Student Services
The Student Services Department is committed to helping every student succeed by partnering with families to remove barriers to learning and connect them with the support they need. Our team provides counseling and guidance to students and parents, helping them navigate challenges and identify solutions together. We connect families with school and community resources to address unmet physical, emotional, social, or financial needs that may impact a student's success. We also assist with enrollment and residency matters, including questions related to custody, residency, and out-of-district attendance. In addition, we coordinate suspension hearings and ensure that students' rights are protected throughout the disciplinary process. Our goal is to support the well-being and academic success of every student by providing guidance, advocacy, and access to essential services.
ADA Compliance
- Subtitle A of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Pub. L. 101-336, prohibits
discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities. Subtitle A protects qualified
individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disability in the services,
programs, or activities of all State and local governments. It extends the prohibition of
discrimination in federally assisted programs established by section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 to all activities of State and local governments, including those that do not receive
Federal financial assistance, and incorporates specific prohibitions of discrimination on the
basis of disability from titles I, III, and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act.Allegany County Public Schools, abides by the general prohibitions of discrimination established
under section 504, as well as the requirements for making programs accessible to individuals
with disabilities and for providing equally effective communications. All individuals with
disabilities are protected by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). IDEA and COMAR regulations are implemented assuming equity,
access, and opportunity for achievement of academic, functional, and behavioral outcomes
specific to Allegany County Public Schools children and youth with disabilities and their families.
Inquiries concerning the application of Section 504 and the ADA may be directed to Dr. Wendy
Main, Supervisor of Special Education and Coordinator of Section 504 compliance.
Complaints or Grievances should be submitted in writing to:Allegany County Public Schools
Attn: Dr. Wendy Main
PO Box 1724
108 Washington Street
Cumberland, Md 21501-1724
Title IX Compliance
Title IX of the Education Amendment states that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of gender, be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
Title IX applies to students, school employees, or anyone present on the school campus regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, or disability status. It includes all of a school's operations, including school-sponsored activities or travel that occurs away from school.
Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to Tracey Leonard, Supervisor of Health, Physical Education, and Athletics. The telephone number is 301-759-2404.
Complaints or grievances should be submitted in writing to:
Allegany County Public Schools
108 Washington Street
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY FILE: AC(opens in new tab) (Revised September 14, 2021)
To affirm the Board of Education’s commitment to maintaining an environment where all students and staff members conduct themselves in a manner built on mutual respect. To affirm the Board of Education’s position that it regards all acts of illegal discrimination to be
unacceptable and intolerable and in particular those based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity or expression, genetic information, age, marital status, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, physical characteristics or disability.Definitions:
N/A
Policy Statement:
The Board of Education of Allegany County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity or expression, genetic information, age, marital status, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, physical characteristics or disability in matters affecting employment, admission to or treatment in providing access to programs. This policy will prevail in all matters concerning staff, students, educational programs and services, and individuals with whom the Board of Education does
business.
NONDISCRIMINATION REGULATION FILE: AC-R1-4(opens in new tab)
The Home and Hospital Teaching Program is designed to provide instructional continuity to students who are unable to attend their regular school of enrollment due to:
- Physical illness or disability
- Emotional crisis
- Chronic Health Impairment
It is a short-term, itinerant instructional service mandated by state law with specific guidelines for program implementation and delivery. These educational services enable students to continue their academic work and to remain current with their peers as they prepare for their eventual return to their home schools. Home teaching is provided only during the academic year except for students whose Individualized Education Programs provide for additional instruction beyond the regular school calendar.
For more information or to receive an application for Home and Hospital teaching, please contact your school's Pupil Personnel Worker.
Home and Hospital Teaching
c/o Wendy Main
P.O Box 1724
Cumberland, MD 21502
Phone: 301-759-2064
Fax: 301-759-2420
Maryland law, Education Article, §7-301, Annotated Code of Maryland, Compulsory Attendance, and COMAR 13A.10.10.01 states that each child who resides in Maryland and is 5 years old or older and under 18 shall attend a public school regularly during the entire school year unless the child is otherwise receiving regular, thorough schooling during the school year in the studies usually taught in the public school to children of the same age. Maryland recognizes nonpublic schools and homeschooling as options for public school enrollment for students to receive regular, thorough instruction.
A parent/guardian who desires to home school a child should contact the Pupil Services Department at 301-759-2001. Each year parents must verify the continuation of homeschooling. Additionally, parents must notify the Pupil Service Department if the child’s home schooling status changes during the school year.
Please visit the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) webpage on Maryland Home Instruction for more information.
Mental Health Specialists are responsible for the following:
- Provides counseling for substance abuse
- Serves as liaison for the home-school-community
- Provides social, emotional, and behavioral assessment
- Provides direct services (individual/group therapeutic services, social and emotional learning)
- Treatment of emotional disorders
- Provides professional case management
- Consults on Behavior Intervention Plans - II, III, Non-IEP Integrated Support Plan
- Facilitates transition from school to school
- Provides after-care services
- Counseling home and hospital students
ACPS Mental Health Specialists are listed below along with the schools that they serve:
- Kristin Wigger - Allegany High School (home school), Career Center
- Darren Wiley - Fort Hill High School (home school), Career Center
- Jamie Kamp - Mountain Ridge High School (home school), Career Center
- Abbey Patterson - Frost (home school) & Beall Elementary School
- Jill Starr - John Humbird Elementary School (home school)
- Kim Mullaney - Parkside (home school) & Northeast Elementary School
- Gale Vanhouten - Washington Middle School (home school), Flintstone Elementary School
- Jessica Zais - Braddock Middle School (home school), West Side Elementary School
- Kateland Wilson - Westmar Middle School (home school) , Bel Air Elementary School
- Julie Brown - Cresaptown Elementary School (home school), Cash Valley Elementary School
- Courtney Vinci - George's Creek Elementary School (home school), Westernport Elementary School
- Brandi Raley - Mount Savage Elementary & Middle Schools (home school)
- Stephanie Robison - South Penn Elementary (home school)
- Gary Long - RESTART Special Education Placements
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The Project Y.E.S. program (Youth Experiencing Success) provides in-school support to identified students in grades 6-12 in the Allegany County Public School System. In addition to teaching basic life skills, communication, and organizational skills, the program offers tutoring, mentoring, career and college planning, and connections to a variety of other community services. The program promotes good grades, positive behavior, resiliency, success, and attendance. Coordinators assist students with the difficult transition from elementary to middle, middle to high school and The Center for Career and Technical Education, to college, trade school, parenthood, and/or employment. The Y.E.S. program extends support to Y.E.S. students in the RESTART Program and the YMCA Program as services have expanded to support students in grades 6 through 12. Y.ES. support is not only inside the schools with tutoring and support, but expanded into the community for our students.
The most unique aspect of this program is that it offers a continuity of support across a student’s entire secondary experience. Students have the opportunity to develop a close network of support within their own schools as well as with students in the other Project Y.E.S. programs.
Y.E.S. OFFERS:
- Good Grades and Attendance
- Mentoring
- College and Career Planning
- Advocate for Students
- Liaison to In-house/Outside Resources & Community Partnerships
- Assists Students in Obtaining Service Learning Hours Through Many Community Projects
- Empowers Students to Take Leadership Roles in Helping Fellow Y.e.s. Students Through Groups and Mentoring Other Students
- Guest Speakers Involving Outside Resources , Present and Graduated Y.e.s. Students
- Support Groups
- Supports Y.e.s. Students and Families in Need
- Offers Free Prom Dresses to All-county Students in Need Each Highschool Has an Inventory of Gowns
- Field Trips As an Incentive to Students to Obtain Good Grades, Attendance, Improvement, and Positive Behavior
- Maintains Regular Contact with Parents to Reinforce Student Success
- Collaborates with School Staff in Order to Implement Program and Ensure Student Success
- Job Shadowing Opportunities
Project Y.E.S. CoordinatorsTerena Roberts - Allegany High, Braddock Middle, and Career CenterTiffany Arnett - Fort Hill High, Washington Middle, and Career CenterRobyn Miltenberger - Mountain Ridge High, Mt. Savage Middle, Westmar Middle, and Career Center
- Beall Elementary
- George's Creek Elementary
- John Humbird Elementary
- Northeast Elementary
- Parkside Elementary
- South Penn Elementary
- West Side Elementary
Elissa Pancake is the PPW for the following schools and can be reached at 301-729-2992:
- Bel Air Elementary
- Cash Valley Elementary
- Cresaptown Elementary
- Northeast Elementary
- Westernport Elementary
Molly Taylor is the PPW for the following schools and can be reached at 301-689-3377:
- Frost Elementary
- Mountain Ridge High
- Mount Savage Elementary & Middle Schools
- Westmar Middle
Sandra Arnold is the PPW for the following schools and can be reached at 301-777-8110:
- Allegany High
- Braddock Middle
- McKenney Vento Liason
Tiffany Pirolozzi is the PPW for the following schools and can be reached at 301-777-2570:
- Center for Career and Technical Education
- Flintstone Elementary
- Fort Hill High
- Washington Middle
School Counseling is an integral part of the child’s total educational experience.
Each child has certain needs, rights and responsibilities within the educational system.
School Counseling is a unique, planned program initiated by the school counselor and shared by students, staff, parents and community.
Each school counseling program is unique in methods and staff required to deliver school services. School Counseling services consist of counseling, networking, consulting, and referring. Additional services include appraisal, dissemination of information, and academic and social placement for all students. These services are intended to help students:
- Demonstrate personal and academic growth
- Make personal, academic, and career decisions unique to each student
- Utilize productive interaction skills with peers.
Homeless Education Liasion
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McKinney-Vento Liasion (Homeless Liasion)301-759-2402 ext. 4023Student Services Department:301-759-2001
McKinney-Vento
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The McKinney-Vento Act defines homelessness as children and youth who lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
Youth are considered homeless if there are:
- Sharing housing with others due to loss of family housing
- Living in motels or hotels due to a lack of any other housing
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters
The McKinney Vento Act supports the education of students experiencing homelessness, including the education of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. ACPS Board Policy JLG outlines the criteria for homelessness. Reach out to the Pupil Personnel Worker who can assist with McKinney Vento determinations and enrollment. ACPS enrollment practices for students experiencing homelessness can be found on the Policies page under Section J: JLG - Homeless Children & Youth.(opens in new tab)
Rights
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The McKinney-Vento Act is intended to eliminate barriers that would prohibit students experiencing homelessness from accessing a rigorous instructional program. In accordance with McKinney-Vento, parents and students are afforded the following rights:
- Equal access to services
- Equal access to programs
- School enrollment without delay
- Opportunity to continue enrollment in the school or origin unless determined not in the best interest of the student
- Participation in the appeal and dispute process
Best Interest and Dispute Process Form
Services
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The Homeless Liaison will participate in ongoing collaboration with the Office of Student Services, Office of Transportation, Office of Food and Nutrition, Allegany County Health Department as well as Pupil Personnel Workers to meet the needs of students experiencing homelessness in ACPS.
Students experiencing homelessness qualify for free breakfast and lunch. Referrals for meal services will be submitted by the pupil personnel worker after the McKinney Vento determination.
Program
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The McKinney-Vento Program removes barriers for students and families experiencing homelessness throughout Allegany County. Our program assists in academic achievement, technology skills, college preparation, and job skills training. To accomplish these objectives, the McKinney Vento Program will provide:
- Tutoring for students
- Restorative practices to facilitate increased school attendance and performance
- Summer school opportunities where secondary students have the opportunity to recover academic credits
- Summer school opportunities where elementary students have the opportunity to enrich literacy and math content and participate in enrichment activities to improve social skills
- Mentorships for high school students to facilitate college readiness
- School supplies
Community Resources
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Additional community resources are available for families who are experiencing homelessness and unaccompanied youth.
Allegany County Outreach Information Cart(opens in new tab)
Tarjeta de información de extensión del condado de Allegany(opens in new tab)
Tips for Unaccompanied Youth Completing(opens in new tab)
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)(opens in new tab)
