Evangelical School for the Deaf

Principal's Page         or           Betsy's Blessings

May the God of hope fill you with all

joy and peace as you trust in Him,

so that you may overflow with

hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

16 August 2010

We began with a FIRST WEEK of Bible school/fun stuff once again. This allows the students to return, spend time with their friends and make that transition from playing all day to being in a more structured setting. We have found that our FIRST WEEK plans help everyone to prepare for the adventure of school again.

The theme for our school year is shaping up as the Fruit Of The Spirit. I have gone as far as attempting to throw out the rule book and present any and all actions as representative of the Fruit of the Spirit. The classrooms have plans to incorporate such "rules" as Be Kind.  Be Considerate.  Be Respectful. If only we always remembered to base our actions on LOVE JOY PEACE, GOODNESS, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, SELF-CONTROL, GENTLENESS, and FAITHFULNESS!! Well, pray with us this year as we embark on focusing our minds on these traits and seek to nurture them first in our own lives and then in the lives of our students. I hope to see our students begin to self-examine with such questions as "How could you have done that in a way that reflects the fruit of the Spirit?" "What did you do wrong?"  "What can you do now to make things right between you and your ___(friend, mother, teacher, etc.)?"

Continue to pray for us as we enter another school year.  Pray for my Spanish as I meet regularly with the parents of our most at-risk students - helping to counsel both the moms and their Deaf youth in family living and Christian character. The mothers seemed to be keen on the idea of weekly times to sit down with me as interpreter/counselor so that they can communicate their desires and wishes and joys and frustrations to their Deaf teens.  The teens also seem keen to have this time to be able to know that their mom's are listening to them.  Pray that each of us will hold up our part of the bargain!

Look at this picture and you will see how my days are scheduled!  Two 7 year old with hugely curious minds ready to learn and be stimulated.  Our first day included 3 hours of language development - calendar, news, writing about calendar and news as a group, printing, coloring, and then setting the tables for lunch.  Afternoon we did math and then they went to art while I taught the older students Social Studies. 

Our new teacher, Elizabeth, is working with the students on their SIX WORD MEMOIRS.  She got us to write ours for her bulletin board.

Mine is here:

Sounds off.  Hands up speak love.

Pray for cloudy days, cool breezes, profitable lessons,and God's grace to prevail.

Hugs and prayers -

Betsy

Kioney and Mizael are my main focus in the classroom this year.

Mizael figured out the self-timer on the camera and here we are!

(for photos and more, check my blog!)

 

When she was 12-years-old, Betsy Hoke took her first sign language class, accompanying her mother who had met a deaf woman through her job. She helped with a deaf ministry in her church from 1977 until 1980, when left to study education of the Deaf  at Penn State University. In 1983 Betsy Hoke graduated  with a Bachelor's degree in education of the Deaf and a Pennsylvania state teacher's certificate. 

Betsy's  pastor knew of the ministry at E.S.D. and passed a copy of the With These Hands newsletter on to her.  She wrote a letter and was soon talking with her home church and representatives from the school regarding the needs of the school and the way God was leading.

In August 1984, Betsy arrived at E.S.D. as a short-term teacher to fill in for a missionary/teacher on furlough.

She has been working with ESD since that time, except fora sabbatical year during which she attended McDaniel College to obtain her Master's Degree in education of the Deaf.