Mill Neck Manor is a publicly-supported private school located in northern Nassau County on Long Island, New York. There is no cost to the families or school district for the children enrolled. The school is open to youngsters, from infancy to age 21, who are legal residents of New York State.

If you have or know a child who is Deaf and you are interested in our services, please reach us by using the contact page, emailing edu@millneck.org or calling (516) 922-4100 (V/TTY).

The Mill Neck Manor Infant/Toddler Program serves the needs of children from birth to age three who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, including children who are multiply disabled. An interdisciplinary team of specialists in the fields of education, speech and language, rehabilitation and counseling combine their efforts to aid the development of each child. Emphasis is placed on learning language naturally through audition, speech, speechreading, sign language and fingerspelling. Parents, teachers and an audiologist work to properly evaluate and fit infants and toddlers with hearing aids as early as possible.

The primary goal of the Infant Program is to assist parents in working with their children. Parents bring their infant to Mill Neck Manor to work with a team of specialists who help them understand the special needs and developmental patterns of a Deaf or hard-of-hearing child. Weekly home visits help families learn how to apply the techniques and principles learned in the school sessions. All members of the family, including siblings, are encouraged to be active participants during the home visits. Parents whose children are enrolled in this program meet regularly to share their feelings and experiences.

The Toddler Program is based on the same practices and goals as the Infant Program. Children come to the program for play activities that encourage physical, intellectual and communication development. Parents continue to be involved in the sessions, discussions and workshops. Sessions become longer as the child is able to respond to his/her surroundings and peers.

Designed for three and four-year-olds, this program was created to help Deaf and hard-of-hearing children develop compensatory language and other developmental skills needed for kindergarten. We offer a positive, supportive environment that nurtures and encourages maximum development in all areas. Our teachers collaborate with speech therapists to foster and develop each young child's communication and language skills. Using learning centers, literacy activities and creative integrated unit plans, teachers provide each child with on-going language and incidental learning opportunities. Through structured play and small group activities, teachers attend to not only the students' pre-academic skills, but also to their social and emotional development. Teachers and parents meet monthly to discuss each child's progress and to find ways for parents to apply the skills, being taught in the classroom, at home. Sign classes and parent workshops are offered on a monthly basis. This program requires a parent commitment to learning the sign skill level necessary for effective communication at home.

The Integrated Preschool/Oral Program, for three and four-year-old children who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing, features a developmentally appropriate curriculum aligned with New York State preschool standards. Specifically designed for children with cochlear implants, good hearing aid users and their hearing counterparts, the program provides opportunities for language, literacy and play. Using no sign language, the program follows a strict oral/aural communication approach. Deaf students are provided with one-to-one speech therapy four to five times a week. In conjunction with a comprehensive educational program, parents are involved in their child's receptive and expressive language development. Intensive parent training and support groups are required.

The The Elementary Program follows a rigorous academic curriculum that abides by the New York State standards. Teacher instruction focuses on critical thinking, decision making and problem solving skills, as well as speech and language skills. Reading and writing skills are also heavily stressed throughout a three-hour literacy block. Students take classes in art, computers, physical education, library and health. Students participate in performance tasks for science, social studies and mathematics. Literacy skills are integrated throughout the curriculum. The small student-to-staff ratio in the classrooms allows for individualized attention and ensures that each child's specific needs are being met. Weekly class meetings are held to support character development.

The academic curriculum for the Junior High School Program follows the New York State guidelines, and students participate in all New York State assessments. Along with the strong academic curricula, Deaf students between the ages of 13 and 15 receive instruction in art, computer literacy, library and information skills, health and physical education. Emphasis is also placed on the study skills and good work habits that they will need in the High School Program. Ongoing sessions with a school counselor and classroom meetings help enhance social skills and the ability to resolve interpersonal conflicts.

The Mill Neck Manor High School Program is fully accredited by the New York State Board of Regents. We offer students Regents diplomas, local diplomas, IEP diplomas and certificates of attendance.

For students to earn a Regents diploma, they must pass the Regents exams, as well as earn credits as established by the New York State Board of Regents and the State Education Department. Students who earn the required credits, but do not pass the Regents exams, can earn a local diploma by passing the State's Regents Competency Tests (RCTs) as provided by the state's 'safety net.' The State exams are given in Science, Global Studies, American History and Government, Reading, Writing and Math. The Academic High School offers students, who meet certain academic criteria, the opportunity to attend mainstream classes in their local districts.

Mill Neck Manor High School program also has a work-study program. Students receive academic instruction in all curricula areas, life-skills training, and job preparation can begin at age 18. Before graduation, students will complete job experiences, ranging from volunteer work to full-time, paid employment.

Students enrolled in either the Academic High School or work-study program have the opportunity to participate in a Vocational/BOCES program through application to their local school district. Students spend half of their day taking academic courses at Mill Neck and the other half at the BOCES program, where they can earn certificates in areas such as computer graphics, cosmetology, computer repair and auto body.

Students who are Deaf and multiply disabled receive a wide array of services in this small, consistent program. To be enrolled, students must require a program for the Deaf, where sign communication is utilized throughout the day. The small teacher-student ratio assists in individualizing each student's needs and ensures that goals are met based on current testing. In addition, students are offered alternative assessments to gauge their academic and social growth.

S.T.E.P.S. (Students and Teachers Experiencing Progress and Success) is designed to support students with severe behavioral issues that conflict with their ability to function in other school programs. Based on a six-tier system, the program allows students to take responsibility for their actions and internalize impulse control. The program is geared for students, earning an IEP diploma. The goal is for students to transition into other programs offered at Mill Neck, allowing them to meet post-secondary outcomes with success.

Mill Neck Manor students can participate in basketball, cheerleading, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. Mill Neck teams compete against schools with hearing and Deaf students in several leagues. Our Extended Day Program is held for two hours after school allowing students (ages six to twenty-one) to pursue personal interests, such as tutoring, cooking, computers, arts and crafts, Girl Scouts and performing arts, in a safe, caring environment. Extended day classes are determined by our students' ages and areas of interest.

Our six-week summer program offers intensive instruction in academic areas where students need extra help and insures no substantial regression of skills over the summer. Speech, physical and occupational therapy are provided. The program is enhanced by special projects, field trips and swimming.

In addition to classroom teachers and special teachers for art, physical education, computer and library, students have access to psychologists, a registered nurse, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language specialists, school counselors and social workers.

The State Educational Department has mandated transitional plans for all students 14 years and older. Mill Neck Manor believes that every student's transitional planning should begin as soon as the child enters school. Transition is a child-centered, lifelong process. Each year, as part of the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process, parents are invited to participate in the transitional planning along with their child, school personnel and community service providers. As team members, parents and children will learn advocacy skills that will enable them to be aware of and to exercise their rights.

There are school counselors, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists and job coaches to assist in the areas of employment, independent living and vocational education. The Mill Neck Manor Transitional Team, with the assistance of the student's school district, is responsible for providing and coordinating educational opportunities and services to facilitate successful transition from school to the outside world for each student.

Parents are key members of the educational team and are strongly encouraged to take an active role in their child's schooling. This initiative facilitates a relationship between school and home by providing parents with training and support groups. Parents' participation in their child's schooling and open communication between teachers, specialists and parents are the goals.

If a child is identified as Deaf, Functionally Deaf or disabled, the following procedure is adhered to:

1. Parents fill out an application form.
2. The State Department reviews the application and approves an evaluation.
3. Parent(s) and child come to Mill Neck Manor for an evaluation. This includes psychological, educational, speech and language, social history, and audiological evaluations.
4. Mill Neck Manor sends the evaluation to the child's school district.
5. The Committee on Special Education (CSE) meeting is held. If the CSE decides placement is appropriate, they develop an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and a form is sent to the State Education Department confirming acceptance by the School District and Mill Neck.
6. The State Education Department then appoints the child to Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf.

For almost 200 years, the residents of New York State have relied on the expertise of a unique group of schools to provide educational services to children who are Deaf, blind or physically disabled. These schools are known as the 4201 Schools.

Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf is one of eleven 4201 Schools located throughout New York State. Each school has its own Board of Directors, receives financial support for operating expenses from New York State and depends on private donations for program enhancements. There are no charges to parents for educational costs.