Program Overview

At Bellefonte Area School District, we believe in investing in the future of public education. We enthusiastically partner with accredited colleges and universities to offer robust field experiences, internships, and student teaching opportunities. Aspiring educators placed in our district work closely with our exceptional faculty and staff, gaining the practical experience, mentorship, and guidance needed to excel in their future classrooms.

Placement Requests & Guidelines

All student teacher, intern, practicum, and field experience placement requests must be submitted directly by the university supervisor or placement coordinator using our official request form.

• Submit a Student Teacher & Intern Placement Request Here.

• Requests submitted by individual students will not be reviewed.

Short-Term Field Observations (5–10 Hours)

Undergraduate or introductory course candidates needing brief, short-term field observations (5 to 10 hours) do not need to submit the formal placement form or affiliation agreements. Please reach out directly to the applicable building principal to make arrangements.

Affiliation Agreement

Our district requires an active affiliation agreement with the sending institution. Please provide a copy of your active affiliation agreement along with the placement request. If your institution does not have an active affiliation agreement with Bellefonte Area School District, the university placement coordinator must contact the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, Stephanie Ironside (sironside@basd.net), to begin the agreement process. Please note that new agreements require board approval and may take several months to finalize.

Placement requests are only accepted from our currently active partner institutions listed below:

The Pennsylvania State University (College of Education)

• Approved Programs: Pre-service field experience (CI 495A/B/C) and student teaching (CI 495D/F/E) across Elementary (PreK-4), Middle Level (4-8), and Secondary Education (7-12) certification tracks.

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

• Approved Programs: Field study, internship, practicum, and student teaching across Early Childhood Education (PK-4), Middle Level (4-8), Secondary Education (7-12), Special Education (PK-8 / PK-12), Music Education (K-12), Speech-Language Pathology (MS), Reading Specialist, School Counseling (PK-12), Principal Certification (PK-12), and Teacher Intern programs.

Required Clearances & Documentation

Please note: Clearances should NOT be submitted with the initial placement request. Once a placement match is officially confirmed, the university coordinator must email the following required clearances directly to studentteaching@basd.net. Clearances must be received and verified prior to placing the candidate on the Board agenda for approval.

• Act 34: Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check

• Act 151: Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance

• Act 114: FBI Criminal History Background Check (Fingerprinting)

• Act 24: Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form

• TB Test: Proof of a negative Tuberculosis test (usually required to be less than 3 months old).

Board Approval & Placement Onboarding

All student teacher and intern placements require final approval by the Bellefonte Area School District Board of Directors. University coordinators are responsible for monitoring the monthly Board Meeting minutes for their candidates' approval.

Once a candidate is officially board-approved, the university coordinator or supervisor must reach out directly to the assigned building principal and cooperating teacher to:

• Facilitate initial introductions.

• Confirm the student's start date and daily schedule.

• Ensure the building initiates any necessary IT access or system setup for the student teacher.

Application Timeline

Requests submitted after the deadlines below may be reviewed on a space-available basis but cannot be guaranteed. All placements are subject to district capacity, mentor availability, and program needs.

• Fall Placements: Requests due by April 1. (Notifications sent by May 15)

• Spring Placements: Requests due by October 1. (Note: For the Spring 2027 term only, this deadline has been extended to November 1, 2026, as we transition to our new system). Notifications sent by November 20.

(Note: School Psychologist and specialized intern applications may require an earlier submission deadline, such as February 1 for Fall placements).

Contact Information

For questions regarding student teaching, internship, and field experience placements, please contact:

• Stephanie Ironside, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent

• Email: sironside@basd.net

• Phone: 814-355-4814 ext. 3005