South Middle School Guidance/IST Department (Top)
Guidance Office Phone Number: 215-257-5789
Fax: 267-450-8809
Guidance
Mrs. Laura Russo
215-257-0469, Extension 1006
Instructional Support
Dr. Catherine Taylor
215-257-0469, Extension 1007
Important Resource Phone Numbers outside of PSMS Guidance/IST
Click on the link above to access.
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Mark your calendar with the PSSA testing dates! (Top)
- April 7 - 13: PSSA Math and Reading for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
- April 19 - 21: PSSA Writing for the 8th grade.
- April 27 - 30: PSSA Science for the 8th grade.
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Instructional Support Team (IST) (Top)
IST stands for Instructional Support Team. Instructional Support is a team driven, systematic intervention planning process for students who are at-risk due to learning, behavioral, and/or social difficulties. The primary goal is to identify a student's instructional needs and to provide specific support necessary for school success. The IST process involves four steps:
- Identifying a student’s need for academic, behavioral, and/or social support
- Determining the strategies needed to assist the student
- Implementing intervention strategies through a continuum of services.
- Providing support for teachers and staff to assist them in implementing the interventions.
Any staff member may request assistance by completing the appropriate referral form. In addition, parents may request assistance by contacting their child’s classroom teacher, the principal, or the instructional support teacher.
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Student Assistance Program (SAP) Team (Top)
The Pennridge South Middle School Student Assistance Program (SAP) Team is committed to identifying students who are having problems that affect their learning. Each child is a product of his or her home, school, and community environments.
The SAP Team hopes individuals, concerned peers, parents, support staff members, faculty alike will join us with referrals, cooperation, and support so that Penn South Middle School can help every student achieve his or her potential. Referral concerns include absenteeism, depression, eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse/use, physical abuse, sexual abuse, suicide, and self-destructive behavior. The SAP process:
- Information related to the student’s academic performance, attendance, and behavior (both in and out of school) is obtained from the student, staff members, and parents.
- Findings and recommendations are shared with the student and parents in a focused conference.
- When appropriate, the family is connected with the appropriate community based support services.
Remember to TRUST your instincts, SEEK help and support, and WORK with school professionals. Please do not DELAY hoping the problem with disappear, DIAGNOSE but rather communicate your concerns to the SAP Team, or ACCEPT EXCUSES for inexcusable behavior.
SAP Team Members
• Mrs. McAllister – Principal ... 215-257-0467 (main office)
• Mr. Taylor – Assistant Principal ... 215-257-0467 (main office)
• Mrs. Brittain - Teacher ... 215-257-0467 ext. 2112
• Mrs. Clemens – Nurse ... 215-257-0467 ext. 1004
• Ms. Krier - Pennridge Social Worker ... 215-257-0467 ext. 2365
• Mrs. Russo – Guidance Counselor ... 215-257-0467 ext. 1006
• Dr. Taylor – Instructional Support Teacher .... 215-257-0467 ext. 1007
• Ms. Amy Bocklet – School Services Program of BCCADD …
_ (215) 230-8218 ext. 3818
• Ms. Lois Dodson – Penn Foundation … (215) 257-6551 ext. 291
All information concerning students will remain confidential.
SAP Referral Form - Students may be referred to SAP by peers, parent(s)/guardians, school staff, or other concerned individuals. Please click on the underlined text to download the SAP referral form. Please return the form to the SAP team mailbox located in the office.
SAP Brochure - Click the link to download a .pdf version of the brochure.
Frequently Asked Questions - Click the link to download a .pdf version of the information from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Student Assistance Program on Frequently Asked Questions about SAP.__________________________________________________________________
Helpful Brochures (Top)
____________________________________________________________________________Click on each link to download a PDF version of the brochure.
You may need to download a free version of Adobe Reader to view the PDFs - http://get.adobe.com/reader/.
The Middle School Experience – Tips for ParentsMiddle Years - Tackling Test Questions
Helpful Information on the Internet (Top)
Click on each link to access the website:
• Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
• Parenting Today's Teen
• Promote Student Responsibility
• Family Education Network
• National Center for Fathering
• The Children's Partnership
• Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
• What is your Learning Style?Everyone has a mix of learning styles. Learning styles include aural (auditory-musical), logical (mathematical), physical (kinesthetic), social (interpersonal), solitary (intrapersonal), visual (spatial), and verbal (linguistic). Find out your learning style!
• Adolescent Literature support for parents and educators
• Reading Rockets• Information regarding learning disabilities and ADHDA web site resource for parents and teachers with information about teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle with reading.
• CHADD: Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• "Internet Smarts - Safeguarding Your Children in a Digital World"
• Drug and alcohol use and parental interventions (from PDE)
• Drug and alcohol use and parental interventions (from "The Anti Drug")