Deaf or Hard of Hearing Services

Heather Witte, Coordinator

Students with hearing impairments are most often served in their local school districts by a staff of deaf educators and educational interpreters. The deaf educators and interpreters work as part of the local school team with other special educators and classroom teachers. ESU 9 employs 3 deaf educators and 4 interpreters. The program coordinator is Heather Witte.

For more details on each area of service, click on one of the tabs shown below:

 

 

Other Related Links

Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH)

Pictured from left to right: Zach High, Cindy Koch, & Nicole Miller

Teachers of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing

ESU 9 Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TODHH) serve deaf or hard of hearing students ages birth to 21 in home-based, early childhood, general education, special education and transition settings. A TODHH works as part of a team and is responsible for identifying programming needs for students with a hearing loss. The teachers serve as a resource to all team members including parents, instructional and support staff, and students to provide unique information on the impact of a hearing loss on language, communication, academic and functional skill development

Services Provided:

A Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing typically provides direct instructional support in areas directly impacted by a hearing loss such as:  listening, communication, language, vocabulary, reading readiness skill development, and self advocacy.  Indirect services include providing staff development and consultation to teachers, interpreters/transliterators/transcribers, parents and other staff; ensuring adequate and appropriate access to classroom information, including access to captioned media; supporting the maintenance of amplification equipment; advising on environmental adaptations; monitoring students’ functioning in the school setting; supporting parents in communication system decisions and development; and assisting students and families with community resources related to hearing loss.

TODHH assist with Tier 2 and Tier 3 in the NeMTSS system.

MTSS Tier graphic

How the TODHH connects into your school

Flowchart of DHH teacher connects into school

Educational Sign Language Interpreters

Pictured from left to right: Kathy Hansen, Brittany Henderson, Joelle Tesar, & José Torres

Sign Language Interpreters are responsible for facilitating communication and bridging the communication barrier between students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and hearing individuals in the educational setting. ESU 9 Interpreters meet the Nebraska Rule 51 guidelines.

How Sign Language Interpreters connect into your school

Flowchart of Interpreter connection to school

Interpreters assist with all Tiers in the NeMTSS system.

MTSS Tier graphic

Educational Sign Language Facilitator

Kyla Lovejoy & Taylor Schwenk

Sign Language Facilitators are responsible for facilitating communication and bridging the communication barrier between students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and hearing individuals in the educational setting. ESU 9 Interpreters meet the Nebraska Rule 51 guidelines.

How Sign Language Facilitators connect into your school

Flowchart of Interpreter connection to school

Interpreters assist with all Tiers in the NeMTSS system.

MTSS Tier graphic

CWNP Coordinators

Heather Witte, CWNP Coordinator – ESU 9
Sara Peterson, CWNP Coordinator – ESU 13

For more information and details, visit the Central Western Nebraska Partnership (CWNP) for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing website.

Contact Information

Heather Witte, Coordinator
Educational Service Unit 9
5807 Osborne Drive West
Hastings, NE 68901
Email: heather.witte@esu9.us
Office: (402) 463-5611
FAX: (402)463-9555
Sara Peterson, CWNP Coordinator
Educational Service Unit 13
4215 Ave I
Scottsbluff, NE 69361
Email: speterson@esu13.org
Office: (308) 635-3696
FAX: (308) 635-0680

Region 9 Liaison

Sara Peterson

For more information and details, visit the Nebraska Regional Programs for Deaf or Hard of  Hearing website.

Contact Information

Sue Czaplewski
Liaison to Nebraska Department of Education
Educational Service Unit 9
5807 Osborne Drive West
Hastings, NE 68901
402-463-5611
sue.czaplewski@esu9.us
Teresa Coonts
Director of Autism & Low Incidence Disabilities
Nebraska Dept. of Education
Office of Special Education
301 Centennial Mall, PO Box 94987
Lincoln, NE 68509
PH: 402.471-4310
teresa.coonts@nebraska.gov

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