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Pupil Services

  • Pupil Services are programs that support the overall mission of the district by ensuring that students have or attain competencies necessary to benefit from the instructional program. Pupil Service staff can identify and remove barriers in order for a student to benefit from instruction. Examples of pupil service staff are school psychologists, school counselors, school nurses, and home-school visitors. 
  • Framework for Pupil Services
  • Developmental Services:
  • Counseling, psychological, health that support students in addressing academic, behavioral, health, personal, and social developmental issues.
  • Diagnostic, Intervention, Referral Services:
  • Identify barriers that limit a student’s success in school, engage in activities to limit/eliminate those barriers, refer to school-based professionals or community-based assistance.
  • Consultation and Coordination Services:

Partnerships with parents, families, staff, community resources to address barriers to educational objectives.

Care Team: Threat assessment is the primary role of the Care Team. It is a fact-based process for the assessment of and intervention with students whose behaviors may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community, or others. See action code 41 “Care Team Screening” in Appendix A: Discipline Decision-Making Guide where applicable.

Threat assessment is a prevention strategy. 

  • School communities work together to identify student threats before they become acts of violence
  • Schools have systems in place to process information
  • Students receive assistance through early identification

Gifted Screening and Evaluation Procedures: Conestoga Valley School District advocates for appropriate educational opportunities for all students. Students are screened in second grade to determine if additional assessment is necessary to consider gifted programming. Students may be identified based on multiple criteria as listed in district procedural guides. This program services students who demonstrate advanced abilities who require additional programming to meet their needs under Chapter 16 of the Pennsylvania School Code. Parents with questions on this process or results can contact the school psychologist assigned to their building. If you feel your child may be in need of gifted services, you may request that your child be considered for evaluation. Parent requests should be made in writing to the building principal.

Group & Individual Counseling: In addition to the developmental aspect of pupil services, there are a range of other services available. Group discussion opportunities are provided at all levels. Topics include information on changing family structures, general growth and development, and special focus groups. Individual counseling is provided to students who need more extensive support than can be provided in a group or classroom setting. School counselors will not become involved in extended therapy sessions. They will, however, work to assist the students and the parents to secure the needed assistance in the community.

Agency and Community Referrals: Many obstacles to a child’s learning are not school oriented and they require specialized treatment. Counselors work with parents in seeking appropriate services in the community. They are also available to coordinate the services of the agency/private practitioner with that of the school.

RtII (Response to Instruction & Intervention): Services are available in each elementary building, the Middle School, and the High School for students who are not realizing success in school. A specially trained team made up of an RtII teacher/coordinator, subject teachers, administration, school counselors, and other professional staff, is available to work with parents, teachers, and students in establishing a plan for student success.

Home School Visitor: A home school visitor is available to students and their parents at times when individual or family problems rise. The home school visitor maintains close contacts with other pupil service workers and coordinates those services to the family. In addition, the home school visitor is familiar with all local community agencies and can assist a family or student in obtaining needed services.

Child Abuse Reporting: The Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law requires school personnel and school volunteers to report suspected child abuse to ChildLine at (800) 932-0313 or electronically to the PA Child Welfare Information Solution (CWIS). The school's role is limited to reporting the incident-not investigating it. The law does, however, require the schools to cooperate with the agency investigation.

Parental Involvement: The district places a strong emphasis on parental involvement. No one single factor is more effective in working with a child than cooperation and involvement of his/her parents. Parents and the school form a partnership in providing a network of support for the child during both normal life experiences and in times of difficulty. If that partnership fails to develop, the school’s options in serving the child are greatly limited.