• Special education programs meet the needs of gifted children as well as those with a variety of disabilities.


• The AASD operates a full-time elementary gifted program and uses designated teachers to further assist these students during their years in grades 7-12.


• After-school tutoring is offered at all sites, helping students improve math and reading skills..


• 21st Century Community Learning Centers are in operation at Juniata and Penn-Lincoln schools.


• Children are given many opportunities to excel through participation in programs like Odyssey of the Mind, Mathcounts, Speech League, and the Junior Academy of Science.


• Specialized programs meet the needs of at-risk students enrolled throughout the district. On-site human servics coordinators are available to work with these students as needed.


• Character education is a major focus in all elementary and secondary schools. Conflict resolution courses will again be taught in seventh grade classes this year.


• The AASD Student Assistance program, one of the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, has received national recognition for its work with at-risk students.


• Teams of students and teachers are working to promote respect for diversity. The AASD Collaboratiin Team supports these efforts.


• The Learning Express Preschool at Curtin provides special help for developmentally-delayed three and four year-old children.

Inclusion

Inclusion is a term that has been used mostly recently to describe educating special education students within regular education settings. Though the terminology is new, the idea of educating students within the least restrictive environment is not.

I.D.E.A. (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act)specifically deals with this process and the concept of educating students within the least restrictive environment since its inception in 1975.

The Altoona Area School District's position, with reference to inclusion, is more global than the terminology often reflects. If possible, we will strive to meet special education students' individual educational needs within regular education settings.

When adaptations within the regular education setting do not provide for the child's individual educational needs, then the Altoona Area School District will strive to provide a continuum of services for our exceptional students. We will not develop a policy of full or non-inclusion, but continue to strive to teach exceptional individuals in the least restrictive environment.

Tom Kattouf is the Supervisor of Special Education. For more information, contact Gloria Gates, Inclusion Facilitator at 814-946-8251, 8252 or 8253.

Stevens Community Education Center

Adult Literacy

Provides educational skills needed to find, apply for, and get a job. Some Adult Literacy Services include remedial education, basic skills training, GED examination preparation and English as a Second Language training.

Single Point of Contact Program (SPOC)

The aim of this program is to give a person an opportunity to go to one location and be offered a variety of services which lead to permanent employment. SPOC provides assistance in the areas of basic education, occupational skills training, work experience, on-the-job training, job search and job readiness.

Youth Programs

The Summer Youth Employment and Training Program provides paid work experience to qualified 14 to 21 year-old youth during the summer months. Each program also includes a component for remedial education.

Tryout Employment

This program is designed to place economically disadvantaged-in-school youth (ages 16 to 21) in permanent, private sector jobs upon successful completion of a pre-employment skills training component.

On-The-Job Training

The OJT program provides for payments of up to 50 percent of the wages earned by eligible employees during a planned period of on-site job training.

GED Program

The General Equivalency Development (GED) tests measure achievement in writing skills, social studies, science, literature and the arts and mathematics. Classroom instruction is available to persons who wish to prepare for these tests.