Mission & 
Philosophy
The MISSION of The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is to provide quality education and enriching life experiences to prepare Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students for life-long participation in the communities of their choice.
We Believe that:
- Given an early, consistent and accessible language-rich environment and challenged by high expectations, learners will attain: academic and technological competence, the ability to think critically and creatively, and a strong sense of positive self-identity.
- Effective instruction links learning to life and fosters successful independence through academic, social, physical, cultural and self-reflecting personal experiences.
- Language access is the center of learning and literacy and levels the "playing field" for optimal achievement for all.
- An appropriate ASL/English bilingual program includes signed, written and spoken languages for deaf and hard of hearing learners.
- Each learner is unique. Valuing and respecting differences enriches the quality of life for everyone.
- Meaningful partnerships with families and diverse communities provide the foundation fro personal growth and character development.
- Students flourish when engaged in safe and caring communities with which they identify.
Ultimately, we believe in our students
and they believe in us!