Student Support Services

Counseling

Mastbaum employs one (1) full-time STEP coordinator and one (1) full-time school counselor to provide a comprehensive and multi-tiered system of supports for every Mastbaum student.  These supports address the academic, vocational and personal development of our students. Our counseling team facilitates access to the services and resources within the school and District as well as within our larger Philadelphia community in order to enable each student to succeed in school.

9th & 10th Grade – Ms. Chandell Green

11th & 12th Grade – Ms. Christina Bacon

STEP Program

STEP (Support Team for Educational Partnership) was created by the School District of Philadelphia, in partnership with The Mayor’s office and CBH (Community Behavioral Health), in direct response to principal and parent feedback. STEP is in schools to help remove barriers to learning that students and families may face stemming from trauma, homelessness, mental health, or behavioral concerns.

STEP can provide individual, group, or family therapy for ANY student who:
-Has a signed consent for STEP
-Is not receiving identical therapies elsewhere (IBHS, outside mental health provider, etc).

STEP therapy can help students to develop coping mechanisms so they can manage their symptoms and be successful in the school environment.

**For more information, please contact
Mastbaum’s STEP Clinical Coordinator, Dr. Hayward, at dhayward@philasd.org.**

Special Education

Mastbaum provides a range of educational services and supports for students with special needs.  These services include, but are not limited to:

  • Learning Support: for students whose greatest need of support is in the areas of reading, writing, math, or speaking or listening related to academics
  • Speech/Language Support: for students who have speech and language impairments and require services to develop communication skills
  • Emotional Support: for students whose greatest need of support is in the areas of social-emotional learning and behavior

Therapies are also provided to eligible students requiring these services due to a demonstrated educational need.  Students aged 14 and older receive transition services as part of their IEP.

If your child is interested in applying to Mastbaum and has an IEP, please contact the Special Education Compliance Monitor directly with any questions or concerns about your child and his/her specific needs.

Special Education Compliance Monitor – Ms. Bernadette Nevin

  • Mr. Chris Bishop
  • Mr. William Finn
  • Ms. Nicole Friel
  • Ms. Hanna Holland
  • Ms. Danielle Jenkins
  • Ms. Kayla McGarry

ESOL

Mastbaum provides language supports to all English Language Learners who enroll at our school.  English Language Development (ELD) classes are credit-bearing English classes. The primary goal of ELD classes is increasing students’ academic language proficiency through focused language study. Course materials are of grade level complexity and include a mix of informational text, literature, & poetry designed to facilitate practicing English in the four principal domains of Listening, Reading, Speaking & Writing.

Additionally, Mastbaum offers sheltered English courses for English Language Learners.  These are credit-bearing English classes. These courses are designed to provide grade-level academic rigor while also providing the appropriate level of scaffolding for students to learn academic vocabulary and the English disciplinary content. Students are supported in mastering the grade-level curriculum while increasing proficiency in the use of English in the content area and facilitating practice in the use of language in the four principal domains of Listening, Reading, Speaking & Writing.

If your child is interested in applying to Mastbaum and receives ESOL services, please contact the EL Point directly with any questions or concerns about your child and his/her specific needs.

ESOL Point – Mr. Paul Zwolak (ESOL)

  • Ms. Katherine Barlow
  • Ms. Denise Chierchio