Student Advocate

  1. 504 Coordinator
    1. What is a 504 Plan?

      A 504 Plan is an agreement generated by the school that addressed individual academic and social needs of students who have a disability. The individual student’s plan is created to meet his/her specific academic and social needs while in school so that the student has equal access to the same education as those who do not have a disability. The idea is to make sure that a student with a disability can learn and grow in the educational setting by making accommodations that allow the student to readily access the educational materials.

    2. More information about 504 Plans:
      1. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html
      2. http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/2777
    1. What is the role of the Student Advocate in the 504 plans?

      As the section 504 coordinator, the Student Advocate helps to identify students whose disability limits academic achievement. The Student Advocate considers environmental/social, psychiatric, psychological, and academic sources of information to determine eligibility for a 504 plan. The Student Advocate then collaborates with the 504 team, family, and outside counselors to develop interventions which will enable each student to perform on the same level as any other regular education student. The Student Advocate coordinates plan implementation and monitors progress of each student while updating and case managing as needed. Heather Hall is responsible for revising each 504 plan annually.

  1. Plattsburgh Pride (PBIS) Coordinator
    1. What is Plattsburgh Pride?

      Plattsburgh Pride is a school-wide initiative meant to reduce inappropriate behavior while recognizing appropriate behaviors in the student population.

    2. What is the role of the student advocate?

      The student advocate is integral in the process of ongoing program evaluation to make sure that this initiative is successful in our school. The Student Advocate uses data and best practices to implement and improve the quality of PBIS. Constant monitoring is important as it allows us to revamp aspects of the intervention process that are not working well, create new and better alternatives, and to enforce the aspects of the program that prove to be successful.

    3. Please visit the following links for more information about this program:
        1.  http://plattsburgh.neric.org/phs/PBIS/PBIS.htm
        2. http://www.pbis.org/main.htm
  1. Student Intervention Team (SIT Team) representative
    1. What is the SIT Team?

The SIT Team was developed as a way to monitor the progress of students academically, emotionally, and behaviorally by using data to determine improvement in each domain. The SIT Team makes recommendations and referrals to the 504 coordinator, Academic Intervention Team (AIS), and other intervention/prevention based programs. Using data, the SIT team continuously monitors the effectiveness of these interventions.

    1. What is the role of the student advocate in the SIT Team?

The Student Advocate is an active member of the SIT committee. She helps analyze student information and data (grades, referrals, and attendance) to establish which students need assistance to help improve his/her quality of life.

  1. Individual Counseling- Heather Hall is invested in individual counseling with many students at Plattsburgh High School. Currently she carries a caseload of over 25 students in the individual counseling setting.
  2. Case Manager- Heather Hall case manages all of the section 504 students and declassified students. It is the Student Advocate’s responsibility to make sure any student with a 504 plan or declassification plan receives all appropriate accommodations.
  3. Liaison between school and community resources- A large part of the student advocate position is helping students and families to find resources in the community that will further progress academic/personal growth. Additionally, community resources can be integral in helping students who may need additional services for advocacy, mental health, and behavioral interventions. Below is a list of some of the community resources that have been commissioned by Heather Hall to assist in the personal and academic growth of our PHS students.
    1. Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN)
      •  BHSN is a resource for counseling services and programming with a primary focus on prevention. Please visit this website for more information about a variety of opportunities that are available through BHSN improve the school community and individual students: http://www.bhsn.org/bhsn8.htm
      • Contact Information:
        • Address: 22 US Oval, Suite 218, Plattsburgh NY 12901
        • Phone Number: (518)563-8000
    2. Champlain Valley Family Center
      • Champlain Valley Family Center offers substance abuse assessment and treatment for teens and adults. A variety of preventative and intervention-based services are offered to address substance abuse in the schools and community. Please visit the following website for more information about their programs and for a complete list of services: http://www.cvfamilycenter.org/default.htm
      • Contact Information
        • Address: 20 Ampersand Dr. Plattsburgh, NY 12901
        • Phone Number: (518) 561-8480
    3. Clinton County Mental Health
      • Clinton County Mental Health offers a variety of services in the Plattsburgh community and school environments. Specifically, this agency has programming and staff equipped to address mental health needs, issues of substance abuse, and to work with persons with disabilities. For more information about services offered please visit: http://www.co.clinton.ny.us/Departments/MH-Addiction/mhdhome.htm
      • Contact Information:
        • Address: 18 Ampersand Dr. Plattsburgh, NY 12901
        • Phone Number: (518)565-4060
    4. Catholic Charities
      • Catholic Charities is a community agency that offers individual, family, and group counseling regarding a variety of topics from grief and loss to depression and anxiety. For more information about services of Catholic Charities, please refer to the following website: http://www.cathcharities.org/counseling.html
      • Contact Information:
        • Address: 4914 S Catherine St. Plattsburgh, NY 12901
          Phone Number: (518) 561-0470
    5. National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
      • NAMI is a national agency available to our local community. This organization offers an array of mental health services including: peer advocacy for consumers of mental health services; education programs for consumers and families; support groups for consumers and families; and an extensive resource library. Please reference the following website for more information about NAMI: http://www.nami.org/
      • NAMI is also partnered with PHS to offer Teen Screen, a wellness screening that aims to identify risk factors associated with depression, anxiety, and alcohol and substance abuse. Please visit the following website for more information: http://plattsburgh.neric.org/phs/TeenScreen/TeenScreen.htm
      • Contact Information:
        • Address: 14 Healey Ave # D Plattsburgh, NY 12901
        • Phone Number: (518) 561-2685
    6. Champlain Valley Physician’s Hospital (CVPH), Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit
      • The CVPH Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit offers psychiatric evaluation, treatment, and care planning for children and adolescents who may have a psychiatric disorder. For more information about the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, please contact CVPH.
      • Contact Information:
        • Address: 75 Beekman St. Plattsburgh, NY 12901
        • Phone Number: (518) 561-2000
    7. Clinton County Department of Social Services
    8. Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS)

      PINS is another intervention available to parents/guardians and the school community which assists in providing at-risk students another layer of support. This program is meant to intervene in the child and family’s life to offer additional supervision and preventative programming that may help the student to get back on track.

  4. Community Service Leader
    • Dress Drive- Every year during Prom season Heather Hall holds a dress drive (out of her office) where people can drop off gently used formal gowns for students to borrow for Prom. Please contact Heather Hall if you would like to donate a dress, or if you would like to borrow a dress!!
    • Food Drive- During the holiday season, Heather Hall holds a food drive so that students and faculty can donate non-perishable items to the local food shelves and families. Please contact Heather Hall if you would like to make a donation, or if you would like to help with deliveries.