Pace
School
Celebrates
50 Years
BY JENNIFER BROZAK
I
t’s hard to believe in today’s modern
educational climate, but before the Free
Appropriate Public Education provision
was passed in 1973, students with disabilities
were not guaranteed access to public
education. School districts, in fact, could
routinely deny access to students with special
needs without due process.
In the late 1960s, frustrated with the lack
of options available for their children, a small
group of parents and medical professionals
banded together in a church basement in
12 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Woodland Hills
McKeesport to create their own school. The
goal of that school,which opened in 1967 with
just 26 students, was to create a nurturing
environment where their children could grow
and thrive, each at their own pace.
Today, that school—aptly named Pace
School—is a state-licensed approved private
school and partial hospitalization program
that serves more than 140 children each year.
This year, it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
When it was first founded, the school
served primarily “interjacent” students, a term
used to describe children who have significant
learning delays, typically as a result of brain
damage or central nervous system disorders,
explains Karen Shepherd, Chief Executive
Officer of Pace.
“These children fall between those who
are 100 percent disabled and those who
have typical learning ability. They often have
difficulty learning in a regular classroom,” says
Shepherd.
As federal laws changed, resources for
children with special needs became more
available at public schools. As such, Pace
now mostly serves children who are on the
autism spectrum, or who have significant
emotional and behavioral issues. Small class
sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios ensure
that students are receiving individualized
instruction. A typical class, for example, has
no more than eight to 12 students.
“Each class is different, but we typically
have a minimum four-to-one student-toteacher ratio,” Shepherd explains.
Along with specialized programs, what
sets Pace School apart from a standard public
school is the level of training its teachers and
staff provide, she added. The school has 25
certified special education teachers and 81
direct care staff members.
“All of our staff members, not just our
classroom teachers, are trained in traumainformed care and crisis intervention,” she