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Kia Ora. Welcome to the Regional Teacher of the Deaf (RTD) Services of Kelston Deaf Education Centre.

Please browse this section of the website to find out more about our service and what we do.

The Kelston Board of Trustees is funded by the Ministry of Education to employ Resource Teachers of the Deaf (39.9 FTTE) to provide the services outlined to students with moderate needs through a Staffing Order approved by Cabinet in 1998.

Eligibility, Admissions Criteria and Process

Students eligible to access Kelston's regional teaching services will be in the region bounded by a line north of New Plymouth to Taumarunui, to Turangi to Opotiki and must be:

a) Deaf or hearing impaired and have moderate needs or
b) Verified under the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme (ORRS) and
c) Enrolled in a state funded mainstream setting.

Priority for admission onto caseloads will be determined against the following criteria:
(Subject to Special Education Policy)

- have a profound, severe or moderately-severe hearing loss
- exhibit a significant communication deficit
- are between 3 and 8 years of age
- are late aided
- are transitioning from Early Childhood education to primary, primary to secondary, or who are changing mainstream schools
- sitting National Qualifications
- are from homes where little or no English is spoken
- have Deaf or hearing impaired parents/caregivers
- when ORRS funding is transferred from the mainstream school to support Resource Teacher of the Deaf services

Service Priorities

The range of teaching and specialist services provided for eligible students will:
a) be decided on the basis of individual need and
b) recognise the importance of language, communication and culture to the student's success

Priority is given to:

- specialist 1:1 teaching
- assistance to classroom teachers for curriculum adaptation and delivery
- specialist advice, guidance and assistance for classroom environment and management
- assisting classroom teachers with the assessment of learning outcomes involving language and literacy achievement

Services may be reduced or discontinued where the student:

a) leaves the coverage area, or
b) demonstrated achievement/no longer warrants a service, or
c) has a low level of need relative to other eligible students seeking a service, or
d) is consistently truant, or
e) ORRS transfer agreement ceases.
Resources:
RTD Roles and Responsibilties
Roles and Responsibilities
Application for RTD Service
Referral Process
Application form for RTD Service 2011