The Penn Cambria School District implements the BrainSTEPS (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents, & Students) protocol, which was created by the PA Department of Health and is jointly funded by the PA Department of Health and Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education via the PaTTAN network. The Program is implemented by the Brain Injury Association of PA. Brain STEPS is a School Re-Entry Program for Children with Brain Injuries.
Each year, approximately 4,000 of Pennsylvania’s children survive moderate/severe traumatic brain injuries significant enough to require hospitalization, and over 22,000 children sustain concussions (mild traumatic brain injuries). Many are left with life-altering difficulties in physical, cognitive, or behavioral functioning. BrainSTEPS is working to make sure that the individuals who provide educational support to children with acquired brain injury have an understanding of brain injury, the resulting challenges, and the supports and interventions that will help these students achieve educational success through graduation.
Acquired brain injuries are any injury to the brain that is sustained after a period of normal development and includes all traumatic brain injuries (injury is caused by an external force and includes concussions) and nontraumatic brain injuries (injury is caused by an internal event such as stroke, tumor, seizure, aneurysm, etc.). BrainSTEPS works not only to re-enter students after a new brain injury, but also with students previously identified as having a brain injury who may begin to develop educational effects over the years as the brain matures and develops.
BrainSTEPS Consulting Teams are comprised of professionals from varying disciplines who have received extensive training on educating children with brain injuries. When a child who attends a Pennsylvania public school has experienced educational effects following a brain injury, a BrainSTEPS team from the child’s county of residence will act as consultants to coordinate services and provide training and resources to colleagues and families.
If your child has sustained a brain injury/concussion, please contact the School Nurse at the respective building as follows:
Penn Cambria High School- Mrs. Damin (814) 886-8188
Penn Cambria Middle School- Mrs. Montgomery (814) 886-4181
Penn Cambria Intermediate School- Mrs. Vinglas (814) 886-8532
Penn Cambria Primary School- Mrs. Bradley (814) 886-2151
Penn Cambria Pre-Primary School- Mrs. Bender (814) 886-8166
Penn Cambria School District Board Policy 123.1 – Concussion Management
For general information about the BrainSTEPS program please contact:
Brenda Eagan Johnson, M.S.Ed., CBIS
Program Coordinator, Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania
Email: eagan-johnson@biapa.org
Phone: 724-944-6542
