At New Orleans Oral School, we're teaching deaf children to listen and speak.  New Orleans Oral School is a private, not-for-profit, auditory/oral early intervention program serving children with all degrees of hearing loss and their families in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Our unique program offers family training and support, small class size, and individualized planning for each child by teachers and speech pathologists specially trained in working with deaf and hard of hearing children.  Through daily listening, speech, and language instruction, children with hearing aids or cochlear implants can learn to listen and talk.  Our goal for each child is to develop the skills needed to achieve success in a mainstreamed classroom and in the hearing world in which he/she lives. The services at New Orleans Oral School include the following: A family education program for parents of children from birth to age 3 A toddler program for children age 18 to 36 months A pre-school program for children age 3 to 6 years Support for children in the mainstream including continued individual sessions as needed Consultation services for parents, professionals, and school districts Parent support groups An extended school year program is offered during the summer

About the School Contact Information Directions Environs Mission Statement Educational Philosophy History Our Staff Educational Programs Parent / Infant Toddler Preschool Additional Programs Parent Groups Summer Sessions News and Information Event Calendar Getting In Admission Tuition Financial Aid

About the School

Contact Information

New Orleans Oral School
Martha Myers, Director
4000 West Esplanade Avenue S
Metairie, LA 70002

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(504) 885-1606

Email: neworleansoralschool@yahoo.com

Environs

New Orleans Oral School is situated in the heart of Metairie at 4000 West Esplanade Ave., just a few miles from the city of New Orleans.  We are very close to Interstate 10, which makes us easily accessible for residents of New Orleans, Metairie, and the surrounding areas.  The facility we are located in, Congregation Gates of Prayer Synagogue, also offers a variety of separate activities that siblings may enjoy including GymRompers, baby yoga, music classes, and a preschool for typical hearing children.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to teach children who are deaf and hard of hearing to communicate through spoken language, to understand when others talk with them, and to be fully integrated with hearing children in their home, neighborhood, and community.  

Educational Philosophy

New Orleans Oral School is committed to making spoken language attainable for all students. Speech, auditory, and language development are the foundation of our program, and speech, language, and listening are being integrated into all aspects of every school day from classroom instruction to enrichment activities.  Instructional methods used in our school vary according to the needs of the individual child and are frequently modified based upon systematic and on-going evaluations of a child's progress.  The program provides a superior learning environment for children with both cochlear implants and hearing aids, and it is designed to prepare students for success in a mainstream school environment.

History

New Orleans Oral School was founded in 2004 to serve children with hearing impairments in the greater New Orleans area. It is the only auditory/oral school in the state of Louisiana.

Our Staff

The New Orleans Oral School staff is committed to promoting the development of strong, oral communication skills and to building an environment where young children feel secure and successful.  We are working closely with the teaching staff from the Moog Center for Deaf Education in St. Louis. The Moog staff provides mentoring to our teachers and is setting the direction in curriculum, teaching, and parent education. Expertise in teaching spoken language and up-to-date knowledge of technological advances, such as cochlear implants, allow our staff to present a custom designed program for each child.  Flexibility in creating and modifying the basic curriculum and class structure to meet the ever-changing needs of individual children and families is one of our priorities.  Knowledge of natural language development accompanied by proven teaching techniques yields a high level of student language growth each year.

Educational Programs

Parent / Infant Program

Our Parent/Infant program typically serves infants between birth to 18 months of age and their families. Most families attend weekly sessions and work individually with a staff member learning how to be their child's first teacher.  Families are educated concerning the impact of hearing loss on their baby's development, and they discover how to teach their child to communicate through listening and talking. Parent-centered therapy emphasizes the family's daily routines so that early language intervention is integrated into the home environment.

Toddler Program

Our Toddler program serves children between the ages of 18 months and three years in a morning program. A full-day program is available for working parents. Children receive individual speech and auditory training each day and work with a deaf educator during small group activities. They learn how to play and communicate with other children and to talk in natural conversational settings. The toddler schedule ensures that the children are introduced to the same games, songs, and stories that hearing children learn in school. It is a fun, learning environment where teachers monitor the children's growth in early childhood developmental domains of fine motor, gross motor, cognition, self-help, and social.  Parent education is also available for parents and family members of the toddler group.

Preschool Program

Our Preschool serves children three years of age through age six.  This program operates from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Focused spoken language instruction is provided, either individually or in small groups of two to four students, in a variety of contextual settings throughout the day.  Children also participate in daily speech therapy and auditory training activities and are introduced to early academic concepts.

Additional Programs

Parent Support Groups

New Orleans Oral School recognizes the importance of providing support to its parents throughout the course of their child's schooling. Faculty members are available to answer questions, listen, and provide a sounding board for parents' concerns. We encourage all parents and grandparents to attend parent meetings, where they can get to know other families who share their joys and challenges in raising a hearing impaired child. Our parents form an important support group for each other, and lasting friendships are often formed.

Summer Sessions

An extended school year is offered for four to six weeks during the summer. The summer school program is designed to help the children maintain and increase their speech, language, and listening skills during the summer months.

News and Information

Event Calendar: 2010-2011

Getting In

Admission Procedures

If you feel our program would benefit your child, please contact Martha Myers, the school's Director.  She will talk with you about your child and explain in more detail what our program has to offer.  She will then schedule an appointment for you to visit the school.  You may contact Martha at (504) 885-1606, or email her at neworleansoralschool@yahoo.com. 

New Orleans Oral School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact the school's director.

Tuition

Tuition for every family is calculated on a sliding fee scale, which is based on household income and expenses. Scholarship assistance is available.

There is no charge for speech therapy and parent education for children aged 0-3 enrolled in Early Steps, Louisiana's Early Intervention System for infants and toddlers with special needs (formerly ChildNet). For more information on how to get your child enrolled in Early Steps, call toll free (800-922-DIAL) or the state Office of Public Health at (504) 599-1072.

Financial Aid

Children applying to New Orleans Oral School are considered without regard to financial circumstances, giving all applicants equal opportunity for acceptance. A scholarship fund is maintained to assist families who require financial assistance. After a child is accepted into New Orleans Oral School, a financial aid application may be obtained from the school office.

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For more information about oral deaf education, auditory devices like hearing aids and cochlear implants, advocacy for the deaf, financial aid, award-winning public school programs, therapists, and other organizations that help deaf children learn to listen and speak visit the: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing