Meet the team...
The people who make it happen here at Wayne Highlands School District
Amanda Kerna serves as Director of Special Education for the Wayne Highlands School District, providing leadership and oversight for programs and services designed to meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities throughout the District.
Welcome to Wayne Highlands
Welcome to the Wayne Highlands School District.
We are honored that families have chosen Wayne Highlands to educate their children. Our District is committed to serving all students, including students with disabilities, and providing each child with meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, achieve, and participate as an important member of our school community.
Under the leadership of Director of Special Education Amanda Kerna, the Special Education Department works collaboratively with administrators, teachers, specialists, support staff, students, and families to provide appropriate educational programs and services while supporting access to the general education curriculum.
A Continuum of Services
Wayne Highlands School District provides a continuum of special education programs and services beginning at the Kindergarten level and continuing through graduation.
We believe that special education is a service, rather than a place. This philosophy recognizes that every student is an individual and that educational programs and supports should be designed around each student's unique strengths and needs.
The District provides services to eligible students with a variety of educational needs and disabilities. Programs and supports may address areas including specific learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral needs, intellectual disabilities, autism, hearing and visual impairments, multiple disabilities, other health impairments, traumatic brain injury, and speech and language impairments, consistent with applicable special education requirements.
Access, Opportunity, and Inclusion
Wayne Highlands recognizes the importance of providing students with disabilities meaningful opportunities to participate with their peers in the general education environment to the greatest extent appropriate to their individual needs.
Inclusive educational opportunities can provide important academic and social benefits while allowing students to learn together, develop relationships, build confidence, and become active participants in their school communities.
Teachers and support professionals work collaboratively to provide the services and accommodations identified for individual students while supporting both students and educators within the learning environment.
Supporting Students Before Special Education
Wayne Highlands is committed to identifying and addressing student needs as early as possible.
Before a student is referred for a special education evaluation, school-based teams may work collaboratively to review academic or behavioral concerns, examine available data, and identify appropriate interventions and supports.
These teams bring together educators, administrators, specialists, and families to better understand a student's needs and determine strategies that may help the student succeed within the general education program.
When interventions and available supports indicate that additional evaluation may be appropriate, the District works with families through the special education evaluation process in accordance with applicable requirements.
Families Are Essential Partners
Parents and guardians are essential members of the educational team. Their knowledge of their children, participation in educational planning, and continued communication with school personnel are critical components of student success.
Ms. Kerna and the Special Education Department are committed to maintaining strong partnerships with families and ensuring that parents have opportunities to participate meaningfully in decisions regarding their child's education.
Through collaboration among families, educators, administrators, related-service professionals, and support staff, Wayne Highlands works to develop educational programs that recognize each student's individual abilities and needs.
Commitment to Every Student
The Wayne Highlands School District is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities under applicable federal and Pennsylvania special education laws and regulations while maintaining a broader commitment to dignity, opportunity, inclusion, and educational excellence.
Our goal extends beyond compliance. We want students to develop the academic knowledge, independence, confidence, communication skills, social skills, and self-advocacy abilities that will help prepare them for life beyond school.
As Director of Special Education, Amanda Kerna is committed to working with students, families, educators, and administrators to ensure that students with disabilities receive the services, opportunities, and support necessary to reach their individual potential.
Every Student. Every Opportunity. Every Future.
Erica Cavanaugh serves as Assistant Director of Special Education for the Wayne Highlands School District, working collaboratively with the Director of Special Education, District administrators, educators, support professionals, students, and families to help ensure that students with disabilities receive appropriate educational opportunities, services, and support.
Her work reflects the District's commitment to providing an educational environment where every student is valued, supported, included, and encouraged to reach their individual potential.
Supporting Students and Families
Special education is most successful when schools and families work together. As Assistant Director of Special Education, Ms. Cavanaugh helps support communication and collaboration among parents, teachers, administrators, special education professionals, and related-service providers.
Families bring valuable knowledge and perspective to the educational process. By maintaining strong partnerships between home and school, the District can better understand each student's individual strengths and needs and develop appropriate supports for their educational success.
Special Education Is a Service
Wayne Highlands School District believes that special education is a service, rather than a place.
Students with disabilities are members of their school communities first. Special education programs and services are designed to provide eligible students with the individualized support necessary to access educational opportunities and make meaningful progress.
Ms. Cavanaugh helps support this philosophy by working with educators and administrators to provide a continuum of services that recognizes the individual needs of students throughout the District.
Promoting Inclusive Opportunities
Wayne Highlands is committed to providing students with disabilities opportunities to participate in the general education environment to the greatest extent appropriate to their individual needs.
Inclusive educational experiences can provide opportunities for students to learn alongside their peers, develop friendships, strengthen communication and social skills, build confidence, and become active participants in their schools.
Ms. Cavanaugh works collaboratively with educators and support professionals to help students receive the services, accommodations, and supports identified through the special education process.
Supporting Educators
Providing effective special education services requires collaboration among many professionals.
Classroom teachers, special education teachers, school psychologists, counselors, speech and language professionals, related-service providers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other staff members all contribute to supporting students.
As Assistant Director, Ms. Cavanaugh helps strengthen these collaborative relationships and supports educators as they work to address the diverse academic, behavioral, social, communication, and developmental needs of students.
A Continuum of Services
Wayne Highlands School District provides a continuum of special education services beginning at the Kindergarten level and continuing through graduation.
Student needs can change throughout their educational journey. The District works with families to provide appropriate services and supports based upon each eligible student's individualized educational program.
From the early elementary years through the transition beyond high school, the goal remains consistent: helping students develop the knowledge, independence, confidence, communication skills, and self-advocacy abilities necessary for their futures.
Commitment to Every Student
The Wayne Highlands School District is committed to meeting its responsibilities under applicable federal and Pennsylvania special education requirements while maintaining a broader focus on student achievement, inclusion, dignity, opportunity, and individual growth.
As Assistant Director of Special Education, Erica Cavanaugh is committed to supporting students, families, and educators and helping ensure that students with disabilities have meaningful opportunities to learn, participate, grow, and succeed throughout the Wayne Highlands School District.
Supporting Every Student. Strengthening Every Opportunity. Building Every Future.
Timothy Morgan serves as Superintendent of Schools for the Wayne Highlands School District, providing leadership to a school community dedicated to educational excellence, student achievement, innovation, and opportunity. As Superintendent, Mr. Morgan works closely with the Board of Education, administrators, faculty, staff, students, families, and community members to guide the District and ensure that students receive a high-quality educational experience.
Leadership Focused on Students
At the center of Mr. Morgan's leadership is a commitment to the students of Wayne Highlands. From a child's first day of Kindergarten through graduation from Honesdale High School, the District strives to provide an educational environment where students can learn, grow, discover their talents, and prepare for successful futures.
As Superintendent, Mr. Morgan provides leadership across the District's academic programs, operations, student services, technology, facilities, safety initiatives, extracurricular programs, and long-term planning. His role helps bring these different areas together around a common purpose—supporting students and the educators who serve them.
Supporting Educational Excellence
Wayne Highlands School District serves students through Stourbridge Primary School, Lakeside Elementary School, Wayne Highlands Middle School, Honesdale High School, Damascus School, Preston School, and the Wayne Highlands Virtual Campus.
Although each school has its own traditions and identity, Mr. Morgan works with District administrators to maintain a shared commitment to academic achievement, responsible leadership, student wellness, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Strong schools also require strong educators. Supporting teachers, administrators, and staff with the resources they need to succeed is essential to creating meaningful educational experiences for students.
Preparing Wayne Highlands for the Future
Public education continues to evolve, and school districts must continually prepare for new challenges and opportunities. Under Mr. Morgan's leadership, Wayne Highlands continues to balance the traditions and community values that have long defined the District with investments in curriculum, technology, school safety, facilities, communications, and innovative educational opportunities.
Preparing students for the future means ensuring they are ready for many different pathways. Whether graduates choose college, career and technical education, military service, employment, entrepreneurship, or another opportunity, Wayne Highlands seeks to provide them with the knowledge, skills, confidence, and experiences necessary to succeed.
Schools and Community Working Together
Wayne Highlands has always benefited from the strong relationship between its schools and the communities they serve. Mr. Morgan recognizes that successful public education depends upon collaboration among families, educators, local organizations, businesses, community leaders, and residents.
These partnerships strengthen the educational opportunities available to students and reinforce an important principle: our schools are an essential part of the communities they serve.
Proud to Lead Wayne Highlands
Serving as Superintendent carries the responsibility of protecting the traditions of the District while helping shape its future. Through collaboration, thoughtful leadership, and a continued focus on students, Timothy Morgan is committed to advancing the mission of the Wayne Highlands School District and creating opportunities for every student to succeed.
His leadership reflects the belief that every decision made throughout the District should ultimately support the people at the heart of public education—our students.