Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children opens early intervention program

Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children (NWSDHH) will be taking over the well-known Family Conversations program beginning August 1, 2017. 

Family Conversations is currently offered at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The Family Conversations program supports families as they explore critical tools that can help their deaf or hard-of-hearing (D/HH) birth to three-year-old child learn and grow. 

Services include family home visits, playgroups with other D/HH families and parent groups.

NWSDHH and Seattle Children’s share the belief that NWSDHH is best positioned to continue advocating for Western Washington families and see Family Conversations into the future.

Lynessa Cronn, NWSDHH Head of School, says both organizations are excited about the transition and how it will strengthen support for families in our region.

“Early intervention is critical to ensuring educational outcomes and long-term success for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. We are honored to continue this important program and grow the impact of Family Conversations in the years to come.”

NWSDHH will continue to deliver the high quality services Family Conversations is known for, connecting families with the widest range of resources and educational pathways for their children. In addition, NWSDHH brings the capacity to offer expanded services and reach even more families in a greater geographic region.

Jill Y. Bargones, PhD, CCC-A, Coordinator of Family Conversations, is looking forward to the transition to NWSDHH.

“We could not be happier about Family Conversations moving to NWSDHH,” says Bargones. “The school has 34 years of experience in our field, and has always been a beacon of hope for the families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children; it is the perfect fit for Family Conversations.”

Seattle Children’s will continue to offer its services to the families currently participating in the program and to any new, eligible families until July 31st, 2017. Services will then move to its new headquarters at NWSDHH in Shoreline on August 1st.

NWSDHH, located in Shoreline, opened its doors in 1982. The only preschool through eighth grade school of its kind in the state, the school provides educational services to deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students from nearly 20 different school districts in the Greater Puget Sound Region. 

Its mission is dedicated to using spoken English paired with Signing Exact English (S.E.E.) to help D/HH students become self-confident, articulate and academically competitive learners and contributing community members. From the beginning, the focus has been on three outcomes: grade level achievement; English proficiency; and oral communication and listening skills.

For more information about NWSDHH, visit the school’s website or follow the school on Facebook.