Middle School Spring 2026

 Tutoring is offered on a weekly basis throughout the school year and is also available during the summer months as needed. All Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and CODA students are welcome to participate.

For enrollment or additional information, please contact Isabella.

 Isabella Engelman is the Youth and Family Support Specialist for the Middle School program. She is Hard of Hearing, and grew up using ASL with her brother, who is Deaf. She attended many FCD summer camps growing up, and joined Academic Bowl Team (ABT) for 2 years in high school.

She comes from an oral, mainstream educational background and received a B.A in Language, Speech and Hearing Sciences. She went on to work at a Bilingual speech therapy clinic for 3 years, providing speech therapy to bilingual children (both Spanish and ASL), prioritizing communication— regardless of the method— above all else. As a result, she is experienced with a vast range of children from all age groups and abilities, and loves injecting creative energy into everything she does.

Learning Is For Everyone

The LIFE Program is a mentorship initiative in which students are paired with adult Deaf or hard of hearing mentors. Mentors meet with students at least once a month, and often more frequently. During these sessions, students learn how to navigate the world alongside their mentors. Topics include life skills, social development, and self-advocacy. The goal of the program is for students to gradually take on increasing responsibility, building confidence and independence, until they are prepared to become mentors for future participants.

 The Middle School Robotics Club at FCD partners with the NTID Regional STEM Center to bring exciting, hands-on robotics opportunities to our students. Club members design, build, and program robots while developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills.

Students compete in robotics competitions against other teams both locally and regionally. The club is open to all middle school students (grades 6–8) and runs from September through February. To keep skills sharp, additional robotics programs are also offered during the summer months.. 

 The Middle School Team-Building and Recreations program focuses on teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking through interactive play. Students participate in a variety of team-building activities designed to strengthen collaboration, problem-solving, and social skills.

 FCD’s Middle School STEAM programming offers students two unique opportunities to explore creativity, technology, and design. Throughout the week, participants engage in hands-on engineering challenges, using tools such as 3-D printers, Canva, and Cricut to bring their artistic ideas to life. Students also explore art centered on the Deaf experience, learning how visual storytelling can be used to share identity, culture, and personal expression.

 In the Performance Arts Program, FCD students develop their creativity and expression by learning songs in American Sign Language. Students perform these songs at events such as Tampa Bay Rays games, Buccaneers games, Rowdies matches, holiday celebrations, and more. This program highlights the beauty of ASL while building confidence, teamwork, and performance skills.