DePaul School for Hearing and Speech

founded 1908

BiographyFounded in 1908 by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, DePaul School for Hearing and Speech provides quality listening and spoken language education for children. The goal then, as it remains today, was to prepare each student for success in the hearing and speaking world. The school was originally known as the Pittsburgh School for the Deaf (and later as DePaul Institute) and was in the Lappe Mansion on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Because of the school's growing population, the Pittsburgh Diocese purchased property in Mt. Lebanon and built a new facility in 1911 for educational and residential programs. The programs at DePaul School grew and prospered on that site until the summer of 2002, when DePaul moved to its current location in the former Sacred Heart High School in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh.”

At its peak the school had about 710 students; they currently average 50 per year. They serve students as early as 18 months, through their infant a toddler program which began 6-7 year ago. The goal is to “mainstream” kids in the public school system and prepare them for success in a college environment.