The Lake Drive Program for Secondary Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students is housed at Mountain Lakes High School in Mountain Lakes,New Jersey. The curriculum is designed to foster academic and social skills,which are prerequisite to a successful post secondary education in an academic or vocational/technical setting. The program offers a wide variety of educational options and support services for deaf/hard of hearing adolescents in grades nine through twelve.
Academics
An Inpidual Educational Plan is developed for each student in the program. Both mainstreamed and self-contained classes are available in all academic areas. Decisions concerning class placement,academic program, and related services are the result of collaborative planning. Input from the student, the family, the educational team, and the sending district is considered when devising the student's IEP.
Academic Options
- College Prep
- Vocational School
College Prep
Students will meet all academic requirements needed to pursue entrance into a two or four year college. All students will be given an opportunity to take the ACT (American College Test) in their junior and senior years with appropriate accommodations which generally include extended time and testing over multiple days.
Vocational School
Students have an opportunity to apply to the shared time program at Morris County Vocational School. Students who attend will pursue an elective in a career program. Students spend a half-day (AM) at Lake Drive Program in MLHS where they complete academic course work and may take advantage of social and athletic activities and the other half(PM) at the Vo-Tech School.
Morris County Vo-Tech Shared Time Programs
- Auto Body/Collision Repair
- Building Construction
- Building/Grounds/Maintenance Services
- Food Services
- Retail & Supermarket Careers
In Class Support
A Lake Drive Program staff member accompanies the students in each program at the vocational school.The staff member is dually certified as a teacher of the deaf and an educational interpreter.
Interpersonal Communication Classes
Each student participates in a communication skills class designed to encourage the development of interpersonal skills,which will facilitate communication between the student and others in the home,school, community and world at large. More specifically, the class provides deaf/hard of hearing adolescents in a mainstream high school program, the opportunity to discuss and learn how to handle the social and educational challenges, which accompany a loss of hearing.
Mainstream Staff
Mainstream teachers receive in-service preparation regarding the deaf/hard of hearing students in their classrooms.The Lake Drive high school counselors remains in contact with staff regularly to ensure academic success.
Note-taking Services
Deaf/hard of hearing students in mainstreamed classes may request, through the classroom teacher and the academic interpreter, to have a hearing
classmate serve as volunteer note-taker. Copies of class notes are usually ready before the end of the school day.
Support Services
A variety of support services are available to all deaf/hard of hearing students in the Lake Drive secondary program. Students can take advantage of some/all of these depending on their inpidual needs and IEP.
Academic Support Services
Certified teachers of the deaf are available to offer support services to students. Support might include preparatory teaching of vocabulary or concepts, reviewing textbook material or class notes,discussing written work, instruction in the use of study skills, or any additional work needed to teach missing concepts or skills. Students who wish to seek extra help directly from their mainstream teacher can arrange for interpreting services.
Speech/ Language Therapy
Each student may receive inpidual and or group speech and language therapy provided by fully trained and certified speech and language pathologists who are specially trained in deafness and are continuously updated in the latest educational trends and techniques, including auditory-verbal strategies to enhance speech, language, and listening. Speech and language pathologists are knowledgable of both self-contained and mainstream course content and design therapy sessions to collaborate with vocational, academic and/or college preparatory requirements.
Motor Therapy
Students may also receive occupational and/or physical therapy provided by trained and certified motor therapists. The number of inpidual and/or group sessions provided to a particular student is based on inpidual needs.
Social/Emotional Support
The Lake Drive Program counseling office has an"open door" policy so that any student in the program that is seeking a counselor may schedule an appointment, or to be seen urgently, if that is necessary, to facilitate the student's return to learning.
On-going counseling is also available to:
- increase self-awareness
- facilitate the development of positive self-concept
- facilitate the development of problem-solving skills
- develop a greater capacity for managing feelings
- enhance communication and social skills
Audiological Services
Full-time audiologist on staff at Lake Drive School. Each student receives an annual evaluation completed at Lake Drive School. When appropriate, students have access to a FM system as well as maintenance of hearing aids and earmolds.
Interpreting Services
Interpreters are available for mainstream classes. With sufficient notification, an interpreter may be available for extra curricular activities including sport teams and clubs.
Sign Language Classes
Students, both hearing and deaf/hard of hearing, who wish to learn signed English have the opportunity to earn credit by enrolling in Sign Language I or Sign Language II. These classes are part of the Mountain Lakes High School curriculum. They are taught by a certified and experienced teacher of the deaf and include exposure to deaf culture and history.
Extra-Curricular Activities
MLHS Sports & Clubs Students in the Lake Drive high school program are able to participate in all extracurricular activities, both sports and clubs, that Mountain Lakes high school offers. Below are two activities that are provided by the program.
Junior National Association of the Deaf Students are encouraged to join the Mountain Lakes Chapter of Jr. NAD. This organization provides opportunities to explore deaf culture, participate in community service projects, attend informational sharing sessions, social events and leadership training.
Academic Bowl Team
The Academic Bowl Team competes each spring in a national competition that is held at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. The Academic Bowl is similar to quiz tournaments engaged in by high school students throughout the country-with two notable exceptions: questions are presented to contestants in American Sign Language as well as in spoken and written English; and"Deaf Studies" is one of the categories from which questions are drawn. And, of course, instead of signaling an answer with the sound of a buzzer, the teams get the moderator's attention with a flashing light
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Past Champions and Winner Awards Mountain Lakes High School
Mid-Atlantic Champions: 2009, 2007, 2006, 2003
National Champions: 2006
Sportsmanship Award: 2002
College Prep
Students will meet all academic requirements needed to pursue entrance into a two year/four year college. All students will be given an opportunity to take the ACT (American College Test) in their junior and senior years with appropriate accommodations which generally include extended time and testing over multiple days. To see where our students have been accepted after graduating from the Lake Drive Program, Click here.