Broken Arrow School For The Deaf Struggles To Pay Its Teachers
May 02, 2012
Lacie Lowry
BROKEN ARROW, Oklahoma – A school for deaf children in Broken Arrow is
struggling to pay its teachers.
Happy Hands is a Christian non-profit and the director admits – some of
the staff haven’t seen a paycheck in several months – including her.
Happy Hands started 18 years ago with seven students and one teacher.
The program now has 50 students and 19 teachers, but funding has
stalled this year.
Kendra Stine can’t imagine another career. The Happy Hands teacher is
so dedicated to her students, she doesn’t panic when the school’s
funding shortage delays her paychecks.
“I’m fully committed to the school here,” Stine said. “I
whole-heartedly believe in what we are doing at this school and no
matter what, God has always provided for my needs and my family’s
needs.”
Happy Hands caters to children with hearing loss or communication
disorders from 6 weeks of age to kindergarten. There’s a waiting list
to get in.
“That’s where it’s difficult,” Happy Hands Director Jan Pride said.
“We’re growing very fast in our enrollment. Our funding needs to grow
at the same time.”
Community donations make up 90 percent of the Happy Hands operating
budget. That’s why the school was excited about a $1000 check from the
group DeafTU with the University of Tulsa.
Happy Hands never turns a child away because parents can’t pay.
“That 90 percent of our budget coming from the community directly
impacts what a child can receive here at Happy Hands,” Pride said. “The
building is paid off. We still have operational costs, we still have
teachers to pay.”
Just like other non-profits, a bad economy hurts Happy Hands’ budget.
But parents admit they didn’t even know about the funding and paycheck
problems because all the school services, therapy and classroom
instruction have remained the same.
“My favorite part is at the end of the day when the children run up to
me and say, ‘I love you Miss Kendra. I’ll see you tomorrow,'” Kendra
Stine said. “How can you not come back to that?”
Kendra says her reward is so much greater than a paycheck.
The kids at Happy Hands are holding a fundraiser this Friday called
“Happy Feet Fun Run.” They’ll run, walk or be pushed in strollers for
30 minutes and you can sponsor a child for $20.
Source:
http://www.newson6.com/story/18073788/broken-arrow-school-struggles-to-pay-teachers