Hi, just a reminder that you're receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in Escuela de

Educacion Especial de San Miguel de Allende A.C.. Don't forget to add jd98lv@hotmail.com to your
address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox!
You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.

May 2015
Dear Friends and Supporters of Escuela de Educacin Especial,
Thanks to the generous support of folks just like you, it has been a very productive and
fulfilling winter session for the students of EEE! Aside from regular classroom learning
activities, additional professional Mexican sign language classes were introduced, and a
new Vocational Training Program was put into place. In addition many International

Volunteers visited the school to work with the faculty and the students.
Read on for more details and please take a moment to Visit Our Website

Professional Interpreter of Mexican Sign Language Gives Classes

Our students were ecstatic with the extra curricular classes for LSM (Mexican Sign
Language) held at the school each Saturday morning during February and March. EEE was
honored to have Laura Navarro Tejeda, professional sign language interpreter from
Universidad Politcnica de Quertaro, instruct our students and teachers. The classes not
only provided an enrichment of sign language used by the students but also allowed a wider
range of subject material (including a sex education class) and helped to better standardize
the LSM used by the students and staff at the school. We hope to continue these classes
into the future, perhaps using internet conferencing.

Vocational Training Program Shows Huge Promise!

Thanks to the very meaningful grants provided by the Rotary Club of Eugene Southtowne
(Oregon) and the Rotary Club of St. Augustine Daybreak (Florida) the school's Vocational
Training Program got off to a great start and promises to be a lasting fixture. The older
students are loving the idea of learning new skills providing the opportunity for future
employment.

Alfonso makes a piece of jewelry in

the studio of renowned local artists
David Godinez and Joe Miller.

Ceci and Carla try out the muffins they Adan learns wooden puzzle making in
baked during cooking class.
the school's carpentry workshop using
a scroll saw.

Hillel Volunteer With Pre-schooler

Volunteer Visits

Eugene Southtowne Rotary Volunteers

In November 2014 the school once again

welcomed friends from the Flagler College
Deaf Awareness Club, St. Augustine,
Florida. During this return visit, Flagler
students created special learning activities
to expand our students vocabulary and
knowledge of other subjects, such as
geography and history.
Also in November, a great group from the
Rotary Club of Eugene Southtowne
visited San Miguel from Oregon. They spent
time at the school and after taking a
Mexican sign language class, worked with
the students and got to know them a lot
better. They also enjoyed a special Rotary
luncheon at the school and participated in
many other local activities and adventures.
In January a group of 12 students from
Illini Hillel Chicago participated in a week
long volunteer visit. The Hillel group took a
basic sign language class given at the
school and then used what they had
learned to help teach computer skills to EEE
students, it appeared that lack of verbal
communication was not issue. The cultural
exchange and learning week was topped off
with the creation of a beautiful mural by Hillel
and EEE students,commemorating the
special place sign language holds in all our
hearts.

March was a busy month,

with good friends of the school,
Dr. Margaret Finnegan and Trisha Wilmore,
returning from Flagler College to provide
training to our faculty. Among many other
things, our teachers were introduced to an
important teaching model, Language
Experience Approach, to help improve
Spanish language instruction in the regular
classroom environment.
Maureen Stuart and Kate Hersberger,
experienced sign language interpreters,
joined us from Saskatchewan, Canada. In
addition to sharing knowledge they helped
with sewing classes and introduced
Canadian culture in a fun way to the
students.
Laura Ramirez Blakney, professional chef,
traveled to San Miguel from Quertaro to
provide instruction in Mexican cooking to a
group of EEE students.Her husband, Ray,
accompanied her and was instrumental in
creating a new Power Point presentation
that will be an invaluable tool in making
others aware of the school. The best part
came when we got to eat the delicious food
prepared by our students!
Thank you to all our volunteers, we couldn't
do it without you!

As always, we would love to hear from you or have you come visit the school to meet the
students. Feel free to email us at info@eeesma.com
In gratitude,
John Doherty
President, Board of Trustees