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Faculty

Ms. Angela Lucas
Special Education Supervisor / ESL Liason
alucas@westbranch.org

814-345-5615×3850

Mrs. Kim Eboch
Special Education Secretary K-12th
keboch@westbranch.org

814-345-5615×3000

Mrs. Kristi Gibson
Learning Support Teacher K-2nd
kgibson@westbranch.org

Mrs. Sarah Ewing
Learning Support Teacher  3rd
sewing@westbranch.org

Mr. Mark Norris
Life Skills Teacher K-6th
mnorris@westbranch.org

Mrs. Cheri Cantolina
Learning Support 5th-6th
ccantolina@westbranch.org

Mrs. Tina Bickel
Learning Support Teacher 5th-6th/ Gifted Support Teacher 5th-12th
tbickel@westbranch.org

Mrs. Sherri McGarvey
Learning Support Teacher 7th-8th
smcgarvey@westbranch.org

Mr. Matthew Hauck
Learning Support Teacher 7th-8th/ Emotional Support 5th-8th
mhauck@westbranch.org

Ms. Beth Hudish
Learning Support Teacher 9th-12th
bhudish@westbranch.org

Ms. Debra Moriarity
Learning Support Teacher 9th-12th
dmoriarity@westbranch.org

Mr. Danny Clark
Learning Support Teacher 4th/ 9th-12th
dclark@westbranch.org

Mrs. Erin Johnson
Life Skills Support Teacher 7th-12th
ejohnson@westbranch.org

Mrs. Amanda Harris
Speech and Language Therapist K-12th
aharris@westbranch.org

Mrs. Danielle Gregory
Speech and Language Therapist K-12th
dgregory@westbranch.org

Mrs. Sarah Koot
School Psychologist K-12th
skoot@westbranch.org

Mrs. Coleen Dixon
Licensed Counselor
cdixon@westbranch.org

Ms. Melanie Gillingham
Occupational Therapist (Penn Highlands) K-12th
mgillingham@westbranch.org

Mrs. Heidi Bloom
Physical Therapist K-12th
hbloom@westbranch.org

Ms. Allison Berry
Hearing Therapist (CIU) K-12th
aberry@ciu10.org

Ms. Carrie Kephart
Teacher of the Visually Impaired K-12th (CIU10)
ckephart@ciu10.org

Ms. Jennifer Witcamp
Teacher of Visually Impaired (CIU)
jwitkamp@ciu10.org


Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

  • Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
  • Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
  • Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
    • School officials with legitimate educational interest;
    • Other schools to which a student is transferring;
    • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
    • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
    • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
    • Accrediting organizations;
    • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
    • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
    • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

For additional information, you may call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call 1-800-437-0833.

Or you may contact us at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-8520


Parent Information Links

Release of Information: Document (pdf)
Procedural Safeguards: Notice (pdf)
The PEAL Center: Website
Pennsylvania Department of Education: Website
Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance: Website
Secondary Transition Information: Website
Child Find: Website
Autism society of America: Website
Council for Exceptional Children: Website
National Parent Teacher Association: Website
Pennsylvania Parent Information and Resource Center (PAPIRC) : Website
Pennsylvania Department of Education: Website
Pennsylvania Secondary Transition Guide: Website





Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

  • Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
  • Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
  • Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
    • School officials with legitimate educational interest;
    • Other schools to which a student is transferring;
    • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
    • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
    • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
    • Accrediting organizations;
    • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
    • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
    • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

For additional information, you may call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call 1-800-437-0833.

Or you may contact us at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-8520


Parent Information Links

Release of Information: Document (pdf)
Procedural Safeguards: Notice (pdf)
The PEAL Center: Website
Pennsylvania Department of Education: Website
Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance: Website
Secondary Transition Information: Website
Child Find: Website
Autism society of America: Website
Council for Exceptional Children: Website
National Parent Teacher Association: Website
Pennsylvania Parent Information and Resource Center (PAPIRC) : Website
Pennsylvania Department of Education: Website
Pennsylvania Secondary Transition Guide: Website