Special Education Teacher at PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District is located in Clearfield and Centre counties. It is comprised of approximately 1,800 students and 250 employees in two K-4 elementary schools (Philipsburg Elementary and Osceola Mills Elementary), a 5-8 Middle School and a 9-12 Senior High School.

Philipsburg Osceola is committed to helping all students achieve at the highest levels. Teachers use inquiry-based instruction, an effective, researched-based teaching strategy, and work collaboratively to prepare students to become outstanding citizens.

Students can earn college credits during high school through dual enrollment partnerships with Mount Aloysius, Penn Highlands and Lock Haven University. In 2016-17, the district is implementing Go Math in grades K-8. The Senior High School uses the Glencoe Mathematics Program. In 2014-15, Reading Wonders was implemented in grades K-5. ASSET Science kits are used in K-6 Science classes to provide a hands-on science approach. Collins Writing is utilized in Grades 5-10. In 2011-12, Philipsburg-Osceola implemented SpringBoard, a pre-AP program by the College Board, in its secondary English courses. In addition to dual enrollment, the Senior High offers a range of AP courses and more than doubled its enrollment in those courses in a year's time.

Philipsburg-Osceola uses a team approach to help all children succeed. Every cycle, the district holds meetings with all teachers of each grade, the principal and the guidance counselor. At these meetings, the success levels of all students within each grade are discussed. Teachers decide which instructional interventions are needed to support students, and each child’s progress is closely monitored. Teachers discuss using additional interventions, if necessary, and may call on the advice of additional district professionals, such as the school psychologist, reading specialist and special education teacher.

Philipsburg Elementary, Osceola Mills Elementary, and the Middle School operate a Schoolwide Positive Behavior Intervention Support Program. The district has a K-12 Student Assistance Program.

All Middle School students participate on academic teams. Teachers in science, math, English and social studies are assigned to teams and have common planning time to discuss strategies and individual student needs. Grades 9 and 10 also have academic teams for each grade level.