AIU Connections - Fall 2023

FALL 2023

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Features Family Centers – A Bridge to the Community n The STEAM Revolution in Special Education n

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F r o m t h e E x e c u t i v e D i r e c to r Dear Friends and Colleagues, Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. During this exciting season when students return to the classroom, I am always reminded of those who taught and mentored me throughout my formative years. Those amazing educators, whether they were teachers, counselors, coaches or principals, had a profound impact on my life, for which I will be forever grateful.

As educators, we have amazing opportunities to influence and lift the trajectory of those with whom we work. We nurture our students’ curiosity and challenge them to learn about the world. We encourage young people to believe in themselves and help prepare them to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. Our profession is unlike any other and we are fortunate to be in a position to help shape the future every day.

Across Pennsylvania, educators are needed more than ever before. We know how difficult it can be to fill certain positions in our schools. One way to rejuvenate interest in the education field is to tell our good stories. We need to show how we support our communities and inspire students of all ages and ability levels. With this edition of the AIU Connections Magazine, we hope to contribute to that effort. In these pages you will find articles about how the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s (AIU) 10 family centers provide valuable resources to parents, and how our Special Education and Pupil Services Division helps students learn the skills to be independent. Our director of safety and security takes center stage in a profile, and we go deep into school district operations with the AIU’s shared services initiative.

As we move forward into the 2023-2024 school year, I encourage you to keep telling your own good stories. Our public schools are wonderful places, and our educators influence children for a lifetime. Thank you for your continued partnership as we support our region and help all learners achieve their full potential. Happy reading!

Sincerely,

AIU Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the AIU’s two-year Education Induction Program is a convenient, high-quality and costeffective solution for acclimating newly hired educators, including: n Level I professional educators n Long-term substitutes n Educational specialists

More than 41 educational entities have entrusted our program to serve their educator induction needs n Public school districts n Charter schools n Private schools

Subject matter experts guide participating educators through a series of asynchronous virtual modules on the critical topics required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Chapter 49 of the PA School Code.

Participants receive grades and feed­ back on their assignments from expert module facilitators.

Additional benefits include n Optional program customization n Special track for school nurses n Meaningful Mentoring™ process n Act 48 reporting for inductees

and mentors

Dr. Robert J. Scherrer Executive Director Allegheny Intermediate Unit

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

P l e a s e co n tac t Program Director Dr. Paul Cindric at paul.cindric@aiu3.net for more information.

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AIU Connections

Table of Contents

F a l l 2023

AIU Connections is published biannually by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Marketing & Strategic Communication Department under the direction of Sarah McCluan.

F e at u r e s

18 Project SEEKS SES: Supporting Mental and Behavioral Health in Schools

The impactful partnership between the Allegheny County Health Department and the AIU addresses pressing mental and behavioral health needs of school-aged children in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Publisher

Dr. Robert J. Scherrer

Editorial Director

20 School Districts Stretch Dollars with AIU Shared Services Designed for school administrators, AIU’s Shared Services offers efficiency, expertise and personalized support that enables educators to focus more on student growth and achievement.

Amanda Ritchie

Creative Director Michael Tarquinio

Copy Editors

22 The STEAM Revolution in Special Education STEAM education at the AIU’s special education schools empowers students with special needs, fostering inclusivity, creativity and real-world impact.

Andrew Chiappazzi Will DeShong

C o n t r i b u to r s

27 The AIU Celebrates Employees Through New Recognition Efforts Explore the AIU’s new initiatives to recognize and appreciate its diverse workforce.

E ditorial Will DeShong Junior Gonzalez Sarah McCluan Dan Rinkus Amanda Ritchie Jeremy Tepper

P hotography Zachary D’Amico Will DeShong Junior Gonzalez Amy Davis McShane Dan Rinkus Michael Tarquinio

28 AIU Family Centers: A Bridge to the Community At the AIU’s Family Centers, innovative education, fatherhood programming, community celebrations, and personalized support come together to create a nurturing environment for families and children of all backgrounds.

32 AIU Academic Competitions Roundup Our annual academic competitions engage students in grades three to 12 in exciting challenges across various subjects, fostering teamwork, problem-solving and creative thinking.

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Advertising Manager

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Amanda Ritchie

Production Assistant Sarah Campbell

16 The Allegheny Intermediate Unit is located at 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120.

Please direct letters to the editor and ­advertising inquiries to Amanda Ritchie at amanda.ritchie@aiu3.net. © 2023 Allegheny Intermediate Unit 2

14 8 Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

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18 22

20 32

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D e pa r t m e n t s 4

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

n Schools Offer a Welcoming Environment Through ‘No Place for Hate’

Campaign n Community Partnerships Help the AIU Support Native American Cultures

n AIU ESL Teacher Writes Amazon No. 1 New Release

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Spark engaging, relevant, and equitable learning in our region

AIU Spotlight on Aaron Skrbin: AIU safety and security director takes a human-centered approach to school safety by emphasizing relationships, culture, and holistic strategies to ensure secure and empowering educational environments.

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Professional Growth

n transformED Teacher Innovation Fellowship: Cultivating New

Approaches to Teaching and Learning n A Haven for Growth: Inside McCall Emerick’s Thriving Ecosystem (page 10)

n Professional Development Offerings (page 12)

Connect with peers, access new resources, develop your practice

14 Special Education Services

Where the Magic Happens: Inside Primary Expressions Discover the transformative power of a speech and language therapy program seamlessly integrated into early education to provide young learners with tools to overcome communication barriers and succeed academically while fostering independence and confidence.

16 Family & Community Engagement n TEAR Team Reduces Impact of Trauma

Join in at remakelearning.org

n Family Center’s Kindergarten Programming Receives “Neighborly” Boost

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Schools Offer a Welcoming Environment through ‘No Place for Hate ’ Campaign

By Will DeShong

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) has teamed up with high schools in the region to help promote the “No Place for Hate” campaign to help make sure all students are learning in a welcoming and i­ nclusive environment.

Created by the Anti-Defamation League, the No Place for Hate campaign aims to combat hate and bias in schools to grow respect and understanding among students. Numerous school ­districts throughout the county ­par­­tici­pate in Courtesy of the Anti-Defamatio n League the initiative, and the AIU is helping facilitate DEI programming that s­ upports it.

“The goal is to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all students, r­ egardless of their background,” said Michael Jones, director of the AIU’s ­Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “Classrooms need to be a welcoming environment that enables students to grow and learn.”

Nosakhere Griffin-El, Ph.D., reads to students during a No Place for Hate event at Bellevue Elementary. He is a founder of the Young Dreamers Book Club that earned him a community advocate of the year award from the Carnegie Library. Photo: Will DeShong

Schools that participate in the campaign are required to complete a series of activities and projects that align with the program’s goals.

The Northgate School District is among the districts in the county actively enrolled in the campaign, hosting No Place for Hate clubs in each of its school buildings, kindergarten through high school.

This past year, students involved in the high school club began working with district administration to help develop new DEI efforts as part of the district’s strategic plan.

‘‘

The goal is to provide a safe and inclusive ­environment for all students, ­regardless of their background.

Classrooms need to be a welcoming environment that enables students to grow and learn.”

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“Our high school students are actively involved in the process,” Jeff Evancho, director of community partnerships at Northgate, said. “These students meet regularly with administration during our social equity committee meetings, and they even began meeting with our younger students to promote the ­campaign and to encourage them to be kind to one another.”

Those student-led DEI meetings were designed to be fun activities for ­elementary-aged students, but also tackled some of the bullying issues ­commonly found in school buildings. Evancho said the hope is that the ­campaign can remain a piece of the district’s wider efforts to develop and promote positive learning environments at a young age and have them ­continue year after year.

Districts can receive help with their diversity and inclusion efforts through the AIU’s DEI office. “By working together, schools can create a culture of ­respect and acceptance that will benefit students now and in the future,” Jones said.

For more information on No Place for Hate, visit: noplaceforhate.org.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

Community Partnerships Help the AIU Support Native American Cultures

By Will DeShong Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio — residents in the greater Pittsburgh region are all familiar with a number of Native American names and words, beginning with the three rivers intersecting at the heart of our city. But the AIU’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is working to make sure its employees and the learners we serve have a deeper understanding of the rich Native American history found in our region.

While it is important to recognize this part of our history throughout the year, ­November offers us all a great opportunity to shine a brighter light on these ­cultures during Native American Heritage Month.

Last year, the AIU started a new event hosting the Council of the Three Rivers American Indian Center at our Central Office in Homestead for a powwow celebration. Representatives from the center joined our employees for an afternoon of song, dance and storytelling, as well as a meaningful discussion on the importance of celebrating their culture and preserving their history.

“You’d be surprised how many schools we go to where people don’t realize ­Indians still exist,” Michael Simms, one of the presenters from the center said during last year’s event.

AIU ESL Teacher Writes Amazon No. 1 New Release B y A m a n d a R i tc h i e

Simms, who descends from the Seminole tribe from Florida, grew up in Pittsburgh and has been leading cultural visits for the center for more than a decade. He said education is a fundamental piece of the powwow sessions.

“We can share our culture with our kids,” he said. “We all have kids who are learning from us, and it’s important for them to know who they are and for their classmates to know who we are.”

The powwow featured multiple perfor­ mers, each showcasing parts of their own ancestry and traditions. AIU employees in attendance were encouraged to join

in during some of the dances, per tradition.

“The primary purpose of the powwow was to bring people together,” Michael Jones, director of the AIU’s Office of DEI, said. “The event serves as a fun way to build a greater awareness of our Native American community.

Jones is also working with the center to connect the group with schools in Allegheny County.

For more information on the Council of the Three Rivers American Indian Center, visit: cotraic.org.

Photo: Will DeShong

Melody Devenney, AIU English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, wrote a children’s book that spent a week as an Amazon No. 1 New Release in the ESL category – “Filled Perfectly and Wrapped in Culture, A Story of Family, Food and Friends.” She has worked with the AIU for five years and currently teaches in the West Jefferson Hills School District with the book’s illustrator, art teacher Alexandra (Aly) Crouse Bowser.

The book is centered around an ESL classroom in which a teacher invites her students of varying international backgrounds to prepare and share food from their respective cultures. Devenney based the teacher character on her mother, who passed away three years ago. Her mother was the daughter of a first-generation Puerto Rican migrant and learned Spanish as her first language.

The book has been purchased by people in at least three other countries and has sold more than 500 copies since its release in early 2022. With Devenney’s portion of the book’s proceeds, she created Devenney’s Cultural Awareness Fund for English Language Learners, a scholarship awarded annually to at least one ESL student.

Like her book’s characters, Devenney’s family celebrates their own rich culture. “My whole family speaks Spanish, eats Puerto Rican food and listens to salsa music,” she said.

“We try to keep that alive.”

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

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AIU Spotlight

A Holistic Approach to

School Security

By Dan Rinkus

The manner in which the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Director of Safety and Security, Aaron Skrbin, approaches his job is not through planning, technology or instruction. It’s much more personal.

“School safety starts with relationships. It starts with human inter­ action,” Skrbin said. “It starts with building a culture where people feel safe, or at least telling someone if they don’t feel safe.”

This humanistic approach to public safety is informed by his experience as an educator and first responder. “I take what goes on in the places that I’m working in personally,” said Skrbin. “It’s important to me.”

While the AIU is not regulatory, Skrbin provides a “road map” for ­districts to follow. Marrying advocacy with action, Skrbin helps school districts across ­Allegheny County plan for emergencies, takes stock of their facilities, and c­ onsults with them on everything from equipment to attitude.

At left, Aaron Skrbin, AIU director of safety and security, discusses safety measures with Michael Hauser, Sto-Rox administrative advisor, and Timothy Liparulo, assistant principal of Sto-Rox Upper Elementary.

Photos: Michael Tarquinio

‘‘ relationships. It starts

School safety starts with with human interaction.

It starts with building a culture where people feel safe, or at least telling someone if they don’t feel safe.”

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“I provide a lot of training in the area of threat assessment teams, develop­ment, and tabletop ­exercises for schools to test emergency ­operation plans. I also serve as a ­liaison ­between all of the schools and the AIU to the County Emergency ­Operations Center and to state level agencies,” he said.

Skrbin also pushes state leaders in Harrisburg to make sure schools are safe, “talking to legislators, talking with schools, first responder agencies, whatever the case may be.”

Skrbin is a native of Wilkins Township, a graduate of Serra Catholic, and a ­volunteer firefighter. It runs in the family; Skrbin’s father was a firefighter, ­serving with Wilkins Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 for 60 years until his passing in 2009.

“I basically grew up in a fire station, and I also had a passion for history and that led me to education,” he explained. “I started my career as a social studies teacher and I became an assistant principal in the Woodland Hills School District.”

Skrbin earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Duquesne University, a master’s degree in public management and education leadership from ­Carnegie Mellon University, and is in the process of earning his doctorate of education from Liberty University. In 2005, he got his official start in school safety as an assistant high school principal at South Fayette Township School District. He was assigned responsibility for school safety during one of his first meetings with district administrators.

Over the next decade, he voluntarily worked with the AIU on school safety ­issues while educating himself through school district training sessions.

The AIU didn’t have anyone specifi­cally doing the work. Instead, it was reliant on a liaison with ­Allegheny County Emergency Services and a Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

c­ ommittee ­featuring Skrbin. “People would call the AIU for all their school safety and they would tell them to call me,” he recalled.

In 2019, the AIU created the job he now calls his own.

It’s a perfect fit for Skrbin, who navigates the demands posed by ­educators, lawmakers and public safety officials.

“I’m basically helping schools get into compliance with state mandates, having an emergency operations plan in place, c­ onducting training,” he explained.

Skrbin advises the AIU’s member school districts on metal­ detectors, security cameras and school r­ esource officers (SROs). It reflects the reality of going to school in ­America right now. “When you talk about school safety, people automatically go right to active shooters,” said Skrbin.

However, he says a school’s “vibe” is just as important as any preventative measures.

“The way your building works tells students how the commu­nity feels as well,” he explained. “If kids walk into a building that’s falling down, how do they feel? People don’t value it, and kids are verbalizing or internalizing that ­sentiment.”

As an example, Skrbin mentioned the Sto-Rox Junior/­Senior High School hallway murals depicting the c­ ommunity ­history and some of the cultures that have inhabited the area around the school in McKees Rocks. He told the school’s leaders, “you’ve got to ­capitalize on that.”

“When I taught social studies at Woodland Hills 25 years ago, the community was and still is reeling from the decline of the steel industry,” he said. “During World War II, that Westinghouse plant employed 100,000 people. And that shut down.”

Skrbin would teach his Woodland Hills classes about the ­former Westinghouse plant in East Pittsburgh, now Keystone Commons, as an example of history sitting right down the street.

“When you think of those things in terms of helping to build pride within kids in their community, it goes a long way to ­developing a culture,” he said.

It’s that sense of community and a holistic approach to school safety and s­ ecurity that defines Skrbin’s approach to the role.

“If you want to know if a school is safe or unsafe, look at how strong the relationships are in the ­building,” he said. “You start there. That’s the thing you work on the most.”

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

Above are a few of the murals that line the first floor hallway at Sto-Rox Junior/Senior High School. Created by students under the direction of art teacher, Daniele Livingston, members of the Mural Club learned the art of mosaic and a bit of local history in the process.

Students took field trips touring the community and listened to speakers to learn about its past. The students then developed their ideas and with assistance from local artist Laura Jean McLaughlin created the artwork.

77

Professional Growth

Cultivating New Approaches

to Teaching and Learning B y A m a n d a R i tc h i e

The AIU launched its second iteration of the transformED Teacher Innovation Fellowship this past spring. The initiative serves as an incubator for new approaches to teaching and ­learning by bringing together teachers with a shared interest in advancing instructional innovation.

“ Special education teachers are rarely the first selected to attend ­innovation-focused ­professional ­development. And yet, special ­education at its core embodies ­ innovation—leveraging cuttingedge technologies and emerging research in the brain sciences. For that reason, ­transformED designs trainings that intentionally highlight the intersection of special education and innovation.”

Fellows are each awarded a $1,500 mini-grant to purchase technology, maker materials and other resources to support innovative teaching ­approaches that they design and pilot within their own classrooms, with funding provided through the support of the Grable and Henry L. Hillman foundations. Collaborating peer-to-peer at in-person sessions, they share progress and talk through challenges throughout the fellowship.

This year’s class of fellows included two cohorts with a total of 36 K-12 teachers from across the region, including a cohort of special education teachers who

were recruited in partnership with the AIU’s Training and Consultation team, which provides p ­ rofessional development for educators who serve students with special needs.

Tyler Samstag, the AIU’s director of ­Instructional Innovation and program ­director for transformED, initiated the formation of that cohort as a proactive measure to increase ­participation among special education teachers.

The fellows assembled at the AIU in May to share how they integrated instructional innovation into their classrooms at the first-ever transformED Teacher Innovation Fellowship Showcase.

Tyler Samstag

Each teacher shared their insights on how they implemented creative, future-ready learning opportunities for their students over the course of the fellowship.

Read on to learn about two projects from the special education cohort.

“It’s not often that special education t­ eachers get the collaboration and support from enrichment facilitators,” said Elizabeth Barnes, standing alongside Hampton High School enrichment facilitator Melissa Survinski, Ph.D., at their transformED Fellowship Showcase table. Barnes, who teaches special education at Hampton High School, teamed up with Dr. Survinski to reimagine the School Jobs class for special education students.

Elizabeth Barnes (second from right), special education teacher at Hampton High School, advocates for enrichment for all students, not just the top performers. Photo: Zachary D’Amico

“We all worked together,” Barnes said. “It’s something that we wanted to do because it’s what we believe about education for kids. I think that’s a really powerful statement about collaboration and partnerships – and enriching all of our ­students – not just the top performers.”

Through the fellowship, they became more future-focused. “We saw the future of

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Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

The Impact of Flexible Seating on Social-Emotional Learning Julie Kerlicker is an elementary special education teacher in the ­ Baldwin-Whitehall School District. Going into the fellowship, she set out to create a flexible physical environment to empower student choice, self-advocacy and collaboration with peers. She wanted her classroom to ­include alternative seating as well as sensory items aimed to benefit ­students with autism.

“Right now, I teach special education and I teach autistic support, learning support and emotional support – just like a blend of everything, Kerlicker said. “They just have so many different needs.”

“In the future, my students will have a choice in their career,” she said.

“They will likely not have to sit still at one desk for the duration of the day.

The ­flexible physical space concept will encourage decision-­making skills, enhance communication skills and encourage emotional regulation, all of which are essential components for future success!”

Kerlicker’s students picked out items on Amazon that they thought would foster their enhanced flexible physical environment. After assembling a slide deck of all of the options, her students “voted” for items by writing their reasoning for selection, including the benefits they believed their chosen item would have for their classroom community.

chair, yoga balls, canopy, and a Nugget Couch, a modular couch with foam pieces that can be arranged into various play structures. As the pieces began to arrive, students helped design the arrangement of their learning space. It wasn’t long before Kerlicker saw a huge decrease in behavioral issues, not to mention significant academic growth.

Their collective selections for their enhanced environment included a beanbag

“If you look at our MAP testing scores, 98 percent of my kids made growth,”

e-commerce and its potential for students with special needs to work as business ­owners,” Barnes said.

At first, they experimented with different items to see what students gravitated towards and found joy in making. They settled on mugs and a line of school spirit apparel.

The class even partnered with the district to make 400 mugs as tokens of appreciation for teachers and staff.

They wanted to provide their students with post-secondary employment skills while ­empowering them to gain valuable skills, run a small business and create personalized products. And thus Hampton Custom ­Creations was born, providing students in the jobs class opportunities to design and create personalized products.

“Traditionally, special education students are more geared toward a more hourly career path in terms of the production side of things,” Barnes said. “But we wanted to inspire them to be the makers, the business owners and the creators of their small ­business.”

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

By focusing on the strengths of each student, “we found a way for every kid r­egardless of their ability to find something about the process that they could do with the skills that they have,” Dr. Survinski said. For example, one particularly meticulous student loves to use the mug press, while another with strong organizational skills became the shop manager, she explained.

“Now they’re seeing every teacher in the building holding a mug that they individually

Kerlicker said. “We just took them in the spring and their scores are just significantly higher. And four out of my eight math students broke out of that red band. That’s awesome!”

“There’s a stigma in special education,” Kerlicker said. “Especially when you get to this age, they don’t want to need extra help. But they love [spending time here] now.”

made, which is really awesome,” Dr. Survinski said. “Making things that people like and enjoy has made kids excited about learning and coming to school and participating,” Barnes said.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

9

A Haven for Growth:

INSIDE

McCall Emerick’s Thriving Ecosystem B y A m a n d a R i tc h i e An array of lush green plants surrounds the perimeter of McCall Emerick’s sixth-grade science classroom in Allegheny Valley School District’s Acmetonia Elementary.

Throughout the room, plants grow under v­ arious conditions. Some crowd the windowsill, receiving natural sunlight, while others are lined up in trays or bunched under plastic domes where they bask in the glow of grow lights. Learning in this environment helps ecological concepts like the plant life cycle take root in her students’ minds.

Emerick (photo: above at left), began her horticultural classroom adventure in the 2020-21 school year when she planted lettuce and cherry tomatoes, purchased through a Farm to Table grant focused on promoting healthy eating habits in schools. This year, as part of the AIU’s ­transformED Teacher Innovation Fellow­ ship, she ­introduced her students to the concept of symbiotic relationships through ­aquaponic farming.

“The tank provides the water for the fish, and the fish provide the nutrients for the plants that grow at the top of the tank.”

“The tank provides the water for the fish, and the fish provide the nutrients for the plants that grow at the top of the tank,” Emerick explained. Students watch the role each element plays in sustaining the other — a living lesson in the interconnectedness of ecosystems.

Starting in April, Emerick’s science classes collectively planted a variety of seeds in different growing environments, including soil, LED greenhouses, seed heating mats, a hydroponic planter and an aquaponic planter. The classroom soon erupted into a vibrant tapestry of plant life, affectionately referred to as the “jungle” by the students themselves.

Her students share responsibilities to care for the plants and fish tank, including pollination with an electric toothbrush. Each task is a chance for collaboration and learning.

“The classroom is almost like a whole ecosystem because everyone has jobs that they do,” said student Natahlia Schreckengost (photo: at left). “We also make sure that the fish are fed and the plants are watered.”

Classmate Adele Walters-Vrabel (photo: page 11 at left) explained the intricacies of their thriving classroom ecosystem. “Right now, we’re growing plants, as you can see.

Plants are producers in the food chain. They get their energy from the sun. These grow lights are the sun in this kind of an ecosystem,” she said. Emerick smiled with a nod and chimed in, “We studied the food chain, so that was a good tie-in.”

The well-being of the students has also found nourishment amidst the lush surroundings. The living ecosystem has created a sense of comfort and serenity that permeates the learning environment. “The fish tank has provided a therapeutic component for students,” Emerick said. “The fish are very good for social-emotional learning…­Students love coming in and seeing the fish. They love coming in and seeing the plants grow.”

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Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

Emerick’s commitment to i­ nnovative instruction created a haven that ­under­scores the concept of a f­ lexible learning environment, where the ­physical space is a conduit for ­l­earning and exploration. She brings the outdoors inside while fostering a culture of ­curiosity and cooperation. Her efforts are appreciated among her students. ”I’m just glad I’m in this class because it’s just a great environment here,” said Maddox Huss (photo: at top left). “You can just look at the plants if you’re ever sad. They’re a comfort to go to. So this class is more special than the other ones.” Another student voice called out, “This is the best school environment you could be in!”

Emerick continues the healthy eating aspect of the project (middle photo at right) and even acquired an air fryer for the classroom through yet another grant. On this day, Bentley Hardaway used store-bought produce to demonstrate how they had recently air-fried green beans grown in their classroom (photo at right).

Thanks to their connection with the plants, previously picky eaters have been more willing to try certain foods for the first time. In fact, Adele tried her first mushroom after growing them as part of the unit on decomposers. Students already took home basil plants and they will take the rest of the plants with them at the end of the school year to keep up the healthy habit.

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

Photos: Michael Tarquinio

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Professional Development

Enrollment is subject to registration deadlines and capacity. Dates are subject to change.

Computer Science Free to AIU member districts

Computer Science Educators’ Forum, 10/9/23 CMU CS Academy Workshop, 11/14/23 Learn more at aiu3.net/transformED.

Math & Science Collaborative Unless otherwise noted, MSC workshops are held in-person at the AIU Central Office.

Mathematics:

Training & Consultation (TaC) Training Unless otherwise noted, all TaC sessions are free, offer Act 48 credits and are held in person at the AIU ­Central Office. Some free training opportunities are only open to educators in AIU member districts.

Asterisk (*) denotes participants must attend all sessions to receive credit.

Strategies for Success: 3-Part Series for Autism & Life Skills Support Educators, starts 9/12/23 Virtual: Monthly PLC for Special Education Teachers Support Students in Specialized ­Classrooms, starts 9/19/23 Hybrid: 2023-2024 Transition Coordinating Council of Allegheny County (TCCAC) Meetings, 4-part series, starts 9/26/23

Grades 6-8 Algebra 1 Mathematics Institute, 3-day series, starts 10/17/23, $450

Virtual: Monthly MTSS Networking PLC: ­Structured literacy and mathematics ­intervention, starts 9/25/23

K-2 Mathematics Institute, 3-day series, starts 10/25/23, $450

Supporting Students Struggling in Math, 4-part series, starts 9/26/23

Grades 3-5 Mathematics Institute, 3-day series, starts 10/24/23, $450

Functional Behavior Assessment to Positive Behavior Support Plans: Assessing Behavior & Designing Effective Interventions,* 3-part series, starts 9/27/23

High School Mathematics Institute, 3-day series, starts 10/4/23, $450 Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, 3-day series, starts 1/16/24, $450

Science: Free to AIU member districts K-2 STEM Institute, 3-day series, starts 9/20/23 Grades 3-5 Science Institute, 3-day series, starts 9/22/23 Life Sciences Institute for Secondary Teachers, 3-day series, starts 10/16/23

Active Participation: Engaging ALL Students in Classroom Instruction, 2-part series, starts 10/2/23 Classroom Management with Coaching ­Component,* 3-part series, starts 10/4/23 Teaching Literacy to Students w/ Complex Needs,* 3-part in-person series with optional virtual component, starts 10/5/23

Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning with John Halloran: A Two-Day Training Event, starts 10/24/23 Educational Benefit Review, 11/2/23 The Reevaluation Process: More Than Just Compliance; Best Practices for Meaningful RRs, 11/8/23 MTSS Administrative Overview, 11/9/23 IES Practice Guide: Providing Reading ­Intervention for Students in Grades 4-9, 11/13/23 IES Practice Guide: Preparing Young Children for School, 11/30/23 IES Practice Guide: Teaching Secondary ­ Students to Write Effectively, 12/4/23 Virtual: Tier 2: Self Monitoring: Learn to Self Monitor Using I-Connect, 12/5/23 Supporting Students with Dyslexia: ­Interventions and Accommodations, 12/11/23 Hybrid: Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural Supports, Education and Work (RENEW) Administrator Overview, 12/12/23 Best Practices for Utilizing Staff & Collaborating with Support Services to Ensure Equitable Outcomes for Learners with Complex Needs, 1/9/24

Physical Science Institute for Secondary Teachers, starts 9/21/23

Hybrid: Writing Across the Content Area: ­Developing Student Writing with The Writing Revolution,* 6-part series with 3 in-person ­s­­essions at Cornell School District, starts 10/9/23

Hybrid: Framework for K-12 Science Book Study, starts 10/5/23

Virtual: Check and Connect, 3-part series, starts 10/16/23

Learn more at aiu3.net/msc.

LETRS Volume 1,* 4-part series, starts 10/18/23, $400

Using the VB-MAPP,* 3-part series, starts 1/23/24

Did you know?

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Implementation,* 4-part series starts 10/19/23

Writing Meaningful & Compliant IEPs,* 2-part series, starts 1/31/24

The AIU’s upcoming ­professional develop­­ ment offerings can be viewed on our online calendar, which can be accessed from the AIU homepage.

12

IES Practice Guide: Teaching Strategies for ­Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students, 1/10/24 Virtual: MTSS Administrative Overview, 1/16/24

Learn more at aiu3.net/tac.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

­

Continuing Professional Education Courses All CPE courses are virtual and asynchronous. Fees and registration deadlines apply. CPE c­ ourses fulfill 90 Act 48 hours and requirements for Level II Certification and Master’s Equivalency.

Best Practices in Teaching K-12 Online, starts 10/5/23

Addressing Learning Disabilities in Education, starts 11/3/23

How to Design a Digital Classroom for the 21st Century Learner, starts 10/5/23

Making an Impact: Building Positive ­Relationships with Students, starts 11/3/23

Beat the Bullying: A Look into Prevention and Intervention, starts 10/5/23

Writing Alive: Strategies, Techniques and ­Materials; starts 11/3/23

Supporting Students With Autism in ­Education, starts 10/6/23

Building Bridges: Working with (Difficult) Parents, starts 11/6/23

A Closer Look at Learning Disabilities: A Refresher Course for All Classroom Teachers, starts 10/9/23

NEW! Empathy: Teacher and Student Wellness, starts 11/6/23

Creating and Supporting a Positive, Bully-Free School Climate; starts 10/11/23 Group Work Dynamics: Collaboration and Assessment, starts 10/12/23 Autism in Pop Culture, starts 10/13/23 The First Days of School: How to Be an ­Effective Teacher, starts 10/13/23 Any Device Technology Tools, starts 10/16/23 Culturally Responsive Teaching, starts 10/16/23 Cultivating a Growth Mindset, starts 10/20/23 Anxiety and Stress: Teacher and Student ­Wellness, starts 10/23/23 Digital Literacy, starts 10/23/23 Introduction to Text Comprehension, starts 10/23/23

Integrating the iPad into the Classroom: There are Apps for That, starts 11/6/23 Uncovering the Truth About Fake News, When It’s Not Just Kids Being Kids: Bullying and Beyond, starts 11/8/23 Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom: Strategies, Techniques and Materials; starts 11/10/23 4 Free Technology Essentials for Educators in the 21st Century, starts 11/13/23 Being Mindful: Teacher and Student Wellness, starts 11/13/23 Project-Based Learning; Challenge-Based Learning, starts 11/1323 ADHD in Education, starts 11/17/23 Break the Ice: Icebreakers for All Ages, starts 11/20/23

Connecting with Kids, starts 10/25/23

Coping Skills: Teacher and Student Wellness, starts 11/20/23

How to Develop Good Digital Citizens for the 21st Century Learner, starts 10/25/23

Moving From Problems to Solutions: Building Resiliency Skills, starts 11/22/23

Apps and iPads for the K-12 Classroom, starts 10/30/23

A New Look at Working with Students with Autism, starts 11/24/23

Tech Tools for the 21st Century, starts 10/30/23

Infusing STEAM into K-12 Classroom, starts 11/27/23

NEW! Technology for Formative Assessment, starts 10/20/23

Learn more at aiu3.net/aiu_cpe.

Working with Fractions and the Four ­Operations: Instructional Practices for the Middle Grades, starts 10/30/23 21st Century Skills, starts 11/1/23

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

Reading Achievement Center Unless otherwise noted, all RAC offerings are worth 20 Act 48 hours and are available in both in-person and virtual asynchronous formats.

Comprehension, Close Reading & Complex Text: Laying the Foundation K-2; starts 1/25/23; $450 In-Person: The K-3 Reading Apprenticeship Model, starts 9/20/23, 60 Act 48 hours, visit aiu3.net/rac for pricing Keys to Comprehension: ELA Grades 3-8, starts 10/5/23, $600 Text Dependent Analysis: Effective ­Instructional Practices: ELA Grades 4-8, starts 9/21/23, $600 Text Dependent Analysis Part 2: Effective Instructional Practices: ELA Grades 4-8, starts 9/26/23, 15 Act 48 hours, $450 Thinking Through the Pencil: ELA Grades 4-8, starts 10/17, $600 Adolescent Literacy Institute: Middle and High School English & Reading Teachers, starts 10/19/23, $600 Word Wizards: ELA Grades 3-12, starts 10/25/23, 15 Act 48 hours, $450 Virtual: Science of Reading for Administrators: New PDE PIL RAC Course, starts 10/6/23, 41 Act 48 hours, $300 Virtual: RAC Reading Specialists’ Network, starts 9/29/23, Free to member districts Virtual: Instructional Coaches’ Network, starts 9/13/23, Learn more and review new offerings on structured literacy at aiu3.net/rac.

transformED workshops are added throughout the year.

Visit aiu3.net/transformED for latest offerings.

13

Special Education Services

Inside Primary Expressions E very child deserves the opportunity to express themselves .

But for students with severe speech and language disorders, this can be a significant challenge that affects their academic performance and social interactions. Enter Primary Expressions, an innovative speech and language therapy approach that revolutionizes early education by blending therapy seamlessly into the curriculum.

By Junior Gonzalez

This intensive, two-year program provides a nurturing and inclusive environ­ment from kindergarten to first grade, enabling young children to overcome their communication barriers and thrive academically. With Primary Expressions, students are equipped with the necessary tools to navigate the rest of their education with limited or no additional support.

It’s no wonder that with decades of successful outcomes, a natural tagline has emerged for the program: “Primary Expressions classrooms are where magic happens!”

3 6 0 - d e g r e e s u pp o r t s In most school environments, a student with a speech-related IEP (Individualized Education Program) may receive one or two weekly sessions with a speech language pathologist (SLP). Primary Expressions goes beyond traditional speech and language therapy by smoothly integrating it throughout the school day and across subjects.

Primary Expressions is a year-long learning incubator designed for students at the dawn of their academic journey. “These kids are getting 360 degrees of speech and language services five days a week,” said Thomas Rea, director of Speech and Language Services at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU).

That is where the magic lies — students receive continual reinforcement of their pronunciation across subjects, often and for longer periods than in ­typical school environments. It is a strategy Joanna Wallander noticed when her two daughters each spent two years in Primary Expressions.

In addition, a harmonious rotation of individual speech sessions with an SLP occurs throughout the week, providing students with one-on-one attention to work out sounds to bring back to a room of their peers. “Just to have that attention because the speech is such a big part of school — we’re so appreciative,” Wallander said.

Photos: Junior Gonzalez 14

Highly skilled speech language pathologists teach with research-backed structured literacy approaches, creating an environment that optimizes learning opportunities for all students. “We like to think of Primary Expressions classrooms as a turn-key operation that unlocks future success,” Rea said.

Through this approach, Rea said students with complex speech and language needs can engage in academic subjects while receiving tailored interventions, which allows them to develop effective communication skills within a natural learning context.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

P r o v e n o u tco m e s Recently, data has proven the efficacy of Primary Expressions.

Analysis of data compiled by the Speech and Language team compared outcomes in students with similar speech and language deficits enrolled in Primary Expressions with those in a traditional speech service model. The data showed benchmark scores increased among Primary Expressions students on phonics-based assessments, such as nonsense word fluency and oral reading fluency, by an average of 41% by the end of the school year, compared with a 26.3% average increase for students receiving speech support in regular school ­environments in kindergarten and first grade.

“These kids are getting 360 degrees of speech and language services five days a week.”

“The data backs up what we’ve always been able to say anecdotally [about] this program,” Rea said. “Some students were well below benchmark and [the Primary Expressions program] got them to benchmark or even slightly above benchmark.”

Independence through ‘Expressions’ Parents often have mixed emotions leading up to their child’s first day of kindergarten. Mt. Lebanon parent Shannon Casillas said she ­experienced an extra dose of nerves for her youngest son Freddie.

Freddie, now 8, was previously diagnosed with apraxia of speech, a motor disorder that affects his ability to plan and execute the precise movements required for fluent speech production. Because Freddie used an iPad to communicate during preschool, Casillas said she was uneasy about how he would communicate in a regular school environment.

“I was super, super nervous about putting him into a [traditional kinder­ garten] classroom because I didn’t think [teachers] would call his name,” she said. “The hardest thing with Freddie growing up was having to translate for him. I knew he had the words but just couldn’t get them out.”

Through conversations with district staff, Casillas became aware of a nearby Primary Expressions program at Hoover Elementary in Mt. Lebanon. The AIU has operated the program for 20 years. Freddie’s parents met with the Primary Expressions team and school district officials to determine the best approach forward. After a brief tour of the classroom, Casillas was instantly sold.

“Oh my god, I loved it,” she said with a laugh. Primary Expressions teacher Angie Markwood (photo upper right) calmed all of her concerns on the tour.

Freddie experienced dramatic improvements in his speech throughout his 2020-2022 enrollment, Casillas said. Freddie is now enrolled at his neighborhood school with little need for support, as is the goal of the program.

“He transitioned so smoothly into a second-grade classroom, and at a new school no less,” Casillas said. She said Primary Expressions gave Freddie ­independence and confidence to be able to do things we take for granted, like placing an order at a restaurant.

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

W h at ‘ s n e x t As Primary Expressions continues to change lives, Rea and program supervisor Eileen Cirelli have big aims, including expansions to other parts of Allegheny County. Future ambitions include an online version of Primary Expressions that could be used across the state — or perhaps even across the country.

“We have big plans!” Rea said.

Big plans, indeed.

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TEAR Team Reduces Impact of Trauma

By Dan Rinkus

W hen a child experiences trauma , it can impact their lives

i­ mmediately and for decades to come. The TEAR (Trauma Education and Response) Team, based at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Highlands Family Center in Tarentum, works with local law enforcement and school districts to help children address traumatic events in their lives.

“The initial response starts with the ­police department,” said AIU Program Director Lori Vollman, who oversees the TEAR program. “They’re the ones who go into the home on the calls. So if there’s a child in that home, that’s what starts that first initial response for the trauma team to get involved.”

The TEAR Team, from L-R: Advocate Mikalyn Wheeler, Supervisor Jeannie Dennis, Coordinator Rayne Plance, Advocate Crystal Castiglione. Photos: Dan Rinkus

A police officer will file a notice with the TEAR team and the child’s school district.

That notification allows school officials to prepare for any signs of distress, while the Highlands Family Center can coordinate and provide resources for the child and their family.

“A lot of the families have food insecurity,” explained Vollman.

“They may not have clothing, they may not have formula or diapers for their kids. They may have just a lot of trauma in general.”

When a child experiences trauma, it can impact their lives immediately and for decades to come.

16

The TEAR team also provides free traumainformed training to community members, from teachers and school a ­ dministrators to caregivers and first responders.

The AIU started the TEAR program with the Highlands School District and local law enforcement in 2021 through a grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. It expanded into the New Kensington-Arnold School ­District last October through a partnership with Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli. The decision came five months after the violent death of 9-year-old student Azuree Charles, an event that caused community-wide trauma.

“When a child falls asleep in class, there’s no more sending them to detention,” said Christopher Sefcheck, Ed.D., superintendent of the New Kensington-­ Arnold School District. He said that is just one of the red flag behaviors that teachers, caregivers and others can recognize and address. “They are symptoms of a much larger problem,” he said.

Ziccarelli reached out to the AIU and its TEAR team ­because she knew firsthand that they could make a positive difference.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

Family Center’s Kindergarten Program Receives “Neighborly” Boost

By Dan Rinkus There are many things for parents to consider when their child enters kindergarten. Did they choose the right school? Do they have enough clothes and school supplies?

Will they be prepared when they say goodbye to their child on the first day? The AIU’s McKeesport Family Center is making sure parents and their children are prepared for that last question and many others thanks to Chase Bank and WQED Education.

The family center became the newest member of the WQED Learning Neighborhood in January 2023 through Chase Bank’s $5,000 donation to WQED Education. With the funding, the family center created a passive learning space where kids ages 3-5 can work on their cognitive/ manipulative skills and fine motor skills in a comfortable environment, featuring familiar characters from Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and other WQED/PBS shows. “It’s exactly what you need for children who are going to take that next big step,” said Senior Site Director Laura Bosnak Thompson.

Additionally, the funding from Chase Bank and WQED Education provided the family center with kindergarten readiness kits that include family activity packets featuring

Showing off the contents of a kindergarten readiness kit, from L-R: Cathy Cook, Director of Education, WQED Multimedia; Brittany Andreoli, Vice President/ Branch Manager, Chase Bank; Rachel Sew, Program Manager of WQED SmartSchools; Laura Bosnak Thompson, Senior Site Director, AIU McKeesport Family Center.

books, flashcards, pencils, erasers and other items that help families work together to get future kindergarteners ready for class.

“These kits are for children we serve during our home visits,” explained Bosnak Thompson. “We can serve up to 40 kids, and each fall we have 15-20 kids who are going into kindergarten.”

Finally, the funds from Chase Bank and WQED Education also ­enabled the family ­center to establish a one-time program called “Play K” for kids ages 4-5. ­Heading into the school year, the ­family center will invite 10-15 families for an event featuring activities focused on counting, shape and color recognition and other skills future kindergarteners need.

The AIU’s McKeesport Family Center serves more than 150 families through a ­combination of home visits and onsite services. Donations are critical to the center’s mission of serving every learner, especially those who are entering a kindergarten classroom for the first time. “We work hand-in-hand with local schools and their ­kindergarten transition teams,” said Bosnak Thompson. “The more resources we can give our families, the better off they’ll be when that big day comes.”

“The research and data proves this can tremendously impact the outcome of that child’s life,” she said. “Having one positive inter­action with an adult can change their whole future.”

It’s a message that continues to resonate. In the summer of 2023, the TEAR team secured funding to expand its services to the Clairton City, Steel ­Valley, West Mifflin Area and Woodland Hills school districts, ensuring more schoolage children receive critical care.”

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

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Project SEEKS SES: A Supporting Mental and Behavioral Health in Schools

s the COVID-19 pandemic raged on and effects in its aftermath became clearer, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) started thinking of solutions. From their vantage point, health officials saw that school-aged children were experiencing increased levels of trauma leading to mental and behavioral health issues. Dwindling numbers of support staff in those areas further complicated the problem. Such pressing needs inspired Debra Bogen, M.D., and Patrick Dowd, Ph.D., of the ACHD to write and submit a grant proposal to the Pennsylvania Department of Health requesting funding for Project SEEKS SES in June 2021.

• • • • • • • • When the Allegheny County Health Department got approved for a large grant, they knew to turn to the AIU. B y J e r e m y T e p p e r

Project SEEKS SES (Supporting Expansion and Enhancement of K-12 SchoolBased Social, Emotional Supports) is a grant-funded partnership between the ACHD and the AIU that helps 10 participating school districts address t­ rauma, behavior and mental health issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grant will also assist at least three higher education institutions to bolster a local pipeline of professionals to social and emotional health fields.

Dr. Dowd, who then served as the ACHD chief operating officer, now holds Dr. Bogen’s former role as the ACHD acting director following her departure to serve as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health. Dr. Dowd and his department will monitor the progress of the grant.

“We’re really excited for this partnership and think it’s very important not just for this project, but in continuing our work together,” Dr. Dowd said.

“There’s no better partner in the county for serving a wide variety of schools than the AIU.” It was an intense experience for Dr. Dowd and Dr. Bogen to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the schools in the county. But the AIU was a welcomed presence at regular meetings with school district superintendents about how to address COVID-19. Those meetings made it clear the AIU had its finger on the pulse of Allegheny County schools.

While writing the grant, Dr. Bogen and Dr. Dowd always had the AIU in the back of their minds as the obvious partner to facilitate the work.

“They turned to the AIU, because they knew that the AIU was a central hub for all of the school districts in the county, and that we were really good at pushing out information and getting partnerships going with our member districts,” said James Palmiero, Ed.D., the assistant executive director of the AIU’s Special Education and Pupil Services Division.

The AIU first became aware of Project SEEKS SES when the ACHD engaged Dr. Palmiero and AIU Executive Director Robert Scherrer, Ed.D., in July 2022. After exchanging ideas, Dr. Dowd and Dr. Palmiero were excited to ­realize how their partnership could magnify the impact of such a program.

Dr. Palmiero had previously crossed paths with Shannon Fagan, now project coordinator for SEEKS SES, and recalled her dedication to the holistic development of children. She has spent her life working in the mental health systems, most notably spending three years as the director of Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services.

AIU Executive Director Robert Scherrer (left) and ACHD acting director Patrick Dowd laugh and converse at the April 4 Project SEEKS SES stakeholder meeting.

Photos: Jeremy Tepper 18

“When this opportunity presented itself, I was so excited,” Fagan said. “For me — facilitating the conversations and collaborations, especially postCOVID-19 — is really important because life is so different. COVID-19 left us with a great need for teachers, social workers and school psychologists, and Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

Funding Student Wellness Efforts As the AIU and its partners have worked together to map out strengths, weaknesses and needs, they i­dentified several initiatives. Sto-Rox, for ­example, a­ llocated funds for an anti-violence team called V.I.B.E. (Violence Intervention Building Empowerment). Duquesne City and ­McKeesport are using funds on services through Pressley Ridge, while Cornell is funding student wellness rooms through Wesley Family Services.

Ed Pierce, Ronesha Stephens and Hassain Estes (L to R) form the Sto-Rox School District’s V.I.B.E team, an anti-violence team funded by the Project SEEKS SES grant.

filling these positions right now is difficult. It felt like the right time for me to jump in and bring my skill set into the work,” Fagan said.

Since Project SEEKS SES began in earnest, they have engaged 10 school ­districts — Cornell, Duquesne City, East Allegheny, Highlands, McKeesport Area, Penn Hills, Steel Valley, Sto-Rox, West Mifflin Area and Woodland Hills — and three higher education partners: the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Chatham University.

As the AIU and these partners have worked together to map out strengths, weaknesses and needs, they identified several initiatives. Sto-Rox, for example, allocated funds for an anti-violence team called V.I.B.E. (Violence Intervention Building Empowerment). Duquesne City and McKeesport are using funds on services through Pressley Ridge, while Cornell is providing student wellness rooms that will have supports provided by Wesley Family Services.

“We know kids need something, they can’t get it and there’s not enough providers, so what can we do in the meantime?” said Sto-Rox superintendent Megan Van Fossan. “What can we do to ward off the additional trauma that children are experiencing with conflict?”

School districts and higher education partners have also started to map out plans for pre-professional placements in social work, psychology and counseling fields. A number of the partners came together in April for a stakeholder meeting at the AIU’s Central Office.

“Bringing all of these people together in the same space, it just doesn’t ­happen everyday. I often say the smartest person in the room is the room.

And today was a great room to be in,” said Dr. Scherrer after the meeting.

Dr. Dowd said he hopes for the implementation of sustainable, evidence-­ based programs that help address the growing needs of children in the aftermath of COVID-19. He also hopes to grow the pipeline of professionals to help support these students.

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

Project SEEKS SES School District Participants n

Cornell

n

Duquesne City

n

East Allegheny

n

Highlands

n

McKeesport Area

n

Penn Hills

n

Steel Valley

n

Sto-Rox

n

West Mifflin Area

n

Woodland Hills

Higher Education Partners n

Chatham University

n

Duquesne University

n

University of Pittsburgh

19

School Districts Stretch Dollars

with AIU Shared Services

By Sarah McCluan

Edward Wehrer, superintendent of the Steel Valley School District, sighed heavily as he gazed at his district’s organizational chart.

The administrative office was in a state of flux. Due to retirements and unexpected medical leaves, several key business and technology ­positions were suddenly vacant. It was 2021. The country was just starting to emerge from the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a dramatic impact on the employment landscape. Beyond disrupting ­day-to-day operations, those vacancies struck a blow to the district’s institutional knowledge. In the past, leaders would have no other option but to s­ cramble for new staff and hope for a smooth transition period that didn’t result in too many unforced errors. In this case, Wehrer had another option: Shared Services offered by the AIU.

A N e w A pp r oac h to a n O l d C h a l l e n g e Since it opened its doors in 1971, the AIU has helped Allegheny C ­ ounty school districts meet their operational challenges as new technology, ­systems and mandates have changed public education. Districts have ­historically taken advantage of a variety of AIU administrative services as school systems have stretched and flexed to meet student needs.

In recent years, schools across Pennsylvania have come under increasing pressure from several fronts. Despite historic staffing shortages, districts are expected to provide more services to students while the cost of pensions, health care and charter school tuition takes big bites out of every budget. These and other factors are forcing school leaders to do more with fewer people, less money and very little time. This is where the AIU’s Shared Services offerings fill the gaps.

Shared Services is an operational philosophy that enables school districts to gain efficiencies by strategically centralizing, consolidating and standardizing non-classroom functions. The model provides economies of scale, reduces staffing risks and frees administrative time to focus on student growth and achievement.

AIU Communications Specialist Andrew Chiappazzi helps Steel Valley School District showcase student life, working closely with Superintendent Edward Wehrer and building administrators like Clay Stone, principal of the middle school.

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An example of this is the AIU’s legacy School-Based Access Program that allows districts to receive partial Medicaid reimbursement for providing health-related services to students with special needs. Patricia Connolly, ­director of finance and operations at the Chartiers Valley School District, said that the district has been able to stay on track thanks to the AIU. “The training and support really helps us stay compliant with all the require­ments and regulations,” she said. “[School-Based] Access is a ­complicated program and the AIU provides a high level of expertise.”

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

In addition to its legacy offerings, the new shared services model includes all areas of school district administration, such as human resources, technology services, marketing/communications and financial functions such as payroll and accounts payable/receivable. Joe Lucarelli, the AIU’s chief finance and operations officer, explained that a shared services approach can leverage common technology, provide expertise and maintain a high level of customer service.

“With shared services, districts find that they have more options as they gain efficiency in the back office,” Lucarelli said. “Those resources can then be reallocated to classrooms and student programs.”

The Steel Valley School District now receives a suite of services from the AIU, including payroll, fiscal operations, marketing/communications and technology services.

“Certainly, our main goal is to educate children,” Wehrer said. “But in many ways, we’re a business too. And when things are running smoothly in the back office, we can devote more energy to our students and families, because in the end, kids come first. It’s all about them.”

C r e at i v e T h i n k i n g Walking along the corridors of Duquesne Elementary/Middle School, one can see a district undergoing a transformation. Last August, eighth grade students returned to their home district for the first time in 10 years.

Athletic and music programs have been rebooted, and new maker spaces abound. When the district experienced turnover in the business office and in technology support, Superintendent Sue Mariani, Ed.D., didn’t ­hesitate to reach out to the AIU. “We were already very happy with the AIU’s marketing and communication services, and so we began to think differently about our business office and technology operations,” Dr. Mariani said.

At the Wilkinsburg School District, the shared services initiative has provided stability in its technology department. Since 2016, AIU personnel have been embedded in Wilkinsburg’s operations to ensure that all platforms, networks and devices are in tip-top shape. The AIU reviews provider contracts, implements the district’s cyber security plan and ­r­ecommends key technology strategies to district leaders. Superintendent Joe Maluchnik, Ed.D., said the success is due in part to the additional ­r­­­esources that the AIU brings to the table.

“In case someone is on vacation or not in the office, there is a backup for the backup. Someone is always there ­— not only to provide that everyday support ­— but for the larger projects as well,” he said.

In addition, system experts provide extra support to Wilkinsburg’s staff and students when needed. This added layer of personalization helps the AIU better understand the unique needs of each district.

“The AIU’s staff is part of our leadership,” Dr. Maluchnik said. “They feel like family.”

Jermaine Beckford by his own admission is a jack-of-all-trades. As a tech specialist, he is embedded in the Wilkinsburg School District as IT support along with other members of AIU’s Tech Services, including service delivery manager, Eric Coffield, seen in the center photo above. On this morning, Jermaine has assisted administration with software issues (top photo), worked along side Eric prepping chromebooks for the first day of school, and consulted with an ­elevator vendor (bottom photo) ­regarding the installation of an elevator security ­system. It’s not even noon yet.

Photos: Michael Tarquinio

Editor’s Note: For more information about the AIU’s Shared Services offerings, contact Dr. Robert Scherrer at robert.scherrer@aiu3.net.

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

21

The

STEAM Revolution in Special Education

By Junior Gonzalez

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) operates three special education schools across Allegheny County. In recent years, the AIU’s Special Education and Pupil Services Division has worked to expand curricular incorporation of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) principles.

F o s t e r i n g I n c lu s i o n & E m p o w e r i n g S t u d e n t s As an AIU-operated special education school, Mon Valley School in Pleasant Hills provides high-quality vocational training to full-time students enrolled through arrangements with their home districts and to students who take part-time classes during typical school day hours.

The school is home to a one-of-a-kind STEAM lab designed for students with special needs. Partially located in a computer science classroom, the STEAM lab is furnished with broad tabletops, instead of individual desks, to bring ­students closer together and foster collaboration. It’s also equipped with a Mac computer featuring the latest design and creativity software, including Adobe Illustrator and source-code editors.

Mon Valley School Principal Richard Dowell, Ed.D., believes it is important to continue challenging the common false assumption that STEM and other technical subjects are “too complex” for special education students to under­ stand. “Instead of assuming any limitation, we have provided the opportunities for these students to grow and develop in an increasingly complex world,” Dr. Dowell said.

Students enrolled in Mon Valley’s computer science program can choose from three areas of study: engineering and design, coding with robotics, and graphic arts and digital fabrication (3D modeling and CAD). Mon Valley students also have access to a print shop, 3D printers and screen printing equipment to bring their concepts into the real world.

“As we enter a new age of learning with the advent of artificial intelligence, it is crucial that students with special needs are included to reap the benefits of AI,“ said Robert ­DeFillippo, computer science teacher. “From increased access using assistive technology to leveraging generative AI to foster creativity, I’m eager to explore the possibilities alongside them. This technology is as new to me as it is for them, and that’s exciting.”

C o d e i n P r ac t i c e Mon Valley School’s dedication to expanding STEAM education paid off this past spring when it was one of just 20 schools across Pennsylvania to reach the finals of the Governor’s STEM Competition in Harrisburg.

Over the course of a semester, DeFillippo teamed up with technology teacher Beth Whitney and art teacher Tarah M ­ orelli to challenge students to develop not only a concept, but a viable p ­ rototype of a product addressing a school problem. After a flare-up in a nearby classroom caused disruption in the hallway, students started brainstorming an idea to improve the classroom climate. They eventually settled on creating a smartwatch and adjoining software to help students ­experiencing signs of distress, as detected through ­dramatic changes in heart rate. The device would ­suggest individualized calming exercises based on a student’s positive behavior plan.

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Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

L to R: Beth Whitney, MV technology teacher, Angela Kirby, PaTTAN Harrisburg Director, Adam Switzer, Rob DeFillippo, MV computer science teacher, Jason Barlow.

Switzer (center) was a presenter for the Mon Valley team during the Governor’s STEM Competition in Harrisburg pitches to their fellow competitors and a panel of STEM professionals judging the projects. Switzer graduated from Mon Valley School in June 2023.

The students worked diligently for months. First, they sourced parts, including computer chips, small display panels, wrist straps and light sensors. Next, students put years of coding classes into practice. Using Python, a high-level programming language, students collaborated on code to make all the parts work together.

Throughout the semester, DeFillippo, Whitney and ­Morelli worked with students to strengthen critical soft skills, ­including teamwork to tackle ideas and time management to meet deadlines. To prepare to give their pitch at the Governor’s STEM Competition finals in ­Harrisburg, students practiced public speaking, ­rehearsed question-and-answer scenarios and honed their knowledge on all aspects of the product. Their hard work and preparation paid off in Harrisburg, where the team received outsized attention and praise for their concept.

“Rob, Beth and Tarah have done ­remarkable work to help our students grow critical thinking skills by building on their strengths and ­embracing unique learning styles,” Dr. Dowell said. unique learning styles,” Dr. Dowell said. “Their hard work led to new and exciting opportunities like the Governor’s STEM ­Competition.”

R e a l -W o r l d I m pac t The incorporation of STEM/STEAM learning continues to ­expand throughout the AIU-operated schools. Starting this year, Whitney will lead Mon Valley’s new print shop class that will focus on entrepreneurship and finance in addition to the more technical aspects of product design and allocation.

The new class builds on years of existing design work that has lifted school spirit with stylish Mon Valley a ­ pparel and even keepsakes for AIU initiatives, including the design and manufacturing of customized tumblers for Project SEEKS SES and holiday ornaments.

Continued on page 24.

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Continued from page 23.

“We’re going to focus a lot on the skills needed to run a business and how to properly account for that business, which is hugely important [for students to learn],” ­Whitney said.

DeFillippo and Whitney are also known for their efforts to boost computer science education opportunities for all students in the Pittsburgh region. In 2020, they were both named Learning Lab Teaching Assistants for CSforPGH, a Remake Learning initiative that matched them with local out-of-school computer science pro­ grams to work on curriculum alignment and develop strategies to grow student interest in the field, all while fostering an inclusive environment.

For DeFillippo, it’s an effort he has been dedicated to ­expanding for nearly 30 years. “I think for me, the big thing is that technology, as it continues to evolve, is a quality-of-life issue,” he said. “We’re trying to get kids to better understand technology as they integrate it into their lives. It’s not an accessory, it’s a necessity.”

Day of

Code

Want a glimpse into innovative special education instruction? Look no further than the multiple Day of Code events that occurred throughout the 2022-23 academic year.

At Sunrise School in Monroeville, a springtime Day of Code Summit brought together ­students from Sunrise, Pathfinder and Mon Valley schools to compete in an array of ­coding activities as well as robotics challenges.

At the summit, students immerse themselves in the world of programming and computer science, moving from room to room for different hands-on educational activities.

Through these interactive workshops, students gain exposure to coding languages, game development, robotics and more.

The special education schools have an all-hands-on-deck approach to STEM/ STEAM learning. During Day of Code, it is typical to encounter all staff — teachers as well as social workers and speech, physical and occupational therapists — joining in the fun to create an efficient rotation of activities for students.

BattleBots, a robotics combat competition in which students equip a motorized cup with materials such as straws or sticks to strike competing robots, is a hit during Day of Code. “When their robot didn’t work well, they went back and wanted to redo it — it was for their own benefit to do that,” Whitney said.

“You had kids who lost and then were angry. But afterward they said, ‘Well, I’m going to make mine better,’” Morelli added. “I think it goes along with [instilling] problem solving and being able to see things differently.”

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Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

Rivers of Steel Student Programs Coding Is Fundamental

ON THE EXPLORER RIVERBOAT

The AIU Blind and Visually Impaired Support Program (BVISP) is another program within Special Education and Pupil Services that incorporates coding into its services with p ­ artner districts, including Pine-Richland and North Hills school districts.

Code Jumper™, a Microsoft program developed by the American Printing House for the Blind, teaches fundamental programming concepts to students ages seven to 11 through a physical programming language. Initially designed for students who are blind or visually impaired, Code Jumper™ allows classrooms with a diverse set of learners to use a hands-on coding system with literal blocks of code at their fingertips.

Mechanisms such as color, light and sound help distinguish the blocks of code from one another, allowing students from a variety of modalities to participate. The fun and inclusive p ­ rogram fosters critical thinking, creativity and analytical skills, and prepares students for their future academic and professional journeys.

AT THE CARRIE FURNACES

riversofsteel.com/ education

A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

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Family and Community Education Services What We Provide

The Family and Community Education Services (FACES) division of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit serves families across Allegheny County who are in need of assistance with child development/ parenting and other educational and physical resources.

Educational Resources Job Assistance Counseling Food and Diapers Referrals

Family Centers FACES is in charge of the AIU’s 10 family centers. They are communitybased hubs which feature our services and programs. They include home visits, parental support, child developmental assessments and transportation assistance.

Project ELECT The primary goal of the ELECT (Education Leading to Employment and Career Training) program is to assist pregnant and parenting teens up to the age of 22 in acquiring their high school diploma or GED.

Family and Immigrant Connections This program assists our Hispanic population with services and supports as they navigate their community and work to secure their futures.

Contact

Lorene Vollman Program Director lorene.vollman@aiu3.net 412-394-5962 26

Adult Basic Education/Family Literacy This program provides instruction for adults and families who are working to achieve education and employment goals. Topics include GED preparation, English as a Second Language and more.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

The AIU Celebrates Its Employees Through New Recognition Efforts

B y W i l l D e S h o n g

More than 1,100 AIU employees serve countless individuals throughout nearly 350 locations, including school buildings and family centers. The collective work of our employees is crucial to our mission to advance ­equitable opportunities for every learner. And to better celebrate these efforts, the AIU has undertaken several recognition initiatives over the past year to ensure our employees understand they are appreciated.

“Our employees are our greatest asset,” said Erin Koebel, director of Human Resources and Labor Relations at the AIU. “We’re working to make sure everyone understands they are appreciated and feels valued.”

The AIU formed a new Awards and Recognition committee consisting of leaders from Human Resources, employee unions, and past winners of the AIU’s Mission Possible Award, which is presented to four employees each year who had gone above and beyond in their efforts at work.

“We celebrate a number of the “national” recognition days throughout the year, but we wanted to set aside an entire week to focus on all of our employees,” Koebel said. “We wanted a time for everyone to know they matter.”

Other efforts introduced over the past year include drives for more “in the moment” recognition from supervisors with small tokens of appreciation like thank you cards.

Efforts will continue to develop in the near future as the AIU works to make sure recognition is a part of the ­organization’s culture.

The group brainstormed ideas to implement new recognition efforts throughout the organization. Efforts ranged from a new “Recognition Wall” displayed on the first floor of the Central Office, showcasing the various award winners from the past year — to a new feature on the AIU website that allows employees to submit photos of their colleagues excelling in their jobs. Those photos are then shared on social media to help spread awareness of the various functions the organization performs and the people who do them.

“In addition to the sense of individual praise, these recognition efforts are a way to raise awareness about what we collectively do as an ­organization,” Koebel said. “It allows our employees to better understand what their ­colleagues are doing, even those who work in a completely different­­environment. And that helps build a greater sense of purpose, as everyone has a better ­understanding of the large impact our organization has on ­communities across Allegheny County.”

“The AIU has a lot of folks who do good things every day,” said Joe ­Pisciotta, coordinator of the AIU’s Federal and Non-Public School Program and a 2022 Mission Possible Award honoree. “There’s a lot of really high achievers here, but not all of that has been recognized on a day-to-day basis. This is an excellent way to make sure they feel appreciated and acknowledged as well.”

Coinciding with National Education Week in November, the AIU will cele­ brate its inaugural Employee Appreciation Week — recognizing i­ndividuals working across all areas of the organization.

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AIU Family Centers

A

o the Commun t e g d i ity Br

By Dan Rinkus

Bluey!

T h e F a m i ly C e n t e r ’ s P u r p o s e The AIU’s 10 family centers are part of the Family and Community Education Services (FACES) branch of the AIU’s Early Childhood, Family and Community Services (ECFCS) division. It’s a wide ranging division that puts an emphasis on the success of the family unit — and every member of it — in every phase of life.

“A family center is embedded in the community,” Duquesne and Wilkinsburg Site Director Medina Goudelock said. “They are here to help families through good and bad — ups and downs.”

It started with the music, a playful theme song familiar to many parents of small children. Then, miraculously, a blue dog — six feet tall and made of felt — appeared. “Bluey!” a group of children screamed in unison.

The famous pup bounded into McKeesport’s Renzie Park and was instantly greeted with hugs and high-fives. The children danced, sang and snagged selfies with Bluey, the eponymous star of one of their favorite shows. It was a highlight of the annual Spring Around Story Time event, ­engineered in part by the AIU’s McKeesport Family Center.

Little did they know, the person portraying Bluey was Laurie ­Bosnak Thompson, the center’s senior site ­director and one of the people ­responsible for the event.

“It was so hot, I thought I was going to melt!” she said later. “But it’s a great thing to do for the kiddos.”

That’s just one example of the lengths that staff from the AIU’s Family Centers will go to enrich families’ lives.

28

To that end, the structure of each family center differs depending on the size and complexity of each community’s needs. Hybrid family centers are located in Clairton, Homestead, McKeesport and Tarentum. Those centers ­primarily focus on families that have children from birth through age 18. “[Hybrid ­centers] have a resource manager, they have someone who can help with housing, they have someone who can help with WIC (Women, Infants and Children special nutritional program),” Goudelock said.

Home Visiting family centers serve Duquesne, McKees Rocks, Penn Hills, Wilkinsburg and Wilmerding. They primarily provide services at home to families who have children from birth to age five. Meanwhile, the Carnegie Family Center is solely focused on resources for families, including monthly groups. However, every AIU Family Center can collect and distribute resources, including groceries and baby items. They offer everything from education to family counseling and birthday parties to parenting resources.

The centers also support each other. Goudelock spoke over the din of children’s music at the same Spring Around Story Time event where other family centers were in attendance, along with representatives from Head Start and Project ELECT, a program that works with Allegheny County school districts to help teen parents attain their high school diplomas or GEDs. “We want to give our families the chance to be on an even playing field,” Goudelock said. “We have those supports in place if they need them.”

S ta r t i n g A n E d u c at i o n The AIU’s Family Centers are a stepping stone for local families who are ­starting their children’s educational journey. It’s a journey that starts with a knock on the door during a home visit.

“Whether they ask us or not, we encourage [attending] pre-school,” said East Allegheny Site Director Melissa Rider during a rainy spring morning in her office. “Since we have a Pre-K Counts classroom in our building, we make that initial referral to them.”

Whether it’s the AIU’s Head Start, Early Head Start or Pre-K Counts programs, it’s not just a matter of shuttling children into one classroom or another.

“Assessing a child’s education needs is critical, not only to the child’s success, but to the family’s peace of mind,” Rider said as rain pelted her window.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

Fathers Helping Fathers

At left, Art Johnson, Fatherhood Facilitator for the AIU, speaks with a group of fathers.

“The grant is focused on fathers and male caregivers of children from birth to age five,” said Program Supervisor Larry Klinger. “We serve 75 fathers per year and the data shows we are making a ­difference. We’ve seen more ­positive outcomes in the development of children connected with our fatherhood programming, and more of our fathers are finding work. This data comes right out of our home visits with families and children, like those done at the Sto-Rox Family Center.”

“Iron sharpens iron.” If you hang around Art Johnson long enough, you will hear him say that phrase. It’s part of a Bible verse that ends with, “so one person sharpens another.” For Johnson, a Fatherhood Facilitator for the AIU, it perfectly describes the mission of the AIU’s Fatherhood Programming.

Dubbed 365 Dads, the program has weekly and monthly meetings at AIU Family Centers in Clairton, Homestead, McKees Rocks, McKeesport and Wilmerding. The programming also hosts alumni group meetings and provides assistance for fathers incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail.

On a chilly January evening at the Sto-Rox Family Center, Johnson was warmed by the presence of men who looked to him for guidance.“ When they first become fathers, it’s scary,” Johnson said. He paused, glancing out a frosted window with a wistful look. “I made a lot of mistakes that young men make.”

Johnson is one of the three men who lead 365 Dads programming. The expansion of the program was made possible thanks to a 913% increase in grant funding from the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, overseen by Pennsylvania’s Departments of Education and Human Services.

The meetings provide fathers with a safe place to talk about their struggles, whether they are physical or ­emotional.

365 Dads utilizes the nationally-­renowned 24/7 Dad curriculum developed by the National Fatherhood Institute. The ­facilitators use these research-based lessons to help fathers improve their ­parenting, child development and ­economic skills.

As Johnson will attest, it’s not just new ­fathers who are learning things. The ­lessons apply to him, too. “I love that my son is a better father than I was,” said Johnson, smiling at the thought. “Now I have the opportunity to do things with my grandchildren that I didn’t do back then.”

The family centers provide home visiting services to prepare children for school and work with local families to identify and access pre-kindergarten classrooms best suited for their individual needs.

“I think a lot of times, families believe we are coming into their homes to ­observe them, see what they’re up to — just be in their business,” Rider said as the rain cleared and the sun came out. “But really, we are here to support them. We’re their advocate, and we’ll help them in any way that we can.”

Education was a primary fixture of the AIU’s Family Centers when they were created in the early 1990s in a funding partnership with school districts. While now funded through a state/county model, the names and the connections remain. The East Allegheny Family Center, located in Wilmerding, serves Continued on page 30.

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A Personal Touch Back in McKeesport, Onika St. Clair was bopping along to the “Bluey” theme song with her toddler son Nathan on her hip. The hilltop pavilion is a long way from the ­Caribbean, where St. Clair is from.

She learned about the McKeesport Family Center and its AIU co-tenant, Family and Immigrant Connections, during a doctor’s visit. The doctor’s goal was to help St. Clair find hospital transportation. As this new mother would soon find out, she had just tapped into a wealth of resources beyond transportation and health care.

“They have helped me get my U.S. status together — so I’m legal and I can work and provide a living for my son.” she said. “Coming from a foreign country, you don’t know where to go or how to get services on your own.

So I’m grateful for [their help].”

Family Development Specialist Kim Robinson helped St. Clair find her footing. “She’s my service coordinator, but she has really become like a mom to me,” St. Clair said. “I don’t think I get the same services anywhere else.”

Continued from page 29. families in the school district community. All 10 family centers have relationships with school administrators, which is especially vital when kindergarten registration rolls around.

“The school district has a registration process for kindergarten and we gather all the information that is required of families,” Rider said. They also transport families to the East Allegheny School District’s kindergarten transition events at Logan Elementary School, which allow family center staff to work with school officials to meet teachers, receive critical education information and help get them enrolled.

It’s a similar story at the AIU’s other nine family centers, whether it’s in a large school district such as McKeesport (see page 17 for kindergarten preparedness information) or in McKees Rocks, home of the Sto-Rox School District.

The AIU’s Family Centers: a home for all seasons and all families, giving them opportunities to educate and enrich themselves and their communities.

It’s a crisp April evening. One by one, families walk into the quiet courtyard of the Highlands Family Center in Tarentum. As they push through the doors…

“Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you…” sang dozens of parents and friends gathered inside the family center. Everywhere you look, there is activity. A child tosses rings around the neck of an inflated dinosaur. Another child, a precocious toddler, has birthday cupcake frosting smeared on his smiling face. All around, families are enjoying treats and presents they otherwise wouldn’t receive. That is the mission of Beverly’s Birthdays, one of the many organi­zations the AIU Family Centers partner with to ­ provide a little relief for children and their families.

Emotional support for new mothers like St. Clair is critical, whether it’s through the family center’s motherand-baby cooking classes, parent support groups or simple one-onone conversations with staff.

“It is such a great event to put on for our ­families,” said Program Director Lori Vollman, who oversees the family centers. “Both the kids and their parents get a chance to relax and have fun for a few hours. It is essential for their well-being.”

“Especially as a new mom, it helps you focus on your child and it helps you make other friends,” St. Clair said.

“Whatever you might be focusing on that is stressful, you can just stop and think about your child’s joy. It really helps your mental health.”

At most family centers, Beverly’s Birthdays puts on birthday parties every three months.

Children with birthdays during that time ­gather for a party complete with food, games and a mobile shopping center that parks outside the family center. ­Children can pick out an outfit to go along with their other gifts.

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Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

CELEBRATING OVER

70 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE PREPARING EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS

You are an education professional with outstanding leadership qualities so take the next step to sharpen your skills in curriculum, instruction, supervision, student advocacy, fiscal prudence, and more through our M.S. Ed. in Education Administration/Principal K-12, or in M.S. Ed. in Supervision.

PREPARE HERE

IMPACT

ANYWHERE

FOUR CERTIFICATION TRACK OPTIONS IN OUR 30-CREDIT HOUR PROGRAMS: •

Principal, K-12

•

Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction

•

Supervisor of Pupil Personal Services

•

Supervisor of Single Area Supervisory Certificates (Special Education, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Music, Reading, School Guidance Services, Science and Social Studies)

LEARNING TOGETHER Duquesne University’s School of Education is a member of the University Council for Education Administration (UCEA), a collective of top research institutions with programs in educational leadership and policy. Additionally, Duquesne is home to the only UCEA Center for Leadership and Social Justice in Pennsylvania and one of only nine worldwide.

CARRIE MILLER

M.S.Ed. in Education Administration Duquesne Alumna Executive Director of Breakthrough Pittsburgh at Sewickley Academy

PRINCIPAL PREP2PRACTICE GRANT

Our School of Education was awarded the Principal Prep2Practice Grant through the PA Dept. of Education. The grant aims to develop leadership skills and strategies to effectively and ethically implement special education and student services and to improve leadership for inclusive, supportive, and differentiated learning.

GET STARTED TODAY: 412.396.5274 schooladminandsuper@duq.edu duq.edu/edadmin duq.edu/schoolsupervision A I U C o n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l 2 0 2 3

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AIU Academic Competitions Roundup B y A m a n d a R i tc h i e

The AIU has a long history of ­hosting academic competitions that give students a chance to be creative, work ­collaboratively and apply their knowledge of concepts in math, history, ­science and English Language Arts. Prior r­ egistration is required for each event, and spots fill up quickly. Fees are subject to change.

Photos: Amy Davis McShane

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Eco Challenge – Grades 6-12 Held in the fall on separate dates for middle and high school, the Eco Challenge allows students to investigate environmental issues through scientific observation activities as they explore the conservatory. High school students get to interview Phipps Botany in Action fellows about their exotic research throughout the world. Fee: $5 per student CalcuSolve – Grades 5-12 CalcuSolve has been testing students’ mathematics problem-solving skills for more than 40 years. It annually attracts an average of about 900 students who compete ­individually and as part of four-person teams in one of four divisions: Grades 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12. Held virtually for several years, it returned to an onsite format at Duquesne University in February 2023. Fee: $10 per team Science Bowl – Grades 4-8 Hosted at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the annual event dates back more than 22 years and brings together students from dozens of districts in Allegheny, ­Washington and Westmoreland counties. Schools may register up to three teams of four to work together to complete hands-on activities, express their creativity and meet peers from other schools – all while exploring the museum’s exhibits. Fee: $12 per student Wild Investigations at the Pittsburgh Zoo – Grades 3-6 In partnership with the Pittsburgh Zoo, Wild Investigations kicked off in 2018, inviting schools to enroll up to 16 students in grades 3-6 to learn about creatures great and small through a scavenger hunt challenge. An average of 340 students attend per year. Fee: $16 per student History Bowl – Grades 4-8 In partnership with the Heinz History Center, students participate in teams of four, working together to find answers, think and write creatively and practice problem ­solving as they explore the History Center’s exhibits. Fee: $7 per student 32

Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net

Alternative Education Program Celebrating over 60 yea rs of success

The Alternative Education Program (AEP) at Allegheny Intermediate Unit serves students in grades seven through 12 who are temporarily ­excluded from their classrooms.

Restorative Practices How We Help n

n

Behavioral & Therapeutic Supports Individual & Group Counseling

n

Community Service

n

High-Quality Instruction

n

Restorative Practices

Our Schools Community School West 19 May Avenue McKees Rocks, PA 15136 412-464-4051

Community School East 519 Penn Avenue Turtle Creek, PA 15145 412-464-4043

Academic Institute at Allegheny County Jail 950 Second Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-424-4042

Contact us Licia Lentz, Ed.D. Program Director licia.lentz@aiu3.net 412-394-5804

The AEP uses restorative practices as an alternative to traditional discipline. The goals are to increase the use of restorative practices to help cultivate a climate of community and acceptance and to aid in the decrease of classroom disciplinary referrals and suspensions.

Emphasis will be placed on establishing transition plans for returning students to ensure the repair of harm and the inclusion of students into the regular population.

Transition Programming We give our students ­opportunities to work their way back into their school community. Our statecertified instructors take students into the real world, providing them with venues for self-improvement.

The work fosters deeper ­community relationships with students and staff through communitybuilding circles, healing circles, and welcoming circles with students returning from suspensions, expulsion or any out-of-school situation.

Learn more at aiu3.net/aep

Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID

Pittsburgh PA Permit No 2516

475 East Waterfront Drive Homestead, PA 15120

O u r M i ss i o n We are an educational c­ ommunity that advocates and advances ­ equitable opportunities for every learner.

Our Vision Through equitable access, all learners achieve their full potential.

A l l e g h e n y I n t e r m e d i at e U n i t aiu3.net | 412-394-5700

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