Student Services
Student Support Services Coordinator
E'lyse Benson
Central Office
Email: elyse.benson@orchardview.org
Phone: 231-760-1396
E'lyse Benson serves as the Student Support Services Coordinator fo Orchard View Schools. A dedicated member of the Cardinal community, she previously served as the Assistant Principal at Cardinal Elementary before transitioning to this district-level leadership role in August 2025.
Role & ResponsibilitiesIn her capacity as Student Support Services Coordinator, E'lyse works across all district buildings to enhance student success through:
- Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Supporting initiatives and systems that provide targeted academic and behavioral interventions.
- Special Populations: Coordinating services and advocacy for diverse student groups to ensure equitable access to educational opportunities.
- System Growth: Thriving to expand district-wide academic and behavioral support frameworks for current and future students.
- District MTSS Coordinator
- Edmentum- Exact Path Administrator
- Branching Minds Administrator
- District McKinney Vento Liaison
- District Foster Care Liaison
- District EL Liaison
- District Homebound Coordinator
English Language Learners
English Language Learners Staff:
Angela Prins
EL Coordinator
angela.prins@orchardview.org
Ext. 1436
Elementary
Ashley Gannon
ashley.gannon@orchardview.org
Kim Foster
kim.foster@orchardview.org
Middle/High School/ILC
Catherine Patton - MS
catherine.patton@orchardview.org
Amy Mecher- HS
amy.mecher@orchardview.org
McKinney Vento/Foster Care
McKinney Vento
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.) is a federal law that provides important educational rights and services to PreK-12 children and youth experiencing homelessness. This document summarizes the McKinney-Vento Act’s key provisions and provides corresponding legal citations. (schoolhouseconnection.org)
- Download this Resource in English (PDF)
- Download this Resource in Spanish (PDF)
- Download this Resource in Haitian Kreyol (PDF)
Foster Care
Foster care in schools focuses on educational stability and success for children in the system, aiming to minimize school changes and address unique needs caused by trauma, ensuring they receive quality education, diplomas, and support through laws like the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
MTSS- Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
MTSS- Muti-Tiered Systems of Support
Orchard View Schools implements a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to deliver tailored academic and behavioral interventions for its students. This framework is integrated across various school functions.
Each building has established teams ensure students have access to all academic and behavior supports that are identified and provided to students who qualify.
Tier 1:
Academic Support: Core curriculum/universal reports that ALL students receive in their classrooms.
Behavior Support: Classroom rules, routines, and expectations for all students.
Tier 2:
Academic support: In addition to Core Curriculum (in the classroom), Title 1/RTI instruction, Small group instructions in the classroom based on skills that need practice to reach mastery/additional practice.
Behavioral support such as CICO (Check In, Check Out), Incentive Plans, and Behavior Contracts
Tier 3:
At Tier 3, these students receive more intensive, individualized support to improve their behavioral and academic outcomes. Tier 3 strategies work for students with developmental disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and students with no diagnostic label at all.
MTSS is a framework our district uses to give our students the best instruction, as well as targeted interventions for those who need additional support.
Exact Path
Exact Path- Diagnostic Assessment and Adaptive Learning Paths
Exact Path is our district's personalized learning program for K-Adult Ed students, designed to accelerate learning in math and language arts. It combines adaptive diagnostic assessments with individualized learning paths to address each student's unique needs. Exact Path will be used by staff to identify skill gaps, provide targeted instruction, and track student progress.
