Tag Archives: Luquillo School for the Deaf

December Schedule 2015

December 4th, 2015

We have such a busy schedule for the next two weeks:

Tuesday (8 Dec) and Wednesday (9 Dec) the handbell choir will be performing for some organizations who have been very helpful to our school.

Sunday (13 December) the combined efforts of our NEW ADULT Handbell Choir and our student handbell choir will be performing in Bible Baptist Church of Luquillo at 10 a.m.

Wednesday (16 December) the students on bells and guitars will be performing at the Palmas Community Church in Humacao in the evenings (7 p.m. I think)

And our Christmas celebration party will be 18 December at some time before 3 p.m.

With all of these dates and busy events in front of us, it would be easy to forget that Christmas is a time to think more carefully about God and enjoy the peace that He can give us. To help each of us keep our focus on GOD (and not on receiving gift and playing bells), we have just completed “40” days of thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving through American Thanksgiving) during which time, we talked daily about things we are thankful for. One of the students wasn’t sure that AIR was something we needed to give thanks for… but she soon decided that it could be on the list,

During this Advent season, we are doing 15 school days of meditating on God’s character and how God changes our lives. The theme “adORN your life with ORNaments pleasing to God” has translated into ASL as “Decorate your life for God’s glory”. As we decorate the chapel Christmas tree with Bible verses written on cards placed inside clear Christmas ornament balls, we each write our own observation about the verses and place them onto decorations that each has made – a wreath, a wee Christmas tree, a light box, a poster.

December 4, 2015NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, deaf mission, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, missions, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke

Busy busy busy

November 21st, 2015

The students have been learning so much. It’s been a fun season of seeing them as they refine their skills socially and academically.

In October, we visited Dr. Suarez at the University of Puerto Rico in Humacao for National Chemistry month. We LOVE being in his lab and seeing science in action. It’s always amazing.

Philip Tomlinson returned at the end of October and got into repairing the front fence/gate. Seems a post had rotted and the fence was laying on the gate thereby rendering the gate non-functional. Philip and Valie got it repaired in short order.

Juan is learning and growing and always so happy. Please pray for the students and workers as we continue to strive together to learn more about the world and about its Creator.

November 21, 2015NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf education, deaf mission, deafness, ESD, Evangelical School for the Deaf, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke

Hispanic Heritage research

September 13th, 2015

students showing new books received from a friend

creating our display about Puerto Rican Heritage

Since school started in August, we have been busily studying and creating some poster projects for friends at the San Juan Community Library. We deliver the projects on Monday September 24, 2015.

The students have been learning WHERE in the world our island is located and how it was first settled by Native Tribes from North America. The Taino People who met Columbus in 1493 were originally from South America. After the Native People, Spaniards (Europe) arrived, then came slaves from Africa. Our little island is a crossroads for FOUR continents.

Some of the students are still mis-labelling the world map exercise we do in Social Studies as part of our regular review (name the 7 continents and Puerto Rico on this map) but they are beginning to have a more global knowledge.

We are studying the refugee emigration crisis in Europe and learning about some of the associated countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. As we learn about our place in the world, I am praying that the children will begin to understand that GOD LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON (John 3:16).

We are also working on NOUNS and VERBS and sentence structure; a wide variety of math concepts; how to understand what we are reading (WHO? WHAT DID –DO? WHERE did it happen?) and the time line of the Bible.

We estimate that the first Native People arrived from South America around the time that Abraham and Sarah lived. We estimate that the Tainos arrived around the time of Jesus’ birth. It has been a fun first month of school and I (a teacher) am excited to see what comes along in the next month!

Thanks for praying for us. PRINT THIS staff students 2015 09 if you want to know the names of those for whom you are praying.

September 13, 2015NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, deafness, Escuela para sordos, ESD, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Hispanic Heritage Month, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, SordosBetsy Hoke

Progressing

August 31st, 2015

We are ending the month of August 2015 and the students are still smiling 🙂 As you can see from the photos above, we have 5 students at this time. We are working on place value and trying to improve memory (hence the bottle of glue pouring into a brain cavity).

Five students – and days often feel overwhelming as each of these students could use a full-time tutor. Each has special needs in addition to requiring that their coursework be presented in visual means. So much out of the classroom time goes into preparing powerpoint and worksheets and captioning pictures and developing specific for THIS child activities to help them learn.

Christie Hoeksema just joined us last week. She is proving to be a valuable resource – (1) because she is fresh and new and has energy! and (2) because she can use technology to make worksheets, flashcards, and materials that are time consuming and (3) because she is Deaf herself and can offer insights when all of the Hearies are rather at a loss for WHAT? is being signed to us by our low language learners.

Thanks for praying along with us this school year.

August 31, 2015NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, Evangelical School for the Deaf, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke

St Croix Camp 2015

July 15th, 2015

STX 2015 1

Larimar and Mizael joined Betsy this year at St Croix Deaf Camp. The three of them traveled to STX on July 6 (because their July 5th flight was canceled). They spent 4 wonderful days with the Deaf camp of STX making new friends and loving every minute of it.

STX 2015 billiards

Betsy praises God for the opportunity for the team of three to go. The CSCD students were able to share their faith in private conversations and in Wednesday morning devotional time before the camp day began.

STX 2015 termites

The students loved the whole adventure – from billiards to jumping off the cruise ship pier to eating termites under the supervision of Discovery Grove nature trail staff. They are already asking if they can return next summer. Pray with us as we pray for the Deaf of St Croix – that maybe next summer at Deaf camp, we will see some Deaf adults and have more opportunities to share God’s amazing love.

July 15, 2015NewsASL, ASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, deafness, Escuela para sordos, Evangelical School for the Deaf, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PRBetsy Hoke

2015 school year celebration

May 31st, 2015

May 21 was our Closing the Year/Awards Program.

We had a great end of the school year. The students worked to help decorate the chapel and practice the handbells. Tuesday we completed final exams. Wednesday someone invited us to their pool for a relaxing fun day. And Thursday we CELEBRATED!

Students receive awards

It was wonderful to present awards to the students for their hard work during the school year.

We had been trying to help Juan understand that doing wrong things brings consequences. We had the idea to write Juan’s misdeeds on little pieces of paper and put them into a jar. The goal was to torch the papers as an illustration of how God forgives our sins — tramples them (Micah 7:19), removes them as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), buries them in the deepest sea (again, Micah 7:19).

Surf the Bible and Sins forgiven

I looked at Juan as I pulled out the “sin jar” and his face was priceless – surprise, shame, wanting the jar to disappear. Brendan made sure to torch the papers and remove the fire from the chapel before something bad happened. And Juan was RELIEVED.

We ended our program with What a Friend We Have In Jesus (this link is not our video)signed by Carlos, played by guitars and violins, sung in harmony by Rosa and Hector.

And then we had lunch and time to chat and enjoy the students and their guests. It was a lovely relaxing time and I thank God for the peaceful end to this school year.

Pray for the students as they are at home and as we see them in the summer. Ask God to help them to remember His Word and draw closer to Him.

May 31, 2015NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto RicoBetsy Hoke

Facelift for the school

April 1st, 2015

school pretty blue 2015 03

The LAST bit of paint has been painted (I hope) and our buildings are as blue and white as they will ever be thanks to the last efforts of our recent work team. How nice to look out and see the soffits and edges are white.

school sign small in progress 2015 03

A work team of two came up with the idea of re-painting our street sign sign and used our new logo. Our own Rosa finished off the signs by adding SIGNS 🙂 announcing DEAF SCHOOL.

school sign new 2015 03

And finally on March 26, 2015, our sign guy came and installed our new sign on the front of the building. His instructions include trimming the tree on the right more regularly so that the sign is more visible.

Additionally, we received the document declaring Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf Inc to be a tax-exempt/charitable institution by the Puerto Rican government. We had received this notification by the USA Internal Revenue service previously and are thankful that we have been granted this status by Puerto Rico as well.

This week (March 30 to April 3) is Holy Week in Puerto Rico. We are closed for Easter Break and some time to rest and regroup before the last 35 days of classes. We are looking forward to a visit by a group of ASL students from Highpoint Christian Academy Saturday April 4 through Thursday April 9.

Pray for our students. Pray for the needs of the Deaf in Puerto Rico.

Check out other web pages as additions and changes have been made today! Thanks for praying and thanks for stopping by our website.

April 1, 2015missions trip, Spring breakASL, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, deaf mission, deafness, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, missionary, missions trip, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, Sordo en Puerto Rico, spring breakBetsy Hoke

Super Deafy Day!

October 29th, 2014

WOW Friday October 24 was so FUN!

Since we were having visitors from everywhere who had come a few days early to go on a Deaf Freedom Cruise leaving October 25, we had an open house and invited lots of Deaf from the island as well.

Here you see Juan – our youngest student at this time at 8 years old – and his Deaf distant cousin who was one of the first students here back in 1960. (to see any photos in a larger format, click on the pictures)

The string of people are students from the past lined up by date of departure. It was great to see them and to know that these folks are doing well in their adult lives thanks to the staff of missionaries who helped them along the way.

(Below left) The students did a little story telling prompted by Peppy – a Deaf visitor who was helping them to learn a Number Story in ASL.

(center) A Sprint representative whose name I never did catch shared some news from Sprint introduced several other famous deaf people like the iDeaf News guys.

(right) Super Deafy shared his story and moderated a time of celebrating success stories and encouraging my students to be all that they can be. Look for his movie – No Ordinary Hero! Let me know if you see it because we want to but it’s not around here.

We had lunch together. Some of the former students gathered in a classroom and shared stories. More visitors came. Our students showed them around and answered questions. It was great fun.

Even though we are a small ministry this year, we can see that God is using us for His glory. Our resident maintenance man and part-time cook pretty much ran the lunch program on Friday. Rosa, our dorm counselor, was all over the place keeping track of the 8 year old and helping with this and that. Betsy, our principal and teacher, was fielding questions, helping taxi drivers locate the school, delegating students to groups of visitors for tours and running her feet off.

We praise God for this little spot of time we had and pray that as our guests came and went they will have seen God’s hand at work here.

October 29, 2014NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, Escuela para sordos, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, school for the deaf, Sordo PR, Sordos, Super DeafyBetsy Hoke