Two black and white historical photo collage layouts with four photos each are shown. The left collage displays photos of teachers and students in their school uniforms. Some teachers were nuns dressed in Habit. The right collage displays a group of guest visitors (Robert Kennedy and two secret service agents) and classroom lessons in action.
Two black and white historical photo collage layouts with four photos each are shown. The left collage displays photos of teachers and students in their school uniforms. Some teachers were nuns dressed in Habit. The right collage displays a group of guest visitors (Robert Kennedy and two secret service agents) and classroom lessons in action.

Our History

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St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf (SFDS) began in 1960 with just one teacher, Sister Anne Behre, and four Deaf students in a convent classroom in Flushing, Queens. What started with voluntary contributions quickly grew into a recognized institution dedicated to serving Deaf students across New York City. Over the decades, SFDS has expanded its programs, facilities, and services, always adapting to meet the needs of Deaf, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled students and their families.

Milestone Events

  • 1960 – Sister Anne Behre opened SFDS in St. Joseph’s Convent, Flushing, Queens with one class of four Deaf students. The school operated solely on voluntary contributions.

     

  • 1963 – Moved to the Park Slope section of Brooklyn at St. Francis Xavier High School to accommodate more students.

     

  • 1965 – Became an approved non-public, state-supported 4201 School designated by NYSED. As St. Francis Xavier High School phased out, SFDS expanded to occupy the entire building, growing from five to eleven classes.

     

  • 1970 – Rented six classrooms from a nearby parochial school, bringing the total to 22 classes.

     

  • 1973 – Relocated to the current building between Crown Heights and Prospect Heights, expanding to 26 classes.

     

  • 1977 – Established the Parent-Infant Program to support Deaf infants and their families.

     

  • 1981–1992 – Sister Joanne Fullner served as Executive Director.

     

  • 1992–2011 – Mr. Edward McCormack served as Executive Director.

     

  • 2011 – Funding structure changed: local school districts began paying a per-pupil charge, reimbursed by NYSED.

     

  • 2011–2019 – Ms. Maria Bartolillo served as Executive Director.

     

  • 2015 – Expanded programs to serve Deaf students with Autism, Intellectual Disabilities, and DeafBlindness.

     

  • 2019–Present – Dr. Jodi Falk serves as Executive Director.

     

From its humble beginnings in a convent classroom, SFDS has grown into a leading center of Deaf education. We continue to honor its founding mission while evolving to support each new generation of students. Today, that legacy lives on through the creation of Brooklyn’s Deaf & DeafBlind Museum & Research Center, preserving history while inspiring the future.

sfdesales.org