New Mexico School for the Deaf

NMSD’s Educational, Residential and Statewide Services value families as the primary and most important influence in their child's life. Therefore, the reciprocal partnership between the teacher and other providers and a student's family is a fundamental element of our programs. We strive to provide the kind of environment in which families and professionals work together to achieve shared goals for its students. 

NMSD provides support to families of students who directly attend NMSD and students who attend public school programs across the state. Some examples of the programs available to all families include but are not limited to the list below. Click on each item to obtain further information.

• Parent and Infant Child Program
• Deaf Mentor Program
• Statewide Student Evaluations
• Classes, Workshops and Training including ASL classes
• ASL Immersion Week (Week-long site-based ASL instruction)
• ASL Coach Program: Home and school-based ASL Coaches across the state
• Family to Family Events and various Family Workshops
• CASA Conference (Biannual conference for educators and families).
• Resources and Lending Library 

The following are some ways that NMSD provides support to families of students who attend NMSD:

• NMSD’s Family Support Specialist serves as a liaison between the school and families of students who attend NMSD. Some of the primary responsibilities include making families feel welcome and included at NMSD, facilitating communication between the school’s programs/staff and the families and provides direct support to families as appropriate. The Family Support Specialist also serves as the primary point of contact for NMSD’s Family Housing Program.
   
• Regular and ongoing contact to families of NMSD students through assigned Primary Contact Teachers (Instruction) and Student Life Educators (Student Life). During these communications, parents receive information about their child’s progress in school at least twice a month. More frequent correspondence occurs with younger students or when requested/needed.
  
  
• Ongoing workshops for families of NMSD students: The topics of the workshops vary from year to year. For example: “How to read with your Deaf/hard of hearing child”, “How to understand your child’s IEP”, “Developing Quality Transition Plans”, “Family Math Night” and so forth.
  
  
• Ongoing site-based and regional events: Regular holiday events or social opportunities are provided for parents of NMSD students both on campus and within specific regions across the state.
  
  
• Roadrunner Newsletter: NMSD publishes a monthly family-centric newsletter that includes a variety of information and calendar of events. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Translation services are provided for families who read and write in languages other than English for all documents sent home or for various meetings.
  
  
• NMSD also has a Family Housing Program that gives four to six families of students in our early childhood program the chance to live on NMSD’s campus.  Families have wanted this rich learning environment for their child but, until now, distance has made it impossible. The program allows children to attend NMSD while their family receives on campus housing in exchange for participation in monthly family programming (15 hours of ASL instruction, 5 hours of family-specific workshops, 5 hours of volunteering with the NMSD school program and on campus events). Specific criteria must be met in order to be eligible for the program.