Mrs. Amber Mentz, Director of Special Education
I grew up in Shippensburg, where I lived until 1993, when I moved to Maryland. After graduation from high school in 1997, I attended Towson University, where I received my BA in 2001. I began my career in special education in September 2001, and shortly thereafter began my Master's program at the College of Notre Dame in Baltimore. I was a high school special education teacher in Maryland, until 2005, when my husband and I moved to Pennsylvania. I also completed my MA at that time, in Leadership in Teaching. I was fortunate enough that summer to begin a job in the Commonwealth, where I was a learning support teacher at the high school level. During my tenure there, I also had both of my children.
I remained in that position until August 2016, when I briefly worked at IU13, but changed midyear to a position at Red Lion Area School District in order to take advantage of opportunities for career growth. During my time there, I attended Millersville University with the goal of earning my supervisory certificate in special education. I completed the program in May of 2018, and began serving as a supervisor that August. I continued in this role as I took on the position of Interim Director of Special Education in September of 2022, and I served in this role until I joined MTSD in February 2023.
That is a 22-year career in a nutshell! I always want to grow and learn as the world evolves around us in education, and will continue to do so at Manheim Township School District.
To the end of our District mission of challenging and nurturing for success, my focus is ensuring that our staff is supported and has the means with which to serve your students each day, and set appropriately rigorous expectations for progress in a supportive, least restrictive environment.
Email: mentzam@mtwp.net
Phone: 717 735 1733
Parent Information Sessions and our North Star Subcommittee
Our first parent information session is coming up on October 11, 2023! During this session, you will have the opportunity to meet our district special education team, including me, supervisors, and consultants. We will be discussing the IEP document and what each component entails for our students. In response to feedback received during 2022-2023, we are aiming to have all sessions on the same day of the week, and at the same time.
Our goal is to have four to five sessions this year. Be on the lookout for specific information and links to participate in these virtual sessions!
North Star Subcommittee
Our North Star at Manheim Township: To create a welcoming and supportive environment where all students, staff and families feel a sense of belonging
We are looking for parents to serve on our subcommittee, which is comprised of two smaller groups: gifted education and special education. Please contact Amber if you are interested in participating; our first meeting is September 26 at 6 p.m., and will be held virtually. We meet four times per year, and your participation is valued, but not mandatory, for each session.