Cleary School for the Deaf: Programs and Community

Cleary School for the Deaf has been serving deaf and hard-of-hearing children on Long Island, New York, since 1908. Located in Nesconset on a beautiful 26-acre campus, Cleary offers a bilingual educational environment where American Sign Language and English work together to give every student full access to learning. The school’s commitment to both academic excellence and Deaf cultural identity makes it a respected institution in the deaf education community.

History and Mission

Cleary School for the Deaf was founded in 1908 as St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf by the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brooklyn, New York. The school relocated to its current 26-acre campus in Nesconset (Smithtown), Long Island in 1972, and was renamed the Cleary School for the Deaf in honor of the Cleary family, longtime benefactors of the institution.

The school’s mission centers on providing deaf and hard-of-hearing students with a comprehensive education that prepares them for success in both the Deaf and hearing worlds. Unlike some programs that emphasize one communication approach over others, Cleary embraces a bilingual philosophy that values both ASL and English as essential languages for their students.

Cleary serves students from birth through age 21, covering the full spectrum of educational needs from early intervention through vocational preparation. The school is approved by the New York State Education Department and serves families from across Long Island, New York City, and the surrounding region. Tuition is typically funded through the student’s home school district, as Cleary operates as an approved private school for students with disabilities.

The campus includes modern classrooms, a technology center, audiology suite, gymnasium, playground, and outdoor learning spaces. The small school environment — with an average class size of 6 to 8 students — allows for individualized instruction that meets each student’s unique learning needs.

Academic Programs

Cleary’s early intervention program serves children from birth to age three and their families. Specialists work with families in their homes and at the school, providing language development support, audiology services, and parent education. This early start is critical, as research shows that language exposure in the first three years of life profoundly affects cognitive and social development.

The preschool program (ages 3-5) builds language skills through play-based learning, preparing children for formal academics. Instruction uses ASL as the primary language of the classroom, with English literacy introduced through reading and writing activities. Children also receive speech and hearing services based on their individual needs and family preferences.

Elementary and middle school programs follow New York State learning standards adapted for deaf learners. Subjects include reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, and technology. Teachers are certified in deaf education and fluent in ASL, which ensures that academic content is fully accessible to every student regardless of their hearing level.

The high school and transition program focuses on preparing students for life after Cleary. This includes academic coursework, vocational training, independent living skills, and career exploration. Students participate in community-based instruction, job shadowing, and internship opportunities that build real-world skills and confidence. Graduates move on to college programs like those at Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), vocational programs, or employment.

Bilingual Approach to Deaf Education

Cleary’s bilingual approach recognizes that ASL and English are both valuable and necessary languages for deaf students. ASL serves as the language of instruction — the language through which students access all academic content, engage in classroom discussions, and develop critical thinking skills. English is taught as a second language primarily through reading and writing, with spoken English developed based on individual ability and interest.

This approach is grounded in research showing that a strong first language foundation supports the acquisition of a second language. When deaf children develop fluency in ASL, they build the cognitive and linguistic framework that transfers to English literacy. Studies at Gallaudet University and other research institutions have consistently found that deaf children with strong ASL skills outperform their peers in English reading and writing.

Deaf role models are an essential component of Cleary’s bilingual model. Deaf teachers, staff members, and community visitors demonstrate to students that deaf adults lead successful, fulfilling lives. This exposure combats the deficit narrative that hearing people sometimes unintentionally convey and builds students’ identity and self-esteem.

The bilingual philosophy extends to families. Cleary offers ASL classes for parents, siblings, and extended family members, recognizing that communication access at home is just as important as in the classroom. Families who learn ASL alongside their deaf child create a language-rich environment that supports development around the clock.

Community Services and Outreach

Beyond its school programs, Cleary serves the broader Long Island deaf and hard-of-hearing community through several outreach initiatives. The school’s audiology department provides hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, and cochlear implant support to children and adults in the region.

Cleary hosts community events, workshops, and cultural programs throughout the year that bring together deaf individuals, families, educators, and community members. Events like Deaf Awareness celebrations, ASL storytelling nights, and family fun days strengthen the local deaf community and raise awareness among hearing neighbors.

The school also provides consultation and training to public school districts that serve deaf and hard-of-hearing students in mainstream settings. As more deaf children are educated in their local public schools, the expertise of specialized schools like Cleary becomes increasingly valuable for training general education teachers, providing technical assistance, and ensuring these students receive appropriate support.

Professional development programs attract educators from across the region. Cleary’s experienced staff share best practices in deaf education, bilingual teaching strategies, and assistive technology integration. These training opportunities help raise the quality of deaf education beyond Cleary’s own campus.

Choosing a School for Your Deaf Child

If you are considering Cleary School for your deaf or hard-of-hearing child, start by scheduling a visit to the campus. Seeing the classrooms, meeting the teachers, and observing students in their learning environment provides insight that brochures and websites cannot match. Cleary welcomes prospective families for tours throughout the school year.

Consider your child’s communication needs and your family’s values. Cleary’s bilingual approach is ideal for families who want their child to develop fluency in both ASL and English, with a strong Deaf cultural identity. If your family is committed to a listening-and-spoken-language-only approach, a different program may be a better fit, though Cleary does support spoken language development alongside ASL.

Understand the enrollment process. As an approved New York State private school for students with disabilities, Cleary’s tuition is typically funded by the student’s home school district through the Committee on Special Education (CSE) process. Your district’s CSE team must agree that Cleary is the appropriate placement for your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Cleary’s admissions team can guide you through this process.

Connect with current Cleary families. The school’s parent organization can put you in touch with other families who have navigated the same decisions you are facing. Hearing directly from parents whose children attend Cleary provides honest, firsthand perspectives on the school’s strengths and the experience of being part of the Cleary community.

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