Vision & Mission

Families are valued partners in fostering each student’s development and full potential.

Students are the primary focus of all decisions and are provided meaningful opportunities to participate in decision-making.

Students thrive when supported to become independent, active, lifelong learners to the greatest extent possible.

The development of understanding, appreciation, and respect for individual and cultural diversity is essential.

Students require a fully accessible, language- and communication-rich environment that supports both planned and incidental learning inside and outside the classroom.

Students benefit from direct interaction with peers and role models to develop positive self-identity, social-emotional competence, and advocacy skills.

Students gain valuable life skills in safe, caring, supportive, and accessible environments during the school day, after school (Student Life), and in community-based activities.

Students must be equipped with the tools necessary to locate, access, and utilize resources within their school and community.

Students prepare for successful transitions to further education, employment, and citizenship through high-quality programs, services, and state-of-the-art technology.

Communication competency and effective use of assistive technology provide students with meaningful access to the world.

All staff maintain high expectations for students so that students develop high expectations for themselves.

Instructional and residential staff are responsible for providing appropriate resources, universal design for learning (UDL), and differentiated instruction to meet diverse needs.

Staff require ongoing, high-quality professional development and support to effectively serve students.

All staff contribute to the achievement of MSA’s vision, mission, and guiding beliefs.

Effective communication and collaboration strengthen the entire MSA community.

MSA is a valued statewide resource for outreach, information, and partnership.

The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) is foundational to instruction and provides a pathway to independence.

Instruction in Braille, when appropriate to the student’s strengths and needs, is vital to literacy and academic development.

Accessible Educational Materials (AEM)—including Braille, large print, audio, and digital formats—are essential to maximizing academic, cognitive, social-emotional, and identity development.

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) skills are critical for safe navigation, independence, and full participation in the world.

A cultural and linguistic perspective that affirms Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind individuals is a core value.

A comprehensive bilingual education (American Sign Language and English) resulting in proficiency in both languages is essential to maximizing academic, cognitive, social-emotional, and identity development.

Auditory, spoken, and tactile language services, when aligned with student strengths and needs, are important components of our bilingual program.

Ongoing direct communication in American Sign Language with peers and staff is foundational to language development and access.