Blacklick Valley School District

Annual Public Notice of Special Education Services and Programs

2021-2022

Notice to Parents

According to state and federal special education regulations, Annual Public Notice to parents of children who reside within a school district is required regarding Child Find responsibilities. School Districts, Intermediate Units, and Charter Schools are required to conduct Child Find activities for children who may be eligible for services via Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For additional information related to Section 504/Chapter 15 Services, the parent may refer to Section 504, Chapter 15, and the Basic Education Circular entitled “Implementation of Chapter 15.” Also, school districts are required to conduct Child Find activities for children who may be eligible for Gifted Services via 22 PA Code Chapter 16. For additional information regarding Gifted Services, the parent may refer to 22 PA Code Chapter 16. If a student is both gifted and eligible for Special Education, the procedures in IDEA and Chapter 14 shall take precedence.

This Notice shall inform parents throughout the School District, Intermediate Unit, and Charter School of the child identification activities and of the procedures followed to ensure confidentiality of information pertaining to students with disabilities or eligible young children. In addition to this Public Notice, each School District, Intermediate Unit, and Charter School shall publish written information in the handbook and on the website. Children of ages three through twenty-one can be eligible for special education programs and services. If parents believe that the child may be eligible for special education, the parent should contact the appropriate staff members identified at the end of this public notice.

Children age three through the age of admission to first grade are also eligible if they have developmental delays and, as a result, need special education and related services. Developmental delay is defined as a child who is less than the age of beginners and at least three years of age and is considered to have a developmental delay when one of the following exists: (i) The child’s score, on a developmental assessment device, on an assessment instrument which yields a score in months, indicates that the child is delayed by 25% of the child’s chronological age in one or more developmental areas; (ii) The child is delayed in one or more of the developmental areas, as documented by test performance of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean on standardized tests. Developmental areas include cognitive, communicative, physical, social/emotional, and self-help. For additional information, parents may contact Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8.

Evaluation Process

Each School District, Intermediate Unit, and Charter School has a procedure in place by which parents can request an evaluation. For information about procedures applicable to your child, contact the school which your child attends. Telephone numbers and addresses can be found at the end of this Notice. Parents of preschool-age children, age three through five, and who do not reside in Altoona School District or Tyrone Area School District may request an evaluation in writing by addressing a letter to the Appalachia Intermediate Unit staff. Residents of Altoona School District should address their requests directly to Altoona School District. Likewise, residents of Tyrone Area School District should address their requests directly to Tyrone Area School District.

Consent

School entities cannot proceed with an evaluation or with the initial provision of special education and related services without the written consent of the parents. For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice which can be found at the PaTTAN website, at www.Pattan.net . After written parental consent is obtained, the district will proceed with the
evaluation process. If the parent disagrees with the evaluation, the parent can then request an independent education evaluation at public expense.

Program Development

Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified professionals and parents determine whether the child is eligible. If the child is eligible, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meets, develops the program, and determines the educational placement. School district staff, intermediate unit staff, or charter school staff will issue a Notice of Recommended Education Placement (NOREP)/prior written notice. Parental written consent is required before initial services can be provided. Parents have the right to revoke consent after initial placement.

Confidentiality of Information

The School Districts, Intermediate Units, and Charter Schools maintain records concerning all children enrolled in the school, including students with disabilities. All records are maintained in the strictest confidentiality. Parental consent, or consent of an eligible child who has reached the age of majority under State law, must be obtained before personally identifiable information is released, except as permitted under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The age of majority in Pennsylvania is 21. Each participating agency must protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information at collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction stages. One official at each participating agency must assume responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information. Each participating agency must maintain, for public inspection, a current listing of the names and positions of those employees within the agency who have access to personally identifiable information.

For additional information related to student records, parents may refer to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/node/548/

Retention/Destruction of Student Records- Special Education

In accordance with state and federal regulations implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this notice is hereby given that in accordance with 24CFR 300.573, the School Districts, Intermediate Unit and Charter Schools listed below may destroy the special education records of students who exited from any special education program.

Special education records, which have been collected by the School Districts, Intermediate Unit and Charter Schools listed below related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of the Special Education in the district, IU or charter school must be maintained under state and federal law for a period of seven (7) years after Special Education services have ended for the student. Special education services end when the student no longer is eligible for services, graduates, completes his or her educational program at age 21, or moves from the School District, Intermediate Unit, or Charter School.

After seven (7) years, the records are no longer useful to the School District, Intermediate Unit or Charter School and will be destroyed in accordance with state and federal law unless the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student contacts the responsible district that the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student wishes to maintain the information as a personal record. These records may be useful to the parent/guardian or former student when applying for post-secondary education/training, benefits or social services.

Records including student’s name, address, grades, attendance, dates attended, grade level completed and year completed may be destroyed after seven (7) years have passed from the student’s 21st birthday.
If you wish to request records or need additional information you may contact the responsible school entity.
Destruction will proceed where parents/guardians or eligible (adult) students have not requested records in accordance with the responsible school district’s, Intermediate Unit’s or Charter School’s Notice of Destruction of Special Education Records.

Admendent to the Annual Notice:

Retention/Destruction of Student Records- PA State Assessments

In accordance with 34 CFR § 300.624, please be advised of the following retention/destruction schedule for the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA), Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), and Keystone Exam related materials:

- PSSA, Keystone Exam, and PASA test booklets will be destroyed one year after student reports are delivered for the administration associated with the test booklets.

- PSSA and Keystone Exam answer booklets and PASA media recordings will be destroyed three years after completion of the assessment.

This Amendment to the Annual Notice will be in effect at the start of the 2018-2019 school year. 

If you have any questions concerning this admendment, please contact John Gombocz at 717.772.3745 or jombocz@pa.gov. 

This notice is only a summary of the Special Education services, evaluation and screening activities, and rights and protections pertaining to children with disabilities, children thought to be disabled, and their parents. For information or to request evaluation or screening of a public or private school child, contact the responsible school entity listed below. For preschool age children information, screenings, and evaluations requested may be obtained by contacting the Intermediate Unit or Altoona School District for residents of Altoona or Tyrone Area School District for residents of Tyrone area. The addresses of these schools are as follows:

SPECIAL EDUCATION CONTACTS

Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8
Dr. Amy Woomer, Contact Person
4500 Sixth Avenue
Altoona, PA 16602
1-800-228-7900

Altoona Area School District
Michele Sanders, Contact Person
1415 Sixth Avenue
Altoona, PA 16602
814-946-8252 Ext 6100

Bedford Area School District
Dr. Paul Ruhlman, Contact Person
330 East John Street
Bedford, PA 15522
814-623-4260, ext. 1510

Bellwood-Antis School District
Carol A. Beard, Contact Person
400 Martin Street
Bellwood, PA 16617
814-742-7605 Ext 5153

Berlin-Brothersvalley School District
Maria Murphy, Contact Person
1025 Main Street
Berlin, PA 15530
814-267-4621

Blacklick Valley School District
Heather Rhine, Contact Person
555 Birch Street
Nanty-Glo, PA 15943
814-749-9211, ext. 223

Cambria Heights School District
Robert Diamond, Contact Person
426 Glendale Lake Road
Patton, PA 16668
814-674-3601 ext. 4007

Central Cambria School District
Melissa Shaffer, Contact Person
208 Schoolhouse Road
Ebensburg, PA 15931
814-472-4492 ext. 288

Chestnut Ridge School District
Dr. Amy D. Miller, Contact Person
3281 Valley Road
Fishertown, PA 15539
814-839-4195, ext. 4441

Claysburg-Kimmel School District
Brian Helsel, Contact Person
531 Bedford Street
Claysburg, PA 16625
814-239-5141 ext. 1318

Conemaugh Township Area School District
Jane Jugan, Contact Person
1516 Tire Hill Road
Johnstown, PA 15905
814-479-4080, ext. 3758

Conemaugh Valley School District
Michael Chappie, Contact Person
1342 William Penn Avenue
Johnstown, PA 15909
814-535-5523

Everett Area School District
James Hollis, Contact Person
427 East South Street
Everett, PA 15537
814-652-9114, ext. 2109

Ferndale Area School District
Jessica Maxwell, Contact Person
100 Dartmouth Avenue
Johnstown, PA 15905
814-539-6168

Forest Hills School District
Erica Lamantia, Contact Person
PO Box 158
Sidman, PA 15955
814-487-7613, ext. 3605

Greater Johnstown School District
Amie Lumadue, Contact Person
1091 Broad Street
Johnstown, PA 15906
814-533-5661

Hollidaysburg Area School District
Laura Koehle, Contact Person
405 Clark Street
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
814-695-5659

Meyersdale Area School District
Angela Boutiller, Contact Person
309 Industrial Park Road
Meyersdale, PA 15552
814-634-5123, ext. 304

North Star School District
Suzie St. Clair, Contact Person
1200 Morris Avenue
Boswell, PA 15531
814-629-1158

Northern Bedford County School District
Lindsay Cherry, Contact Person
152 NBC Drive
Loysburg, PA 16659
814-766-2221, ext. 4718

Northern Cambria School District
Robert Truscello, Contact Person
601 Joseph Street
Northern Cambria, PA 15714
814-948-5880, ext. 2664

Penn Cambria School District
Carrie Conrad, Contact Person
201 Sixth Street
Cresson, PA 16630
814-886-4785 ext. 1004

Portage Area School District
Pete Noel, Contact Person
Ralph Cecere, Contact Person
84 Mountain Avenue
Portage, PA 15946
814-736-9636, ext. 1605 or 1304

Richland School District
Jennifer Shuman, Contact Person
321 Schoolhouse Road
Johnstown, PA 15904
814-266-6082

Rockwood Area School District
Mary Gosnell, Contact Person
437 Somerset Avenue
Rockwood, PA 15557
814-926-4688 ext. 1116

Salisbury-Elk Lick School District
Kala Loya, Contact Person
PO Box 68
Salisbury, PA 15558
814-662-2733

Shade-Central City School District
Amy Pierce, Contact Person
235 McGregor Avenue
Cairnbrook, PA 15924
814-754-5021

Shanksville-Stonycreek School District
Reno Barkman, Contact Person
PO Box 128
Shanksville, PA 15560
814-267-4649, ext. 252

Somerset Area School District
Erick Fish, Contact Person
645 South Columbia Avenue, Suite 130
Somerset, PA 15501
814-444-3225

Spring Cove School District
Harry Gregg, Contact Person
1100 East Main Street
Roaring Spring, PA 16673
814-224-3006

Turkeyfoot Valley School District
Brandy Griffith, Contact Person
172 Turkeyfoot Road
Confluence, PA 15424
814-395-3621, ext. 408

Tussey Mountain School District
Jerry Shoemake, Contact Person
199 Front Street
Saxton, PA 16678
814-635-3670 ext. 1182

Tyrone Area School District
Kourtney Klock, Contact Person
701 Clay Avenue
Tyrone PA 16686
814-684-4240, ext. 4136

Westmont Hilltop School District
Jennifer Butterworth, Contact Person
222 Fair Oaks Drive
Johnstown, PA 15905
814-255-8748

Williamsburg Community School District
Lisa Murgas, Contact Person
515 West Third Street
Williamsburg, PA 16693
814-832-2125

Windber Area School District
Richard Lucas, Contact Person
2301 Graham Avenue
Windber, PA 15963
814-467-4567 ext. 810

Admiral Peary Area Vocational-Technical School
Angela Hudak, Contact Person
948 Ben Franklin Highway
Ebensburg, PA 15931
814-472-6490, ext. 310

Bedford County Technical Center
Mark Bollman, Contact Person
195 Pennknoll Road
Everett, PA 15537
814-623-2760, ext. 4800

Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center
Mike Selvenis, Contact Person
1500 Fourth Avenue
Altoona, PA 16602
814-946-8457

Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center
Dr. John Augustine, III, Contact Person
445 Schoolhouse Road
Johnstown, PA 15904
814-266-6073, ext. 400

Somerset County Technology Center
Verna Carberry, Contact Person
281 Technology Drive
Somerset, PA 15501
814-443-3651, ext. 6127

Central Pennsylvania Digital Learning Foundation
Dina Morrissey, Contact Person
580 Foot of Ten Road
Duncansville, PA 16635
814-682-5258, ext 105

Hope for Hyndman Charter School
Stephanie Holliday, Contact Person
130 School Drive
Hyndman, PA 15545
814-842-3918, ext. 305

Bedford County Prison
Brad Theys, Contact Person
425 Imlertown Road
Bedford, PA 15522
814-472-7690

Blair County Prison
Brad Theys, Contact Person
419 Market Square Alley
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
814-472-7690

Cambria County Prison
Brad Theys, Contact Person
425 Manor Drive
Ebensburg, PA 15931
814-472-7690

Somerset County Prison
Brad Theys, Contact Person
127 East Fairview Street
Somerset, PA 15501
814-472-7690

The Intermediate Unit, School Entity, or Charter School will not discriminate in employment, educational programs, or activities based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, handicap, creed, marital status, or because a person is a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era. No preschool, elementary, or secondary school pupil enrolled in a School District, Intermediate Unit, or Charter School program shall be denied equal opportunity to participate in age and program appropriate instruction or activities due to race, color, handicap, creed, national origin, marital status, or financial hardship.

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