; in-depth financial information; qualitative information about goals, strategies, and capabilities; and quantitative information about results and progress toward our mission. Clarke is providing this information as part of our commitment to transparency and to giving donors and funders meaningful data to evaluate the impact of their support.
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Federal Employees: Give to Clarke during the CFC!
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, raising millions of dollars each year. From September 1 to December 15, federal, civilian, postal and military employees can make pledges to support eligible non-profits ----- like Clarke ----- that address health and human services. So reach out to your family and friends who are federal employees ----- ask them to support Clarke this year! CFC promotes philanthropy through a program that is employee-focused, cost-efficient and effective in providing federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all. The CFC code for Clarke's Northampton, Boston, New York and Jacksonville locations is 10323, and the CFC code for Clarke's Pennsylvania location is 57328.
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Clarke Boston Visits the Pumpkin Patch
The teachers at Clarke Boston prepared the preschoolers for their pumpkin-picking visit with a classroom pumpkin patch where they could practice picking and paying for their pumpkins. Then, on a beautiful fall New England day, they embarked on their annual all-school field trip to the pumpkin patch at Wards Berry Farm in Sharon, MA. Parents were invited to join for pumpkin picking, a hay ride and farm lunch. Take a look at some of the fun they had and the unusual pumpkins the children found >
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Clarke New York Alumna Competes in Chess Championships Abroad
Clarke New York alumna, Nura, traveled all the way to Batumi, Georgia on the Black Sea for the 2016 World Cadets Chess Championships. The prestigious event was held in October and involved 11 rounds of chess. In recognition for her status as one of the top-rated players in her age group in the country, Nura was invited to compete in the Girls Under 10 Section as a member of an elite team of chess players representing the United States. In her first international competition, Nura made it through an impressive 5.5 rounds! A graduate of Clarke New York's preschool program and now in the fourth grade, Nura has been playing competitive chess for three years. We are incredibly proud of Nura! You can hear Nura and some of the other students with hearing loss who learned to listen and talk at Clarke by visiting our video gallery >
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Sponsor A Child: Bridge the Gap!
You can sponsor a child and help bridge the gap for Clarke! The gap between the public funds Clarke receives and our cost to provide services is $5,000 per child, per year from birth to age five. By sponsoring a child, you can make a lasting difference for a child and help address Clarke's annual funding gap of more than $2 million. Read about how one of our donors is really making a difference for a child in New York. When you sponsor a child, like Madeline (pictured here), you will receive notes, artwork, videos and updates demonstrating her progress and the impact of your support! Please contact Lillian Rountree at lrountree@clarkeschools.org or 973.453.5635 for more information or to make your pledge! Learn more >
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Clarke's Pennsylvania Workshop: ABCDEF... GEEZ, That Was Great!
Seventy professionals and parents participated in the annual Clarke Pennsylvania Professional Development Workshop on October 7. ABCDEF....GEEZ! Phonological Awareness: Accelerating Reading Skills for Children with Hearing Loss with guest speaker Michael Douglas, M.A., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, provided a day rich in practical materials and strategies for all attendees and research that supports best practices in Listening and Spoken Language. Divided into seven sessions, it was a day of learning and collaboration, to enhance our individual skills and improve our field of practice overall.
We are grateful to our heroes; the parents and teachers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, special education teachers and all other professionals who came to our workshop to learn successful strategies for Listening and Spoken Language! Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the children you work with every day! Together, we can make a difference! A special thank you to our sponsors, MED-EL and Cochlear, for partnering with Clarke on this wonderful event! We had a terrific day and hope you enjoy the
photo gallery from our workshop.
Read more >
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Clarke's 37th Annual Mainstream Conference, A Resounding Success!
Over 230 professionals, parents and students traveled from as far away as Oregon, Texas and Canada to participate in Speaking Up for Self-Advocacy! Clarke Mainstream Services' 37th Annual Fall Conference on Mainstreaming Students with Hearing Loss held on October 13-14 at the Marriott Hotel in Springfield, MA.
Many thanks to the parents, teachers of the deaf, classroom teachers, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, special education teachers and all the other professionals who came to our conference to learn how to help their students succeed and thrive in the mainstream alongside their hearing peers. You are the true heroes and we thank you for your perseverance, dedication and commitment to the kids you work with every day! Special thanks also to all the wonderful presenters, sponsors and exhibitors who helped make this year's conference such a success. We couldn't have done it with you! Hope you enjoy the photo gallery from the Conference. Read more >
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Talbots and Clarke are Teaming Up in Northampton
Clarke friends, community members and participating customers are invited to join us at Talbots, 34 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA on Thursday, November 17 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm for an exciting fundraising event. You will have a chance to meet Clarke young alumni and staff, get some holiday shopping off your list and enjoy light refreshments, as well as supporting a great cause! Ten percent of the proceeds during this event will be donated to Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech! If you have any questions, please contact Renee Prescott at 413.582.1157 or
rprescott@clarkeschools.org
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Clarke Buddies Starts This Month
Clarke Buddies is a terrific opportunity to meet and connect on a regular basis with other kids who are deaf or hard of hearing. At our in-person meet ups, kids ages 8-17 will share their experiences about being deaf or hard of hearing, participate in team building activities and build a sense of community. Meet-ups run from now until April 2017, with the first gathering at Clarke's Boston location on November 19. Register now >
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Sing for Sound is Almost Here: Tickets Available!
Reserve Your Tickets! Rock big '80s cover songs along with a standing room crowd at (Le) Poisson Rouge in NYC! Clarke New York Alumni Parent Julie Weyne, her singing partner Diane Lutz and their back up band will have you on your feet and rockin' all night long with their encore performance to benefit the children and families of Clarke New York on
Friday, December 2 from 7:00-10:00 pm. Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the door. Group seating available.
Read more >
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Register Now for Scooper Savings in Jacksonville!
Are you ready to be "coned"? We are regally excited to announce a new tradition coming to our event. We will be crowning the first official Kilwins Ice Cream Run Royal Court which includes a royal line up of a King, Queen, Prince and Princess. To qualify for supreme bragging rights and this unique opportunity to be honored, you will need to sign-up to become a fundraiser for the Kilwins Ice Cream Run. Fundraisers will have the ability to create a customized online fundraising page to share their story, pictures and/or videos to inspire donations to directly benefit children at Clarke Jacksonville.
Learn more about registration and how to become a fundraiser >
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Clarke's Listening Walks are Happening at TWO Zoos This Spring
Mark your calendars for two
Listening Walk events! On Sunday, May 21, 2017 the hunt for animal noises will be on for our second annual
Clarke's Listening Walk at the Zoo and 5K Run in Philadelphia. Then on Saturday, June 17, 2017, kids will be searching for sounds at
Clarke's Listening Walk at the Southwick Zoo in Mendon, MA. At each Listening Walk event, children of all ages will have great fun listening for all the amazing honks, hoots, squeals, and squeaks one can only find at a zoo. Both Listening Walks will be full-day events for the whole family and a celebration of all that is possible for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information coming soon!
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Calling all Clarke Alumni: Register for Reunion 2017
Clarke Schools Alumni Council (CSAC) is thrilled to announce plans for our upcoming five-year reunion and celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Clarke, June 22-25, 2017 on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. The reunion will be a wonderful opportunity for Clarke alumni and staff (both past and present) to come together to celebrate all of Clarke's alumni, their lives, their accomplishments, their memories, and to honor and celebrate Clarke's long and storied history and its five locations. We hope you will join us for what promises to be a very exciting and memorable event!! Registration information is available online at
clarkeschools.org/reunion2017 or by contacting Marilyn Buuck at
mbuuck@clarkeschools.org or 413.584.3450.
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Register Now for Clarke's Summer Camp 2017!
Registration is Open! Clarke's Summer Camp: July 2 - 14, 2017 Clarke's Summer Camp is a two-week, theme-based camp for children ages 9 to 17 with hearing loss. The 2017 theme is "Dare to Dream!" Our campers utilize hearing technology (such as hearing aids or cochlear implants) and communicate by listening and talking. Many campers are the only students with hearing loss in their schools. Summer Camp offers the opportunity to make new friends and life-long connections. Register NOW >
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A New Day tells the dynamic and transformational stories of children and families who have benefited from Clarke's expertise. The seven-minute video celebrates the profound impact of Clarke's mission with beautiful footage of children who are deaf or hard of hearing singing songs, learning the seasons, telling jokes and living lives filled with endless opportunities. Thanks to your support, Clarke makes brighter futures possible for the children and families we serve. We couldn't do it without you. Share the link far and wide by copying and pasting: www.clarkeschools.org/newday.
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Clarke is Hiring: Make a Difference and Join Our Team
To learn about exciting career opportunities at Clarke, visit our employment page. With locations along the East Coast, the perfect fit may be waiting for you.
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Free Wednesday Webinar Archive Online
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Support Clarke with Your Everyday Purchases Using AmazonSmile
AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of your Amazon purchase price to Clarke at no additional cost to you! Signup is easy and AmazonSmile does the rest. Find out more here >
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Clarke Voices
We close each issue of The Clarke Connection with a special quote from a member of the Clarke Community. To become the next featured Clarke Voice, send your quote to
communications@clarkeschools.org
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"I am so happy to have such a terrific team working with our daughter this year! Everyone seems fabulous, and I left the meeting feeling confident that she has a great year ahead of her. She also seems happy to be back at Clarke!"
-Parent, Clarke Boston
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Clarke's continuum of services includes Infant-Toddler Programs, Teleservices for Infants and Families (tVISIT), Preschool Programs, K-8 Program, Mainstream Services, Clarke Hearing Center, Comprehensive Educational Evaluations, Professional Development Offerings and Summer Programs.
Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As an IRS qualified charity, gifts to Clarke are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Clarke teaches children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk.
Children served by Clarke use advanced technologies, including cochlear implants or hearing aids, to maximize their access to sound. We work with children and their families from infancy through their teen years. Our teachers of the deaf, speech-language pathologists and audiologists have the background, training and experience to prepare children academically and socially for a world of limitless possibilities. Clarke children listen and learn in the classroom, run and laugh with their friends on the playground and have lives filled with music, sports, family and community. Many children who come to Clarke are ready to attend their neighborhood mainstream schools by kindergarten.
Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech
| 45 Round Hill Road, Northampton, MA 01060
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