Special Services

Coordinator of Special Services: Dr. John Liberto 
Lead Process Coordinator: Heather King 
Administrative Assistant: Laurie Box
Administrative Assistant: Antoinette Vigliaturo

Elementary Schools

Angeline Washington
Process Coordinator: Tatiana Fisher
School Psychologist: Leah Place
Specialized Instructional Coach: Hannah Jackson

Chinn
Process Coordinator: Stacey Sturm
School Psychologist: Lauren Ragland
Specialized Instructional Coach: Angela Giammalva 

English Landing
Process Coordinator: Kristi Andrews
School Psychologist: Ashley Pouna
Specialized Instructional Coach: Hannah Jackson

Graden
Process Coordinator: Kristi Andrews
School Psychologist: Ashley Pouna
Specialized Instructional Coach: Hannah Jackson

Hawthorn
Process Coordinator: Joy Bond
School Psychologist: Kathleen Gaskey  
Specialized Instructional Coach: Angela Giammalva 

Hopewell
Process Coordinator: Stacey Sturm
School Psychologist: Lauren Ragland
Specialized Instructional Coach: Angela Giammalva 

Line Creek
Process Coordinator: Tatiana Fisher
School Psychologist: Leah Place
Specialized Instructional Coach: Hannah Jackson

Prairie Point
Process Coordinator: Joy Bond
School Psychologist: Kathleen Gaskey  
Specialized Instructional Coach: Angela Giammalva 

Renner
Process Coordinator: Joy Bond
School Psychologist: Kathleen Gaskey  
Specialized Instructional Coach: Angela Giammalva 

Southeast
Process Coordinator: Tatiana Fisher
School Psychologist: Leah Place
Specialized Instructional Coach: Hannah Jackson

Tiffany Ridge
Process Coordinator: Stacey Sturm
School Psychologist: Lauren Ragland
Specialized Instructional Coach: Angela Giammalva 

Union Chapel
Process Coordinator: Kristi Andrews
School Psychologist: Ashley Pouna
Specialized Instructional Coach: Hannah Jackson
 

Middle Schools

Congress
Process Coordinator: Andrea Crutcher 
School Psychologist: Lyndsey Markley 
Specialized Instructional Coach: Katie Maus 

Lakeview
Process Coordinator: Andrea Crutcher 
School Psychologist: Lyndsey Markley 
Specialized Instructional Coach: Katie Maus 

Plaza
Process Coordinator: Erik Ranstrom 
School Psychologist: Jennifer Stephens 
Specialized Instructional Coach: Katie Maus 

Walden
Process Coordinator: Erik Ranstrom 
School Psychologist: Jennifer Stephens 
Specialized Instructional Coach: Katie Maus 
 

High Schools

LEAD Innovation Studio
Process Coordinators: Angela Flores and Elizabeth McBride
School Psychologist: Mandy Frayer 
Specialized Instructional Coach: Shayla Mendy 

Park Hill High 
Process Coordinators: Dr. Rebecca Davis and Emily Tobin
School Psychologist: Joelle Sprecher 
Specialized Instructional Coach: Shayla Mendy 

Park Hill South
Process Coordinators: Angela Flores and Elizabeth McBride
School Psychologist: Mandy Frayer 
Specialized Instructional Coach: Shayla Mendy 
 

Education Centers

Gerner Family Early Education Center
Process Coordinator: Danielle Overly
School Psychologist: Courtney Shepard
Autism Consultant: Jayme Brady

Russell Jones Education Center
Process Coordinators: Dr. Rebecca Davis and Emily Tobin
School Psychologist: Joe Reed
Specialized Instructional Coach and Transition: Shayla Mendy

Additional District Staff

Resource Instructional Coach: Kristina Hansel
Assistive Technology Facilitator: Tara Bachmann
AAC Specialist: Kristen Ponce

 

The Park Hill Special Services Program is designed to provide comprehensive support to students with diverse learning needs, ensuring access to high-quality, individualized education. Through a continuum of services, the program addresses academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and functional skill development. Services include specially designed instruction with measurable annual goals, related services (such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy), transition services, accommodations, and modifications that are aligned with each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). The program focuses on fostering student growth in the least restrictive environment, promoting inclusion, equity, and success for all learners in collaboration with families, general education staff, and community resources.

Students are identified for special education services through a structured, multi-step process guided by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Missouri state regulations. The process begins with concerns about a student’s academic, behavioral, or developmental progress, often raised by parents, teachers, or other school personnel.

The district follows a Child Find process, actively seeking to locate, evaluate, and identify children who may have disabilities. When concerns are noted, schools typically implement general education interventions such as Response to Intervention (RtI) or problem-solving teams through a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to address student needs. If concerns persist, a special education evaluation may be initiated with parental consent.

A comprehensive evaluation is then conducted by a multidisciplinary team to assess the student in all areas of suspected disability. Under IDEA and Missouri State Plan criteria, the team determines:

• Whether the student meets eligibility criteria for one or more of the 16 disability categories:
  • Autism
  • Deaf-Blind
  • Emotional Disturbance
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Multiple Disabilities
  • Orthopedic Impairment
  • Other Health Impairment
  • Specific Learning Disability
  • Language Impairment
  • Sound System Disorder
  • Speech Fluency
  • Speech Voice
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Vision Impairment
  • Young Child with a Developmental Delay
     
• Whether the disability has an adverse educational impact on the student’s academic or functional performance.
   
• Whether the student requires specially designed instruction and related services to make progress in the educational setting.

Eligibility decisions are made through a collaborative eligibility determination meeting, documented in an Evaluation Report and, if eligible, result in the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

This process ensures that identification is data-driven, equitable, and individualized, adhering to both federal law and Missouri’s established guidelines to support student success.

Resources. Connection. Support. Caregiver Info Nights are dedicated sessions for families of students with disabilities to connect with experts and one another.

Unless noted, all events will be hosted in Room 230 at District Office (DO) - 7703 NW Barry Road. 

Questions? Reach out to Jessi Conner for more information.
 

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Community Resource Fair
Location: Park Hill High School Upper Gym

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 5:30 to 7p.m.
Vocational Rehabilitation Supports/Journey overview
Presented by Jessi Conner/Vocational Rehabilitation

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Department of Mental Health/Kansas City Regional Office Eligibility Process
Presented by DMH/KCRO along with Center for Human Services, Platte County Board of Services and Exceptional Humans

Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
SSI/Medicaid
Presented by Summit Future Foundation

Wednesday, Feb. 17, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Transition Vision
Presented by Summit Future Foundation
Location: DO Room 225

March TBD - details coming soon

Wednesday, April 21, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Understanding Behaviors
Presented by Joe Harman with Platte County Board of Services

May TBD - details coming soon

 

District Resource and Specialized Program Locations
 

Resource Special Education
Locations:  All School Buildings

Resource Special Education provides targeted instructional support to students with disabilities who are able to participate in general education classes for most of their day but need additional help in specific academic or skill areas. Resource services are typically delivered in a small group setting outside of the regular classroom for a portion of the day.

The primary focus of resource special education is to offer specially designed instruction that addresses the unique learning goals outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). These services often focus on areas such as reading, writing, math, organization, or social skills. The goal is to close learning gaps, provide individualized support, and help students succeed in the least restrictive environment (LRE) by promoting greater independence and participation in the general education curriculum.

Resource teachers collaborate closely with general education teachers to ensure continuity of learning and may also provide co-teaching support within the classroom when appropriate.

Cross Categorical
Locations:  Hawthorne Elementary, Graden Elementary, Angeline Washington Elementary, Prairie Point Elementary, Hopewell Elementary, English Landing Elementary, Line Creek Elementary, Union Chapel Elementary, Southeast Elementary, Congress Middle School, Plaza Middle School, Lakeview Middle School, Walden Middle School, Park Hill High School, Park Hill South

The Cross-Categorical Classroom is a specialized instructional setting designed to support students with a variety of disability categories who require more intensive, individualized instruction than can be provided in a general education or resource setting. Rather than grouping students solely by their disability label, cross-categorical classrooms focus on students’ individual learning needs, providing flexible and personalized teaching strategies.

Students in a cross-categorical classroom receive specially designed instruction aligned with their Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, often in areas such as academics, functional skills, social-emotional development, or behavior. The classroom typically has smaller class sizes, increased adult support, and structured environments that allow for targeted interventions and skill development.

The purpose of this model is to create an inclusive, supportive learning environment where instruction is needs-based rather than disability-specific, promoting student growth, independence, and where appropriate, opportunities for integration into general education settings.

Social Communication
Location:  Hopewell Elementary

A Social Communication Classroom is a specialized educational setting designed for students who have significant needs in the areas of communication, social interaction, and social-emotional development. This classroom primarily serves students with disabilities related communication challenges, whose earning and daily functioning are impacted by difficulties with social engagement, language use, and understanding social cues.

Students in the social communication classroom receive individualized instruction targeting core areas such as expressive and receptive language, pragmatic (social) communication, emotional regulation, social problem-solving, executive functioning skills, and academic skills. The classroom features a structured environment, predictable routines, visual supports, and explicit teaching of social skills and emotional regulation.

Specialized staff, such as speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and behavior specialists, often collaborate with the classroom teacher to provide an integrated approach to learning. Opportunities for peer interaction and inclusion with general education peers are included, as appropriate, to support students’ generalization of skills across environments.

The goal of the social communication classroom is to build communication competence, foster meaningful social relationships, and support academic success, promoting greater independence both in school and in the community.

Behavior Support Classroom
Locations:  Union Chapel, Congress Middle School

The Behavior Support Classroom is a specialized learning environment designed to support students who experience significant behavioral, emotional, or social challenges that interfere with their success in a general education setting. These classrooms provide a structured, consistent, and supportive space where students receive both academic instruction and targeted behavioral interventions.

The focus is on teaching students’ appropriate social skills, emotional regulation, and coping strategies while reinforcing positive behaviors. Instruction is highly individualized, and students benefit from smaller class sizes, clear expectations, predictable routines, and close adult supervision. The goal of the behavior support classroom is to help students build the skills they need to successfully transition back to a less restrictive environment, such as the general education classroom.

Intensive Support 
Locations:  Hawthorne Elementary, Chinn Elementary, Angeline Washington Elementary, Line Creek Elementary, Renner Elementary, Tiffany Ridge Elementary, Congress Middle School, Lakeview Middle School, Walden Middle School, Park Hill High School, Park Hill South High School 

The Intensive Support Classroom is a highly structured special education setting designed for students with significant academic, behavioral, communication, or functional needs that cannot be met in a general education or resource environment. This classroom provides comprehensive, individualized instruction and high levels of support throughout the school day to address each student’s specific learning goals, as outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Students in this setting often require small class sizes, a high staff-to-student ratio, and consistent routines to support their success. Instruction focuses on a combination of academic skills, life skills, social-emotional development, communication, and/or behavior regulation, depending on individual needs. Many intensive support classrooms incorporate behavioral interventions, visual supports, assistive technology, and specialized curricula tailored to the unique learning profiles of the students.

The primary goal of the Intensive Support Classroom is to maximize student growth, independence, and functional life skills, while also creating opportunities for inclusion with peers in general education settings whenever appropriate.

Therapeutic Day Treatment Center
Location:  Russell Jones

Our Day Treatment Center is a specialized educational and therapeutic setting designed to meet the complex needs of students who experience significant social, emotional, and behavioral challenges that impact their ability to succeed in a traditional school environment. The program offers a highly structured, supportive environment with a low student-to-staff ratio, integrating individualized academic instruction with intensive therapeutic practices and services.

The Day Treatment Center operates during school hours and provides a therapeutic setting that balances academic progress with emotional and behavioral growth. The goal is to equip students with the tools and coping strategies they need to manage their challenges, increase their independence, and maximize their educational and personal potential.

Requirements for parentally-placed private school children and home-schooled children with disabilities

Each public school agency shall ensure that a services plan is developed and implemented for each parentally-placed private school child/home-schooled child with a disability who has been designated by the local school district in which the private school or home school is located to receive special education and/or related services.

Each local school district must spend a proportionate share of funds on students who have a disability. This amount fluctuates yearly based on the amount of federal/state funds which the local district receives. Information on the amount of proportionate share funds which the Park Hill School District provides through services can be provided upon request by the Director of Special Services.

Annually, we will host a Parent Informational Meeting for representatives of parentally-placed private school children and home-schooled children with disabilities. In the 2026-27 school year, this meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 from 4:30 p.m. To 5:30 p.m. at the district office, located at 7703 NW Barry Road, Kansas City, MO, 64153. The Park Hill School District will meet with each individual private/parochial schools and consult with representatives from those institutions. During both the parent information meeting and the scheduled meetings with each individual private/parochial school, topics to be discussed will include (but not be limited to the following):

• Child find process
• Determination of proportionate share funding
• Consultation with parents and representatives about the services available and how the process will operate during the school year.
• Discussion of personnel who will be providing services, where the services will be provided, and types of services which will be apportioned if funds are insufficient to serve all parentally-placed and/or home-schooled students.
• Individual rights of parentally-placed and home-schooled students
• Differences in the amount of services provided to parentally-placed or home-schooled students
• Service plan vs. Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
• Complaint procedures for parentally-placed private school students or home-schooled students

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Who do I contact when I have significant concerns about my student’s learning in the general education classroom and believe that my child might have a disability?

A: The School Psychologist at your child’s building

Q: Who do I contact when I have questions or concerns about my child’s IEP

A: The Special Education Teacher/Case Manager or the Special Education Process Coordinator at your child’s building

Q: Who do I contact if I suspect a disability for my student who is not enrolled in Park Hill School District, but resides in the district and homeschools or attends a private parochial school?

A: The School Psychologist at the school building that your child would attend if the student were enrolled with Park Hill School District. 

Special Education Resources:

Click on each title below to learn more.

Procedural Safeguards

Bill of Rights

Parents Guide to Special Education

All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate, and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency, regardless of the severity of the disability, including children attending private schools, highly mobile children, such as migrant and homeless children, and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education advancing from grade to grade.  The local public school district assures that it will provide a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all eligible children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 under its jurisdiction.  Disabilities include autism, deaf/blindness, emotional disorders, hearing impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment/blindness, and young child with developmental delay.

The Park Hill School District assures that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri First Steps program.

The Park Hill School District assures that personally identifiable information collected, used, or maintained by the agency for the purposes of identification, evaluation, placement, or provision of FAPE of children with disabilities may be inspected and/or reviewed by their parents/guardians.  Parents/guardians may request amendment to the educational record if the parent/guardian believes the record is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the privacy or other rights of their child.  Parents have the right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the district to meet the requirements of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

The Park Hill School District has developed a Local Compliance Plan for the implementation of State Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  This plan contains the agency’s policies and procedures regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention and destruction of personally identifiable information and the agency’s assurances that services are provided in compliance with the General Education Provision Act (GEPA).  This plan may be reviewed at the Park Hill School District Office 7703 NW Barry Rd. Kansas City, Missouri 64153 Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

This notice will be provided in native languages as appropriate.

^{Revised September 2012}