CSIU Program Highlight: CSIU Regional Arts Celebration
Each year in May, CSIU honors regional high school students for their contributions to the arts.
More than 120 visitors attended the CSIU Art Gallery Reception to celebrate the artistic achievements of students from across the 17-school district CSIU region. Each teacher-nominated artist received $300 for their artwork, now displayed in the CSIU gallery. We hope you enjoy this brief video of the student art pieces.
Neurodiversity and Educator Preparation The CSIU Professional Development Department hosted two events in April, honoring Autism Awareness Month. Nearly 300 students and staff from nine school districts and CSIU programs attended Autism Appreciation Day at Camp Victory on April 30. The event featured hands-on, inclusive activities such as fishing, karaoke, an obstacle course and sensory stations. New this year, the event also served as an experiential learning opportunity through the Developing Future Educators grant. High school students from Berwick, Milton, Shikellamy and Warrior Run planned and led activity stations as part of their educator preparation programs.
Earlier in the month, the CSIU partnered with the Lewisburg Area School District to host an evening event featuring autism advocate Ben Hartranft. Approximately 60 educators and community members attended to hear Ben’s inspiring message and participate in a Q&A with his family.
These events reflect the CSIU’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, neurodiversity, and educator preparation.
Bocce League Tournament
Students from the CSIU’s school-age special education programs recently enjoyed a series of enriching experiences that brought learning to life through inclusion, service and exploration. The inaugural IU Bocce League Tournament united students from Priestley Elementary, Shikellamy Middle School, Five Star and Work Foundations for a spirited day of teamwork and play. Five Star Sunbury participated in Keep PA Beautiful, and the Shikellamy Middle School autistic support class enjoyed meaningful community-based training activities.
Expansion of CSIU Behavioral and School-Based Services for Wellness and Learning
The Behavioral Health Support Services team has been actively collaborating with Geisinger to pilot an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) integration for bridge referrals, enhancing the speed and efficiency of student access to care. Planning is underway to expand this EMR capability across all local school districts for the fall of 2025.
In parallel, CSIU has also applied for an Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) license to provide outpatient psychological services. While this is a rigorous and multi-step process, achieving licensure will enable CSIU to offer outpatient mental health services to students and families throughout the region.
Finally, Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education (AWARE) coaches are preparing for a robust lineup of summer professional development sessions, hosted at the CSIU. A full catalog of trainings is available on the AWARE website, and districts are encouraged to request sessions tailored to their needs.
PSAYDN takes the lead at the Charles S. Mott Foundation National Network Meeting
The director of the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) at the Center for Schools and Communities completed the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association’s (PWDA) Policy and Advocacy Fellowship. The fellowship provided advanced training in policy development, legislative advocacy and strategic communication, further strengthening PSAYDN’s capacity to advocate for expanded learning opportunities and workforce development initiatives across Pennsylvania. Nationally, PSAYDN participated in the 50-State Afterschool Network Meeting in Lake Tahoe and was invited to contribute to a panel discussion, sharing its work, expertise and resources in support of out-of-school time (OST) programming across Pennsylvania.
