About Us

The Evangelical School for the Deaf is located in Barrio Casa Blanca outside of Luquillo, Puerto Rico. It is the only English-language school for the Deaf in Puerto Rico and is staffed by teachers trained to work with the Deaf. All workers are called by God to work with the Deaf. Each is responsible to raise their own financial support.

The Evangelical School for the Deaf is a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and Puerto Rican tax codes. E.S.D. is classified as a school under Sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code.

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EDUCATING THE DEAF printable flier

The philosophy of Total Communication is

used in the classrooms at ESD. This philosophy incorporates signed language as well as spoken language and visual aids to introduce any new concept. We seek to prepare the Deaf child for life in a hearing world. At ESD, students learn ASL, Contact Signing, Puerto Rican signs, written English and Spanish, and other means of communicating with those who are limited in their knowledge of Deaf culture and sign language.

All academic subjects are taught with special emphasis placed on language development and Biblical principles. Each school day begins with a chapel time where the students are encouraged to worship God and give their day to Him. Chapel times are often student led as we encourage our students to develop their leadership potential. Additionally, the children are taught music as they participate in our sign language choir and handbell choir. Various choir groups perform around the island throughout the school year, sharing their testimonies of God's grace and the message that the Deaf also do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens them (Philippians 4:13).

WHAT IS DEAFNESS?

The average person thinks that the problem of deafness is a speech problem, because that is the most obvious effect. Some people simply think that the inability to hear does not affect the child's development in anything other than speech development. They are wrong.

Hearing children grow up learning many words in their environment, as well as how to communicate thoughts and ideas. But children who are born Deaf or who become Deaf at an early age do not naturally learn the spoken language in their environment. Deaf children obviously have no idea of the sounds of that language. But when young Deaf children first enter school, they also may have no idea that they have names or that there are names attached to the things in their environment. They drink milk but do not know the word milk. They know they can run and fall down but have no words for these actions.

Language allows us to share our experiences with others and to share in their experiences. Language development involves learning a symbol system that is necessary for abstract thought. As Christians who want to impact Deaf children with the message of God's love and salvation in Jesus Christ, we must equip them with language through which they can begin to understand and communicate about their world. Then we can introduce them to the truth of the Bible.

THE CHALLENGE

Puerto Rico has more than 150,000 hearing-impaired people. There are between 8,000 and 25,000 school-aged children who have an educationally significant hearing loss, with an estimated 10 percent of those served by special-education or mainstream classes. Many Deaf children in Puerto Rico become Deaf adults with a bleak future as they are cut off from society by their lack of language. Many grow up never having seen a church service much less the gospel message presented in a way that communicates God's love for them.

The workers who founded the ministry in 1959 had a goal: to teach the Deaf about Jesus Christ. They started by teaching the Deaf sign language. Through the years, God has faithfully provided teachers and support staff, and we trust God to continue to touch the hearts of believers to serve in this ministry.

To provide complete services to our students, we need:
* teachers with appropriate degrees (AA, BA, MS) or on-the-job training
* teaching assistants/classroom aides
* a cook with Spanish fluency
* maintenance worker(s) and volunteers
* administrative worker(s) with Spanish language fluency
* an educational or life-skills counselor fluent in ASL
* an ASL interpreter/teacher also fluent in Spanish

* an afterschool/outreach coordinator/worker
* prayer support

All ESD staff are missionaries responsible for their own financial support.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS

Students must be Deaf or hearing-impaired and showing a need for the specialized education offered through ESD.

• Students are accepted into existing classes unless a new class is forming.
• Students are accepted for a probationary period while being evaluated for placement.
• All students attend chapel and Bible classes.
• Transportation is the responsibility of the student's family or guardians.
• The student's family or guardians are expected to pay a small monthly tuition towards the educational costs of their child.

The Evangelical for the Deaf does not discriminate on the basis of gender, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its education policies, admission policies, athletic and financial programs or any other program administered by the school. While all workers must agree to the doctrinal statement of the mission, students are accepted from any religious background.

"Spending of funds is confined to board-approved programs and projects; each restricted contribution designated towards a board-approved program or project will be used as designated, with the understanding that when the need for such program or project has been met, or if it cannot be completed for any reason determined by the board, the remaining restricted contributions designated for such program or project will be used where needed most."

Evangelical School for the Deaf

...they that have never heard shall understand Romans 15:21