Claysburg-Kimmel School District expands special education program
Schools to add adaptive tools, sensory equipment
The elementary school will receive Touch2Play virtual interactive displays. Courtesy photo
The elementary school and the high school will receive adaptive golf carts. Courtesy photo
The elementary school will receive Touch2Play virtual interactive displays. Courtesy photo
The elementary school and the high school will receive adaptive golf carts. Courtesy photo
Trending
The Claysburg-Kimmel School District is expanding its special education program with innovative tools and real-world learning experiences to prepare students for the next step.
The elementary school will receive adaptive furniture, expanded sensory equipment, a LiteZilla sensory wall, a Life Skills oven, skills and stations, a refrigerator with integrated inventory technology, Touch2Play virtual interactive displays and an adaptive golf cart.
Meanwhile, the high school will add an adaptive golf cart, a program equipment storage shed, a new washer, dryer and dishwasher installation and a new kitchen island.
The expansion is slated to finish by mid-fall, assistant to the superintendent Brannan Raptosh said.
Some parts of the renovation, such as the Life Skills station, will be installed before the start of the 2026-27 school year, while other factors, including the ADA-compliant golf cart, will arrive after the first days of school.
Raptosh said all enhancements are self-funded, including grants and billable funds through Pennsylvania's access fund balance.
"These foundational improvements allowed us to better meet the daily needs of our students while providing dignity, accessibility, and meaningful learning opportunities," Superintendent Brian Helsel said.
It will soon be three years since Claysburg-Kimmel implemented its special education program during the 2023-24 school year.
During the 2024-25 school year, the special education program received an $80,000 grant from the Claysburg Education Foundation and EITC partners, which created their sensory room to support students in both the Multi-Disabilities Support and Life Skills Support classrooms, the press release states.
This year's plans are the program's biggest expansion yet, Raptosh said, impacting more than 50 students at the elementary and high school levels.
The expansion shows the district's commitment to its students, families and needs present in the community, he said.
"We're not where we want to be yet," he said. "We're building and providing the best we can."
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.