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Mission Statement

To teach children who are deaf or hard of hearing to learn and communicate through listening and spoken language, while advancing the education of families, professionals and the community.

Ground was broken for an addition and renovation in June 2001 and construction was completed in June 2002. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in September, 2002. OHS now has over 13,000 square feet in the newly expanded and remodeled school. We now have a family educator center, a large state-of-the-art conference room, an expanded kids' kitchen, and children's library. The design of all instructional areas includes acoustical treatment to allow for an optimal listening environment.

The new building addition marks a turning point for the Omaha Hearing School that started in 1952, when four ear-nose-throat doctors started classes in an upstairs garage apartment. In 1958, the Omaha Hearing School moved into a building on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus, and in 1971, it moved to its current location near 66th and Western. The entire project was completed in the spring of 2002, the Omaha Hearing School's 50th anniversary year!

Educational Philosophy

Our overall educational philosophy is to provide a language-rich environment where children can explore and develop. At the core of the instructional process are natural, hands-on experiences that give children many opportunities to develop in different ways: language, physical skills, math and logical thinking, visual skills, music, intrapersonal skills, and social skills.

The specific focus for our deaf and hard of hearing children is on the development of the progression of auditory (listening) skills and the development of understanding and expression of spoken language. The goal of our auditory and language instruction is to provide the children with the appropriate language stimulation and practice so the gap will continually close between their chronological age and their language age. Our hope is that the children will learn to communicate effectively with their families, their classmates, their hearing peers, and to develop strategies for accessing information to learn in a regular classroom.

Our Staff

The school's highly experienced teaching staff prides itself on its flexibility in creating and modifying the basic curriculum and class structure to meet the ever-changing needs of individual children and families. A knowledge of natural language development, accompanied by proven teaching techniques yields a high level of student language growth each year.

Teachers for the deaf and hard of hearing hold bachelors and/or masters degrees in education of the deaf and are specifically trained to teach auditory-oral education. All teachers of the deaf are certified by the Nebraska Department of Education with specialization in hearing impairment, and some have earned national certification by the Council on Education of the Deaf. The Speech-Language Pathologists are licensed by the State of Nebraska. Teachers for the Early Childhood Programs (preschool and pre-K) hold degrees in elementary education with an early childhood endorsement and are certified by the Nebraska Department of Education.

The Omaha Hearing School is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Director, and as the fundraising arm of the school. Teaching hearing-impaired children requires highly specialized equipment and experienced personnel. The rewards are great, but so are the expenses. Tuition covers less than 60 percent of the school's operating and facility expenses. The school must rely on the generosity of individuals, businesses, and other organizations to assure high quality service and to underwrite vital improvements.

Board of Directors 2009-2010

Guild Members for 2009-2010