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Work Foundations+ is a secondary special education program focused on providing comprehensive academic instruction and real-life career exploration, experiences, and training to students with disabilities to best prepare them for successful post-secondary training and education, employment, and independent living.
Academics: Students learn the necessary soft skills to be competitively employed upon graduation. Instruction is focused disability identification and self-advocacy in the employment setting, financial application and management, and independent living skills instruction in areas such as personal care, housekeeping & home maintenance, shopping, food preparation, community resource awareness and money management.
2023 Work Foundations+ Graduate Testimonials
Future and career readiness activities:
As part of our comprehensive transition program, all students participate in our future and career readiness activities in an integrated community-based setting. Our future and career readiness activities are school-coordinated and sequential experiences based upon the individual student’s skills, interests and needs and are based on PDE’s Career Readiness Indicators. Our CSIU Transition Job Coaches, along with our teachers, provide job coaching, supervision, assessment, and transportation to our community partners. Students are not paid for these experiences as they are part of their comprehensive educational program provided through Work Foundations+.PA Career Readiness Indicators and Crosswalk to Programming
Tier 1: Career Awareness and Preparation- During career awareness, students receive intensive instruction on rules of grooming, dress, and behavior in the workplace. This tier of future and career readiness is student driven and assists them in making informed decisions about their futures.
Tier 2: Career Acquisition
- Structured activities in which the student receives hands on training and experience in a selected career of interest in an integrated community setting. During this time, the student receives on the job training from the site supervisor and job coaching and supervision from the WF Transition Job Coaches. This tier of future and career readiness is determined by the student’s assessed skills, needs and interests. Placements and scheduling are determined by site availability and individual need of the student.
Tier 3: Career Retention and Advancement
- Intensive level of hands on learning in an integrated setting to assist the student in developing the necessary skills and knowledge needed to acquire an entry-level job. Tier 3 activities are longer in duration, occur in one specific placement, and require the student to develop a schedule with the site supervisor. This tier of future and career readiness occurs after the student successfully completes all elements of Level 1 and Level 2.
Tier 4: Entrepreneurship
- Intensive, 1:1 instruction with students to explore options for developing a business plan that addresses their interests and a need in their local community. Students research and explore all possibilities and work to determine feasibility and sustainability.

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The students at Work Foundations+ take great pride in their work.

For More Information
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Cathy Yordy
(570) 523-1155 ext. 2808
cyordy@csiu.orgJessica Harry
(570) 523-1155 ext. 2833
jharry@csiu.org
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Our Staff
Teachers
Robert Beierschmitt
Rebekah Gingrich
Alexis Golden
Vanessa Haydt
Erin Hickey
Bonita Jaskiewicz
Leslie Mostoller
Chrysti Pontius
Beth Terry
Paraeducators
Mary Buczkowski
Don Gallo
Sabrina Parker
Edith Rivera
Transition Work Experience Job Coaches
Barb Brodie
Rhonda Dunn
Tehani Grenell
Maxine Harvey
Brandon Ulceski
Guidance Counselor
Melonie Vognetz
Social Worker
McKenna Freeman
Off-Site Facilities & Safety Support Technician
Tom Packer
Inventory Management and Distribution Technician
Scott Wert