Board approves Focus Academy pilot for middle‑school students to reduce out‑of‑district placements

The Susquehanna Township School Board voted at its meeting to approve a new Focus Academy for Susquehanna Township Middle School, a district‑run blended‑learning program for students in grades 6 through 8 who are struggling to participate successfully in the regular school day.

The program will run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Susquehanna Township Middle School, enroll a maximum of 10 students at a time, and combine individualized online coursework with in‑person behavioral and social‑emotional supports. Greg Martin, director of special education and student services, said the aim is to “get our kids under our roof and in district,” not to replace general education but to provide an option short of out‑of‑district placement.

Board members were told the Focus Academy will use the district’s KOLA online courses for core instruction, with teacher support and progress monitoring. Each student will have individualized behavior goals and a behavior intervention plan, and the program will include social‑work and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) support plus at least one school psychologist. Transportation to and from the Academy will be provided; staff indicated door‑to‑door service is expected for the estimated small cohorts.

District staff described the program as targeted and fluid rather than a fixed cohort model. Students identified for the Academy will be those with repeated office disciplinary referrals, in‑school or out‑of‑school suspensions, or other behavior that interferes with learning. Initial placement is described as 45 school days (one marking period) with a focus on attendance, course completion and progress on behavioral objectives as exit criteria. Staff said attendance is required and that the district is developing documentation and progress‑monitoring tools to support reintegration to the regular school day when goals are met.

Administrators discussed costs in general terms. Using an external vendor teacher for the online courses was described at about $138 per student per course; using district teachers to deliver the same courses was described at about $20 per course per student. Presenters noted that one avoided out‑of‑district placement can represent a large cost differential and used an example figure of about $40,000 per student for some external placements; staff characterized the in‑district option as likely to be less costly but said a full financial breakdown would be prepared before launch. The district signaled an intent to begin the program for the fourth marking period, with a target start date of March 31.

Board members asked about parental consent, daytime supervision for working families, cohort and start‑date logistics, and whether the program requires board approval. Staff replied that the program does not require board approval to stand up but that they would return with final cost details and operational documents. After discussion, the board moved to approve the Focus Academy program; a voice vote was recorded in favor.

The program proposal emphasized reintegration planning: staff said the goal is to return students to full participation in the general education program once academic and behavioral targets are met. Presenters also described follow‑up monitoring and family engagement components to connect families to outside supports (medical, vision, behavioral health) where needed.

What happens next: district staff will finalize costings, operational procedures and documentation tools and bring implementation details to the administration for execution. The board did not request additional formal approvals to pilot the program but asked that budget and logistics be reported back to the board.

Ending: The Focus Academy was presented by Greg Martin, director of special education and student services, and approved by board motion. Staff said they will refine program materials and return with finalized cost and operational details prior to or during launch.