Six years ago the Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 or IU8 downsized their Somerset office.  They tell us over last few years they felt that it really affected the service they provided to 11 school districts in Somerset County.

To provide a bigger presence in Somerset, they’re now opening an office that they say will allow them to provide more educational services.

“We recently moved our offices and got more space so that we can offer different training opportunities for our districts, so that they don’t have to send their staff to Altoona or other places,” executive director Dr. Thomas Butler says.

The move will save time and money in terms of traveling for the school districts.  It will also allow them to do more video conferences and provide different programs.

“We do a lot of special education work.  We also do work in the curriculum area that creates programs for kids and districts to help them thrive.”

By being in Somerset with a larger, more functional space, their overall goal is to to offer more face-to-face training.

“We are very focused in our organization to provide the best service for the districts, kids, and families.  We believe that since there are 11 school districts here in Somerset County, that this will offer an opportunity to better serve our them.”