November 4, 2021 - Krissy Foreman was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. “It was a great place to grow up, a beautiful city on the shores of Lake Michigan.” Her hearing loss was identified around the age of four, and she was enrolled in a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program where she was in a small class with other students with hearing loss. This is where Krissy met her lifelong friend, Jessalyn Akerman-Frank. Their friendship continues to this day.
Upon graduation, Krissy attended the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities for her undergraduate and graduate degrees. During her first two years of college, she struggled to understand her teachers in the large lecture halls and eventually contacted Disability Services during her junior year for support. At the time, Krissy did not really embrace her hearing loss and was frustrated by it. She had an oral interpreter while learning ASL since she used Signed English from her elementary school years. Krissy also took Deaf Studies with Albert Walla, which was one of her favorite classes. Over time, Krissy’s interpreter added gestures, later adding signs when interpreting, which considerably sped Krissy’s ASL learning curve.
Initially, Krissy planned to go into nursing, but she found that the sciences were not her strongest area. “I am grateful that my academic counselor recommended that I consider the Masters of Deaf Education Program. I was not aware that the program existed at the University of Minnesota at the time, nor did I know of the amazing MN Deaf Community.” During her master’s program, Krissy interned for a year working with a Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Itinerant Teacher in Fridley and Columbia Heights. During her second year, Krissy worked six months at Metro Deaf School (MDS) and completed her student teaching in the Deaf Program at Como Elementary. “I greatly appreciate all of these wonderful opportunities, allowing me to experience the role of a DHH Teacher in various placements. It was during grad school and my time at MDS that I was introduced to the beautiful Minnesota DHH Community, many friendships that I cherish today.”
Krissy is in her 22nd year at District 196 as a Teacher for Students who are DHH, “When I applied for the job, I had no idea that the district was the 4th largest in the state. I have been blessed with such an amazing teaching team to work with along with building a strong DHH Program.” She shares that they have about 180 students from birth through- age 21, along with eight on the team of DHH teachers and a wonderful district audiologist. “My caseload this year is at six buildings; I work with students in 2nd grade through transition age (21 years old).”
“We have provided so many opportunities for students with hearing loss to socialize. This was something I did not have as a child, except when I attended Wisconsin Lions Camp for ten summers during their DHH weeks. I absolutely love seeing students make connections with each other and watch them grow over the years, building their knowledge about their hearing loss and how they can request accommodations as needed.” The DHH team plans two full-day field trips a year and an Annual Students’ Night Out to round out the socialization activities.
Working as an itinerant teacher, Krissy interacts with various staff at multiple buildings to ensure her students are successful and maintains open lines of communication with their parents. Halfway through her career, Krissy noticed that it was becoming more difficult to understand her students, parents, and staff. Testing showed that her hearing levels remained unchanged, but her understanding of speech changed drastically on the right side. In 2008, Krissy decided to get her first cochlear implant. “It helped that my older brother got his six years earlier.” Five years later, she received her second implant due to her speech recognition dropping on the left side too. “I am grateful that my cochlear implants were successful so I could continue to do my job working with students with hearing loss.” By the end of the day, Krissy does become quite tired of trying to absorb all of the information and staying on top of it.
“My goal is to connect with my students, so they know I care about their educational journey and that I will support them any way I can. This has been especially important during the pandemic, such a challenging time for many of us.”
When not working, Krissy devotes her free time to volunteering. “My absolute favorite thing is to volunteer and help others. I love people coming together for a good cause and learning from each other. As a child, I watched my mom do this and saw how much she enjoyed it, so I followed in her footsteps.”
“I have enjoyed being one of the founders of Deaf Equity. It has been fun meeting and collaborating with other organizations. One of my favorite projects has been working with Thompson Hall along with Keystone Interpreting Solutions (KIS) on the Renovation/Elevator Project. Also, the Minnesota Deaf Queer Awards is close to my heart, along with my previous experiences with the Domestic Violence / Sexual Assault Program under Jessalyn. My heart is full when I can give to others and causes.”
“I am grateful for my journey thus far and for all of the opportunities and people that enriched my life along the way.”
The #CanDoAnything campaign showcases people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing at work, giving them an opportunity to share what they do at their jobs and explain how communication access works for them. This campaign shows what our community can do, which is anything!
