Indiana School for the Deaf superintendent to retire
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The superintendent of the Indiana School for the Deaf will retire at the end of the academic year after a 33-year career in which he proved to be a trailblazer in the education of deaf children.
David Geeslin, an alumnus of the school himself, will step down June 30, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Wednesday.
“Dr. Geeslin’s commitment to excellence in service to others has left a forever positive imprint on Indiana. To say his leadership will be missed is an understatement understanding all he and his team have accomplished,” Holcomb said in the news release. “I celebrate all 33 years of his dedicated service and wish Dr. Geeslin a happy retirement.”
Geeslin since 1991 has served in a variety of roles at the school, including teacher and elementary principal. He was appointed superintendent in 2006.
During his tenure, Geeslin led the Indiana School for the Deaf to become the first school to provide American Sign Language and English instruction equally from kindergarten through 12th grade. He also developed the nation’s first ASL assessment tools and diagnostic tests for school staff, collaborated with the Indiana Department of Education to establish education standards for teaching deaf children, and co-founded two not-for-profit organizations: the Indiana Deaf Heritage organization and the Indiana Deaf Children Foundation.
“I deeply appreciate how the state of Indiana, state lawmakers, Governor Holcomb and his staff have supported the Indiana School for the Deaf,” Geeslin said in the news release. “They have allowed us to build a place of belonging for students, where they are able to excel and thrive as productive citizens who will make a difference.”
The Indiana School for the Deaf is one of the largest state schools in the nation serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The tuition-free public school enrolls about 350 students, spanning preschool through high school.
The board of the school, in conjunction with the administration of the next governor, will lead the search to appoint a new superintendent, the news release said.