Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Boulder Valley School District is committed to providing the continuum of services, PK through graduation, in order to meet the individual needs of all students who are identified as Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHoH.)
This is provided through 504 services, Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) support, Audiological support, and through center programming. We believe that all students should have the ability to access the general education curriculum within the general education setting to the greatest extent possible, as determined by each student's educational plan. This aligns with the district's goal of ensuring students, families, staff, and community members experience a safe, healthy, and inclusive environment and also aligns with special education law around the least restrictive environment. We are dedicated to implementing each student's IEP, 504, and/or communication plan to address the student's individual needs in access to education.
The DHoH Center program is located at Monarch PreK-8 and Monarch High School. Students accessing the center's program are those identified with a deaf-hard-of-hearing elementary special education eligibility who need a sign language interpreter and/or students who need 3 or more hours of direct services per week from the Teacher of Deaf ToD (1.5 for students at the Pre-K or Kindergarten level). Students accessing the center's program also include those who need equipment that they cannot access without on-site support from someone specializing in that equipment on a daily basis. It also includes those students who have communication plans that indicate a need for the student to role model other DHoH peers as part of the student's identity, beyond specific events or activities. Services provided by the center program may include co-taught classes, small group services, or 1:1, collaborative design for direct and indirect services provided by an on-site Teacher of the Deaf. Services may also include interpreter support of sign language or subtitles for access. The center-based program values current research and considers best practices in the provision of both academic and social/emotional services for students. Students accessing the center's program may have other special needs in addition to those related to hearing. An IEP team will meet to determine if all of a student's needs can be met at the center program school when multiple special needs are identified.
Contact
Special Education Director for the Southwest Network
720-561-5155
Libby Heilbrunn
Teacher of the Deaf
Amanda Butzen
Teacher of the Deaf
Jessica Strankman
Teacher of the Deaf
Heather Hulbert
Audiologist
Amy Lears
Audiologist