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鈥業f You Screen, You Must Intervene鈥�

BY MICHAEL J. VUCKOVICH

As school superintendents, we often focus on test scores, curriculum updates and budgets. However, the mental wellness of our students and staff has become an urgent priority.

In Windber Area School District in western Pennsylvania with 1,200 students, we address this need through a Multi-Tiered System of Support framework, ensuring students receive the necessary support to succeed emotionally, socially and academically.

Now in our second year of MTSS implementation, we began with our elementary school and are expanding to middle school. Our approach follows the philosophy of 鈥済oing slow to go fast,鈥� prioritizing Tier 1 universal supports to establish a strong foundation. We鈥檝e implemented Core Knowledge Language Arts, SpringMath, spelling inventories and sound walls to support literacy. Advanced tiered data meetings guide interventions, ensuring real-time academic and behavioral support.

Early Interventions

To proactively identify at-risk students, we use the Student Risk Screening Scale, allowing for earlier interventions. Universal screening tools like DIBELS, SpringMath and SRSS help identify academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs.

Tier 1: Universal screeners assess students three times a year in reading, math and social-emotional/behavioral domains. These data inform classroom practices and align students with appropriate interventions.

Tier 2: Students requiring additional support receive targeted interventions such as small-group literacy instruction with progress monitored monthly.

Tier 3: Students with significant needs receive individualized plans, including the Sonday System and advanced 95 Percent Group strategies with continuous data-driven refinements.

Collaboration among teachers, counselors, administrators and families is crucial. Teachers implement evidence-based programs like Core Knowledge Language Arts and Everyday Math, identifying early academic or behavioral challenges.

Tier 1: Teachers use universal screeners to monitor progress.

Tier 2: Targeted academic interventions occur during Rambler Time with school counselors and psychologists coordinating support programs such as Aggression Replacement Training, BLUES and Coping Cat. Progress is monitored every three weeks.

Tier 3: Administrators and specialized staff oversee intensive interventions, including the REACH program for severe mental health needs and Functional Behavioral Assessments. Progress is tracked bi-weekly.

Families receive ongoing communication through progress reports and workshops, ensuring engagement in student development.

Early Impact

Regular team meetings review data and monitor interventions, ensuring appropriate support. Early results demonstrate the impact of our MTSS framework.

Improved academic performance. We saw a reduction in students needing Tier 3 interventions, particularly in literacy. The number of students requiring additional reading services decreased from 160 to 95 in one year.

Behavioral improvements. PBIS initiatives and behavioral interventions reduced office referrals with 30 students successfully discharged from Check-in-Check-Out.

Staff satisfaction. Surveys show increased teacher confidence in addressing student needs with MTSS reducing stress and enhancing collaboration.

Our guiding principle, 鈥渋f you screen, you must intervene,鈥� ensures data-driven action resulting in measurable improvements. As we refine and expand our MTSS framework, we remain committed to fostering academic success and mental wellness for all students, staff and families.

Michael Vuckovich is superintendent of Windber Area School District in Windber, Pa.