HOW IT ALL BEGAN...
Past, Present, and Future

St. Joseph's School for the Blind was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in 1891. During the early years St. Joseph's provided both a traditional and an enriched extra-curricular program, usually residential, to an average and above average academic population of students who were blind. In 1960, following the integration of many of these children into public schools, St. Joseph's began to focus more on students who were not only blind or partially sighted but also had severe additional disabilities and were desperately in need of quality and comprehensive services. With a wealth of over 100 years experience in special education, St. Joseph's still remains the only school of its kind in the State of New Jersey.

And where we are today...

As we begin our second century of services, St. Joseph's highly experienced, certified and multi-cultural team of multi-disciplinary special educators offers an expanded 11 month optional range of educational services specifically designed to respond to the wide-ranging short and/or long-term needs of infants, children, and youths who are blind or partially sighted. Some of these individuals also have additional disabilities.

St. Joseph's students range in age from birth to 21. Some students stay with us a short time while being prepared for transition into the community; others, often with more severe disabilities, are with us for longer periods. Some students pursue a traditional academic program; others with more severe additional disabilities choose an ‘independent life skills’ education with an adapted academic curriculum. Each follows a unique, individually-designed educational plan. Some stay at our state-of-the-art student residence at Concordia House, while others return on a daily basis to their own homes. The school draws students from throughout the State of New Jersey and the surrounding region. Our internal and community outreach programs highlight flexibility, diversity, and are continually refined and expanded in response to the ever-changing and unique needs of those we are committed to serve.

Into the Future...

Today far more children with disabilities are mainstreamed, but still, the need remains for many of these children to receive more extensive and sophisticated special education services from appropriately qualified teachers of the disabled, teachers of the visually impaired, and early intervention teachers and teacher aides. And, despite our provision of such services by our multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team, the future continues to hold many challenges if infants, children and youths who are visually impaired, some with additional disabilities, are to enjoy true economic and social independence in the community at large.

We are already facing, and in some instances overcoming, such challenges and our current plans and concerns address a number of key areas:

• We will continue to expand opportunities for blind and visually impaired toddlers, aged 3-4 years, with developmental delays or learning disabilities, to attend St. Joseph's academic and independence educational programs. St. Joseph's, in partnership with local school districts, will make sure “no child will be left behind…”

• There is an urgent need for expanded support and opportunities for some high school students to pursue vocational training which could lead to attendance at a two-year community college. St. Joseph's is committed to improving the currently low numbers of employed persons with vision impairments.

• The State of New Jersey has an overwhelming need for more teachers of the disabled to become certified to teach children and youths with vision impairments. St. Joseph's is highly committed to filling the current gap for qualified personnel. In partnership with local community colleges and academic facilities we will work to expand the current numbers of appropriately educated teachers.

• We plan to expand our efforts in public education, reaching out to specific-interest and multi-ethnic groups, about such issues as: parental advocacy, networking, the ‘specialness’ of special education, legal rights and entitlements, and other options, opportunities, special services and benefits—all related to the education and special needs of infants, children and youths with vision impairments and other disabilities.

• We need to increase opportunities for making information more accessible in a wide range of languages spoken by residents of New Jersey. Our region is one of America's most vital and vibrant multi-cultural and ethnic ‘melting pots’ and information is urgently needed to describe the special education and related services that are already available to help meet the unique needs of children and youths with vision impairments.

• We plan to create a comprehensive Resource Center with a wide range of self-help materials, and ‘hands-on’ adaptive technology, aides and appliances, for demonstration purposes. This will be especially helpful to parents and family members, teachers and special education personnel, and those who refer children to us for special services.

• We plan to expand St. Joseph's services to reach families living in the more isolated areas of the state and those areas that are especially underserved in terms of special education options.

• Our facilities, some of which have existed since the 1920s, need constant enhancement and expansion to continue to meet the diverse needs of our students. Our new 75,000 sq. ft., 2-story, state-of-the-art school opened its doors to our students on February, 27, 2007!

ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, founded and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, is a private non-profit organization licensed by the NJ Department of Health, approved by the NJ Department of Education, the Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities.