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Special Education Department

Whitehall District Schools offers a wide range of programs and support services for students with disabilities, and ensures students have access to all educational opportunities. For students with identified disabilities, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is crafted. Programs and services are based on individual needs and may include, but are not limited to:

  • Resource Programs
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • School Social Work
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Personal Care Services

Whitehall District Schools also collaborates with the Muskegon Intermediate School District in order to meet all individual student needs. The Individual Educational Planning (IEP) process guides these decisions and parent involvement is an integral part of programming.

The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) are parents of children with disabilities, selected by the local district administrator and approved by the local school board. The PAC strives to represent the interest and concerns of students with special needs and their parents. It also strives to promote partnership between parents, students, the local school district and the MAISD by facilitating communication and cooperation. The PAC is authorized under Michigan Special Education Rules. Its purpose is to provide a formal mechanism for parent input to the ISD Plan for Delivery of Special Education Programs and Services.

The PAC:

  • Stresses cooperation between parents, school personnel and other service providers.
  • Listens and offers support to parents of special education students.
  • Encourages, advises, and processes information for parents of special education students.

We Believe ...

  • All children deserve a quality education.
  • Special Education students are children first. The disability is secondary.
  • Students, parents, school personnel, and community resources should cooperate to maximize the potential of each and every child.

All parents of students with disabilities are welcome to attend PAC meetings.

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Determination 

Each local educational agency and public school academy in Michigan is required to publicly post the process used to determine the existence of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD).

Consistent with this requirement, Whitehall District Schools reports the following: Whitehall District Schools conducts evaluations that focus on obtaining information from a variety of sources to consider the presence of a Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW), A critical piece of evidence is that a student’s scores fall substantially below national and state norms on a specific academic skill (basic reading, reading fluency, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, mathematics problem solving, written expression), while most other skills are shown to be developing adequately. The language skills of listening comprehension and oral expression are also included within the rules covering SLD*. Other important factors must also be considered, including an analysis of the student’s skills in other areas. This could include academic strengths, behavior, language or cognition

This data will also be used to provide the assurance that the pattern of strengths and weaknesses used within the SLD eligibility determination is not primarily the result of: a visual, hearing, or motor disability; a cognitive impairment; an emotional impairment; cultural factors; environmental or economic disadvantage; lack of attendance; or limited English proficiency. Additionally, the district must ensure that the underachievement is not due to a lack of adequate instruction. An analysis of progress monitoring data over time and data from state and local assessments can be used to provide assurances of this.

Multi–Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a systemic, continuous improvement framework in which data-based problem-solving and decision making is practiced across all levels of the educational system for supporting students.


504 District Coordinator
Kara Vanderweele, Director of Student Services
Email:  karavanderweele@whitehallschools.net
Phone: 231-893-1020 ext. 3705

Elementary 504 Building Coordinators
Shoreline Elementary:
Beth Whaley, Principal
Email: bethwhaley@whitehallschools.net
Phone: 231-893-1050

Ealy Elementary:
Ron Bailey, Principal
Email: ronaldbailey@whitehallschools.net
Phone: 231-893-1040

Secondary 504 Building Coordinators
Middle School:
Angus Chingman, Assistant Principal
Email: anguschingman@whitehallschools.net
Phone: 231-893-1030

High School:
Bobbi Oldenburg, Assistant Principal
Email: bobbioldenburg@whitehallschools.net
Phone: 231-893-1020


Director of Student Services

Kara Vanderweele
Director of Student Services
231-893-1020, ext. 3705

Procedural Safeguards Notice

MAISD Special Education Site