Curt Hood – Upland Terrace Elementary School

Words cannot express the thanks I owe to my son’s 6th grade teacher, Mr. Curt Hood.

My son, Jaxson, was born with a severe hearing loss, and in recent years has had cochlear implant surgery. This has given Jaxson the gift of hearing and has allowed him to attend a mainstream school. Unfortunately, because he was implanted at an older age, he is still in the process of learning everyday vocabulary, which has delayed him in several subjects.

The past few years in school have been very difficult and often very frustrating for Jaxson. Last year he was so discouraged that he announced that he was going to quit school for good. It was all we could do to convince him to try one more year. Within the first few weeks of school this year, we noticed a change in Jaxson’s attitude towards school. He started to look forward to going to school, he began to independently do his homework, and he took on challenges I never thought he would ever even attempt. Jaxson used to be embarrassed to speak publicly, but now looks forward to doing oral reports, reading out loud, and participating in class. His grades have drastically improved. His reading and writing skills have improved significantly . . . and his confidence has soared!

Mr. Hood has been able to make minor accommodations to help meet my son’s abilities, while at the same time still pushing him to do things he didn’t think he could do. He hasn’t treated my son differently because he is deaf, but instead he has encouraged him and shown confidence in his abilities to do better. He corrects his students in such a way that they know there is room for improvement without feeling cut down or defeated. He is always positive and upbeat, and the students respond by trying harder to please him. I have been so impressed with Mr. Hood’s commitment to the success of each and every one of his students.

Thank you Mr. Hood for helping my son love to learn. You have changed his life for the better.

–LaDawn Rindlisbaker