Pittsburgh school for the blind facing teacher shortage

While educators fear many of Pennsylvania’s K-12 schools may face a teacher shortage soon, one specialized school says it already has one.

Rachelle Rectenwald is assistant superintendent at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, a multifaceted school serving individuals with blindness and visual impairment at its Oakland campus. She said the school is reaching out now with career fairs in an attempt to deal with a large number of pending retirements among teachers and paraeducators.

Rectenwald said the shortage here is part of a national shortage of individuals certified in TVI (teaching the visually impaired) and COMS (Orientation and Mobility Specialist) that could leave nearly 1 in 1,000 children without specially trained teachers.

“The running joke here is you can’t retire until you find your replacement,” Rectenwald said.

The school, which boasts a 48-acre campus in the middle of Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, was chartered in 1887. It serves children from 242 school districts across Western Pennsylvania through residential and day programs.

Teachers at the school require specialist graduate level certification, but Rectenwald said the school accepts teachers with special education certification during its extended summer session as part of its recruitment strategy. Many then enroll in a University of Pittsburgh graduate program that offers the specialized certifications required for permanent employment.

“Once people come here, it’s such a fantastic place to work many go on for TVI certification,” she said.

The school, located at 201 N. Bellefield Ave., will host a career fair for teachers of the visually impaired, special educators, paraeducators, nurses and therapists from 10 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 19. The event also is open to high school and college students interested in exploring career options at the school.

“The concern is that without enough certified TVIs and COMS, the proper education of visually impaired students is at risk. Our school’s mission is to nurture and celebrate our students’ unique abilities. TVIs, COMS and others in our school do just that,” said Heidi Ondek, executive director and school superintendent.

Ondek said those interested in the job fair may register for a visit at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-western-pennsylvania-school-for-blind-children-career-fair-tickets-86388878461 , or visit www.wpsbc.org for more information.