Residential Life
As one of two auditory-oral schools in the United States that offers
on-campus
auditory residency for children, St. Joseph Institute makes it possible
for children
to receive the oral education not available in their home communities.
The program
attracts children from throughout the United States and around the
world.
- The facilities are exceptional.
- Living spaces offer a warm home away from home.
- Every effort is made to maintain a nuturing, safe, fun yet stimulating
place
to live and learn.
Residential Weekend Activities
Structured weekend activities, on and off campus,
are an important learning and recreational part of residential life.
Facilities
As students enter the third-floor atrium, they step into a village
of brightly colored landscapes that distinguish the dormitory wings.
Two children in the young and intermediate wings share a room with
bunk or twin
beds. Older children have a room of their own. Complete furnishings
are available,
but children enjoy being their own home decorators. Each wing has
a family room
complete with a captioned TV, toys, a computer and a small kitchenette
for snack
time.
One level below is the recreational room and the dining commons
where three meals
are served daily. Children can use the gymnasium, theatre, playground
and athletic
field. Complementing these activities are trips with staff to neighboring
sites such as
the YMCA, Chesterfield Mall, bowling alley or skating rink.
Academic
Children's residential life includes study times, tutoring, church
and accepting age
appropriate levels of responsibility for themselves, their room
and treatment of others.
Each child's residential experience is guided by his/her own Individual
Residential Plan
(IRP), which is developed by the staff in partnership with parents
and school counselors.
Staff
Houseparents average over 10 years of experience at SJI and hold
degrees in
psychology, social work, recreation and early childhood development.
The
Residential Director is available on-call at all times.
Communications
Children call home once a week on a predetermined schedule, but
can make or accept additional calls at any time using TDD's or voice
carry-over phones. Houseparents always are available to take parents'
calls. They also keep a daily log on each child and write a detailed
biweekly letter to parents.
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