Drivers Education

TASD Driver’s Education Program Description

The TASD Driver’s Education program is one of the oldest in the country, having been started not long after the first program opened in St. College, PA in February 1934. Today we are one of a dwindling number of districts still supporting this valuable program.

TASD provides classroom instruction, behind-the-wheel training (BTW) and the PA Driver’s License exam.  Student must take their permit exam at the state center but all other matters can be done here.

Parent Involvement:
We strongly encourage Parent/guardian involvement in their student’s Driver’s Education experience. It is critical to the student’s success as a driver. We are currently providing the following to our families:

1. Parent/guardian access to all student grades and classroom progress through Sapphire. If you haven’t done so, contact the Guidance Office for instructions to get your logon
2. Requiring four different parental/guardian signatures on student work, confirming independent completion and parent review of student
3. A 20-30 minute parent orientation meeting following the first class of each marking period
4. A website for parents/students.

Curriculum:
Lesson plans are required for both the classroom experience and for each Behind-the-Wheel (BTW) one hour session. Students take 30-34 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of BTW training. Copies of the curriculum can be found with the instructors, in the Main Office and in the Program Coordinator’s room. We follow the existing standards set forth in the PDE standards of 1999, as well as those from the IUP Institute for Rural Health and Safety.

Differentiation:
We provide differentiated instruction to all students. Each lesson is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of the individual student. Extended time can be provided to students in need of more in-depth instruction time.  This decision will be made by the instructors.

Student Participants:
The fee schedule applies to all participating students: classroom is free and BTW cost is $45. Our program is open to students who are enrolled in Grade 10 – 12.  Seniors may participate until August 1.

Online Courses:
While we are required to accept the state approved online cyber classes, we do not recommend them.  By and large we find that these students require additional training from our BTW instructors that our classroom students do not.  Cyber students are required to submit proof of course completion and grade before being accepted into our BTW instruction. 

In-Car Instructor/Student Ratio:
We provide a one to one student/teacher ratio in BTW training.  Cameras record all driving sessions, inside and outside the vehicle.

Instructor Certification:
Our instructors are certified through the IUP Institute for Rural Health and Safety and the PRAXIS testing program.  Our license examiner has been certified by the PA Department of Transportation.

Permitting Process: 

1. Get your application from Mr. Bondi, these are handed out the first day of class, or, you can get them online from PennDOT.
2. Before going to the DMV, get a physical at your family doctor, this is not a standard physical, tell them this is just for a driver’s permit, the form is found on back of permit application, this must be done within 6 months prior to going to the DMV.
3. Take your original social security card and birth certificate to the PennDOT Driving Center to get your permit. Please remember, if they are laminated, they are considered invalid, and you’ll need to get new documents.  Take your application to the DMV. Today you can now pay with an ATM card, credit card, or money order. You will then take your "written" exam on a computer there at the center.  You must answer 15 of 18 questions correctly, the test will shut down as soon as you answer 15 correctly. If you have issues with distractions, they will give you noise blocking headphones while you take the test.  You will get your permit while you are there.
4. Your permit is good for one year. You may NOT take your license examination until you have done the following: 50 hours of daytime driving, 10 hours of nighttime, and 5 hours of inclement weather driving.  You may NOT test until you have done these hours and 6 months have passed.
5. We encourage students and parents to drive as much as possible in these first 6 months. Practice parallel parking in our designated area in our back lot.
6. Please remember, to be eligible for behind-the-wheel training you must have first completed and passed the classroom driver’s education course. Once this is done, and you’ve gotten your permit, and you have gotten in most of your driving time, about 4 months of driving with your family/mentors, come into the HS main office with $45 and your permit to apply for Behind-The-Wheel training. They will have you fill out a contact info form.  That info will be passed along to the instructors, and we will reach out to you to schedule your driving times. 
7. We will take you out for 6 one-hour sessions of BTW instruction.  Each lesson is different, building on past knowledge and learning new.
8. Your 6^th lesson will be to take your licensing exam; the testing date is found on your permit. You will drive for 30 minutes, to get your jitters under control and ask all the questions that are of a concern to you, and before actually completing your road exam.
9. Once you have successfully passed your road test, the D.E. staff will send your paperwork to PennDOT, who will then send you a camera card in 2-4 weeks. Follow the instructions on the camera card to get your official Junior License. If you haven’t heard from PennDOT within 4 weeks find you D.E. instructor to intervene on your behalf.

Getting Your Junior License:

A Junior License requires the following: you can only drive between 5 AM – 11 PM.  For the first 6 months you may only have 1 teen in the car with you unless a parent is with you.  After the first 6 months and until you turn 18, you can’t have more than 3 teens in the car with you, again unless a parent is with you.  The only exception to the hours rule, is if you have a job that requires you to work after hours.  You must get a letter from your supervisor, on company letterhead, stating that you are driving after hours for work related purposes.  Keep this in your glove compartment all the time.

Getting your Senior (Regular) License Early:

If you can drive for one year, from the date you get your Junior License, with no citations and no collisions that you were in full or in part responsible for, you may get your senior license early.  Stop in to see your DE instructor for the required form.  After that person has signed off, you are to take the document to a Notary Public for their stamp, send the form to the state and you should get a new camera card within two weeks.

History of Driver’s Education at TAHS

The TASD Driver’s Education program is one of the oldest in the country, having been started not long after the first program opened in St. College, PA in February 1934.

Early instructors took the students out driving during the day and they worked with adults after school and in the evenings.  The test examiners were originally state troopers assigned to what was considered by many to be a problematic assignment.  It looks much different today, however, the purpose of the course has remained the same over the years - to teach students to be responsible drivers. 

The textbook names tell us a lot about how views of driving have changed over the years.  The earliest textbook was called “Sportsmanship Driving,” while today students use “Responsible Driving.”  Driving instruction included classroom visual aids and the latest technology from the earliest years of Driver’s Education.  The instructors have always tried to provide “cutting edge” teaching strategies and technology to reach their students.  For instance, in the 1950’s and 1960’s, students sat at a desk with a brake pedal.  When given a visual cue, the student had to apply the brake.  The purpose was to measure reaction time.  Instructors also used steel boards with magnetic vehicles and settings to demonstrate different driving scenarios at the front of the class.  The instructors have always taken pride in their techniques and ability to reach their students.  Tyrone’s driver’s education instructors have included: Jack Gorman, Max Kimmel, Jerry Wiser, George Czap, Paul Matusky, Pete Dutrow, Robert Perry, John Linder, Jim Butler, Rob Walter, John Rossman, Scott Bouslough and Cummins McNitt. 

Over the years the school has used the services of area businesses to provide the automobiles used in Drivers’ Education: Rupert’s Chevrolet, Spangler’s Ford, Nelson’s GM, and Day Fleet Sales from Pittsburgh.  The cars have always been equipped with instructor-side foot brakes. 

Early driving classes often used shock and scare tactics, particularly through films, which were often shown just before proms.  Instructors did this to scare the kids into “driving right,” at least for one night.  This practice continued through the 1970’s.  In the 1980’s and 1990’s instructors used an information-centered approach, using scientific studies and research to show the use and value of good driving habits.  Today Driver’s Education is continuing this tradition by offering new and creative ways to reach our students.  While science and research continue to provide the students and teacher with valuable content knowledge, technology continues to enable the teacher to reach students using tools familiar to students and families alike.  We also use impairment goggles, field sobriety tests and Wii activities in the classroom.  The Tyrone Area High School has just revamped the website for Driver’s Education students and families.  The district homepage can be accessed through: www.tyrone.k12.pa.us by choosing the high school page, clicking on “Staff Pages” and selecting McNitt.

The new website assists students by providing classroom resources at home or anywhere outside the classroom.  Should a student lose an assignment it is now easy to print a copy from home.  Students can communicate with their teacher through the Remind App, email, and by stopping by the classroom.  The website provides useful links to other important information: course syllabus, PennDOT teen driver forms and information, parallel parking tips, steps to getting your license, class work, teacher notes, and links to projects. 

The Tyrone Renaissance Education Foundation provided a grant to help purchase a Wii system, video game, 4 steering wheels and controllers, as well as “beer goggles.”  While wearing “beer or impairment goggles” the students walk to their “cars” following a designated taped walkway, and while using the Wii simulation, will be asked to text one another and take cell phone calls.  Students soon learn that DWI and driving while distracted are dangerous and difficult tasks to manage. 

Students are also required to complete a portfolio that requires the student to complete artifacts that deal with many aspects of driving, such as rural routes and expressways, weather conditions, signs and pavement markings, and personal factors of driving.  Students must complete several traffic intersection surveys addressing seatbelt using, stopping/signaling.  All of these elements are designed to put better drivers on the highways today and tomorrow. 

The Tyrone Area School District continues to serve the Tyrone area students and community by offering progressive educational opportunities that empower students to be responsible citizens and life-long learners in our democracy and global society.

This article was made possible through interviews with Jack Gorman, Robert Perry, Pete Dutrow and Cummins McNitt.

Known List of Driver’s Education Instructors at TASD. If you can help us fill in this list please contact the TAHS Driver’s Education Staff.  A number of these are best guesstimates, so please feel free to set us straight!

Cummins McNitt        2010 – 2024
Scott Bouslough          2013 – 2024
Rob Walter                  2000 – 2010
John Rossman             2000 – 2010
Jim Butler
Jack Gorman
Max Kimmel
Jerry Wiser
George Czap
Paul Matusky
Pete Dutrow
Robert Perry
John Linder