Meeting the Needs of All Students
Mt. Lebanon School District provides support for students with a broad range of educational needs. The majority of students are educated without any modifications to the regular education program. A small percentage of students may need minor accomodations to enable them to progress in the regular classroom. Other students may need more extensive support offered through a special education program. For additional information, contact the building principal, 412-344-2162, or the Supervisor of Special Education, Connie Lewis, 412-344-2044.
Student Support Services
Instructional Support Team: The Instructional Support Team (IST) is a success-oriented process that identifies students experiencing academic and/or life skills difficulties in the school setting. The team, consisiting of school staff and parent(s), identifies problems, establishes goals, implements intervention strategies, and monitors student performance within the regular education program.
Psych-educational Evaluations: School psychologists conduct psycho-educational evaluations according to state and federal requirements for students to determine need for special education services. Standardized testing, state mandated testing, group achievement and ability testing is also coordinated through school psychologists.
Health Services: The Health Office maintains emergency information for each student. A school nurse or first aide certified adult is available to address student medical needs.
Crisis Intervention: Professional school personnel are trained and available to provide short-term counseling and support to students, parents and school staff in the event of a crisis.
School Counselor: To learn more about Foster's program for school counseling... (click here)
Special Education Services
Special education consists of services and programs designed to meet the educational needs of students who meet state and federal eligibility criteria.The district secures parental permission to conduct a multi-disciplinary evaluation. Parent(s) input is secured and included in the evaluation report. To qualify for special education services, students must demonstrate the presence of a disability and also demonstrate the need for specially designed instruction. Appropriate school staff and parent(s) use the evaluation report to develop a program to address the student's needs. regardless of the student's disability, students are included in general education to the fullest extent appropriate.
Mentally Gifted Program: Foster Elementary School offers mentally gifted students appropriate educational opportunities within the regular education curriculum. A student may qualify for the mentally gifted program based on established group ability and/or achievement test scores. When a student qualifies for gifted programming, school staff and parent(s) develop a program to address the student's needs. The team, assisted by the gifted coordinator, work togehter to develop a Gifted Individualized Education Program (GIEP) plan which outlines specific objectives for acceleration, enrichment, or other types of specially designed instruction which may include special academic events, independent study, and/or advanced topical study.
Learning Support Program: Learning support services are provided to students who demonstrate a disorder in understanding or in using language (spoken or written), reading, writing, and/or mathematics. Accomodations and modifications may be provided in the regular education classroom and/or the student may receive direct instruction and/or academic support within the learning support program.
Autistic Support Program: The autistic support program is designed to address the needs of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and demonstrate the need to develop language and communication skills, appropriate social interactions, as well as appropriate responses to the environment.
Speech and Language Support: Speech and Language Support services are provided to elementary students who have language, articulation, voice or fluency disorders that significantly impact academic achievement. All first graders receive speech/language screening in the spring of each school year. Students are recommended for speech and language support services when the Individualized Education Program team indicates that such a program is appropriate. Eligible students are scheduled for individual and/or small group sessions according to age as well as the type and severity of the disorder.
Speech and Language Support Program: The Speech and Language Support Program is operated by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) and designed for kindergarten and first grade students who meet designated criteria.
Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy focuses on the functional performance of the student in educationally relevant activities, such as self-help, sensory, fine motor and postural skills. Individual and/or small group therapy sessions as well as consultative services are provided according to student need.
Physical Therapy: Physical therapy focuses on the natural opportunities for students to develop motor competence in routine educational activities.
Adapted Physical Education: Adapted physical education is small group instruction designed to meet the special needs of students. The physical education teacher screens all primary children, new enrollees, and former participants early each year in the areas of ball skills (throwing, catching, dribbling), locomotion (skipping, hopping, running), eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, and abdominal, arm, and leg strength. Adaptive physical education is offered in addition to or in place of the regular physical education class.
Protected Handicapped Students
The district provides protected handicapped students an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the school program and extracurricular activities, to the maximum extent appropriate to the students' abilities, by offering the services and accomodations they need. In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student, a child must be of school age and have a physical or mental disability which substantially limits or prohibits his or her participation in or access to a part of the school program. These related aids are provided without discrimination or cost to the students or their families.
Additional Services
English as a Second Language (ESL): Mt. Lebanon's K-12 English as a Second Language Program (ESL) is offered in every building to all identified students via a contracted service with the Intermediate Unit. A goal of the School District is to provide quality educational programs for all students, including appropriate planned instructional programs for identified students whose dominant language is not English. The specific goal of the ESL program is to assess students' needs and, based upon those needs, to provide individualized English language instruction and academic support until students acquire the level of English proficiency necessary to participate fully in grade-level classes. A second goal is to facilitate students' introduction to the American culture and specifically to school life. A third goal is to cultivate appreciation of their cultural background within the local school community.
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