Pupil Personnel Services
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York Central's Pupil Support Staff is dedicated to helping young people make the most of their educational opportunities at school. They are a group of specially trained and certified professionals, including a Director of Pupil Personnel Services, two speech therapists, a school psychologist, a school social worker, and related service providers for ESL, OT, and PT.
The district provides special education programs for students with identified needs. The district's Committee on Special Education works closely with parents and staff to help determine placement in appropriate programs. Whenever possible, students are mainstreamed into grade level programs with support from a team of professionals, including the school psychologist, counselor, nurse, and special education teachers. An Individualized Education Plan for each student is developed and a continuum of services is provided. Students who require specialized services are referred to schools where such services are available.
Annual CSE File Review Notice / Confidentiality Notice:
If you are a parent of a student with an active CSE file, this is notice of an annual reminder that you are entitled to review your child’s CSE folder. Please call the PPS office (243-1730 ext. 2211) to schedule an appointment if you would like to review your child’s CSE records.
Pupil Personnel Services Department Staff:
Ameigh Coates: ajcoates@yorkcsd.org Personnel Services Director
Samantha Wolcik: sawolcik@yorkcsd.org Guidance/PPS Secretary
School Social Worker and Psychologist:
Sheri Nevinger: snevinger@yorkcsd.org K-12 Social Worker
Erica Miller: emiller@yorkcsd.org K-12 School Psychologist
Programs and Services
In accordance with Section 200.6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, the district provides a continuum of services which allows placement of preschool and school-age students in the least restrictive environment consistent with their needs and which provides for placement of students on the basis of similarity of individual needs.
Consultant Teacher Service
Consultant teacher services will be for the purpose of providing direct and/or indirect services to students with disabilities in the student’s regular education classes and/or to such student's regular education teachers. Such services shall be recommended by the Committee on Special Education to meet the specific needs of such students and shall be included in the student's individualized educational program (IEP). Consultant teacher services shall be provided in accordance with the following provision:
- Each student with a disability requiring consultant teacher services shall receive direct and/or indirect services consistent with the student's IEP for a minimum of two hours each week.
- The total number of student with disabilities assigned to a case manager shall not exceed 20
Related Services
Related services means developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a student with a disability and includes speech and language pathology, audiology, interpreting services, psychological services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, medical services as defined by regulations, parent counseling and training, school health services, school social work, assistive technology services, other appropriate developmental or corrective support services, appropriate access to recreation and other appropriate support services.
- The frequency, duration, and location of each service shall be in the IEP, based on the individual student’s need for the service.
- When the related service is provided to a number of students at the same time, the number of student in the groups shall not exceed five.
- A student with a disability may be provided with more than one such service in accordance with the need of the student
- Related services may be provided in conjunction with the general education program or with other special education programs and services.
Resource Room
The resource room program is for the purpose of supplementing the general or special classroom instruction of students with disabilities who are in need of such supplemental programs. Resource room services shall be provided in accordance with the following provisions.
- The instructional group in each resource room period does not exceed five students. Each resource room period is instructed by a certified special education or literacy teacher.
- Students shall spend a minimum of 3 hours per week and not more than 50 percent of the day in the resource room program.
- The composition of instructional groups shall be based on similarity of the individual needs of the students according to academic levels and learning characteristics, levels of social development, levels of physical developments and the management needs of the students in the classroom.
Integrated Co-Teaching
The Integrated Co-Taught program provides specially designed instruction and academic instruction to a group of students with disabilities and non-disabled students. This option is optional for districts to implement and is not required.
- The maximum number of students with disabilities receiving integrated co-taught service in a class shall not exceed 12 students.
- Each class shall minimally include a special education teacher and a general education teacher
- Additional personnel including supplementary school personnel assigned to such classes by the district may not serve as the special education teacher.
Special Class
A special class is defined as a class consisting of students with the same disabilities or with differing disabilities who have been grouped together because of similar individual needs for the purpose of being provided a special education program. The chronological age range of students who are less than 16 years of age will not exceed 36 months. A student with a disability shall be placed in a special class to the extent indicated in his/her IEP.
Out-of-District Placement
Students with disabilities whose needs are too intensive to be addressed appropriately in an in-district special education program may be placed in an out of district placement designed to meet their needs.
Home and Hospital Instruction
Students with disabilities who are recommended for home and/or hospital instruction by the CSE shall receive instruction as follows:
- Instruction for elementary school students will be provided a minimum of 5 hours per week;
- Secondary school students will receive a minimum of 10 hours of instruction per week, preferably 2 hours daily.
- Students who are awaiting placement may be assigned, on an interim basis and with their parent’s consent, to alternate-site instruction. This instruction is identical to home teaching except that the actual instruction takes place outside the home.
Declassification Support Services
Students exiting special education may be considered for declassification services. Declassification support services are defined in the Part 100 Regulations. Testing accommodations may be continued as recommended by the CSE. If a student has been receiving special education services but the Committee on Special Education determines that the student no longer requires such services, the recommendation shall:
- identify the declassification support services,
- indicate the frequency and duration of such services, not to be continued for more than one year.
Role of Special Education Teacher:
- To assist school staff in understanding different learning styles and adapting the general education curriculum as necessary to meet the needs of individual students.
- To strengthen students' organization and study skill application within the general education setting.
- To teach students techniques needed to compensate for areas of weakness.
- To introduce and strengthen student self-advocacy behaviors and independent functioning skills.
- To increase self-awareness and self-acceptance of students with disabilities and general education students through their understanding that all individuals benefit from additional assistance at times.
- To provide remedial instruction in math, reading, writing or other academic need areas specified on the IEP without removing the student from the general education setting.
- To provide testing accommodations as needed.
- To assist parents in understanding their child's learning needs.
