Elizabeth Lee Black School

Located on two and a half acres overlooking the Lake Erie Bayfront, the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber National Institute provides an outstanding physical environment to meet the educational needs of our students.  The grounds have a campus-like layout with an accessible playground, shaded yards, and picnic areas.

The outstanding features of our school’s physical environment include:

• Climate-controlled classrooms equipped with accessible restrooms and computers for staff and students with internet and intranet access
• Observation rooms with audio controls, adjustable lighting, and writing stations
• Heated pool with a movable floor in the shallow end, allowing for adjustable water depth and easier entry by children with physical disabilities
• Library with state-of-the-art technology
• Full-size gymnasium with hardwood floor and adjoining locker rooms
• Northwest Pennsylvania’s only program specifically designed for children who are deaf and hard of hearing, a soundproof space which includes a state-of-the-art auditory FM loop system enabling children to maximize their hearing abilities.
• Augmentative communication library
• Ample, free, and lighted parking areas for parents, visitors, and buses
• State-of-the-art staff development facility with a computer training lab and video conferencing capabilities
• Large playground space, fully accessible to children with disabilities
• Off-street and supervised student drop off/pick up areas

Each classroom is designed to meet the developmental needs of students.  Classrooms are, therefore, as dynamic as the children.