Department Overview
Special Education encompasses a wide range of supports and services. The William Penn School District is committed to supporting your child with a disability or exceptionality, an IEP, a 504 Plan, or a GIEP (Gifted IEP). Please reach out to the Elementary or Secondary Supervisor of Special Education if you have any concerns. We look forward to working with you.”
Every exceptional student attending the schools of this District shall be offered an educational program that meets his/her educational needs and is suited to his/her unique abilities. The Special Education program shall be designed to comply with IDEA, conform to the goals of the District and integrate, to the maximum extent appropriate, special education with regular instruction programs. To qualify as an exceptional student, the student must be of school age, in need of specially designed instruction, and meet the criteria for one or more of the following: Autism, Blindness, Visual Impairment, Deafness, Hearing Impairment, Emotional Disturbance, Orthopedic Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Intellectual Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, Multiple Disabilities, Deaf-Blind, Other Health Impairment, or Traumatic Brain Injury.
The William Penn School District uses a set of procedures based on State Standards and Regulations to identify and evaluate the specific needs of school-age students requiring special programs or services. Screening information is used by the Comprehensive Support Process (CSP) Team in the child's home school to meet the child's needs, or to document the need for further evaluation. If progress is not made utilizing the Comprehensive Support Process Team, a child, (with Parent Permission), will be recommended for a Multidisciplinary Evaluation which will result in a comprehensive Educational Report. Parents are then invited and encouraged to attend an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting for the purpose of developing an individualized program based upon the findings of the Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation (MDE). When identified students display challenging behavior(s), the IEP will include a Behavior Support Plan. This plan will provide information on positive interventions designed to reduce the challenging behavior and teach appropriate alternative skills. It is the position of the District, in line with Federal and State requirements to provide an education in the Least Restrictive Environment, that all William Penn students eligible for Special Education be taught in their neighborhood school with regular education peers, to the maximum extent appropriate. Students will receive their services in the regular education environment to the degree that is deemed appropriate by the IEP team. Should the IEP team determine that a more restrictive environment is necessary, the William Penn School District is able to offer the appropriate program from the full continuum of special education placement options.
Department Staff
Michael Graff
Supervisor, Special Education (acting)
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1248
Fax: 610-284-8055
mgraff@wpsd.k12.pa.us
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1248
Fax: 610-284-8055
mgraff@wpsd.k12.pa.us
Vera McNeill
Essie Barrett
In-District Special Education Secretary
Vacant
Out-of-District Special Education Secretary
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1267
Fax: 610-394-1094
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1267
Fax: 610-394-1094
Dr. Ryan Farrell
Special Education Services and Compliance
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1256
Fax: 610-284-8055
rfarrell@wpsd.k12.pa.us
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1256
Fax: 610-284-8055
rfarrell@wpsd.k12.pa.us
Dr. Sandy Blender
Internal and External Support
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1259
Fax: 610-284-8055
sblender@wpsd.k12.pa.us
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1259
Fax: 610-284-8055
sblender@wpsd.k12.pa.us
Angela Humphrey
Special Education Services Data Coordinator
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1254
Fax: 610-284-8055
ahumphrey@wpsd.k12.pa.us
Phone: 610-284-8005 ext. 1254
Fax: 610-284-8055
ahumphrey@wpsd.k12.pa.us