FOR SAMANTHA

If you are receiving this petition, you are either a Clifton resident or you may know one, and my family needs your support.
My name in Jennifer Connelly, not the actress, lol. I have been a resident of Clifton for 12 years and a homeowner since 2009. I have two daughters in the school system, Emily and Samantha.

Emily is a honor student about to graduate high school. Her picture was in the Clifton Journal last week for one of her many academic achievements.

Samantha, has not been as fortunate. Samantha was diagnosed with a bilateral hearing loss in both ears at the age of 3 and she wears hearing aids. She also has facial paralysis and articulation issues. Due to her disability, Sam has had a very hard time in school. In Kindergarten, Clifton had no FM system for Sam. This is standard technology for classrooms with hearing impaired kids. Since they didn't use an FM system, Sam was completely lost in class. She came home every day saying 'I couldn't hear the teacher Mom''. She is now in 2nd grade testing at Pre-Kindergarten level. She is also isolated because the kids can't understand her. We pay for private speech therapy, but she is still very far behind her 'hearing' peers.  My heart breaks for her every day.

You may already know Sam from Tball or maybe your child came home to tell you about her at school. Kids are truth tellers... and I'm sure her classmates wish they could do more.

Fortunately, there are public schools specifically for hearing impaired kids like Samantha. Kids from all over the state get sent by their districts and thrive. We have been trying for two years to get Sam sent to one of these schools and Clifton has fought us every step of the way. If they were private schools I would send her myself, but they are public schools, the only way to attend them is for your district to send you. We have had intake meetings at three of these schools, Sam was accepted, and Clifton said no! At this point, I am exhausted. I have been told by two special education lawyers I should either hire a lawyer or move to a 'better town'. This is unfair to my child and unfair to us as parents who chose to buy in this town.

So I am asking you - neighbors- please sign this petition to convince the BOE to send Samantha to The Lake Drive School for the Hearing Impaired. If I had the power to do it on my own I would, but at this point it's clear, it will take a village. 

Please show your support. Thank You!