An Effective Program

The EDCO Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a secondary education program serving students in grades six through twelve. EDCO students are dually enrolled in the EDCO Program and in the Newton Public Schools. The EDCO Program is located in the F.A.Day Middle School and the Newton North High School.

The EDCO Program offers a variety of classroom settings including self-contained, co-taught integrated, and interpreted integrated classes. Students select from a full spectrum of course options from advanced placement to technical/vocational classes.

The EDCO Program employs certified Teachers of the Deaf, Edcuational Interpreters, Speecha and Language Therapists and Counselors. The staff set high standards, are supportive, dedicated, enthusiastic, and competent.

The EDCO students come from many programs and school districts and use a variety of communication modes.

Students enrolled in the EDCO Program must meet the same high expectations and standards that are set by the Newton Public Schools for their students.

The EDCO Program serves about 50 students per year and has graduated 204 students, 95% of whom have gone on to four or two year colleges or post-secondary technical schools.

Communication

The EDCO Program advocates for the use of Totyal Communication modes to foster communication competence for its students.

• ASL, spoken English, speech reading, fingerspelling, writing, simultaneous sign and speech, and gesture
• Students are encouraged to recognize their right to use any or all modes of communication and to experiment with, and develop a comfort level with all or some of the modes.

Activities and Clubs

• Social events (plays, cultural events, captioned movies, skating parties)
• Junior National Association of the Deaf Club
• EDCO Tiger Newspaper and Student Yearbook
• Gaulladet University Academic Bowl
• EDCO Awards Night, Alumni Events
• EDCO Basketball Teams
• Eligible to particiapate in all Newton Public School extra-curricular activities (clubs, sports)

Parents

EDCO Parents are encouraged to attend and participate in EDCO-sponsored and Newton Public School-sponsored parent organizations and associations. The EDCO Program snd EDCO Parents have a positive and unique partnership.

• EDCO Parent-Teacher Group (PTG)
• EDCO Parent Advisory Group (PAG)
• EDCO Parent Support Group (PSG)
• Newton Public Schools Parent-Teacher Organization

History and Governance

The EDCO Program was established in 1973 under a grant from the MA Department of Education, operated by the MA Parents Association for the Deaf for two years, and operated from 1975-1988 as a private school under the aegis of the Education Collaborative for Greater Boston, Inc. Since 1988, the EDCO Program has operated under the aegis of the EDCO Collaborative approved by the MA Department of Education under MGL, Chapter 40, Section 4E as an education collaborative.

The EDCO Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a collaborative program that serves students from EDCO-member school districts and Non-member school districts.

More Information

For general information or for information about enrolling a student, please contact: