Westmoreland Intermediate Unit

School Safety and Security Coordinators from Westmoreland County’s school districts, CTCs, 911 Center, and Department of Public Safety, as well as the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, attended today’s WIU monthly meeting. Led by Joe Rice, WIU School Safety and Security Coordinator, updates to the 2024-2025 school code were covered, as well as a presentation made by FirstNet, an emergency communications provider, on updates to devices that enable efficient and reliable communication between first responders, school staff, and families.

PENNSYLVANIA EDUCATORS! Are you seeking CPE credits toward your Instructional II &/or Act 48 hours? This fall, the WIU has got you covered! Register today at bit.ly/CPEFallCourses to start learning and earning!

In preparation for the new school year, 200 WIU Student Services employees who work throughout the 17 Westmoreland County school districts gathered for in-service. The reinvigorating sessions, offered over two days, provided an opportunity for staff to reconnect, set goals, and share new trends and pedagogy in the field of education.

Looking for valuable and affordable training in Structured Literacy? Look no further than Westmoreland Intermediate Unit! Melissa Jackson and I are presenting on 9/26/24 - come join us!

K-12 curriculum leaders and administrators in the Norwin School District recently engaged in a kick-off session for a collaborative growth training series titled Curriculum Leadership: Leveraging Strengths & Expanding Capacity to Advance Learning for All. Designed and facilitated by Dr. Diane Fierle, Ed.D., WIU Curriculum Services Supervisor, the session focused on the pivotal role of curriculum leaders as administrative collaborators, identifying and removing barriers to collaborative leadership, and key self-awareness and emotional intelligence skills that contribute to impactful leadership in learning communities. 

Baseball catchers are poised to receive, but Ty Cupp, a graduated starting catcher for Norwin High School also positioned himself to give back this year. Through his fundraiser, “Swinging To Support,” Ty’s game stats were tracked through his senior year with money collected for the number of singles, doubles, triples, home runs, walks, and the number of times he caught a runner stealing a base and producing an out for his team. His efforts raised $1,300 to benefit the families of the WIU’s Early Intervention program who may need additional assistance and support for their children with special needs. Ty received a baseball scholarship and will be attending Mercyhurst University this fall to major in Sports Medicine. Presenting a check to the WIU Foundation, Ty is joined by Emily Surace, Early Intervention Social Worker, Luann Murtha, President of the WIU Foundation, and Dr. Denise Lohr, Early Childhood Services Administrator.

First day back with my Westmoreland Intermediate Unit team, and it was awesome! Ended the day in collab with Rebecca Henderson, Ed.D. and a thought-provoking jigsaw activity sharing Doug Lemov “Gathering Data on Student Mastery” #studentengagement #data #teachlikeachampion

PENNSYLVANIA EDUCATORS! Are you seeking CPE credits toward your Instructional II &/or Act 48 hours? This fall, the WIU has got you covered! Register today at bit.ly/CPEFallCourses to start learning and earning!

The WIU is hosting an interactive Science Boot Camp this week for teachers to explore and implement the new PDE STEELS standards. Led by Lauren Cunningham, WIU Curriculum Services Supervisor, today’s session includes unpacking curriculum, identifying the anchoring phenomenon, and organizing a sequence of learning experiences. The boot camp is empowering teachers to actively engage students in the discovery of Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS).     

To prepare for the school year, the WIU welcomed 76 Westmoreland County school administrators and staff who serve on their school’s Student Assistance Program (SAP) core team for training. Hosted by the Westmoreland County Department of Human Services, the training covered all facets of SAP in helping to eliminate barriers to education.