News Archive

The Programs of the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) is proud to congratulate retired CEO Don Rhoten and retired Director of Outreach Programs, Cathy Rhoten on recently being selected to receive The Governor Robert P. Casey Medal for a Lifetime of Service. The medal is given annually by NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania to those who have made a lasting impact on Northeast

Don and Cathy are best known in Northeastern Pennsylvania as being the founders of The Scranton School for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children. “The work done by the Rhotens in Northeastern Pennsylvania ensures a first class education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children for years to come,” stated Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Steven E. Farmer, “Don and Cathy dedicated themselves to doing what was in the best interests of children and always in service to others. They are deserving of this recognition and we join in congratulating them on this great honor.”

In addition to the Rhotens, Mr. James W. Brown, retired Chief of Staff to Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. and Governor Casey and the late Mrs. Meg Cullen-Brown, University of Scranton official and longtime NeighborWorks NEPA Community Relations Committee leader will be honored for their lifetimes of service. It is the 10^th Anniversary of The Governor Casey Medal event and it will be held Thursday, October 13^th at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilton Conference Center in downtown Scranton.

“To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Dr. Steven Farmer to succeed Don Rhoten on July 1

March 11, 2016 (Pittsburgh, PA) – The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) is proud to announce the appointment of Steven E. Farmer, M.S., Ed.D., as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Dr. Farmer comes to WPSD from the Tennessee School for the Deaf, where he had served as Director of Student Life. In that position, Farmer supervised a staff of 85 and managed a complex independent living curriculum, among other responsibilities. Dr. Farmer has earned Doctor of Education and Masters degrees in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from the University of Tennessee and has a wealth of experience as a leader and educator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and teachers-in-training.

“We’re thrilled that Dr. Farmer has accepted our offer to become our new CEO,” says Melissa Scheffler, Chair of the WPSD Board of Trustees, which was responsible for overseeing the recruitment process in close collaboration with WPSD’s Alumni Advisory Committee, Staff Advisory Committee and Parent Advisory Committee as well as search firm Littleford & Associates.

“The decision was the result of an intensive 8-month search process during which our Board interviewed numerous candidates, introduced them to students, parents and alumni, hosted site visits and evaluated what each candidate could bring to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community at WPSD,” adds Scheffler. “Ultimately, we found that Dr. Farmer would best position our school for the future due to his vast management and leadership experience and his steadfast commitment to deaf education and communication throughout his career.”

“It’s a true honor, privilege and a great responsibility to be chosen to lead the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf,” says Dr. Farmer. “I look forward to helping to grow what I believe is already the greatest asset to deaf children in the state of Pennsylvania.”

On July 1, 2016, Dr. Farmer will succeed current CEO Donald E. Rhoten, who announced his retirement in August 2015. Rhoten has been a central figure in the WPSD community for more than 23 years, starting as its Superintendent in 1993 and spending the last six years as CEO. Rhoten will step down as CEO on June 30, 2016.

“I cannot express in words my appreciation for the support, guidance and trust I have received from the WPSD family and the Board of Trustees over the past 23 years,” says Rhoten. “It has been a privilege and honor to work on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing students throughout Pennsylvania. I have no doubt that students, families and staff of WPSD and the Scranton School are in good hands with Dr. Farmer.”

During Rhoten’s tenure, WPSD grew from a single school in Pittsburgh’s Edgewood borough to an institution that spans the state, now with a school in Scranton, Pa. and an outreach center in Camp Hill, Pa. WPSD is currently the largest employer of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the state of Pennsylvania.

“Mr. Rhoten’s contributions to the WPSD community will not soon be forgotten,” says Scheffler. “We chose Dr. Farmer because we believe he is fully capable of building upon WPSD’s success over the past 20 years. We look forward to a new era for deaf education in Western Pennsylvania, Scranton and beyond.”

In the coming months, Dr. Farmer will begin transitioning into his new role by meeting with WPSD students, staff, families and alumni at WPSD’s Pittsburgh and Scranton campuses.

“We are confident that WPSD has a capable, hard-working and agile leader for the foreseeable future,” says Scheffler. “We can’t wait to see the great ideas that Dr. Farmer will bring to the table—and most importantly, to our students.”

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Contacts
Ben Korman
PR Manager
Pipitone Group
bkorman@pipitonegroup.com

Matt Campion
Director, Institutional Advancement
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
412.244.4250
mcampion@wpsd.org

A copy of the CEO announcement can be downloaded HERE

February 8, 2016

To the WPSD family:

The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is pleased to announce that Peter L. Bailey, M.S., Steven Farmer, Ed.D, M.S., and Melissa Watson, M.A., M.S., PhD, are the finalists who are being considered for the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to succeed Donald E. Rhoten, who will step down on June 30, 2016.

For more than 22 years, Mr. Rhoten has made an incredible impact on our organization and most importantly, our students. The entire WPSD Board of Trustees wishes Mr. Rhoten the best of fortune in his retirement. Following the announcement of his retirement in August 2015, the WPSD Board of Trustees retained search firm Littleford & Associates, LLC for assistance in identifying qualified candidates.

In recent months, the Board conducted a series of phone interviews with numerous candidates, completed full-day site visits for six semi-finalist candidates, which have since been narrowed down to the current finalists, who we are now proud to introduce to our community.

Peter L. Bailey, M.S. is currently Associate Executive Director and COO of the Learning Center for the Deaf—the largest provider of educational services for deaf preschool and school aged children in New England—where he previously served as Director of Student Life. Mr. Bailey has a Master of Science degree in Organizational Management and Leadership from Springfield College and his career to-date is marked by a steadfast commitment to deaf education, management and leadership.

Steven E. Farmer, Ed.D, M.S., is currently Director of Student Life at the Tennessee School for the Deaf, where he supervises a staff of 85 and manages a complex independent living curriculum, among other responsibilities. Mr. Farmer has earned a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Tennessee and has a wealth of experience as a leader and educator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and teachers-in-training.

Melissa Watson, M.A., M.S., PhD, is currently Operations Director for PAHrtners Deaf—a provider of clinical, cultural and linguistic support for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals—and has recently earned her PhD in Human Services from Capella University. Throughout her career, Ms. Watson has displayed an outstanding commitment to deaf education through behavioral health, counseling and organizational management.

In the coming weeks, we will be inviting the three finalist candidates and their families back to WPSD’s Pittsburgh campus and to its Scranton campus for a series of more in-depth site visits during which they will each meet with staff, students, parents and alumni. To facilitate a final decision, the WPSD Board of Trustees’ Search Committee will be seeking feedback from the Alumni Advisory Committee, Parents Advisory Committee and Staff Advisory Committee.

The Board would like to thank all those who have supported its progress in this search to-date, including Littleford & Associates and all members of the Advisory and Search Committees. We look forward to a final decision and a new era for deaf education in Western Pennsylvania, Scranton and beyond.

Sincerely,

Melissa Scheffler
Chair, WPSD Board of Trustees
Search Committee Chair

Search Committee Members:

Denise Brown
Laurel Echavarria
Dean Kartsonas
Angelo Martini Sr.
Chris McCrady
Leo McGowan
Harold Mowl
Grace Shirk-Emmons?

Don Rhoten, WPSD CEO, announced his plans to retire on June 30, 2016, during the general assembly to all WPSD and SSDHHC staff.

Mr. Rhoten’s Letter of Retirement

Melissa Scheffler, WPSD Board of Trustees president, shared the Board’s succession plan with the staff immediately following Mr. Rhoten’s announcement.

Board Reponse to Mr. Rhoten

The Scranton School itself on being the place “Where Kids Come First”. Every action throughout the school day by teachers, administrators, and staff is done with the students being the top priority. Watching students learn, grow, and succeed brings great joy to all are involved in the school as staff or community members. On March 26^th, The Scranton School invited the school and northeastern Pennsylvania community to campus to enjoy “An Evening at The Scranton School: Celebrating Our Kids”.

The evening began with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the school library. Attendees enjoyed a social hour chatting with each other, networking, and learning about the school in the beautiful library. Sticking with a progressive theme throughout the evening, dinner was served in the school’s gymnasium. The gymnasium went through a 36-hour makeover that provided the perfect atmosphere for dinner stations. Finally, the large crowd moved towards the playroom to enjoy dessert in our expansive playroom located in the Weinberg Wing that overlooks the beautiful Sordoni Family Playground.

The highlight of the evening was the program portion that acknowledged so many that played a role in the establishment and overwhelming success of the school. A brief video narrarated by Don and Cathy Rhoten shared the early stages of the school and how it has grown so much in such a short time. The school has become a community asset for deaf and hard of hearing children and

their families. The final part of the program included a new tradition at The Scranton School called the “Honor Roll.” The Honor Roll is a group of people that have been instrumental in the establishment and ongoing success of The Scranton School for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children. This year’s Honor Roll includes:

While we look back on the first 5 years with much pride at what has been done, we look forward to the future with excitement and anticipation. Our work in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania is not done. We will continue to work tirelessly to meet the individual needs of students, provide the best facilities and resources possible, and to invest in our community. There is much to do between now and the 10^th Anniversary Celebration!

Bear Tracks is the quarterly publication for The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, providing information about student activities and accomplishments, events on campus and around the community and efforts by The Scranton School to support and promote the success and achievement of deaf and hard of hearing students in Northeast  Pennsylvania and throughout the Commonwealth.   Simply click on the cover to the right and download your copy today. We hope you enjoy this digital edition of our newsletter! In this issue, read articles about PSAD event, Battle of the Books competition, dorm activities, career mentors, and many more.  Discover the excitement happening on campus and opportunities available to the students at The Scranton School.

“Opportunity, Leadership, Community”… the 2013-14 Annual Report for The Programs of WPSD is now available. Download a copy or read it online simply by clicking on the cover below.  We are grateful for the incredible generosity of so many toward our students through the year.

Discover the latest news and events at The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in the fall edition of BearTracks.  Click on the cover below and start reading today!