Gala celebrates partnership between schools

LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) - Celebrating a quarter century partnership where students get to grow and learn from each other in East Longmeadow.

Thursday night's Gala at the Twin Hills Country Club was really a "thank you" to the educators, administrators and staff who support the partnership between Willie Ross School for the Deaf and East Longmeadow Public Schools.

It's a unique partnership that allows hearing impaired and deaf students to attend classes with their hearing peers, and still get instruction at Willie Ross.

Louis Abbate, President and CEO of the Willie Ross School for the Deaf, said, "Whereas, in East Longmeadow, the last 25 years, binding and permanent friendships have been made that go on long after some of the students have graduated. So it's a true partnership where you learn from each other and you benefit from each other."

Abbate told 22News that integrating deaf students into mainstream public schools has become a trend in deaf education.

He said the 25-year relationship with East Longmeadow is one of the longest standing in the country between a school for the deaf and a public school system.