Multiple Disabilities Support (MDS) Classroom Programs

What are the MDS Classrooms?

The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Multiple Disabilities Support Classrooms are geared towards students in grades K-12 with low incidence disabilities requiring support in the areas of communication, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, adaptive skills and cognitive deficits. This classroom-based program is focused on a combination of academics, life skills, and medical needs. Particular emphasis is placed on building individual student communication and language skills. The goal of the program is to build a solid foundation to have the student be as independent as possible using the Project Maxx mindset of presumed competence. Classroom instruction is individualized to each student and assessing the student’s most effective communication system is ongoing.

What is included in the program?

Certified special education teacher
Licensed Practical Nurse/Teacher Assistant
Behavior consultation
SETT meetings and planning
Community Based Instruction
Access to assistive technology for trials
Access to specialized equipment such as standers and gait trainers
Access to social worker
Paperwork including IEP’s and reevaluations
Adaptive Physical Education
Administrative supervision

What Inclusion opportunities are available?

Specials
Assemblies
Lunch/recess
Other areas as determined by the IEP team

What other services are available?

Hearing Support Services

Direct and Consultative

Occupational Therapy Services

Direct and Consultative

Orientation & Mobility Services

Direct and Consultative

Physical Therapy Services

Direct and Consultative

Speech Services

Direct and Consultative

Vision Support Services

Direct and Consultative

Deaf-Blind Resource Team

Consultative

Behavior Support

Direct 1:1 Assistants

Extended School Year Program

Kelly Lauer

Program Administrator for Autistic Support, MDS, and Life Skill

klauer@mciu.org
Office: 484-808-5345

Kelly Lauer has over 20 years of experience in the education field. She has held various roles such as Teacher of Students who are Visually Impaired (TVI), Assistive Technology Specialist, and Co-Chair of the Deaf-Blind Resource Team. She has also held certifications as an Apple Certified Teacher, OSMO Certified Ambassador, Certified Microsoft Innovative Educator, Google Educator, and JAWS certified professional. Kelly has experience working within the approved private school, district, and itinerant setting. She has served on the Board of Director for The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (Penn-Del AER), Middle States Accreditation, and website redesign committees. She is passionate about Universal Design for Learning and accessible technology integration to meet the needs of diverse learners in the classroom.

Kelly graduated from Kutztown University with certifications in Elementary Education and Special Education – Visually Impaired, earned a Master’s in Educational Learning Differences and PreK-12 Special Education from Cabrini University, Assistive Technology Certification from California State University Northridge (CSUN), and currently completing her doctorate in Special Education Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University.

Board Agendas & Minutes

Effective November 18, 2020, the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit will be utilizing the BoardDocs platform for meeting management. BoardDocs is a paperless-meeting software designed to house documents for Board agendas, meetings and minutes. Visit the BoardDocs website to view the MCIU Board Meeting agendas, meetings and minutes. To view past agendas and minutes, please use the buttons below:

Upcoming Agendas

Agendas Prior to November 2020

Minutes Prior to November 2020

Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology focuses on a variety of tools to support students including:

Augmentative Communication Devices
Writing Tools
Computer Access Technology
Switches and Environmental Controls
Assistive Listening Equipment for the Hearing Impaired
Access Technology for the Visually Impaired

We offer services directly to school districts in Montgomery County.

Schools/Districts

Student Referral Form

SETT Meeting Forms

PA Media & Design Competition Regional Event at MCIU

2021 competition will once again be held virtually

The PA Media and Design Competition (formerly the PA Computer Fair) is an annual event, typically held in March or April, that highlights Pennsylvania school students’ application skills and computer knowledge. Students are able to unleash their creativity, learn how to convey information more dynamically, and enhance the learning process. This competition is open to all students in grades 6-12, in public or private schools as well as state-approved home-school programs.

The Middle School and High School Competitions are two separate events operating under the same rules but held the same day at the same place under a common schedule.

Be sure to follow the regulations posted at the website: PA Media and Design Competition.

Middle and High School Categories:

Registration Opens: December 7, 2020 and closes March 12, 2021 at 4:00 PM. Deadline for Projects to be uploaded is March 26, 2021 at 4:00 PM. Judging Takes Place the week of April 5, 2021. Awards Announced: April 13, 2021. Open to all Montgomery County Middle and High School students

Regional Competition Information

Please note: Projects are limited to three per category per school.

Please be sure to follow instructions on PA Media and Design Competition for uploading your projects and all associated information.

For additional information contact: Jackie Krail at 610-755-9352 or via email to jkrail@mciu.org

Registration & Information

Business Office Support Services

The Office of Business Services provides a variety of back-office school business support services, including, but not limited to: Accounting support, Business Management, Payroll Processing, and Purchasing Support. Services are provided both short and long term and are customized to meet the needs of the school entity.

For more information on MCIU’s Business Office Administrative Support Services, please contact:

Sandra Edling
CFO/Director of Business Services
610-755-9410
sedling@mciu.org

Financial Wellness for Educators

The Office of Business Services provides an ongoing NO cost 10-week Financial Wellness for Educators Program for adults working in Montgomery County Public Schools. This program is made possible through a grant received from the National Association of State Treasurers.

Class sizes are limited and cover topics, such as: Money Values, Developing a Spending Plan, Understanding Banking Products, Credit Reports, Debt Management, Financial Disasters, and Preparing for Retirement.

To register for this opportunity, please visit the MCIU’s professional learning registration system and select the Financial Wellness course that best meets your schedule.

For more information, please contact:

Sandra Edling
CFO/Director of Business Services
610-755-9410
sedling@mciu.org

Southeastern PA Schools Trust

The MCIU’s Office of Business Services provides the Trust Management Services for the Southeastern PA Schools Trust (SEPaST). SEPaST is a consortium of seventeen (17) school entities in southeastern PA that work together to pool resources for the purpose of self-insuring medical, prescription drug, and other employee benefits.

www.sepast.org

For more information on joining SEPaST, please contact:

Sandra Edling
CFO/Director of Business Services
610-755-9410
sedling@mciu.org

2021 Federal Poverty Guidelines

Download

BrainSTEPS

The BrainSTEPS Program was created to build a bridge connecting the medical, rehabilitation, education sectors and families following student (K-12) acquired brain injury (ABI). ABIs can cause cognitive, physical, socio-emotional, and behavioral impairments that impact classroom performance and learning. In 2007, the Pennsylvania Department of Health established the BrainSTEPS Program to address this issue. BrainSTEPS consulting teams support school teams in the development and implementation of educational plans following student ABI.

The original BrainSTEPS model in PA is currently funded by the PA Department of Health and the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, and is implemented by the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania. In 2017, BrainSTEPS was recognized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a national model for educational consultation supporting students and school teams in the development and implementation of educational supports and services following an acquired brain injury.

The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit BrainSTEPS team seeks to support both public and non-public school students as they re-enter school following acquired brain injury. They provide information to families and schools, links to resources, and provide training to school staff to learn more about the impacts and effects of concussion and other acquired brain injuries.

Student Referral Form

Head Start Policy Council - Minutes

The Head Start Policy Council meets monthly on Mondays. Please see our calendar for upcoming meeting dates.

Washington A Conference Room
2 W. Lafayette Street
Norristown, PA 19401

*Council meetings are currently being held virtually due to COVID-19.

HEAD START – FINANCIALS

The Office of Business Services is responsible for all of the internal fiscal operations of the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. The Office annually prepares the operating budgets, annual financial reports, and coordinates the efforts for both the State and Local audits of our fiscal documents.

Equitable Participation

Equitable Participation (EP) Services are available to students identified as eligible for special education who are unilaterally placed by parents in private schools. In Pennsylvania, the IU is the agency responsible for the implementation of the federal requirement for EP Services.

Forms for Nonpublic School Use:

Professional Development Request Form

Materials Request Form

Consultation Request Form

• BrainSTEPs Form

• Consent for Observation

• Consultation Requests -Teacher Input

• Hearing Consult-Parent Input

• Hearing Consult-Primary SIFTER

• Hearing Consult-Secondary SIFTER

• Vision Consult-Parent Input

• Vision Consult-Teacher Input