St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf (SFDS) provides educational programs and services for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Deaf Disabled students from infancy through 8th grade.
Students may be eligible for SFDS if they have a diagnosed severe to profound hearing loss and/or additional disabilities that impact their learning and educational needs.
If you have a child from birth through age 14 and would like to learn more about SFDS, we would be happy to speak with you, answer your questions, and help you explore whether our program may be a good fit for your child. Please contact us at 718-636-4573 (voice) or 347-227-0891 (videophone), or email our Pupil Personnel Supervisor, Leslie Mackay, at
To begin the application process, please complete the required forms and submit the requested documentation.
- NYS Commissioner’s Appointment Form
- Release of Information Form
- Case History Form
- Most recent unaided audiogram
If you do not have completed recent evaluations within the year for your child, we will schedule an appointment for admissions evaluations which may include:
- Audiological Testing
- Occupational Therapy Testing
- Physical Therapy Testing
- Psycho-Educational Testing
- Speech, Language & Communication Testing
The Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team will review all documents and make a recommendation.
If your child is admitted to SFDS, they will become part of a welcoming school community where each student’s unique strengths, needs, and ways of learning and communicating are valued. In our diverse, multimodal environment, we work closely with families to help every student learn, grow, build independence, and reach their full potential.
Through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, families, teachers, related service providers, and support staff work together to develop an educational program based on your child’s individual strengths, needs, and goals.
We invite you to visit SFDS, meet our staff, and see our programs in action. To schedule a tour, please contact the school or email .
Thank you for considering SFDS for your child. We know that choosing a school is an important decision, and we are happy to answer your questions and help you learn more about our community. For questions about admissions, please contact our Pupil Personnel Supervisor at .
