River Valley School for the Deaf

River Valley School for the Deaf is the primary location in the novel. February is the headmistress of the school, and she lives on campus in the New Quarters inside a house located about a mile from the main school buildings. The school is residential, and most students live on campus year-long, though some locals go home for the weekend. The school is labeled a failure from the outside, and the students are considered low-achieving failures who could not make it in "regular" schools. However, the Colson-county school in Ohio served three states and acted as a beacon of hope for the Deaf community. When the district decides to shut it down because of budgetary issues, the students and staff are heartbroken.

Jefferson High

Jefferson High is the school Charlie attends freshman year. It is a traditional school in Colson, Ohio, and Charlie...