Special Education
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Special Education

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

 

Under federal and state laws, all students are entitled to a free and appropriate public education designed to meet the student’s unique learning needs.  This includes specially designed instruction and the related services needed to benefit from the school program.  The district provides programs for students with disabilities in 13 different exceptionalities.  For more information on Special Education Services provided by the district, you may contact your School Guidance Counselor, Building Principal, or the Special Education Service office at 814-375-8776.

 

PROTECTED HANDICAPPED STUDENT SERVICES

 

In compliance with state and federal law, the DuBois Area School District will provide to each protected handicapped student without discrimination or cost to the student or family, those related aids, services, or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities.  In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student, the child must be of school age, with a physical or mental disability that substantially limits or prohibits participation in, or access to, any aspect of the school program.

 

These services and protections for “protection handicapped students” are distinct from those applicable to all eligible or exceptional students enrolled (or seeking enrollment) in special education programs.

 

For further information, contact your School Guidance Counselor or the Building Principal.

 

GIFTED EDUCATION

 

As required by Chapter 16 of Pennsylvania Law, Gifted Support Education is available to eligible students K-12.

 

Procedural Safeguards for Gifted Students are extensive.  Through the district’s Child Find System, children who are thought to be gifted and in need of specially designed instruction are then evaluated.  If the student is found eligible, an individual gifted plan is developed and the program is implemented for the individual.

 

For more information on Gifted Education and the provisions of these services, you can contact your Guidance Counselor or the Special Education Services Office at 814-375-8776.

PASA 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold Statement:

Special Education Services Staff

Robert Kriner
Director
P: (814) 375-8776
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Nicole DeArmitt
Supervisor
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 Audrey Null
Supervisor
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Amy Finn
School Psychologist

Robert Scott Grinnen
School Psychologist

 Dr. Laura Kuterbach
School Psychologist
Special and Gifted Education
Student eligibility for special education services is determined through Child Find, a state screening, and evaluation service. A team of educators, parents, and other child advocates assess the current academic performance of a referred child to determine if school-based interventions can effectively help that child succeed. Services may include:
  • Learning support
  • Life skills support
  • Emotional support
  • Physical support
  • Classroom accommodations
  • Related services
    • Speech/Language therapy
    • Occupational therapy
    • Physical therapy
    • Nursing services
    • Audiologist services
    • Counseling
    • Family education
 

Handicapped Student Services
In compliance with state and federal law, the DuBois Area School District provides special services to each protected handicapped student without discrimination or cost to the student’s family. These services may include related aids or accommodations needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in our school programs and extracurricular activities. In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student, a child must be of school age and with a physical or mental disability which substantially limits or prohibits participation in, or access to, an aspect of our school program.

Gifted Education
As required by Chapter 16 of Pennsylvania law, we provide gifted support education to eligible students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Gifted children are those who demonstrate:

  • Academic achievement one or more year(s) above grade level 
  • The ability to acquire/retain new academic content or skills in a gifted fashion
  • Demonstrated achievement, performance, or expertise in one or more academic areas
  • Early use of high-level thinking skills, academic creativity, leadership skills, intense academic interest areas, communications skills, foreign language aptitude, or technology expertise
 

Gifted children who are in need of specially-designed instruction receive either accelerated or enrichment opportunities appropriate to their needs; these opportunities go beyond normal classroom instruction.

English as a Second Language

The DuBois Area School District is committed to helping every student succeed in his or her educational experiences. Our English as a Second Language (ESL) program is individually designed to help students become college and career-ready when their primary home language is not English.

 

We ask each enrolling family to complete a home language survey during the registration process to determine eligibility for ESL services. Students entering our program take an entrance assessment to determine their current level of English proficiency and help us make instruction recommendations. We monitor student progress regularly to assess the program’s effectiveness and the student’s skill mastery.

Bullying Prevention

The Office for Safe Schools, a part of Pennsylvania’s Department of Education, recently released an anonymous, state-wide bullying prevention hotline. This toll-free line allows students experiencing bullying to report and discuss effective strategies to deal with bullies. This supportive resource was developed in collaboration with the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. 

  • Bullying Prevention Hotline: (866) 716-0424

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