Dr. Ashlea Rineer-Hershey
Director of Special Education and Pupil Services
Dr. Rineer-Hershey has 15 years of experience working in public schools and state universities in Pennsylvania. Her career began in Lancaster, PA as a special education teacher working with students with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, and Autism. After leaving the K-12 classroom as a teacher, she has worked in districts across the state as a consultant with the Technical Training and Assistance Network for the Pennsylvania Department of Education (a division of PDE) as well as the Keystone Educational Consulting group. In these roles, Dr. Rineer-Hershey worked with and trained paraprofessionals, teachers, and administrators from more than 25 districts on topics related to the state initiative's on Inclusive Practices, MTSS and Autism. She has also spent the past 9 years teaching students at the undergraduate and graduate level in teacher education programs at California University of PA, Waynesburg University and Slippery Rock University.
The Special Education and Pupil Services Department at Plum Borough School District provides various support services for students in Pre-K through graduation from high school. Special education services include evaluations and management of individualized education plans (IEPs) for students in specialized programs, such as special education and gifted education. The district employs two full time school psychologists, three speech and language pathologists, and several special education teachers. In addition, Plum contracts with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and Hope Learning Center to provide a variety of related services including vision, hearing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Other roles served within this department include homebound instruction, 504 Accommodation Plans, and homeless and foster supports. If you have any questions that cannot be answered on the webpage, please reach out to us!