David Sanderson - MSD Campus Administrator
Cece Winkler -Principal
VACANT - Assistant Principal

The Michigan School for the Deaf (MSD) is a public residential school for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing established by an Act of the Michigan Legislature in 1848. Students are referred by their local school districts and placement is determined by an IEP team. MSD serves students from birth to 26 and their families throughout the State of Michigan .

Students who attend Michigan School for the Deaf receive a unique combination of services resulting from complex educational planning involving the interaction of many social, emotional and behavioral intervention strategies, intense exposure to two languages (American Sign Language and English) as well as academic and residential support services. The range, intensity, and scope of services available at MSD are provided for any student with a hearing loss in Michigan as determined by the IEPT.

The primary goal of the MSD program is to provide educational programs and services for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: (1) whose educational needs, in the least restrictive environment, are best met by placement at MSD; (2) whose school district has elected to send the student to MSD because the parents or the IEPT have identified MSD as having the most beneficial educational program; (3) for whom the specific language and communications needs as identified in the IDEIA 2004 are best met by MSD's specific communication policy and dual language approach, which encompasses the entire campus and includes ambient communication; and (4) who will benefit from proximity to other students and adults who are Deaf as role models, which will help them realize their full academic, functional and social potential.

MSD's programs and services are provided without cost to parents except for a small recreational fee. All students are transported to MSD by their local school districts. Day students travel to and from school to their homes every school day. Residential students travel to their homes on Friday afternoon and return to campus on Sunday afternoon.

MSD follows a traditional 180 school day calendar for all students. The educational program is similar in structure and sequence to that provided by public schools following Michigan standards and benchmarks. Students participate in statewide and standardized assessments such as the MEAP, MI-ACCESS, SAT-HI, and ACT. Programming is specifically geared to meet the individual needs of the student and fulfill the goals and objectives of the IEP.

Programming and services provided also include audiological services, transitional living program, counseling, social work services, American Sign Language classes and evaluations, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language assessments, speech therapy, and transition planning. Extra curricular activities include soccer, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, track, Jr. NAD, Singing Hands, yearbook, drama, and Close-Up.