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PUPIL SERVICES60. GUIDANCE All
pupils in the Ridgway Middle/High School will be scheduled for individual or
group conferences at some time during the school year. Seniors will be
individually interviewed to discuss graduation senior project and future
plans. In
addition to the scheduled conferences, pupils should feel free to consult
their counselor at any time concerning individual problems that may arise.
All personal or academic conferences are always held in strict
confidence. In
the Guidance Suite, pupils will find an extensive supply of college catalogs,
nursing school and trade school bulletins and a rather complete file of
occupational information. All
pupils are encouraged to make use of this information.
Students will be informed of upcoming college representative visits and
SAT application deadlines. All
junior students will receive a Life after Graduation packet to help plan their
future. In
addition to discussing individual problems with pupils, counselors assist the
pupils with course selection based on their interests, abilities, and future
vocational plans. It is important
for you to realize that the guidance staff is a service for you to use. Your
guidance counselor is trained to help you cope with any academic, social, or
emotional concerns you may encounter throughout the entire school year. Students are also evaluated through an extensive testing program provided through the guidance area. The PSSA Writing Assessments are administered in Grades 8 and 11. The 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th graders are given the PSSA Reading and Math Assessments. 11th graders are offered the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT or College Board)…12th graders also take the SAT’s. Psychological Testing services are also provided. A
student will be permitted to drop a subject only under the following
conditions: -
Students in grades 9-12. -
Must make academic sense. -
Permission granted by the Guidance Department. -
Pupils must submit a letter from their parents. -
Recommendation of a teacher. -
A class may be dropped or added up to the first progress report date
without penalty. This date is on
or about October 5th of each year. WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF EMERGENCY NEEDS, ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO SECURE A PASS
BEFORE REPORTING TO THE GUIDANCE OFFICE DURING CLASS TIME. 61.
SCREENING AND EVALUATION PROCEDURES Health
Examinations
Although the physical and mental health of each child is primarily the responsibility of the home and parents, the school district provides not only state mandated health services but also functions to maintain and improve the health of each student while in school. Each pupil is required to have a comprehensive health examination upon original entry (K or 1) and in grades six and eleven. The Physician General recommends that this exam be done by the student’s family physician to provide continuity of care and would be at the parent’s expense. The parent/guardian is required to provide the results to the school/school nurse. 11th grade students will receive their schedule only if a physical exam is on file. Each pupil is required to have a comprehensive dental examination upon original entry (K or 1) and in grades three and seven. These Physician General recommends that this examination be done by the student’s family dentist to provide continuity of care and would be at the parent’s/guardian’s expense. The parent/guardian is required to provide the results to the school/school nurse. Each student’s Body Mass Index (BMI) will be calculated as part of the mandated Screening Program in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. For
each pupil transferring to the schools of this district, the Superintendent
shall request an adequate health record from the transferring school prior to
enrollment. Beginning with kindergarten vision and hearing screening and
continuing through the twelfth grade, a developmental health history shall be
maintained for each student in the district. The
individual pupil records of health examinations shall be maintained as a
confidential record subject to statute and the policies of this district. A
student who presents a statement signed by his/her parent or guardian that a
medical examination is contrary to his/her religious beliefs shall be examined
only when the Secretary of Health determines that the student presents a
substantial health menace to the health of other persons.
PARENT
AND GUARDIANS ARE URGED TO NOTIFY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE EVENT THAT THEIR
SON/DAUGHTER IS DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION.
THIS INFORMATION IS VITAL AND NEEDS TO BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY IN ORDER
TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENT IS RECEIVEING REASONABLE EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT.
Note
to Parents:
If you believe that your child’s mental health condition is
negatively impacting on his/her academic or behavioral performance within the
school setting, please contact the Office of Student Services at 814/776-4255. Assessments The
Ridgway Area School District has developed the following schedule for
testing/assessing our students’ performance at strategic grade levels at the
MS/HS levels: Grade 6 a.
Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) b. C.I.T.E. Learning Styles Instrument Grade
7 a.
Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) Grade 8 a.
Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) b.
Career Interest Inventory
Computer Program Grade
9 a.
Pennsylvania System
of School Assessment
(PSSA) Grade
9 & 10 a.
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT)
tests are available, but not mandatory Grade
11 a.
Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) b.
Armed Services Vocational
Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) c.
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test (NMSQT), and American College Testing (ACT) tests are
available, but not mandatory Grade
12 a.
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) b.
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), American College Testing (ACT), and
Advanced Placement tests are available, but not mandatory c.
National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOTCI) -
Administered to students who completed approved vocational programs. Students
with disabilities will participate in statewide and district-wide assessments
in one of the three ways as determined by the IEP team: -
without accommodations -
with accommodations* -
alternate assessment** *accommodations
provided must be allowable by the test given and be used by the students as
part of his/her educational routine. **To
participate in the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment, students must
meet specific criteria established by Department of Education’s Bureau
of Special Education. The
Board shall also grant parents whatever legal rights they have to excuse their
child from formal district and statewide assessment tests upon receipt, by the
school district, of written request from the parents.
The results of assessments shall be made available to the professional
staff so that they may better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their
particular students. Additional
educational/psychological testing is available through the school psychologist
with parental permission.
The assessments to be given are determined by a team of individuals
familiar with the student.
This team shall make reasonable efforts to include the student’s
parents. Additional
Assessments For
students eligible for special education services under Chapter 14 or for
students thought to eligible, the district may provide the following
assessments for transition planning purposes at the particular grade level
listed or as needed. 1.
Grade 6 a.
C. I. T. E. Learning
Styles Inventory 2.
Grade 7 a.
The Quick Screen
Student Worksheet 3.
Grade 8 a.
Student Transition Survey b.
Guidance Input Form c.
Teacher Questionnaire d.
Parent Questionnaire 4.
Grade
9 a.
Future Planning Inventory b.
Talent Assessment Program (TAP) c.
System of Assessment & Group Evaluation (SAGE) d.
Parent Questionnaire 5.
Grade 10 a.
Transition Planning Inventory (TPI) – Student, Parent, and Teacher
Questionnaires b.
Talent Assessment Program (TAP) c.
System of Assessment & Group Evaluation (SAGE) d.
The Quick Screen Student Worksheet 6.
Grade 11 a.
Student Self-Assessment b.
Guidance Input Form c.
Teacher Questionnaire d.
Talent Assessment Program (TAP) e.
System of Assessment & Group Evaluation (SAGE) f.
Psycho-educational Assessment (intellectual assessment, academic
assessment, visual-motor screening) g.
Parent Questionnaire 7.
Grade 12 a.
Final Transition Review Meeting b.
Psycho-educational Assessment (intellectual assessment, academic
assessment, visual-motor screening) Additional
remedial testing is available through the Title 1 Reading Specialist and/or
child study team at the middle school level on a need or referral basis with
parental permission.
Other
screening measures such as curriculum-based assessment can be conducted by
teachers and/or other support staff as needed or upon request.
These assessments do not require parental permission. School – Aged Screening Procedures In
compliance with state and federal law, Notice is hereby given by the Ridgway
Area School District that it conducts ongoing identification activities as
part of its school program for the purpose of identifying students who may be
in need of special education and related services (eligible students).
The School District, prior to any referral of a student for evaluation,
utilizes one or more of the following methods to identify possible exceptional
school age persons. 1.
Annual survey of exceptional children ages 3 to 21. 2.
Participation in the intermediate unit child find system or hotline
service. 3.
Analysis of school district achievement test results 4.
Parent or guardian initiated referral. 5.
Referrals to and from other public and private agencies.
This includes referrals from the warden of the Elk County Prison. 6.
School district staff referral. Screening
methods may vary based upon need, and do not require parental approval.
Parental involvement is encouraged. If
your child is identified by the district as possibly in need of a formal
evaluation, parents will be notified of applicable procedures.
The procedures used by the district will be in compliance with state
and federal law. If
a parent believes that their school-age child may be in need of special
education services and related programs, screening and evaluation processes
designed to assess the needs of the child and his/her eligibility are
available at no cost to the parent, upon written request. At
the Middle School level, with the exception of referrals for giftedness, the
referral process begins with the Child Study Team.
The Child Study Team initiates a screening and data collection process.
A parent or staff member may initiate this process by submitting a
written request to the Middle School Guidance Counselor or building principal.
Screening information is used by the Child Study Team, which welcomes
parental involvement, to generate a plan to meet the child’s specific needs
or to document the need for further evaluation. At
the High School level, referrals are usually processed through the R. E. A. C.
H. (Ridgway Educators Assisting Children’s Health) program.
A parent or staff member may initiate this process by completing a
referral form or contacting the high school guidance counselor, school nurse,
or principal. Screening
information will be used by the R. E. A. C. H. team to generate a plan to meet
the student’s specific needs or to refer the student for further evaluation.
The
district provides for the development and continual analysis of student
portfolios. Such
portfolios may include: written work by students; other demonstrations or
performances by students related to specific student performance standards;
examinations developed by teachers to assess specific student performance
standards; diagnostic assessments; other measures, as appropriate, which may
include standardized tests.
Portfolios are available to parents at conferences or by appointment. At
any grade level, referrals for gifted screening can be made directly to the
School Psychologist.
Screenings are conducted to determine if additional assessments are
needed. Pennsylvania
State Regulations (Chapter 16) define mental giftedness as “outstanding
intellectual and creative ability the development of which requires specially
designed programs or support services, or both, not ordinarily provided in the
regular education program.”
The term mentally gifted includes a person who has an IQ of 130 or
higher and other factors (above grade level achievement, high rates of
acquisition and retention, higher level thinking skills, high level of
accomplishment, performance, or expertise in one or more academic areas,
documented evidence that intervening factors are masking gifted ability.)
If a parent or teacher suspects that a student may demonstrate gifted
characteristics, a referral for a gifted screening can be made.
With parent permission, the School Psychologist will administer a brief
measure of intellectual functioning.
If a student earns a composite score of 125 or higher, a referral for a
formal Gifted Multidisciplinary Evaluation (GMDE) will be made.
PLEASE
NOTE: Screening activities do not
serve as a bar to the right of a parent to request a formal evaluation, at any
time, including prior to or during the conduct of screening activities. 62. STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAM (R.E.A.C.H.) This group of specially trained staff stands ready to help those with special problems dealing with alcohol, drug, or mental health concerns. Students wishing to discuss a problem in a confidential setting should contact one of the following team members: HIGH SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Back to Top63.
STUDENT STUDY TEAM
The
Ridgway Area High School has developed a student study process to meet the
requirements of the “Pre-referral Screening Process” as mandated by 22 PA
Code Chapter 14. The Student
Study Team (SST) will be responsible for initiating, implementing, and
monitoring the student study process.
Student Study
Team (SST) Goals
The goals of
the Ridgway Area High School’s SST as prescribed in Chapter 14 Regulations
include the following:
v
Through
the initial pre-referral screening process, the SST will identify students in
grades 9-12 who demonstrate academic, behavioral/disciplinary, and/or
social/emotional difficulties that are having an adverse impact on one or more
areas of major life functioning, including, but not limited to academic,
behavioral, social, and/or physical. The
pre-referral screening will be conducted prior to referring the student for
additional evaluation. v
The
SST will support teachers and school staff who educate students in grades 9-12
that have been referred to the team as a result of academic,
behavioral/disciplinary, and/or social/emotional difficulties in order to
assist those students with accessing the general education curriculum and with
making reasonable progress with the general education curriculum.
v
The
SST and appropriate school staff will conduct hearing and vision screenings to
identify students with hearing and vision difficulties in order to provide
them with assistance or to recommend further evaluation.
(Public School Code, 1949, Section 1402) v
The
SST will identify students who may need further evaluation and make that
recommendation to the Office of Special Education. The
Ridgway Area High School also expects to achieve the following educational
outcomes as a result of implementing the Student Study Team (SST) at the high
school level. v
Increased
opportunities for students to interact positively across areas of the
educational environment v
Decrease
academic failures per content area v
Increased
student success as it relates to academic and behavioral interactions across
all areas of the educational environment v
Improve
student attendance as indicated by a decrease in student absenteeism,
truancies, and tardiness v
Effectively
include student who demonstrate at-risk behaviors and those at risk of
academic failure in the regular instructional environment v Decrease the frequency and occurrences of discipline referrals and general disruptive behaviors, that are the result of students who experiencing academic frustration due to a mismatch between curricular expectations and the student’s needs 64.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
SERVICES
Psychological
services includes obtaining, integrating, and interpreting information about
child behavior and conditions relating to learning, planning and managing a
program of psychological services, including psychological counseling for
children and/or children and their parents; and assisting in developing
positive behavioral intervention strategies.
Psychological
counseling is a continuum of services or interventions that will address an
individual student’s needs when behavior interferes with his/her learning or
the learning of others. Such
behaviors include internalizing behaviors such as withdrawal, depression, and
suicidal threat, as well as externalizing behaviors such as verbal or physical
aggression, and oppositional defiant tendencies.
A continuum is in place to address the needs of all students and shall
include but not be limited to: School-wide
behavior support is
designed to serve all students and parents involving school wide prevention,
early intervention, and intensive services for students with significant
emotional and /or behavioral needs. A
comprehensive array of supports is available from minimal interventions to
highly intensive supports. Classroom
behavior management
involves the establishment of a set of rules, rewards, and consequences within
a classroom. These procedures can
be implemented daily by a teacher, personal care assistant, or educational
assistant, usually under the guidance of a behavior specialist, consultant, or
individual trained in classroom behavior management strategies. Individual
behavior support plan includes
a variety of techniques to develop and maintain skills that will enhance an
individual student’s opportunity for learning and self-fulfillment.
Interventions used shall be the least intrusive necessary.
The plan will be implemented on a daily basis by all personnel involved
with the student. School
consultation of
a clinical provider with regular and special education teachers, school
administrators, other school personnel and parents regarding the behavioral
management of youth within the school setting.
This is delivered as requested by or agreed upon by the school
district. Group
psychological counseling services
include regularly scheduled face-to-face interventions with small groups of
youth and/or youth and their parents designed to improve functioning that
allows the youth to reasonably benefit from his/her educational program.
These services can be provided by outside agencies or qualified school
personnel. Individual
psychological counseling
services include regularly scheduled face-to-face interventions with youth
and/or youth and their parents designed to improve cognitive and behavioral
functioning that allows the youth to reasonably benefit from his/her
educational program. This
counseling may be provided by personnel from an outside agency, a certified
guidance counselor, or the school psychologist. For
more information about the psychological services of the RASD, please contact
Mrs. Christine Kuhar, School Psychologist, at 814/776-4255. School
psychologists receive special training in child development, learning
processes, emotional and behavioral adjustment, and psychological and
instructional testing. The
district’s School Psychologist can provide a variety of services to
students, parents, teachers, and administrators. These services include psycho-educational testing to determine a
student’s academic strengths and needs, identification of students who might
be in need of special education services, assistance in the development of
appropriate educational plans designed to meet students’ needs, individual
or group counseling based on academic, social or emotional concerns, and
consultation with parents and teachers about students’ learning and
adjustment. The School
Psychologist works cooperatively with students, parents, community members,
and school staff to assist with providing all students with a free and
appropriate education. School-based
psychological services are provided free of charge through the Ridgway Area
School District. For more information about your district’s psychological services, please contact Mrs. Christine Kuhar, School Psychologist, at (814) 776-4258. 65. EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES If
a child is identified by the District as possibly in need of special education
and related services, the parent will be notified of applicable procedures.
Individualized services and programs are available for children who are
determined to need specially designed instruction due to the following
conditions:
The
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) intends to provide
greater access of children with disabilities to the general curriculum.
It is the belief of the district that the majority of children
identified as eligible for special education and related services are capable
of participating in the general curriculum to varying degrees with some
adaptations and modifications.
All special education programs and services offered by the district
reference the general curriculum and are also available at the Elk County
Prison. Autistic
Support – This
program serves students having a developmental disability, which significantly
affects verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction.
These characteristics are generally evident before age 3.
They also adversely affect a child’s educational performance.
Other characteristics often associated with autism are: engagement in
repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistant to environmental
change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory
experiences. The
term does not apply if a child’s educational performance is adversely
affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance. Blind
and Visually Impaired Support – Vision
support services are provided to students whose visual impairment, including
blindness, adversely affects their educational performance.
Determination of a visual impairment shall include a full assessment
and comprehensive report by an eye specialist specifying the nature and degree
of the impairment. Deaf
and Hard of Hearing Impaired Support
– Hearing support services are
provided to students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Students serviced would have a hearing loss, which interferes with the
development of the communication process and results in failure to achieve
educational potential.
Determination of the hearing impairment shall include a report by an
audiologist or otologist, or both, specifying the nature and degree of the
impairment. Emotional
Support – The
Emotional Support Program serves identified students whose emotional needs or
mental illnesses interfere with their academic progress in the regular
education environment.
Instruction is provided based upon the student’s individualized
educational plan.
Students are included in regular education whenever possible based upon
each student’s unique needs.
Behavior support components are designed and exercised in all
educational settings when needed Gifted
Support – The
Gifted Support Program is designed to provide challenge for and meet the needs
of mentally gifted students.
Activities and units of study are presented in various subject areas.
Overall goals include enhancing student self-esteem, building
leadership, communication and interpersonal skills, and applying higher-level
thinking skills. Learning
Support – The
Learning Support Program provides identified students with a program of
individualized learning and continuous academic support.
Reading, Language, Spelling, Math, Social Studies, Science, and
Handwriting are the main areas in which educational goals are developed.
The program is designed to help students who require special services,
develop their knowledge and skills.
Students in need of learning support services are included in regular
education whenever possible and, when deemed appropriate by the IEP team,
these services may be provided in the regular instructional environment. Life
Skills Support – The
Life Skills Support class serves students with overall delays who require
multiple hands-on experiences for mastery to occur.
Instruction is given individually and in small groups with aide
assistance. Students
are included in homeroom and special subject areas with their peers, whenever
possible, as determined by the IEP team.
Students are taught life-important skills in a functional setting. Multiple
Disabilities Support – This
program addresses the multiple needs of students with concomitant impairments
(such as mental retardation-blindness, mental retardation-orthopedic
impairment, etc.), when the combination of which causes such severe education
problems that the problems cannot be accommodated in special education
programs solely for one of the impairments.
The term “multiple disabilities” does not include deaf-blindness. Physical
Support – This
program addresses the needs of a student with the disabilities of orthopedic
or other health impairment that adversely affects one or more of the
following: physical mobility, speech or other forms of nonvocal communication,
writing, arm and hand movement, eye and head movement or one or more of the
precursor developmental steps, which lead up to full attainment of these
skills necessary for success in education. Speech
and Language Support –
The Speech
and Language Support Program provides specially designed instruction for
students who have difficulties in communication skills.
Areas of difficulty, which can be addressed include: articulation
(specific speed-sound production), language skill development (form, content
and use), voice quality, and fluency (stuttering).
One-on-one or small group instruction is provided in the speech therapy
room setting or within the child’s classroom depending upon which
arrangement best meets the child’s individual communication needs as
determined by the student’s IEP team. Related
Services - The
IEP team determines the need for all related services.
They are transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other
supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to
benefit from special education. Psychological
Services – School
psychologists receive special training in child development, learning
processes, emotional and behavioral adjustment, and psychological and
instructional testing.
The district’s school psychologist can provide a variety of services
to students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
These services include psycho-educational testing to determine a
student’s academic strengths and needs, identification of students who might
be in need of special education services, assistance in the development of
appropriate educational plans designed to meet students’ needs, individual
or group counseling based on academic, social or emotional concerns, and
consultation with parents and teachers about students’ learning and
adjustment. The
school psychologist works cooperatively with students, parents, community
members and school staff to assist with providing all students with a free and
appropriate education.
School-based psychological services are provided free of charge through
the Ridgway Area School District.
For
more information about your district’s psychological services, please
contact the Office of Student Services, at 814/776-4255. Behavioral
Support Services – Behavioral
Support Services are a component of Psychological Services and can be provided
to students receiving their education in the general education population
and/or students receiving special education services.
Students’ whose behavior is adversely impacting their academic
performance within the curriculum or students’ whose behavior is adversely
impacting one or more areas of life functioning (peer relationships, etc.) may
be candidates for Behavioral Support Services.
Behavioral Support Services include, but are not limited to, the
evaluation of a student’s behavior within the education setting, analysis of
data collected from the evaluation, the development of behavioral
interventions, the implementation of behavioral interventions, and the
monitoring of those interventions as they relate to the student’s behavioral
goals and/or objectives identified via the behavioral evaluation.
Students may be referred for behavioral support services by parents or
guardians, administrators, guidance counselors, and/or teachers.
Behavioral support service referrals and/or inquiries about behavioral
support services may be made by contacting the Office of Student Services
(814/776-4255). Extended School Year - The determination of whether or not a child with a disability needs an extended school year must be made annually on an individual basis by the child’s IEP team. An eligible child is entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in excess of 180 days per year if regression caused by interruption in educational programming and limited recoupment capacity, or other factors, makes it unlikely that the student will attain or maintain skills and behavior relevant to established IEP goals and objectives. Occupational
Therapy – This
service addresses fine motor concerns that interfere with an identified
student’s ability to benefit from or gain access to his/her educational
program. A
doctor’s order is necessary for evaluation and treatment.
This order must be renewed annually. Physical
Therapy –
Identified students who have gross motor concerns that hinder their ability to
benefit from or gain access to his/her educational program may be eligible for
physical therapy services.
A doctor’s order is necessary for evaluation and treatment.
This order must be renewed annually. Early
Intervention – If
you believe that your infant, toddler, and/or young child (age 3 to
school-age) is experiencing delays in his/her development, Early Intervention
can help. Developmental
delays can occur in one or more of the following areas: social and emotional
development, physical development, communication (language and speech)
development, cognitive development, or adaptive development (self-help
skills). For
more information about birth to age 3 services, contact Cameron-Elk-McKean
County (CEM) Early Intervention services @ 814/362-7216.
The Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit Nine’s Early Intervention
Office (814/887-9287) is able to provide more information about services for
eligible young children (age 3 to school-aged). Title
1 Program – The
Title 1 Program in the Ridgway Area Elementary and Middle Schools offers
remedial reading services to students in grades 1-8.
This support includes small group instruction and consultation services
to the classroom teachers. Chapter
15 –
In compliance with state and federal law, the Ridgway 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, which substantially
limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school
program. These services and
protections for “protected handicapped students” are distinct from those
applicable to all eligible or exceptional students enrolled (or seeking
enrollment) in special education programs.
Individuals in need of
further information about child find, screening and evaluation procedures,
(including purpose, time, and location), provisions of special education
programs and services, and/or on the rights of parents and children, including
the right to due process procedures, should contact any school administrator
or guidance counselor at the following telephone numbers:
Or visit the district’s website at www.ridgwayareaschooldistrict.com The
Ridgway Area School District complies with its obligations under the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
For more information or questions, please contact the district’s
privacy officer at (814) 776-4255. The
District provides homebound instruction for individuals confined to home or
hospital for a physical disability, illness or injury; or when such
confinement is recommended for psychological or psychiatric reasons. Please
be advised of the following conditions: 1. To be considered eligible for homebound instruction, the student’s parent/legal guardian/surrogate must present a medical prescription for that service. The order must state the nature and degree of the illness or disabling condition. It also must list the probable duration of the illness or disabling condition. Applications for homebound instruction and homebound extensions will only be accepted from treating physicians. 2.
A parental
medical release must be signed and returned prior to application approval. 3.
Homebound prescriptions must be renewed every thirty- (30) days and
meet the requirements listed above. It
is the family’s responsibility to renew the order. 4.
There is a strong possibility that a student on homebound instruction
may not earn enough credits to graduate with his/her class because of the
district’s academic standards. 5.
Instruction will take place in a school facility unless prohibited by
medical condition. The District
reserves the right to withhold individual instruction when an instructor’s
presence in the place of a student’s confinement presents a hazard to the
health of the teacher or if a
parent or other adult in authority is not home with the student during the
hours of instruction. 6.
In certain
cases of expulsion or suspensions, a student may be required to pay for
his/her instruction. A fee of
$125.00/week or $500.00 a month is charged. Instruction will be terminated if a month elapses without payment being
received. 67.
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM The
Ridgway Area School District offers an Alternative Education Program to any
student who has withdrawn from his/her regular education program due to
behavioral and/or discipline issues. The
Ridgway Area School District felt that there was a need to offer students an
alternative way to receive their high school diploma.
This program offers students a self-paced alternative computer based
program. The computer based
program called “Plato” consists of tutorial and mastery tests in
mathematics, language arts, social studies, science, life skills, and
workskills/school-to-work. The
Alternative Education Program offers one-on-one instruction by a regular
education teacher. The
program is open to any student between the ages of 15 and 21.
The program runs five days a week, three hours a day from 12:00 to 3:00
at the high school. There are
four grade levels in the program: ninth,
tenth, eleventh, and twelfth. The
curriculum is similar to the curriculum in regular education.
The student is required to follow the same rules and regulations as
regular education students. Each
student is required to complete 100% of their grade before moving on to the
next level. Once a student
completes twelfth grade and his/her senior project, he/she will receive a
Ridgway Area Alternative Education Diploma.
The student is placed in the program at the same level that he or she
completed in regular education. There
is an opportunity for the student to return to regular education.
If the student plans to return to regular education, a meeting will be
held with the principal, guidance counselor and alternative education
coordinator. The grade level
placement in regular education will be determined by a review of the
student’s attendance, discipline and academic progress on the PLATO program
while enrolled in the Alternative Education Program. The
school nurse does not take the place of the family physician. Do not
expect him/her to diagnose or prescribe treatment. If your son/daughter
is ill at home, don’t send him/her to school with instructions to see the
nurse. Make an appointment with his/her family physician. School
health services does not substitute for the timely, professional attention of
a physician. Students
who become ill during the school day should report to the nurse’s office.
Students are not to stop in the nurse’s office in between classes.
They are to report to their next class and get a pass from the teacher.
Only in EXTREME emergencies are students to report to the nurse without
written permission. If
a student is too ill to stay in school the nurse will notify a parent.
Students may not leave school until a parent has been notified and
suitable arrangements have been made. All students must be picked up by a
parent or parent designee. This includes those students who have driven to
school in their own vehicles. Medication
during school hours is discouraged due to the numerous problems it creates.
All medication required by students shall be given by parents whenever
possible. You are encouraged to schedule medication around school hours
by giving a dose right before your child leaves for school and immediately
upon his/her return from school. If
your child needs to take any medications during the school day, the school
nurse is required to have a physician’s order on file each school year.
The medication must be brought in to the school by an adult; no student
is permitted to transport their medication to school.
The medication must be in its original, labeled container. If
your child requires emergency medication such as an asthma inhaler or
Epi-pen and wishes to carry it with him/her, there is a new procedure.
Permission to carry and use emergency medication while at school, while
on district transportation and during school activities will be granted only
when a form is completed and on file with the school nurse.
This form is The Consent for Possession and Use of Emergency
Medication and will need to be completed by the student’s physician,
parent/guardian, and will be signed by the School Principal and school nurse
after the student has met certain criteria for self-administration of
emergency medication. All
students will have their height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and vision
checked each year as required by the state.
Students in grades seven and eleven also have their hearing checked.
Students in grades 6 & 11 are to have mandated physical exams.
Students in grades 7 are to have mandated dental exams.
Private physician and dental forms are sent home for students affected
by this state mandate. Private physician and dental forms should be returned to the
school nurse. A scoliosis
screening is also done in grades six and seven.
The immunization status of each student must meet the current
requirements of the PA Dept. of Health. PARENT AND GUARDIANS ARE URGED TO NOTIFY
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE EVENT THAT THEIR SON/DAUGHTER IS DIAGNOSED WITH A
MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION. THIS
INFORMATION IS VITAL AND NEEDS TO BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY IN ORDER TO ENSURE
THAT THE STUDENT IS RECEIVING REASONABLE EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT.
Note
to Parents:
if you believe that your child’s mental health condition is
negatively impacting on his/her academic or behavioral performance within the
school setting, please contact the Office of Student Services at 814/776-4255. 69. THE JUDGE VERNON “BUDDY” ROOF MEMORIAL LIBRARY The
library is located on the first floor of the Middle/High School Building.
Access:
Students must get permission from Mrs. McDonald after 7:30 AM in the
morning to use the library during the school day.
Teachers must call Mrs. McDonald (4211) before sending students to the
library. Teachers can schedule
classes in the library by scheduling with the librarian, preferably, a week in
advance. Rules: Behave appropriately. Be quiet; sit and do your work. In the library, students may not: use personal stereos, eat or drink, converse from table to table, move chairs from table to table or disturb others in any way. Students in the library are expected to be courteous and quiet at all times. Students will be asked to leave, and privileges revoked, if general principles of good behavior are not obeyed, or in case of any to damage to library materials or furnishings. Collection:
18,559 volumes Borrowing: Library materials are signed out via computer. All materials must be checked out at the circulation desk. Give your name and the materials to the person at the desk. Circulation:
Books circulate 10 school days and may be renewed for 10 more days.
Pamphlets and back issues of magazines circulate for ten school
days and cannot be renewed.
Current issues
of magazines may be signed out overnight only after school. Overnight
magazines are due before homeroom the following day. If the magazine is lost,
the student will be fined the cost of the magazine. 70. JOB SHADOWING, SCHOOL TO WORK, AND WORK RELEASE PROGRAMS Students in the 10th through 12th grades in the Ridgway Area High School will have several opportunities to take part in work-related experiences in the community. Students will learn about careers through career education classes offered in the middle and high schools. The Career Education Instructors, guidance counselors, and the School-to-Work Coordinator, in conjunction with the North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission, the Elk-Camero |