Special Education

Nicole L. Dice
Superintendent
Phone: 814.395.3621 Ext. 405
Email: [email protected]

Christopher R. Shilk

Principal
Phone: 814.395.3621 Ext 409
Email:  [email protected]

Bridget Garland
Secretary
Phone: (814)395-3621 Ext. 450
Email: [email protected] 

TBD
School Psychologist 
Phone:  814.395.3621

Cassandra Scott
Special Education Teacher
Phone: (814)395-3621 Ext. 250
Email: 
c[email protected]

Ashleigh Myers
Elementary Special Education Teacher
Phone:  (814)395-3621 Ext. 132
[email protected]

Karen Hoover
Special Education Teacher
Phone: 814.395.3621 Ext. 320
Email: [email protected]

Hannah Short
High School Special Education
814.395.3621 Ext 307
[email protected]

Molly McClure
K-12 Speech Therapist 
Phone: 814.395.3621 Ext. 100
Email: [email protected]

Courtney Mitchell
Occupational Therapist
Phone: (814)395-3621 Ext:136
Email: [email protected]

Kristina Shesko
Physical Therapist
Email: [email protected]

Rachel Romesburg
Social Work Counseling, Intermediate Unit 8
Email: s[email protected]

Child Find and Special Education Evaluation Procedures

As per federal and state law, it is the duty of public schools to provide students with a “Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE);” therefore, the Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District (TVASD) actively strives to identify the learning needs of its students in order to ensure that students are provided with the education and related services with which they are entitled. In addition, undr §300.111 Part B of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Federal Law) and PA Code § 14.121 (State Law), all school districts are required to offer notice of Child Find policies and procedures that are put into place in order to properly identify students with exceptionalities related to physical, social, emotional/behavioral, and/or cognitive factors.

TVASD Child Find procedures begin with coordination within and among Early Intervention programs for children ages birth through three. For children ages three to five, Early Intervention programs and services work in conjunction with local pre-school programs including Head Start and the TVASD Pre-Kindergarten Program to ensure that a child's identified needs continue to be met.

TVASD also coordinates identification measures and support services under 22 PA Code Chapter 14, IDEA, 22 PA Code Chapter 15, and/or §504 of the Rehabilitation Act for students with exceptionalities ages five to twenty-one. TVASD also implements formal and informal comprehensive and ongoing screening procedures for school-aged children to include, but not be limited to: Tests and/or procedures sampling some combination of skills, or gaining information, in some or all of the following areas: intellectual abilities, academic skills, perceptual-motor skills, memory skills, social-emotional skills, self-help/adaptive skills, communication skills, motor and sensory functioning, mental status functioning, interest and aptitude assessments, specialty rating scales, observations, record reviews, parent and teacher interviews, and other information that may be available from other sources including agencies, facilities and other professionals. TVASD utilizes these measures in order to create a meaningful learning experience for all students based on areas of both strength and need.

With the consent of a parent and/or legal guardian, TVASD utilizes the aforementioned formal and informal methods of observation, assessment, and evaluation in order to identify exceptionalities which may include: autism spectrum disorder(s), visual and/or hearing impairment, mental retardation, emotional disability/emotional disturbance, physical disability, learning disability, other health impairment, multiple disabilities and/or gifted/talented.

Special Education Resources...

If you would like more information regarding Early Intervention, Pre-School Supports, or other avenues of Special Education, including the identification process, please utilize the following websites and/or contact Nicole L. Dice , Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District's Superintendent in Charge of Special Education, at 814-395-3621 ext. 405 or Email Mrs. Dice @[email protected],.pa.us

Pennsylvania Department of Education - Early Intervention Information-
http://www.education.pa.gov/Early%20Learning/Early%20Intervention/Pages/default.aspx#tab-1

Bedford/Somerset MH/MR Early Intervention-
https://pa211sw.communityos.org/zf/profile/program/id/449404

Table Land-  Community Action Partnership- Head Start and Early Intervention-
http://www.capfsc.org/Preschool-Services.aspx

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-
http://idea.ed.gov/

Pennsylvania Department of Education- Special Education Department 
http://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Special%20Education/Pages/default.aspx#tab-1


Last Updated 01/15/2020