Student Assistance Program (S.A.P.)

Penn Hills School District's Student Assistance Program (S.A.P.) is offered in every building and is designed to address students' social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs via a variety of support programs. S.A.P. aims to enhance collaboration between home and school and to provide interventions to assist students in overcoming learning barriers. Prior to a student's participation in the program, parents/guardians are contacted and presented with consent documents, which must be signed prior to participating in the program. 

The Student Assistant Program consists of qualified school personnel (school counselors, teachers, and administrators) who may accept referrals from parents, teachers, students, and other school personnel. This team collaborates closely with other counseling and referral services and other agencies.

Parental Involvement

It is the parent’s right to be involved in the process and to have full access to all school records under the applicable state and federal laws and regulations. Involvement of parents in all phases of the Student Assistance Program underscores the parents’ role and responsibility in the decision–making process affecting their child’s education and is key to the successful resolution of barriers.

For students receiving treatment

For students receiving treatment through a community agency, the student assistance team, in collaboration with parents and the agency, can assist in helping plan in-school support services during and after treatment. The team’s effectiveness in helping the student and the parent remove the barriers to learning and improve student performance depends on the training of the individual team members, maintenance of the student assistance team and process, level of administrative commitment and board support, active parent and student involvement and the available resources both in school and the community.