Community Newsletter

May 27, 2021
IMPORTANT SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS



PB CORNER

Peter Bailey,
Head of School
Masks in public spaces and when people cannot maintain social distancing are required. PSD will limit access for any nonessential visitors or volunteers, and cancel activities involving external groups or organizations until further notice.
PSD Community Stands Together...
One year ago, the nation experienced the intense and horrifying situation about George Floyd who was killed by Minneapolis (MN) police officers. Shortly after his passing, people all over the country and around the globe took to the streets to protest against police brutality and injustice against Black people and other people of color. Since then, we have been tremendously impacted by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in police reform and structural racism. 

At PSD, we remain committed to diversity and our solidarity which includes dismantling systemic racism and improving race relations. We also continue to commit to supporting you, standing with you and working tirelessly to ensure we create a space where every person feels that they are being heard or seen and that they matter. Please reach out to each other if you need support! 

Together we make a difference! Stay safe and be well, too. 


20% off EVERYTHING when you spend $60 or more
until August 1st 2021!

Code: WELCOME21

Check out at PSD Athletics 
PSD IN THE NEWS

(Pictured: Karen Leslie-Henry, Gina Procopio, PJ Mattiacci-FEMA)
PSD celebrates diversity and supports cultural awareness throughout the year. This month, as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we recognize, celebrate and uplift the many contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders to the PSD community and our country.
There are 22.2 million Americans of Asian descent and around 1.6 million Pacific Islanders in the United States, just over 6% of the total U.S. population! Asian and Pacific Americans are a very diverse group. Their cultural ties reach over 70 different countries! This celebration was first established by Congress in 1977. Back then, it was Asian and Pacific American Heritage (APAH) Week. President George W. Bush expanded it to a full month in 1990 – and has been reaffirmed by every president since. Read more.......
COMMUNITY EVENTS, ACTIVITIES
AND INFORMATION
Join Zoom Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 596 317 1730
Passcode: 6195
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Meeting ID: 596 317 1730
Plymouth Community Center Pavilion
2910 Jolly Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
DHCC 2021 SUMMER ASL CLASSES
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
JUNE 7 - AUGUST 16, 2021
Due to the stay-at-home order, all of our ASL classes and private tutoring sessions are being offered online indefinitely via Zoom. Access to a laptop or a desktop computer is required to sign up for online sessions.
June 11-13, 2021

The Ware Center – Millersville University, 42 Prince St, Lancaster, PA 17603
In 2021, Deaf Refugees and their allies will come together to celebrate their achievements, reconnect, and look to the future with workshops; opportunities for learning for Deaf Refugees, interpreters, and service professionals. Please complete the registration form below if you can join us. All “General Combo” registrations include workshop participation, entertainment night tickets, and two lunches from June 11-13, 20201.

If you need help with registration or transportation booking, please email [email protected] or send a Marco Polo/text to Emma at 512.289.7696.
Registration deadline is May 27, 2021. Click here to go fill out an application there!
Encourage students to apply to RIT/NTID’s Explore Your Future!

EYF is a free, four-day virtual summer program for college-bound deaf and hard-of-hearing high school students who will enter their junior or senior year in fall 2021. Your students will explore many exciting topics, including the internet of things, 3D printing, entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, biology, and more. They’ll receive a kit that includes a camera and smart plug, 3D printed pieces to build a tiger head, journals, a science kit and much more.

If students register by June 15, they can select from three versions of a FREE RIT hoodie, valued at $50, which will be sent upon completion of EYF! During EYF, your student will learn how their interests can lead them to a career and their job options in various fields. And they’ll do it all virtually with other deaf and hard-of-hearing students from around the country.

RIT/NTID can help if your students do not have the necessary resources to participate in EYF.

Students who attend EYF who enroll at RIT/NTID for college will receive a $1,000 scholarship and an application fee waiver to apply to RIT at no cost. That’s right – when students participate in EYF, they can apply to RIT/NTID with no application fee and receive a scholarship if they are accepted!

There will be two EYF sessions. You can work with your student to choose the session that works best for them in the registration section after selecting Explore Your Future from the options on the website.

Session I: July 11-14 Session II: July 18-21

If you or your students have any questions, contact us at 585-475-6700, toll-free in the U.S. and Canada at 1-866-644-6843, by text at 585-448-9651, by videophone at 585-286-4555 or email at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Mark Sommer, Director, NTID Pre-College Outreach


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


New Training Program Addresses Need
and Training for Interpreters of Color

A team at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf has created a program that aims to equip interpreters of color to meet the demands of interpreting in a postsecondary environment, while boosting recruitment and retention efforts for interpreters of color.

The program is supported by NTID and the Department of Access Services.
For more information, go to the Randleman Program webpage.

CONNECT AT GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

Virtual Undergraduate Openhouses
& Parent Webinars
March - June 2021



Summer Youth Webinars
Session 1: June 21-25   Session 2: June 28-July 2   Session 3: July 6-July 9
Monday, June 21, 2021 until Friday, July 9, 2021 Eastern Daylight Time
Sign up for the Got Skills?, Immerse into ASL, Deaf Youth Pride, or Deaf Biz webinars. Click here to learn more

Camp Catch Them Young 2021
From July 12-23, 2021, Gallaudet University, through the Division of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), will host the second iteration of Camp Catch Them Young, a program for college-bound deaf and hard of hearing high school students of color up to the age of 19. Similar to last year, this Camp will be virtual.
The deadline for Registration is May 31, 2021.

Philadelphia School District Students Transportation Message!
Philadelphia School District ---just confirmed that they will provide transportation to Camp Overbrook.  I need to have the names by FRIDAY of any campers from Philadelphia School District.    Please register by Thursday 5/27 night or email me with the intent to attend -- campers name and age.       Those outside of Phila – some districts are providing transportation – call your district.   Sr. Kathleen
 
Deaf Catholic Philly
Our Daily Hope – Vlog Reflection

Sr. Kathleen Schipani, IHM
Director, Office for Persons with Disabilities & Deaf Apostolate
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
222 N. 17th Street, Philadelphia PA 19103
215.587.3913 phone /267.507.1215 video phone
CAMP DISCOVERY

VIRTUAL WEEK DAY CAMP
TWO SESSIONS:
July 5-16 & July 19-30

Camp discovery is focused on serving children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Kids of Deaf Adults, or signing but all are welcome, ASL will be the preferred means of communication.

Open to any gender ages 4 to 12 years.

CAMP DIRECTOR: VANESSA ARP
202-640-4070 (Videophone)
Please contact: c[email protected]
COVID-19 RESOURCES
AND INFORMATION
FIND COVID 19 VACCINE CENTERS NEAR YOU
AT
Click on "Find COVID-19 Vaccines"
Enter your Zip Code

All COVID-19 vaccines are free.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health 


COVID VACCINE INFORMATION

 
Vaccine appointments are available by calling 311 or online at www.phila.gov/vaccine

Many clinics will also take walk-ins. COVID vaccines are FREE.

NEWS,
RESOURCES & PROGRAMS
Emergency Broadband Benefit
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

A message from Melissa Draganac-Hawk
President, NAD


TV Networks, Please Carry the ASL Interpreter Feed

On April 28th, 2021, President Biden gave his first address to Congress on the eve of 100 days in office. Prior to the address, the White House announced they would be providing a feed of the American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for this address — a first in U.S. history. The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) commended the White House for taking steps to ensure accessibility for all who are watching, including deaf and hard of hearing people. However, we were disappointed when TV networks carrying the broadcast did not also include the provided ASL interpreter feed through an appropriately sized picture-in-picture (PIP) inset so that deaf and hard of hearing people can access the address. With 48 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the U.S., it is critical to ensure we have access to the topics President Biden addressed last night through both accurate captioning and ASL. We thank CBS News for sharing the ASL interpreter feed on its website, although we encourage CBS News in the future to include this ASL interpreter feed as a part of the screen (such as a PIP) with the address rather than a separate video of the ASL interpreter feed on its own. Additionally, not everyone has access to high speed internet, which is why we encourage all TV networks to make ASL interpreter feed available via TV broadcast. We urge all TV network stations to do the right thing and provide access to the ASL interpreter feed in the broadcast.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have a complaint about access, please contact your local TV station and share your feedback. 
National Black Deaf Advocates
Isidore Niyongabo, President

Chauvin Case Verdict:
Justice - What next?

For the first time in recent history we are witnessing a resounding denunciation of police brutality upon the bodies of Black and Brown people. Read more.......
A special message
from the
Free Library
The Free Library's reopening plan works in accordance with the updated guidance from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. We will continue to increase in-person services at neighborhood libraries over the coming months with a goal of resuming five days of service at libraries across the city in the next fiscal year. Read more.....
Olelo Captioned Calls
is an easy-to-use app that helps people with hearing loss have a great experience making and receiving phone calls!


Olelo is the next generation of captioned telephone service, providing a live real-time transcript of every spoken word using fast, accurate speech recognition technology.
It's 100 percent free for people with hearing loss, and sign up takes just minutes!
Melissa A. Hawkins MS, MHR | Director
Phone & TTY: 800-233-3008 (PA only) | Phone & TTY: 717.783.4912 (V/TTY)


The PA Advisory Council for Deaf and Hard of Hearing quarterly public meeting scheduled for June 18, 2021 has been canceled. The next Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for September 24, 2021. Click here for more information.
COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF PHILADELPHIA
(click links below for more information)



215-981-3700 * https://clsphila.org/
Hired! A monthly resource for job leads, training opportunities, and career advancement.

COVID-19 UPDATE: Philadelphia is in a modified ‘green phase’ of reopening. Physical PA CareerLink® Philadelphia Centers will remain closed at this time. For virtual services, please call 1-833-750-JOBS (5627) or email us at [email protected]. You can also visit our Career Seeker Virtual Resource Center. Click here for calendar of virtual events and workshops.

CLICK HERE FOR SEPTA
UPDATES AND ALERTS






Serving Berks County and surrounding communities since 1989

Keep up with the latest updates from Abilities in Motion.
The National Deaf Center
has a wide range of materials that are great for working with the deaf population. Please visit the website:


Clidk above to learn more
Cap4Kids Updated Link to the website for services and resources including food, housing, utility, self care, etc.

FREE Food sites 
 
To sign up for Cap4Kids emails, click here https://cap4kids.org/philadelphia/mailing-list/ 

  1. COVID RESOURCES (what else). Click here for ALL info https://cap4kids.org/philadelphia/parent-handouts/covid-19-resources/ . 

Rent. - Emergency Rental Assistance click here
Stimulus Check Info and FREE Taxes from CWF click here 
Lots more COVID specific resources here 

  1. SUMMER RESOURCES
Teen Jobs- 12-24 year olds through Work Ready- APPLY NOW!!!!!!! Click here.
Extended School Info to decrease Summer Learning Lag along with the COVID Learning Slide. Click here for Summer 2021 https://www.philasd.org/academics/summer-2021-academic-programming/

GET OUTSIDE!!!- Safely explore Philly's Wonderful Parks and outdoor spaces herehttps://myphillypark.org/
 
All content can be translated into over 30 languages by clicking at the top of the page’s drop down and Cap4Kids is mobile friendly. Just download to your homepage.
Consider a gift today to help PSD continue the important work we do for our Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students.

United Way #737
Combined Federal Campaign #87714
or click below.

We thank you for your support!

Past issues of the PSD Community Newsletter are posted at https://psd.org/news/#Newsletters.
Please forward comments and announcements for posting considerations to:
Karen Leslie-Henry, Community Relations Coordinator: [email protected]
Content Disclaimer
The information contained in the e-newsletter is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the newsletter or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the e-newsletter for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this e-newsletter. Through this e-newsletter you are able to link to other websites that are not under the control of PSD. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.