2018_fall_nl_fndc : simplebooklet.com

FALL Fall Sept 2018 FNDC values sharing information to deaf children families professionals and the communities that support them These events advertisements and or articles do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of FNDC or offer an endorsement A tribute to Kathy Caldicott one of FNDC s founding board members passed away June 24 2018 Written by Cecelia Klassen While attending Deaf Children s Society program we realized that upon entry to Kindergarten would could see that there were no resources at all for families so four of us moms of deaf kids Kathy Caldicott Bella Poato Sylvia Walterhouse and myself sat down around a kitchen table and strategized about what a family support system could look like for deaf children age 5 to 18 and their families The FNDC vision was born that night Kathy and I met about 27 years ago through Deaf Children s Society as we both had deaf children My daughter Mari was 6 months old and her son Patrick was 2 years old Truth be told our personalities were very opposite Kathy the Type A organized one and me being the disorganized wildcard but our deaf children brought us to together I know other parents of deaf children will understand when I say that it s like we all won the deaf lottery and we were all thrown together as lottery winners attending support groups together sign classes deaf camp workshops and through logging time together eventually we all became lifelong friends sharing our common deaf lottery journey together Kathy led the group with poster boards and felt pens of course as she was always the one taking very detailed minutes and following up With a ton of paperwork and meetings four years later 1995 FNDC finally had its official non profit society status FNDC Board meetings were held at Kathy s in the clubhouse where she always had the coffee ready Kathy s home was also the command post for the early days of FNDC fundraising Meat Sales which consisted of thousands of pounds of ground beef delivered to her garage and she had her tally sheets checking off orders and dealing with ALL the mix ups We made 5 00 for every pound sold Kathy led the way with our window stickers sale where we made approx 200 for our new non profit Wow those were the days The four of us with our children stood outside the Student Union Building at UBC and in shopping malls gathering 10 000 signatures to have ASL recognized in BC and FNDC was represented in the Legislature when the petitions were brought in Kathy was the FNDC letter writer and believe me we wrote a lot of letters The four of us founding FNDC board members got a bit of a bad girl reputation for being notorious advocates writing letters to the newspaper scaring the teachers at school as we advocated for ASL and Deaf events Side note To all the staff at the school we profusely apologize as we hadn t yet learned the fine art of polite advocacy FNDC grew and the advocacy that we did as a group paid off parents were finally offered counselling ongoing sign language classes family events family support etc AND then Provincial Deaf Hard of Hearing Services was established FNDC took on a government contract for a deaf youth summer program and our Deaf Youth Today DYT was established Kathy s involvement saw FNDC grow from a non profit with 200 00 in money from window stickers to today managing a budget of 200 000 00 Can you imagine FNDC began with 4 moms sitting around a kitchen table with a dream for their DHH children and all DHH children throughout BC We were a group of four determined women each with our own personalities but Kathy was always the voice of reason in our group keeping us on track and often serving as the referee in the group of us four FNDC founding FNDC moms Twitter FNDCandDYT Facebook www facebook com fndc ca

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family friends and community has a great work ethic and is a team player This is every parent s hope and dream Kathy was the biggest advocate and educator for deaf children with special needs She pushed the Deaf Youth Today program to become what it is today supporting and celebrating all deaf children Second Kathy accomplished gifting an awesome legacy to our community She created and developed FNDC That is truly amazing How many people can say in their lifetime I accomplished something as big as this To go from fundraising Window Stickers 200 00 to FNDC having a budget of 200 000 00 a year That is honestly unbelievable Kathy was my mentor educating me on her journey as a parent of a DHH child with additional special needs I watched as she navigated down unique advocacy roads There were many phone calls often with tears and the occasional lecture from her making sure I understood the needs of DHH children with additional special needs I m so thankful for all those conversations and her sharing her experiences with me We logged many summers together at Family Deaf Camp Hornby Island on the beach and at the campfire discussing laughing yes lots of laughing and hoping dreaming that the next generation of deaf children and their parents would have it easier than the path we had to create for our children As I reflect on Kathy s life these are my two final thoughts FNDC 2 Fall 2018 I will truly miss Kathy s laughter her sometimes oh just screw it attitude her common sense positive outlook and the joy she found in the little things Until we meet again First Kathy has been an awesome mom and advocate for her son Patrick he is everything that every parent of a deaf child hopes and dreams for fun friendly compassionate loves Cecelia

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FAMILY NETWORK FOR DEAF CHILDREN NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Parent Social appetizers NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual General Meeting of Members of FNDC The FAMILY NETWORK FOR DEAF CHILDREN the Society will be held on Friday October 26th at 7 00 pm at The Taphouse Guildford 15330 102a Ave Surrey We have a private room booked for the AGM then followed by an appetizer social appetizers provided by FNDC beverages paid by individuals The purpose of the meeting will be to transact the following business 1 To receive and consider the Report of the Directors and the financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year end March 31 2018 together with the report of the Auditors thereon 2 To determine the number of Directors at ten 3 To elect Directors of the Company to hold office until the close of the next annual general meeting 4 To appoint Auditors for the ensuing year April 1 2018 to March 31 2019 DATED 9th day of September 2018 BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FAMILY NETWORK FOR DEAF CHILDREN Per COLLEEN PETERSON President and Director NOTE Members in good standing are all members who have paid their annual membership for 2018 2019 Voting members are parents or legal guardians that have been a parent or foster parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child youth or adult All members of the Family Network for Deaf Children are encouraged to attend this important meeting Interpreters will be provided PLEASE RSVP so we can plan for the appetizers Email fndc fndc ca before October 23 2018 FNDC 7 Fall 2018

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FNDC DYT events Save the Date FNDC Parent Workshop We won t be holding a Fall workshop this year as we are busy planning for 25th Anniversary Celebration of Family Deaf Camp DYT Kids Camp on November 17th We encourage parents to sign up for the Canadian Association of Educators of the Deaf Hard of Hearing CAEDHH conference which will be held on Friday October 19th in Burnaby See CAEDHH conference flyer in this newsletter for more details Friday October 26 2018 7 00 pm FNDC Annual General Meeting AGM We know no one ever wants to attend an AGM but your support means a lot Come join us at The Taphouse Guildford Surrey we have a private room booked FNDC will provide appetizers you pay for your own drinks Short AGM a fun evening of socializing See AGM flyer for more details Saturday November 17 2018 7 00 pm Remembering the past and celebrating the future of Family Deaf Camp and DYT Kids camp See flyer in this newsletter for more details Monday February 18 2019 Save the Date for our Annual Family Day Ice Skating Event Saturday June 8 2019 Tentative date for D HH Family Picnic FNDC Hands Voices CHHABC Parents FCS at PDHHS Thursday July 4 to Sunday July 7 2019 Family Deaf Camp 2019 Sunday July 7th to Thursday July 11 2019 DYT Kids Camp 2019 FNDC 8 Fall 2018

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Family and Community Services FCS Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services PDHHS For families who have school aged deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children Fall 2018 FCS offers a full range of programs and services Family and Parent Support Children and Youth Services and Language Development We provide services in individualized or group settings Our programs vary every season however if any of the programs below do not work for you and your family please contact FCS Contact FCS at 604 660 5507 or fcsregistration gov bc ca to register for programs or general inquiries PDHHS 4334 Victory Street Burnaby Advance Level Beginner Intermediate Families Learning Together Intro Wednesdays at 9 30 am to 10 30 am October 3 10 17 24 31 November 7 14 21 Thursdays at 6 30 pm to 7 30 pm October 4 11 18 25 November 1 8 15 Children s Program provided Thursdays at 6 30 pm to 7 30 pm October 4 11 18 25 November 1 8 15 Parent s and child ren class Starbright Children s Development Centre 1546 Bernard Ave Kelowna Beginner Level Intermediate Level Online at Starbright Children s Program provided by Starbright Tuesdays at 5 30 pm to 6 30 pm October 9 16 23 30 November 6 13 20 Tuesdays at 5 30 pm to 6 30 pm October 9 16 23 30 November 6 13 20 Contact Mieke starbrightokanagan ca to register your child ren Online ASL Classes Beginner Level Beginner Level Intermediate Level Mondays at 8 00 pm to 9 00 pm October 1 15 22 29 November 5 19 26 Tuesdays at 1 00 pm to 2 00 pm October 2 9 16 23 30 November 6 13 20 Tuesdays at 7 00 pm to 8 00 pm October 2 9 16 23 30 November 6 13 20 Families Learning Together ASL NEW This is an opportunity for families to learn together in a language rich environment and where parents connect and children play and socialize with their peers ASIA North Poplar Campus Bear Creek Elementary School 2041 Marshall Rd Abbotsford 13780 80 Ave Surrey Mondays at 4 30 pm to 5 30 pm September 17 24 October 1 15 Mondays at 5 00 pm to 6 00 pm October 22 29 November 5 19 Deadline to register for ASL Class and Children Program is SEPTEMBER 14 2018 P 604 660 5507 E fcsrgistration gov bc ca Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services www gov bc ca deafandhardofhearing FNDC 13 Fall 2018

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Mathematics Learning Keeping Deaf Students Engaged From Oxford Press Jul 6 2018 at http www raisingandeducatingdeafchildren org 2018 07 18 mathematics learning keeping deaf students engaged The issue Mathematics is a subject that some people find difficult Many adults easily admit I was never very good at math which when stated in the presence of children does not necessarily provide motivation to learning mathematics Given the additional difficulties that deaf students may have in acquiring language these struggles can compound the learning process in mathematics It is misleading to think that mathematics is just numbers and that therefore deaf students should learn computation manipulations easily Mathematics requires language vocabulary and experience to fully understand its application to the world Keeping deaf students interested and engaged in mathematics is a challenge throughout the school years It is important to provide conceptual understanding as well as skill practice at all levels but knowing how to truly involve students in learning the mathematics can be difficult for parents and teachers alike In deaf education research and the related literature there is much more information about teaching and learning language and reading than about teaching and learning mathematics So as teacher and parents we need to approach mathematics education by applying best practices in both realms of deaf education and mathematics education What we know Reading a mathematical word problem takes a different skill set than reading a fictional story or a novel Word problems tend to be more dense with information and often have specific mathematics vocabulary that may be unknown to the reader Solving mathematical problems requires effort focus and background knowledge of the given situation Algorithms are often abstract and require memorization As in best practices for teaching deaf students other subjects we know that providing information visually e g video manipulative tactile pictorial text provides the learner with more substance which can lead to better understanding Deaf students certainly are capable of performing high level complex mathematics when provided with rich educational experiences Memorization has its place in mathematics learning but purely memorizing a sequence of steps to get an answer does not FNDC 14 Fall 2018 truly show understanding and does not engage students in a motivating way Mathematics can become dry and boring for the learner if it is all about crunching numbers without any meaning What we don t know There is some but not much research on the mathematics teaching and learning of deaf students Most fundamentally it is not clear if deaf students learn and do mathematics in the same ways as hearing students or if they hit the same cognitive mathematical milestones at the same time surely there are some similarities Most educators would agree that delayed language impacts mathematics learning as it does other domains Lack of language input could deny the deaf learner background information about life situations that would be helpful in understanding math concepts e g your sister gets more because she is bigger Some might even question whether deaf students are held to as high a standard of rigor and critical thinking in mathematics because of language delays or below grade level reading scores Communication is a large part of understanding mathematics but what does that mean for deaf students In deaf education we use a variety of communication methods is one more effective or efficient than the other in relating mathematical concepts Or perhaps information could be communicated in several ways to accommodate diverse learning styles matics suggests approaches such as facilitating meaningful mathematical discourse and building procedural fluency from conceptual understanding just to name two Math classrooms today look different than they did years ago students are often working in small groups where they communicate ideas and problem solve real world questions Hands on activities are used often including concrete items e g counting blocks or sticks to help children learn abstract concepts Teachers are encouraged to use similar strategies with deaf students to maximize mathematics understanding A firm background in number concepts along with encouraging critical thinking related to meaningful problems likely will result in the deaf student being more engaged in the learning process Parents can create situations at home that help deaf students understand mathematics in everyday living Families can discuss topics such as cooking measurement temperature driving mileage measurement speed money bills salary cost of living cost of items in the home tax tip and others The more that deaf students are exposed to these discussions and experiences as they grow up the more they can connect them to learning and helping them to be more engaged in mathematics class Dawn Hoyt Kidd Texas School for the Deaf dawn kidd tsd state tx us Further reading Kritzer K L 2008 Family mediation of mathematically based concepts while engaged in a problem solving activity with their young deaf children Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 13 503 517 Nunes T Moreno C 2002 An intervention program for mathematics Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 7 120 Implications There are many current best practices in mathematics education that have been researched The National Council of Teachers of Mathe Pagliaro C M 2015 Developing numeracy in individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing educating deaf students in a global context In H Knoors M Marschark Eds Educating deaf learners Creating a global evidence base pp 173 195 New York NY Oxford University Press

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7 Reasons Why Tech Companies Should Hire Deaf People By Social Buzz August 03 2018 from https www tgdaily com amp story enterprise 2F7 reasons why tech companies should hire deaf people 2 __twitter_impression true Many deaf and hard of hearing people are technologically savvy They can become talented employees in all tech industries More specifically numerous deaf and hard of hearing people are very skilled website developers software or app programmers cybersecurity analysts IT systems administrators computer network architects etc Nonetheless too many deaf and hard of hearing job candidates are not given a chance by tech companies and businesses to showcase their skills Multiple studies and reports unfortunately have revealed that companies and businesses are less likely to hire deaf and hard of hearing people as their employees It is possible that companies and businesses are not aware of the great benefits of hiring deaf and hard of hearing people particularly in the tech industries Below are seven top reasons why tech companies and businesses should hire them Deaf and hard of hearing people are much more adaptable to the environment as they have spent most of their lives in doing so They usually come with a high amount of flexibility and patience that is a necessity in today s complicated working culture Deaf and hard of hearing people are usually good with handling pressure and continue to perform at the highest standard with a much focused mindset Many people who are deaf or hard of hearing can become excellent facilitators in overcoming the face to face communication gap between different languages Because of their great ability in understanding the body language and facial expressions they can help with getting the messages across despite the language barriers For a multinational tech company or business these people can turn out to be a great asset Many deaf and hard of hearing people have excellent problem solving skills in resolving software bugs or other technical difficulties It is because deaf and hard of hearing people have a better peripheral vision greater ability in perceiving motion and forms as well as having higher visual and spatial learning style and skills As technological advancements continue to Deaf and hard of hearing people often love new technologies They frequently stay ahead of the curve with the technologies and many tech industries will greatly benefit from this to stay one step ahead of their competitors One of the most significant benefits of hiring deaf and hard of hearing people is that it can help companies and businesses achieving their corporate social responsibility Getting more deaf and hard of hearing people employed will also benefit the society in whole There is plenty of highly qualified deaf and hard of hearing job candidates with great tech knowledge and skills looking for the right opportunity to be hired so that they can show their true capabilities to their employers Companies and businesses are likely to learn to appreciate deaf and hard of hearing people as their employees if they are given a chance to work for them evolve tech companies and businesses will have a greater advantage over the competitors because deaf and hard of hearing people have these unique skills Deaf and hard of hearing people often bring unique perspectives to the team and because of their ability to think outside the box Because of their unique ability they can come up with innovative technological solutions that benefit all particularly for the tech companies and businesses Studies also have shown that deaf and hard of hearing employees are usually dependable enthusiastic and dedicated to their jobs and their employers Finally common recruitment strategies should not be used when tech companies and businesses are looking to hire deaf and hard of hearing people fill their job vacancies Nearly all companies and businesses list their job openings on general job search websites and many of these job listings are likely not seen by the majority of deaf and hard of hearing people with tech skills Niche job websites that list jobs for the deaf and hard of hearing people should be widely used by all companies and businesses in the tech fields to recruit the untapped talent in the deaf and hard of hearing community FNDC 17 Fall 2018

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Oxford University Press Supporting Deaf Children with Multiple Challenges A Parent Perspective http www raisingandeducatingdeafchildren org 2018 07 18 supporting deaf children with multiple challenges a parent perspective Written by Cecelia Klassen July 6 2018 Cecelia s to FNDC readers This was a difficult article to be asked to write as I have not personally lived the experience as a parent of a deaf child with additional special needs This article couldn t have been possible without my dear friends Kathy Caldicott and Sylvia Walterhouse for allowing me to walk alongside them for over 25 years and learn from each of these strong advocates in regard to the expectations of the school system in educating their deaf children Thank you for being my mentors The Issue As a parent of a young deaf adult and working with deaf and hard of hearing DHH children for the past 20 years I have seen a significant demographic shift in the children served both educationally and in out of school programs Approximately 40 of DHH children have multiple disabilities DHHMD yet this population is often treated as invisible with very little research support or understanding Every parent hopes for and expects the best outcomes for their DHH or DHHMD child but the journey into deafness and multiple disabilities is usually a foreign experience Language is essential to the well being of every human As Helen Keller said blindness separates people from things but deafness separates people from people How can DHHMD children feel like they belong without language to engage with the people around them A full thriving language is exponentially more vital for DHHMD children yet sadly due to a trade off philosophy we sacrifice the DHHMD child s language in lieu of multiple disabilities support In some cases we focus only on the language needs and ignore all the extra special needs of the DHHMD child Shouldn t we be supporting the whole child What we know All DHHMD children need a full growing language with rich exposure from many language role models Unfortunately often weaker language models with limited vocabulary knowledge of DHH learning needs are assigned to DHHMD children Without a growing language DHHMD children are at a greater risk of not feeling a sense of belonging in their families and communities Language is vital to self worth and belonging DHHMD children often are stuck with a dilemma of insufficient support FNDC 18 Fall 2018 Educational interpreters who don t perform specialized supports for multiple disabilities vs an educational assistant who isn t fluent in sign language or doesn t have the skills to develop a DHHMD child s spoken language A Teacher of the Deaf HH trained for DHH students but not fully trained to work with multiple disabilities of DHHMD students vs a Special Education teacher that doesn t know the language needs of DHHMD students a Communication Board Parents and educators should critically evaluate the best communication facilitation for each child Why does the system often create a language vs multiple disability conundrum and not support the whole child Shouldn t language be fundamental and multiple disability support be a right for all DHHMD children What we don t know Are we giving DHHMD children the best shot at language or are we lowering the language bar Will we ever know what potential the DHHMD child may have reached without appropriate interventions supports for their additional needs Do we know the long term ramifications of tradeoff decisions made for DHHMD children Implications The needs of the DHHMD child are complex yet the system is designed so that the choice is either or rather than designing a comprehensive program that supports the needs of the whole child Language role models and language access shouldn t be sacrificed in order to provide educational assistants for the DHHMD child s additional needs We cannot ignore that DHHMD children need skilled and highly trained individuals to support their additional needs however language is a human right and shouldn t be an afterthought While some DHHMD children benefit from Augmentative Communication some are not given a chance to access and develop a full language before it is determined that their lifelong communication method will be an IPad or The outcomes for DHHMD children without a full growing language are serious and could lead to their feeling invisible not belonging not having enough language to develop quality relationships with friends and family and lacking in community Professionals should share with the parents at each step of the journey the long term ramifications of impoverished language and the additional support needed for the child s multiple disabilities In addition teachers of the D HH and special education teachers should collaborate to support the entire child instead of the child s needs that match the professional s credentials Every DHHMD child needs a parent who is their cheerleader that prepares them for a life filled with meaningful relationships and the ability to reach their full potential without sacrificing language over multiple disabilities We cannot leave the work to professionals solely to do This

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is our role because the relationships we build with our children will last a lifetime Let language and belonging drive the conversation as we support the whole child Family Network for Deaf Children British Columbia Canada cecelia fndc ca Further reading Cupples L Ching T Y C Crow K Seeto M Leigh G Street L Day J Marnane V Thomson J 2014 outcomes of 3 year old children with hearing loss and different types of addtional disabilities Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 19 20 https academic oup com jdsde article 19 1 20 394682 guestAccessKey e9028451 4003 424ea10a 9f18c6fd9f90 Leppo R H Cawthon S W Bond M P 2013 Including deaf and hard of hearing students with co occurring disabilities in the accommodations discussion Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 19 189 https academic oup com jdsde article 19 2 18 9 375963 guestAccessKey 324c4bcd 9d1a 4b36b057 7da34fbf3f39 Van Dijk R Nelson C Postma A van Dijk J 2010 Deaf children with severe multiple disabilities Etiologies intervention and assessment In M Marschark and P Spencer Eds Oxford handbook of deaf studies language and education volume 2 pp 172 191 New York Oxford University Press http www raisingandeducatingdeafchildren org 2018 07 18 supporting deaf children withmultiple challenges a parent perspective 20 http www oxfordhandbooks com view 10 1093 oxfordhb 9780195390032 001 0001 oxfordhb9780195390032 e 012 BC Rockies Deaf Hard of Hearing Team On behalf of the BC Rockies Deaf and Hard of Hearing team we are proud to announce our 2018 19 charity games schedule All of our players come from different backgrounds of hearing levels We all come together to enjoy the sport we love All games will be played at Langley Sportsplex 20165 91A Avenue Langley Fans friends family are welcome to join us for this event If you have deaf and hard of hearing people who are interested to play for the team or want to learn hockey for the first time please contact me or Shawn Mayzes shawnm bcdeafhockey com Our website will be launched shortly www bcdeafhockey com Dates Sunday September 23 at 1 30 PM Rink 3 Sunday October 21 at 3 15 PM Rink 3 Sunday December 9 at 1 30 PM Rink 3 Sunday January 13 at 3 30 PM Rink 1 Sunday February 3 at 3 30 PM Rink 1 Sunday March 3 at 1 30 PM Rink 3 Thank you and hope to see you there FNDC 19 Fall 2018

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I Didn t Identify As Deaf Until I Was 18 Then Everything Changed For Me June 21 2018 from the Huffington Post https www huffingtonpost com entry i didnt identify as deaf until i was 18 then everything changed for me_us_5b2a6638e4b0a4dc992303ea NATALIE DELGADO Me giving the graduation speech at Gallaudet University When I was 5 years old my parents found out I needed hearing aids They weren t told I was deaf Deaf hard of hearing hearing impaired there was no label They were simply told I needed hearing aids and that I would need to sit close to my teachers in my private school We didn t know why I lost my hearing and we still don t All we had was my audiogram a hearing test telling us that I had a moderate hearing loss I was the only one in my entire school which serviced preschool through 12th grade who had hearing aids and the only one who was Deaf or hard of hearing I was often teased questioned and tested for how much I could hear by my peers They d cover their mouths and ask Can you hear me now like the Verizon commercial Back then being deaf though I didn t identify as such meant to be different or abnormal When I was older around 13 I still had never met another deaf or hard of hearing person I had only hearing friends I went to sleepovers swimming parties and get togethers where everyone spoke and it was noisy I struggled to understand what people said especially when I had to take my hearing aids off for a pool party or when it was time for bed at a sleepover I had lots of good friends and I enjoyed hanging around them but it was still work to catch everything they said I used to pray that if I behaved well enough and was good enough I would be fixed I would no longer be embarrassed when I didn t understand what someone was saying I never wore my hair up in fear that someone would see my hearing aids and call me retarded I was tired of being asked if I was like Helen Keller or why I had these huge things in my ears Then being deaf no longer meant that I was just different but it began to mean that something was wrong with me I used to pray that if I behaved well enough if I was good enough that I would be fixed so that I would no longer be embarrassed when I didn t understand what someone was saying When I was 17 I started to get angry I was tired of lip reading teachers and people and going to loud places where I couldn t understand anything FNDC 20 Fall 2018 I was tired of feeling like I could not be a part of parties and the typical teenage experience because it was too hard to hear I avoided loud dark places and settings where it was difficult to read lips and match what little I could understand to what I could hear with my hearing aids I was dating a hearing guy at the time Whenever we would go to friends houses or go out I started getting angry when he begged to stay I wanted to leave because I couldn t hear other people Most of the time I just faked it by laughing along and smiling but eventually I started losing more hearing Being deaf for me then meant being angry with everyone else because I couldn t understand them but they could understand me When I was 18 I was turning in my car and signaled my blinker I couldn t hear it so I thought something was wrong with my hearing aids I called the audiologist for an appointment and later found out that it was actually my hearing levels decreasing Sometimes it s progressive the doctor said unable to explain why the change in my hearing occurred I went from moderately hard of hearing to severely hard of hearing profoundly deaf and in my mind that meant my identity had shifted somehow I googled What do deaf people do and found an online message board that talked about rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act interpreters captioning and vibrating alarm clocks I had never heard of any of these things I thought subtitles were for foreign language films and never knew I could use captions for regular movies I had been using my phone as an alarm and constantly missed the weak vibration of it resulting in me being late for class or work occasionally I thought interpreters and sign language were only for Deaf people who did not talk I began to think better of it and I immediately got my audiogram and went to my university s disability services office I found out I was eligible for captioning services and was referred to a captioning telephone company as well as classes in sign language at the local school for the Deaf I suddenly realized that being Deaf meant I was not alone not anymore I began learning American Sign Language ASL at 19 and met my first deaf friend actually the first deaf person I ever met not long before starting classes As I started meeting more people who were Deaf I was the happiest I had been in a long time Finally I met others who were like me I maintained my friendships with my non signing hearing friends who made the effort to sign and who accepted this new part of me and I found more often than not my non signing hearing friends were supportive At last I could understand other people conversing with me without working hard and without needing to rely on my hearing aids Being deaf no longer meant darkness It meant Deaf pride confidence access and support I soon decided to explore the idea of transferring from my hearing university and going to Gallaudet University or the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology two schools created for Deaf students I visited both schools and after some coaxing from friends I decided to transfer to Gallaudet With the support of my parents I was ready to start my new journey While I was at Gallaudet they began their own journey learning ASL and attending Deaf events and Deaf education rallies I went from not knowing ASL or any Deaf people as a child to being the graduation speaker at the world s only Deaf university At Gallaudet I found a wide variety of friends Conversation was never a burden a hardship or a tedious task There were many others like me who were new signers and I had never felt so warmly

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embraced in my life I had started to find my Deaf identity before Gallaudet but once I had arrived it began to solidify I was in my element Learning became easier socialization was natural and my happiness was inevitable Being Deaf meant freedom a substitute teacher Seeing young students like me every day made me realize all of the opportunities I had missed out on in my mainstream school Seeing all of the staff signing seeing the access available all the time was incredible Deaf schools and settings felt like home to me At 22 I graduated from Gallaudet with honors summa cum laude with a 4 0 I went from not knowing ASL or any Deaf people as a child to being the graduation speaker at the world s only Deaf university I was soon headed off to graduate school for Deaf education and aimed to work in early intervention After a few months I moved back home and began working at a Deaf school as Being Deaf now at 27 means fighting for Deaf and hard of hearing children to have the rights and access I did not have growing up I now teach at a Deaf school and I am a second year doctoral student at a hearing university I engage in research in hopes that I can support early intervention services identity development and more I want other Deaf and hard of hearing children to have what I didn t Being Deaf means supporting the Deaf community in all of our fights for access but especially in ensuring the future of our Deaf children s success and happiness I now have a mix of Deaf and hearing friends and some sign while some don t We work together in all that we do and embrace our differences We all know that being Deaf is more than audiograms and hearing devices Being Deaf now means being part of a community and a culture that accepts and respects the Deaf identity and Deaf journey FNDC 21 Fall 2018

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What I Wish I d Known About Deaf Anxiety June 11 2018 From https themighty com 2018 06 deaf anxiety utm_source engagement_bar utm_medium facebook utm_campaign facebook_share As a child with hearing loss https themighty com hearing loss I was taught to read lips to enunciate my own speech to carefully clean and store my hearing aids Surrounded by a community of able bodied people I was also taught to blend in and pass as a hearing person The nod and smile the awkward half laugh these are my go to responses for when I don t hear something After 15 years of wearing hearing aids you would think I would be more comfortable saying I can t hear you Could you repeat that but at times I still find it challenging and awkward It is not that I am ashamed of my hearing loss or my hearing aids These things are a part of who I am and I am proud of my identity I think the challenge comes from years of training myself to pretend It comes from living in a world that is often slow to accommodate and reluctant to understand I put a lot of pressure on myself to single handedly compensate for all the challenges my disability https themighty com disability presents rather than asking the world around me to be accommodating and it is exhausting Every task every new situation requires a lot of thought For example walking into a new classroom on the first day of the semester I am on high alert Choosing the right seat is crucial I have to think about positioning myself so that I can not only best hear my professor but also be able to keep up with discussions that move around the room I loathe seats arranged in rows because I can t keep watch over the whole room without physically turning around What if someone behind me tries to talk to me and I don t hear them What if they think I m ignoring them These are the worries that plague me In the moments where the classroom is filling up but still professor less some students lean back FNDC 22 Fall 2018 in their metal chairs thumbs scrolling through Facebook feeds bright screens illuminating bored faces Others chat with friends contributing to the rising background noise of indistinguishable sounds humming in my ears These students are relaxed carefree Meanwhile I am always attentive constantly scanning the room to ensure that my observation skills will catch what my ears won t I worry that if I miss something people will take me for being rude or incompetent If something is directed my way I practically fall out of my seat to close the gap between myself and the speaker I could ask them to be louder but sometimes that doesn t even occur to me I alone feel the pressure to make it work The weight of this responsibility feels tight in my chest and my nervous shoulders rise toward my ears I shrink into myself There s a term for these feelings and experiences I recently learned it from an Ai Media video posted by Deaf activist Artie Mack The term is Deaf Anxiety https themighty com anxiety In his video Artie talks about many of the things I just described When I first watched his video Let s Talk About Deaf Anxiety https www youtube com watch v YmlEq8JnBC0 I felt like he could be speaking about my own experiences for me Having something that I ve dealt with my whole life but never seen vocalized before made me feel vulnerable and validated all at once It also made me wonder Why this was my first time hearing the term Deaf Anxiety I ve spent a significant amount of time in the waiting rooms of audiology offices reading coffee table pamphlets about hearing loss but I d never once come across this type of anxiety Yet if Artie s and my experiences are so similar that must mean that there are more hard of hearing https themighty com hard of hearing and D deaf people out there who have experienced the same thing So why isn t anyone talking about it Why is isn t anyone doing anything about it After watching the video my feelings of vulnerability dissolved into ones of curiosity I pulled up a new tab and seconds later my Google search revealed to me that 11 5 percent of people with hearing loss https www healthyhearing com report 52437 The complex link between 20 depression and hearing loss report experiencing depression Packer If that number seems high to you you re right It s over twice as much as the percentage of the hearing population with depression 5 percent Again staring at this statistic I couldn t help but wonder why this issue hadn t been brought to my attention before Audiologist offices seem like a definite place to start addressing this disparity but I want to be clear that I do not view hearing loss itself as the problem here Creating a more accessible and understanding world could help alleviate some of the anxiety the hearing loss community experiences I hope by sharing my own perspective I can contribute to the visibility Artie Mack first brought to this issue As a child I was excessively private My parents often teased me about being strung too tight for always obsessing over perfection I now wonder if some of these personality quirks were manifestations of D deaf anxiety and depression I can t help but wish I would have known this term earlier It would have provided relief to know I was not alone in my experiences that my feelings were legitimate I wish that as a child with hearing loss when I was being taught to read lips and to clean my hearing aids I also would have been taught to cope with mental health https themighty com mental health stresses

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SIGN WITH ME BIRTH TO 3 SIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES FOR PARENTS INFANTS TODDLERS Lila Pip is an early literacy program teaching parents how to use American Sign Language to enrich language in early childhood Sign with Me Birth to 3 is a parentinfant toddler class designed to teach parents tools and language strategies that can be used at home with young children THE CLASSES A hands on experience is a great way to learn and understand a new language We teach American Sign Language vocabulary and phrases using real objects and visual cues in the environment We also take advantage of natural language opportunities and use themes and activities that align with your infant or toddler s developmental and language stages Lila Pip teachers are warm and creative communicators The goal is for each family to feel comfortable This is a hybrid class with online resources and face to face parent infant toddler sessions Upon course completion parents should be able to Share books and songs in ASL Use eye contact joint attention strategies Model pull out language using ASL parallel talk open ended questions etc Create ASL immersion spaces and routines at home Identify ASL developmental milestones THE TEACHERS Alayna Finley is a family literacy specialist and a teacher of the Deaf She is passionate about the bene ts of early bilingualism Erin Bentley is a sign language mentor She has a passion not just for children but for bringing families together Alayna and Erin bring in guest teachers from time to time For more information go to www lilapip com team Questions We d love to hear from you Email us at FNDC 23 Fall 2018 hello lilapip com

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Why ASL Should Count as a Language Requirement From Teem Vogue Magazine July 17 2018 https www teenvogue com story why asl should count as a language requirement utm_campaign trueAnthem 3A Trending Content utm_content 5b7ce0fa04d30156fee954 78 utm_medium trueAnthem utm_source facebook High schools and colleges do better American Sign Language ASL the dynamic visual language used by the American Deaf community and one of the most widely studied languages in the nation is also the least widely accepted language by high schools and colleges for admissions and graduation requirements Because of this students building their high school class schedules are sometimes discouraged from taking ASL just as I was at the end of eighth grade instrumental classifier shows how the tires spin Signers can create puns just like in English by drawing similarities between words with various hand shapes and movements It is in this way that ASL supports a vibrant range of visual poetry and performance art ASL is mostly for the kids who have trouble learning I was told by my school It might limit your opportunities You might not be able to apply to some colleges when you graduate I ve studied ASL for four years It s a beautiful language with a lot to offer students who approach it respectfully The failure of many schools to recognize its value is rooted in misconceptions such as the belief that ASL is easier than other languages and that the Deaf community doesn t count as a real culture However ASL is a real language From a purely academic standpoint ASL measures up to every spoken language in terms of complexity utility and aesthetics Sign language is much more than a language of gestures Most of the terms in the language s 50k word vocabulary do not consist of acting out what you re trying to say Instead understanding ASL s hand shape patterns and unique grammar reveals the elegant structure of the language A system of eight classifier types allows signers to describe any situation For example the semantic classifier 3 is used to represent a vehicle while an Grammar in ASL is totally separate from English grammar it s a whole new mode of expression It s not impossible to pick up and can be a very rewarding experience but learning ASL will challenge you just as much as Spanish or French would It also offers a similar level of employment opportunity many students take ASL for the sake of a future career such as interpreting currently one of the fastest growing career fields as well as in the study of linguistics or the pursuit of a job in government or education Learning about Deaf culture ASL may not be a foreign language since it originates from the U S But the study of Deaf culture in America offers just as diverse a selection of history art and literature as any culture from abroad Today it s more important than ever for American students to be exposed to diversity of all types As a minority group with a long history of innovation and artistic achievement including the fight against violent oppression the story of the Deaf community deserves a place in the American classroom In 1817 ASL had its birth when Thomas Gallaudet recruited Laurent Clerc to establish the country s first school for the Deaf The Deaf community s first national university was later named after Gallaudet For the next century and a half the emerging American Sign Language was forcibly suppressed by advocates of the oral method Deaf students hands were struck or bound to keep them from signing It was through a long battle that Deaf activists and scholars were able to prove to the world that ASL is a fully functional language on par with English or any other This journey from 1817 to the present day has produced an immense body of historical documentation ASL students learn about the controversy of deaf education and the development of what it means to be capital D Deaf New hearing aid technology sparks ethical issues and an exploration of what it means to fix a disability Social justice plays a prominent role in the story as do the many forms of art produced by the Deaf community It s all tied to the language that forms the powerful epicenter of Deaf culture These are subjects of importance for the contemporary American student ASL offers a viewpoint into both classic and modern linguistics unlocking a new dimension of communication Language and culture link in the fight for freedom of expression and the search for identity Students who choose ASL will receive a great education on these vital topics just as I did Colleges who don t recognize that are missing out while those that do will be enriched FNDC 25 Fall 2018

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Henry Vlug From Peter A Allard School of Law University of British Columbia https historyproject allard ubc ca law history project profile henry vlug meningitis that same year which led to his loss of hearing Originally educated as a biologist and then a teacher Vlug worked to educate other Deaf students As a former teacher before he became a lawyer he has encouraged so many of us in ways that only a teacher knows says James Roots Executive Director of the Canadian Association of the Deaf CAD Class of 1984 1985 Before Henry Vlug graduated from law school in 1985 no Deaf person had graduated from a law school in Canada When he attained his degree from the University of British Columbia not only did Henry Vlug become the first Deaf graduate of a law school in Canada but would go on to become the first Deaf practicing lawyer in Canada It was an achievement he almost didn t attain but once he did there was no stopping Henry Vlug It was the implementation of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 that challenged Vlug to apply to law school I took a look at that and said I ll believe it when I see it reflects Vlug for whom an application to law school was itself a test of The Charter s promises of equality Vlug immigrated to Powell River BC with his family at the age of 8 in 1952 and contracted tubercular FNDC 26 Fall 2018 Prior to law school Vlug had a reputation as an advocate for those with disabilities He fought for the Deaf s right to access the telephone arguing against the Telecommunications Commission and Canadian Radio television at the BC Human Rights Tribunal in 1982 When the provincial government cut funding for interpreters at UBC in 1984 it jeopardized Vlug s legal education as well as the degree aspirations of two other Deaf UBC students Vlug rallied students and called in the media but when that only prompted UBC to provide support up to the bachelor level he represented counseling psychology graduate student Nigel Howard in a human rights complaint All universities now provide interpreters because of the decision explains Vlug highlighting the importance of the Howard decision As an advocate with a string of successful results Vlug still had difficulty securing a job after articles No one showed any interest says Vlug who started his own firm as a result He had to do whatever work anyone would pay for but Vlug still preferred something that would have an impact it criminal stuff wasn t going to change the world but human rights it did Vlug continued to fight for human rights playing a behind thescenes role in cases for sign language interpreters for medical patients Eldridge v British Columbia and against he Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC for failing to provide full closed captioning of its programs Vlug himself asked the CRTC how many complaints he s filed over the years and found out the number is close to 400 While changing the law is a significant accomplishment Vlug can also boast of changing perceptions about people with disabilities and inspiring others His colleague Terry La Libert says of Vlug s proficiency I watched Vlug crossexamine as effectively if not better than a lot of people that I ve seen Allard graduate Susan Van der Flier LLB 91 has twin Deaf sons and believes Vlug is an inspiration for them I think knowing there is a lawyer in the Deaf community gives the Deaf community a different kind of power when they re seeking answers to things In recognition of his work Vlug was awarded the Queen s Counsel designation in 2004 However it is the results of his work that Vlug holds most dear saying I was making an impact making change I think it was valuable Henry Vlug QC was profiled for the Fall 2016 edition of the Peter A Allard School of Law Alumni Magazine

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New law ensures hearing impaired struck from New York s books From https www democratandchronicle com story news politics albany 2018 08 31 hearing impaired struck new yorks books 1131655002 August 31 2018 Photo Hans Pennink AP ALBANY New York became the third state to strike the term hearing impaired from state law under legislation signed recently by Gov Andrew Cuomo Rosenblum said the legislation is important because the deaf or hard of hearing community which has never felt impaired and has always sought to ensure that society understands our identity The bill which was signed Aug 24 changes all references in state law from hearing impaired to deaf or hard of hearing The state Assembly passed the bill in March with the Senate following the next month It was a measure pushed by the National Association of the Deaf which maintains hearing impaired has a negative connotation that focuses on what people can t do The legislation was sponsored by Sen Terrence Murphy R Yorktown Westchester County and Assemblyman Steve Englebright D Suffolk County New York follows Utah and New Hampshire which have previously passed similar laws striking the term from their books Advocates and members of our community who are deaf or hard of hearing find the labeling of hearing impaired to be offensive Murphy said in a statement Our neighbors who suffer from deafness or hearing issues are not broken or impaired but just the opposite We are delighted to learn that Governor Cuomo has signed the legislation passed by the New York Legislature to replace all references in New York laws from hearing impaired to deaf or hard of hearing Howard Rosenblum the association s CEO said in a statement There were at least 25 references to hearing impaired or impairment in state law prior to Cuomo signing the bill By using the correct terminology New York State will now acknowledge and remove any stigma associated with the deaf Murphy added In 2017 Utah became the first state in the nation to change all references in state law from hearing impaired to deaf and hard of hearing when Gov Gary Hebert signed the bill into law according to the Utah Association of the Deaf which advocated for the bill s passage New Hampshire passed a similar measure in June striking the term hearing impaired from its laws The most commonly accepted terms among deaf people are deaf or hard of hearing though it varies based on the individual s experience according to the National Association of the Deaf According to Rosenblum there are no similar measures being proposed in any other the state Legislatures at this time though he anticipates more to follow given how quickly New Hampshire and New York passed their measures following Utah Current federal law still refers to the deaf and heard of hearing community as hearingimpaired though the the association is looking into the possibility of proposing legislation that will strike such language from the federal level CGArnold Gannett com FNDC 27 Fall 2018

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Deaf Burnaby resident fed up with St John Ambulance not providing ASL interpreter for course From https www burnabynow com news deaf burnaby resident fed up with st john ambulance not providing asl interpreter for course 1 23417081 Burnaby resident Granger Campbell pictured here at a worksite in Vancouver is frustrated that St John Ambulance won t provide a sign language interpreter for a life saving course he needs to take for work preter for deaf students in its courses according to a B C Human Rights Tribunal complaint by the Okanagan Valley Association of the Deaf Bolender Bolender says private service providers need to be made to step up to give deaf and hardof hearing people equal access OVAD took on this case because enough is enough Deaf people need first aid skills just like everyone else This could be a matter of life or death in an emergency situation treasurer Gordon Rattray said in a press release when the complaint was launched in January Kate Feeney the lawyer representing Okanagan Valley Association of the Deaf in the human rights complaint said deaf people have a right to sign language interpretation for both public and private services unless it would cause undue hardship for the service provider It is therefore our view that St John Ambulance one of the largest and most recognized providers of commercial first aid training in Canada is required to provide sign language interpretation to deaf students Feeney said The complaint cites two occasions in 2013 and 2017 when St John denied requests for sign language interpretation to members of the deaf association s Kelowna branch Photograph By Contributed When Burnaby resident Granger Campbell signed up for a St John Ambulance first aid course recently his employer was ready to pick up the 160 fee but Campbell couldn t afford 900 for a sign language interpreter so he had to cancel If he was a hearing person the course would be on the building contractor s resum by now and that s frustrating said Campbell For hearing people it s basically an all access pass when it comes to life Campbell told the NOW during a video relay service phone call They really have no barriers when it comes to things like this I have to constantly try to coordinate I have to make calls it s time on my part to find interpreters and they re not always available and I always have to think about the money factor right It s not the first time St John Ambulance has refused to provide or pay for a sign language inter FNDC 28 Fall 2018 The life saving organization s Burnaby and New Westminster branches also denied a 2017 request from a counsellor at the B C School for the Deaf in Burnaby who had tried to arrange for a group of graduating students to take a basic first aid course according to the complaint She argued St John could easily adjust its fee structure to fund the interpreters for the few deaf people who take the organization s courses Susi Bolender told the NOW she never heard back from St John when she emailed to ask why the request had been denied We are thrilled that OVAD is pursuing this human rights complaint on behalf of Deaf people across British Columbia said Kimberly Wood president of the Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf The inaccessibility of St John Ambulance classes has long been a source of frustration and pain in our community Bolender runs a sign language interpreting referral agency Preferred Interpreters and deals with deaf and hard of hearing people who can t access important services because they can t afford an interpreter These people have to pay for services then on top of the services they have to pay to access the services That is discrimination It s horrible she said Preferred Interpreters gets a small provincial community inclusion grant that pays for about 50 hours per month of interpreting for the whole province for community building events like weddings funerals and block parties but that grant is a drop in the bucket according to It s been a thorny issue for years according to Bolender Campbell who has yet to secure funding for an interpreter agrees It needs to be fair he said It s basic human rights For hearing people the accessibility is there but for deaf people sometimes it s not St John which has unsuccessfully tried to have the human rights complaint dismissed did not respond to emails and phone calls from the NOW 2018 Burnaby Now

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DO YOU NEED A VOLUNTEER STUDENT Students in the Department of Sign Language Interpretation at Douglas College do volunteer service learning work for events where extra hands are needed Please make your request at least two weeks in advance of the event Send us an email at intr douglascollege ca and include all the following information Where What time start and finish time What is the event Your email address Availability Students are available to do volunteer service learning work only if they are not in classes The program technician will reply to your message within two or three days so you know we have received your request All requests for volunteers will be checked by department faculty Students do volunteer work to help them learn how to work with Deaf people in the community Your requests to have students do service learning for you helps prepare them to be skilled professional interpreters in the future If you are not sure if your request is appropriate for students please send it to us and we will let you know if it s possible for students to attend Examples of the kind of events where students provide a helping hand include Setting up for an event Clean up after an event Admissions Taking pictures FNDC 33 Fall 2018

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WWW POPDHH CA Meet John our new ASL Specialist We are happy to welcome John Warren who has joined POPDHH team as ASL Specialist Prior to coming to BC John worked as the American Sign Language Coordinator Deaf Interpreter at the Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and Outreach Worker for Deaf Indigenous Children and Youth He holds a BC Provincial Instructor Diploma from Vancouver Community College and has over 30 years of progressive experience in American Sign Language Please join us in wishing John the warmest of welcomes to POPDHH POPDHH Library and Technology Our lending library is back in business in the new school year To browse our library catalogue online go to https library burnabyschools ca common servlet presenthomeform do l2m Home tm Home l2m Home If you wish to become a patron and start borrowing resources please email Ivana at office popdhh ca to request access We also have a number of MacBooks and iPads available to loan to our outreach students and TDHHs for use during the school year If you would like to borrow a technology item please contact POPDHH to access and complete the request form Save the Dates October 19th 2018 CAEDHH BC Conference EA Networking Conference at the Burnaby South Secondary MJ Fox Theatre February 22nd 2019 POPDHH Workshop Focus on Assessments at the Centre for Dialogue in Burnaby Limited online attendance will be offered for the folks outside of the Lower Mainland Further details will follow in the next few weeks FNDC 34 Fall 2018

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FROM https www neilsquire ca individual programs services technologywork Ergonomics and Assistive Technology to Support Employment The Technology Work Program supports people who have a work related barrier due to a disability or a functional limitation and who require Assistive Technology for employment or volunteer activities in British Columbia Technology Work will Work with you and your employer to find the best solution to remove a barrier for you in the workplace Help you determine the Assistive Technology equipment products and services that will allow you to better perform your job tasks Provide training if required Help to navigate you to other services and supports in the community to assist you in your employment situation Provide you with the latest information about workplace Assistive Technology from our Resource Centre Apply To request an application please complete the form at https www tfaforms com 4614246 If you have any questions about the application process or would like immediate assistance please contact our Technology Work intake manager directly at 778 945 1211 or toll free 1 844 453 5506 Eligibility You must have a work related barrier due to a disability or a functional limitation which can be addressed by Assistive Technology This may also include barriers related to traveling to and from the workplace You must be a resident of and be legally entitled to work in British Columbia be 16 years of age or older currently be employed self employed volunteering or have a confirmed job offer WorkBC clients and public sector employees are not eligible You might not qualify for the Technology Work program if you are Looking for work but do not have a specific job offer FNDC 38 Fall 2018

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Requiring assistive technology that is primarily for personal use Able to obtain services through a Public Sector Organization Are actively case managed by a WorkBC service provider If you fall under one of these categories contact us and we can help to direct you to another organization in the community that can help you Eligible Products and Services For a product or service to be eligible for full or partial funding through the Technology Work Program it must be an assistive aid or device that will help to overcome a barrier due to functional limitations in the workplace or in travelling to the workplace Types of technology that may be funded through this Program include Assistive devices equipment and technology Communication and hearing devices see website for Eligibility for hearing related devices Ergonomic supports and other individualized devices Personal attendant care services related to work for a maximum of 4 weeks Interpreting and captioning services for a maximum of 4 weeks Workplace access and modification Items that are not funded through this Program include Medical treatments and therapies Items that are primarily for personal use Employment case management supports e g job coaching employment and skills training wage subsidies etc Non employment and non volunteer related supports and services Please note applying for the Technology Work Program does not imply acceptance into the program Further submission of an Application Form Acknowledgement of an Application Form and Tentative Acceptance into the Technology Work program does not guarantee that funding will be provided Technology Work will not accept liability for equipment that is provided to Individuals before their eligibility has been confirmed by a Technology Work Assistive Technology Specialist Applicants will be informed if they are approved for funding when the Intake process and the Needs Determination process are complete Contact Us Neil Squire Society 400 3999 Henning Drive Burnaby BC V5C 6P9 Office 778 945 1211 Fax 604 629 1761 Toll Free 1 844 453 5506 Email technologyatwork neilsquire ca Technology Work is able to service individuals in all regions of British Columbia FNDC 39 Fall 2018

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Fall 2018 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Swimming Lessons in Surrey with a Registered Sign Language Interpreter Lessons are on Saturdays September 15 December 15 12 lessons total no lesson on October 6 and November 10 9 15 9 45 Red Cross Preschool 4 Sea Otter Age 3 5 4 spaces Register for 462938 and 462940 you must register for both sections 9 45 10 15 Red Cross Preschool 4 Sea Otter Age 3 5 4 spaces Register for 462939 and 462941 you must register for both sections 10 15 10 45 Red Cross Preschool 5 Salamander Age 3 5 4 spaces Register for 462942 and 462945 you must register for both sections Due to insufficient numbers Parent Tot Red Cross Starfish Duck Sea Turtle lessons will not be offered this fall If you are interested in Parent Tot lessons for next season Winter 2019 please email bcdhhkids gmail com Registration is first come first serve so register as soon as possible to guarantee your space You may register over the phone or in person Online registration is not available at this time By Phone Call Recreation Surrey 8 30 4 30 Monday Friday at 604 501 5100 In Person Guildford Recreation Centre Aquatics 15105 105 Avenue Surrey 604 502 6360 http www surrey ca culture recreation 12672 aspx If you have any questions or would like assistance with the registration process please contact bcdhhkids gmail com FNDC 40 Fall 2018

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What is FNDC all about Family Network for Deaf Children FNDC is a parent run non profit charitable organization supporting families with deaf and hard of hearing children that use sign language or are interested in learning sign language Even though technology and methodology have changed over the years we seek the wisdom of parents professionals and Deaf HH adults so that common themes of access equity and a sense of belonging continue to be highlighted in areas such as social recreation leadership education employment general services and community involvement What is Deaf Youth Today Deaf Youth Today DYT is FNDC s summer social recreational program and is committed to providing recreational experience and leadership opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing youth in British Columbia that use sign language for all or part of their communication or who are interested in learning sign language FNDC Board of Directors Hester Hussey Mentor Advisor Colleen Peterson Board President colleen fndc ca Nicki Horton Director Karen Jackson Director Charlie Coyle Director Joy Santos Director Gwen Wong Director Laura Batista Director Leigh Chan Director Dan Braun Director Bobbi Taylor Director Membership Paid Membership is open to those who support the goals of our Organization Join Our E Mail List for free Join our email list for free and receive The Board of Directors are parents of deaf children FNDC Staff Cecelia Klassen Executive Director cecelia fndc ca Bella Poato Executive Assistant accounting fndc ca Scott Jeffery Info Tech Manager FNDC DYT scott fndc ca Jason Berube Website Designer Developer webmaster fndc ca FNDC General Inquiry fndc fndc ca DYT Staff DYT Hornby Island Coordinator Terry Maloney terry fndc ca DYT General Inquiries dyt fndc ca Our membership is open to individuals schools and organizations Parents guardians of deaf and hard of hearing children are eligible to vote Our newsletter which is published four times a year Email Updates regarding upcoming workshops and courses children youth programs as well as community updates Contact Us Contact us below and be added to our email list or to request a membership form Family Network for Deaf Children P O Box 50075 South Slope RPO Burnaby BC V5J 5G3 604 684 1860 voice text message www fndc ca website fndc fndc ca e mail FNDC is a non profit society S 33351 that was founded in March 1995 to bring together families of deaf children in British Columbia who share common concerns Federal Registered Charity Number 88622 5655 RR0001 Deaf Youth Today DYT is a program administered by FNDC