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Resources for deaf/deafblind/hard of hearing/blind/visually impaired children in Minnesota

Chelsea Paulson and Jamie Jindra

MSA Outreach Specialists

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Minnesota demographics

  • 2,400+ Deaf/Hard of Hearing children
  • 118+ DeafBlind children
  • 470+ Blind/Visually Impaired children

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  • … from birth to 22

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  • … and possibly more as many of our deaf/blind children are underreported.

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Question for �the Audience

What do you think when you hear of “Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and the Blind?”

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If you have a question, we will answer as we go.

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AchievE

Our Vision��MSA empowers every student to achieve, care, and Thrive in an ever-changing World.

CarE

Thrive

Supporting the professional’s ability to thrive

Providing whole student-centric support

Supporting birth to 22-year-old Deaf,

Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, Blind, and Visually Impaired

youth and families

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Chelsea Paulson

Jamie Jindra

Terry Wilding

Our Statewide SERVICES Team

MSAD Deaf/Hard of Hearing Outreach Specialist

MSAB Blind/Visually Impaired Outreach Specialist

Minnesota State Academies Superintendent

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Services We Offer

  • Online Academy
  • Instruction - Students, Parents and Professionals
  • Evaluations/Service Minutes
  • Consultation and Support
  • Professional Development

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ECSE Services

(MSAD campus)

  • Birth to 3 Program
  • Home Visits from birth to 3
  • Classrooms
    • Ones and Twos (12 months old or above)
    • Twos and Threes
    • Preschool
    • Pre-K
    • SLP, OT, PT, ASL, BVI
  • Family Education Classes
  • ECSE Meet Up in Summers

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ECSE Services for schools and Families

  • VCSL assessments
  • Bayley Scales of Infant Dev.
  • Teaching Strategies, GOLD
  • Family Education Classes
  • ECSE Meet Ups (available to parents statewide)
  • Program Development and Collaboration

*Costs vary depending on district need and scope of the work.

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Services

at No Cost

  • Consultation/Resource Sharing
  • Mini Workshops
    • Early Childhood Family Education
  • Statewide ASL Courses
    • Parents and Families
    • Educators (funded by MDE)
  • Family Weekends
  • Short Course Programs
  • Parent Activities/Events
  • Professional Development
  • Extended School Year Programming

Services

With a Cost

  • Evaluations
    • ASL/Language
    • Academic
    • Observation/Transition
    • ECSE
  • Direct Services,
    • DHH Services (pilot)
    • ASL Services (pilot)
  • Bilingual Seal Assessments
  • Online Academy

*Costs vary depending on district need and scope of the work.

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Online Academy

  • Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf
    • Approved program under the Minnesota Department of Education
  • Taught by a licensed DHH Teacher
  • Contractual agreement between districts

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  • Currently, two classes offered: Self Advocacy and Foundations of English
  • MN Compensatory Skills covered + targeted IEP needs.

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Short Course Programs

  • Minnesota State Academy for the Blind
  • Short course programs with focus on Expanded Core Curriculum.
  • Available to students outside of MSAB that are enrolled in a school in Minnesota and receive services from a Teacher of Blind/Visually Impaired through an IEP.
  • Examples of topics: Home Living Experience; Get Job-Ready

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Direct Services (Pilot)

Does your student need D/HH IEP services? Need support?

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  • Direct Services for Compensatory

Skills - virtual or in-person

  • American Sign Language Support
  • BVI Support
  • Support with administering triennial

evaluations

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Consultation and Professional Development

What are your district’s needs?

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  • Direct Services for Compensatory Skills
  • Curriculum
  • Intervention Services
  • American Sign Language
  • Expanded Core Curriculum - BVI
  • Consultation and Resources

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Parent Child Institute – June 2025

Please consider joining or sending your parents/families to our Parent Child Institute at the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind–Faribault, MN, for an interactive workshop for parents and children ages 0-6 that are blind/visually impaired and/or deafblind, and/or multiple disabilities.

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What: MSAB is hosting a workshop co-sponsored with MDE for parents and children ages 0-6 that are blind/visually impaired to learn about their child’s vision loss. Please join us for a day filled with interactive presenters that are very familiar with young children that are blind/visually impaired.

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Who: Parents/Guardians and their children that are 0-6 and blind/visually impaired.

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When: June 2025

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More details to come soon!

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Family Learning Weekend – June 2025

Family Immersion Weekend is available for families with deaf/deafblind/hard of hearing/deafdisabled children from birth to transition years old.

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What: MSAD is hosting a workshop co-sponsored with MDE for parents and children from birth to transition age that are deaf/deafblind/hard of hearing/deafdisabled to learn about how to raise their child and be their best advocate!

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Who: Families of deaf/deafblind/hard of hearing/deafdisabled children

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When: June 2025

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More details to come soon!

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Save the Dates

Literacy Nights for Fall 2024

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Open to all families with deaf, deafblind, deaf-disabled, and hard of hearing children

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ECSE Social Hour

Register here: https://forms.gle/KkUrnaiYQRZT6i6D8

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Family ASL Class

  • Every Monday at 6pm – virtually.

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Upcoming:

For the 2024-2025 School Year:

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  • Online Academy Offerings (Fall and Spring) Grades 6-12th
  • Increased Capacity for Evaluations (Metro and Greater MN)
  • Short Term Programs for BVI – Middle School through Transition
  • Professional Development Opportunities
  • Day Treatment Program
  • Mini-Triathlon – MSAB – May 7th, 2025

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Day Treatment Program

This program is a collaboration with Volunteers of America (VONA) and MSA, providing outpatient oncampus treatment and an educational programing for Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind students, ages 6 - 18 years of age. As soon as licensing approvals are completed, more information will be sent out.

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Applications will go through MSA & VONA for medical billing and treatment.

2022-2023

2024-2025

Pre-planning

Application

2023-2024

Awaiting Licensure Approval

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Let us support you!

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Thank you!

info@msa.state.mn.us

507-384-6600

https://www.msa.state.mn.us

To view our Social Media - https://linktr.ee/minnesotastateacademies

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