St. Rita School for the Deaf

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St. Rita School for the Deaf is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, specifically in the village of Evendale.

1 History
2 Academics and Programs
3 Fund Raising
4 External links
5 References

[edit] History

Challenged by Archbishop Henry Moeller, Father Henry J. Waldhaus, with the help of the Knights of del'Epee and the Saints Mary and Joseph Society, was able to raise the funds necessary to purchase the land for St. Rita School. The school opened in 1915, and became the first accredited high school for the deaf in Ohio.

Currently, their philosophy is "comprehensive communication" -- essentially just Total Communication with a different name. The school's Deaf teachers and some hearing teachers use ASL as a method of instruction, but the majority use Simultaneous Communication.

[edit] Academics and Programs

While based within the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, St. Rita's works to meet the needs of hearing impaired and deaf children in the community. The school's LOFT program (Language Opportunities for Tots) is designed to meet the developmental needs of hearing and deaf children, from birth to 3 years of age. The school also features a Montessori Preschool, elementary, high school, and vocational programs.

[edit] Fund Raising

Like many Greater Cincinnati Catholic parishes, major funding comes from annual festivals. The annual St. Rita Fest began in 1916 and is one of the area's largest. While the school holds multiple events, including the annual Halloween St. Rita Haunted House, the yearly festival is the school's biggest fund raiser.