Our family is relatively new to the Defiance County area. One of the things we are most grateful for right now is that the Defiance County Board of DD operates Good Samaritan School.

The school is such a blessing to our family. My granddaughter has multiple physical and mental disabilities, which make it very hard for her to go to a regular public school. Good Samaritan School offers smaller classroom sizes, which helps with both safety and learning.

My granddaughter was non-verbal, but this is her second year at Good Samaritan, and we are amazed at the words she is beginning to say! She is starting to put words together and we look forward to her speaking in the future, with the continued support of her teachers, assistants and therapists.

She also struggles with her balance, and the physical therapy provided at the school has helped her with that. She can now jump with both feet off the ground. That may seem insignificant to families with typical children, but for families of children with disabilities, these small victories mean the world.

Due to a brain surgery, she lost the use of her right arm and hand. Because of her continued therapy, she is beginning to find ways to use her right arm, which is another huge victory for her!

While we are thankful for all she is learning now, we look forward to the life skills she will learn as she gets older. The school’s “apartment” offers the opportunity to cook, clean and learn other important daily skills. She will learn grocery shopping and then how to take those groceries and make a meal. There will be opportunities to try various jobs in her community and chances to socialize and learn with kids from other local schools.

What happens when she no longer goes to school? Thankfully, the Defiance Board of DD also has many services and programs for adults with disabilities. In fact, that is the largest population they serve. They don’t just stop supporting us when our kids get out of school, they provide lifelong support.

My hope is that Defiance County realizes how blessed they are to have the Board of DD and Good Samaritan School and will support them on the upcoming ballot on May 5th, 2026.