Governor Baxter School for the Deaf

43°41′27″N 70°13′55″W / 43.6907317°N 70.2318515°W / 43.6907317; -70.2318515InformationTypestate operated agencyEstablished1957Gradespreschool-12Color(s)Blue and YellowAthleticsbasketball, soccerAthletics conferenceEastern Schools for the Deaf Athletic AssociationMascotIslandersWebsiteOfficial Website

The Governor Baxter School for the Deaf (GBSD), formerly known as the Maine School for the Deaf is a public co-educational school that serves the deaf and hard-of-hearing in the State of Maine. It is located on Mackworth Island, an approximately 100-acre (40 ha) island in Falmouth, Maine, USA, adjacent to its border with Portland, Maine. Students who live far away may stay with host families, who provide residential services. Its program is the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH).

History

In 1943, Maine's governor Percival P. Baxter deeded the island and causeway, including his summer home, to the State of Maine. In 1957, the state created the Governor Baxter School for The Deaf (formerly known as the Maine School for The Deaf) on the island.^[1]

Since 2009, GBSD is now a mainstream program within the Portland Public Schools. The preschool program remains on Mackworth Island.

Programs

Students from far away may live with host families.^[2] Previously the school contracted with the Sue Wright House of Spurwink.^[3] Before then the school had its own dormitory.^[4]

In 1991 deaf people protested against a proposal by the administration of Governor of Maine John McKernan to stop operations of the dormitory.^[5]

Student body

In 1991 the school had 70 students, with about 12-24 of them boarding.^[5]

References

Further reading

• Governor Baxter School for the Deaf
• "Final Report of the Task Force to Review the Educational Program and the Governance System of the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf". Legislature of Maine. February 2000.