Originally founded in 1856, Kendall Demonstration
Elementary School serves
DC-area
deaf and
hearing-impaired children from birth through grade 8. Both
English and
American Sign Language are used in all school programs, from classes to
after-school care and sports teams.
Named for benefactor Amos Kendall, KDES was the original lower school at what is now Gallaudet University. In 1860, enrollment quadrupled when the state of Maryland sent all of its deaf students to be educated in the lower school, and by 1885 the institution's directors elected to separate the grade school and college departments, naming the former the Kendall School for the Deaf. It served children through high school until 1970, when the Model Secondary School for the Deaf opened.
Kendall's teaching philosophy is unique in that students are grouped into teams, with traditional subjects are consistently related to a unifying theme, and students are encouraged to become active learners. All appropriate speech and audiological services are available, as are social work and psychological services. Students have the opportunity to participate in tutoring, study halls, and Odyssey of the Mind competitions, and literacy is emphasized through yearbook and journal writing activities. KDES also offers outdoor programs, designed to provide students with exposure to positive Deaf role models and allow them to take on responsibility and leadership roles.
Official website: http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/kdes/