Academy to offer classes for deaf

School plans to offer first Christian program in state

SHELLY DONAHUE/VIEWCharlotte Courson, program director at the Lake Mead Christian Academy, shows books that she will be using in the deaf education program that the academy is starting this month. SHELLY DONAHUE/VIEWEddie McGath, pastor of the Lake Mead Christian Academy, talks in his office with his son Christian, 9, who is deaf. Advertisement

Eddie and Connie McGath's two sons attend different schools in Henderson. Christian, 9, spends his days with the Clark County School District, and 7-year-old Preston's education comes from the Lake Mead Christian Academy.

The McGaths want both their children to study the Bible, along with reading, writing and math, but Christian is deaf and requires a more specialized education.

Eddie, LMCA's pastor, said he struggled with not being able to have both his sons in a religious-based school and finally "God got a hold of my head and said, 'Dummy, you've got a school right here.' "

McGath got together with his staff, including the school's sign language teacher, Charlotte Courson, and developed a deaf Christian education program, which will begin on Aug. 27 for the 2007-08 school year.

Although CCSD offers deaf education programs, Courson said the academy will provide a Christian education for deaf students, which currently is not available in Nevada.

The religious instruction is only part of what the private school will provide hearing-impaired children.

Courson said the majority of deaf students graduate from high school at a fourth- or fifth-grade reading level because understanding the language has to come first. The students need to learn the fundamentals differently than children who can hear.

"Our school district is just overtasked," Courson said. "Even if a teacher wants to spend extra time with a student, they can't."

This is the second deaf Christian education program in the country, Courson said.

McGath said religious schools would add these programs if they had a model to follow.

"We will start a flood of more special education in Christian schools," he said.

The LMCA's deaf education program will be taught in sign language and English. Courson, the program's director and instructor, is adapting standard elementary curriculum for the hearing impaired. Lessons will range from language, spelling, reading and math to science, writing, history and Bible study.

Courson said her exercises will be more hands-on and tactile.

Students will join their hearing classmates for lunch, recess and electives, such as physical education, art and music.

The goal is for deaf children to work at the same level as other students so they can integrate into mainstream junior and high school classes, Courson said.

"We don't want them isolated," she said.

LMCA opened in 1989 and currently has 670 children in kindergarten through 12th grade. The academy also has a day care center and preschool for children 6 weeks old to kindergarten age.

Admissions director Tricia Goad said the school wants to limit the deaf education class to five students in second through fourth grades, but it will take first- or fifth-graders, if space is available.

All LMCA curriculum meets Nevada state regulations.

Goad said the deaf education program costs about $60,000 to start up and $12,000 per student each year to run. Staff is working to raise funds through donations to lower the tuition cost.

"One of the goals at our school is to have low tuition," Goad said.

The school does not receive government funding because it requires all staff members to attend church. Students do not have to be from Christian families, but Bible study is required.

The academy is located at 540 E. Lake Mead Parkway in Henderson. For applications, visit www.lmca.org.

Classes begin on Aug. 27 and run from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, through June. Admission is open until classes are full.