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About GSD

Georgia School for the Deaf  is one of three state-operated schools in Georgia. The school was established by the state legislature in 1846 to educate deaf and hard-of-hearing children living in the state of Georgia. From GSD's opening until the present, the only break in the operations of the school was from March 1862 to February 1867 during which time the school was used as a hospital for both the Confederate and Union armies. For more than 175 years, GSD has provided for the educational, social and emotional needs of Georgia's deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Cave Spring, Georgia

Cave Spring  is located in Vann's Valley in Northwest Georgia, near Rome. It was chosen by the Cherokee Indians as a meeting place, called Talalah, meaning "place of sunshine". The town is named for the cave, located in Rolator Park in downtown Cave Spring, that contains a flowing mineral spring. The relationship between GSD and Cave Spring is unique because many residents and business owners can communicate in American Sign Language.

Georgia School for the Deaf  is accredited by the Southern Association of School and Colleges (SACS), which is the same association that accredits all public schools in Georgia. 

Mission Statement

All GSD students will graduate with a positive Deaf identity as bilinguals in American Sign Language and English and will be prepared to make successful life choices. 

Vision Statement

The Georgia School for the Deaf offers high quality educational and extracurricular activities that prepare its graduates for further academic, social, and career success. This is achieved in a fully-accessible American Sign Language (ASL)/English bilingual environment, which recognizes ASL users as a distinct cultural and linguistic group. This fosters a positive self-acceptance and self-esteem, affording each student the ability to effectively navigate the world they encounter beyond their K-12 experience. As part of this lifelong learning philosophy, all staff and students consistently strive to improve their use of both ASL and written English.