Meeting the needs of every learner


The Pupil Personnel Services Department oversees a number of programs and services that support students, parents, and the community.

Dan Heaton, Director of Pupil Personnel
(937) 415-6403

Kathy Dunn, Special Education Specialist
(937) 415-6487

Mel Rife, North Consortium Supervisor
(937) 415-6313

Greg Vance, Attendance Administrator
(937) 415-6425

Linda Powers, Administrative Assistant
(937) 415-6402

Special Education Services

The school district offers a number of services to students with disabilities including:

  •  Preschool Special Education Programs

  • School Psychological Services

  • Speech and Language Therapy Services

  • Occupational and Physical Therapy Services

  • A variety of supports and services for children with  identified disabilities in grades K-12

Attendance/Residency Administrator

The attendance and residency position provides support to school staff, parents, and the community in the areas of:

  • Student attendance

  • School district residency issues

  • Custody issues

  • Referral/liaison with the court system and/or social service agencies 

English as Second Language (ESL)

Supports are available for students in grades K-12 who have a language other than English as their primary or home language and who are not yet English language proficient. The program provides assessment, interventions, and monitoring services. It is designed in accordance with mandated state policies and procedures.

Home Instruction Support

Home instruction is a special education service provided for students who cannot attend school due to significant physical or mental health reasons. Services are determined on an individual basis. Home instruction is generally provided in a neutral setting (e.g., public library) or sometimes in the child's home.

Home instruction is designed to assist students so that they do not fall behind in classes. It is a temporary service and is not designed to replace classroom instruction.

School Health Services

School nurses facilitate positive student responses to normal development, promote health and safety, intervene with actual and potential health problems, provide case management services, and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self management, self advocacy, and learning.

School Psychological Services

School psychological services support families, school, and the community in meeting the academic and mental health needs of students.

The school psychologists:

  • Consult with parents, teachers, and other professionals to promote student well being and achievement.

  • Develop special prevention and intervention programs for students.

  • Advocate sound educational practices for all students.

  • Provide formal assessments of a child's abilities, learning styles, emotional development, and social skills.

If you think your child may have a disability

Ohio School Districts are required to provide free appropriate educational services to all children in their attendance area, ages 3 through 21, who are determined to have a disability.

Disability, in this case, means such conditions as hearing impairments, visual impairments, speech or language impairments, specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, cognitive disabilities, physical impairments, other health impairments, autism, and traumatic brain injury. 

Schools are also required to provide evaluations to determine if a child has such a disability. If you have or know of a child who may have a disability, contact your local school district for more information.  The contact person for the Vandalia-Butler City Schools is Dan Heaton, Director of Pupil Services, at 415-6403.

Click here to access “Whose IDEA is this? A Parent's Guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004”

Click here to view the district's Incident Report