New Story Schools - Harrisburg

Yellow Breeches Educational Center has served elementary and secondary special education students in central Pennsylvania since 2000, when Mark Staszko Sr. founded it. Students are referred by their school district when a traditional setting has not worked, and YBEC serves roughly 200 students a year drawn from 45 districts across 11 counties. The program pairs classroom academics with experiential education, adventure education, service-learning, and transition planning, all built around each student's IEP. Classrooms run at 1:4 in elementary and 1:6 in secondary, staffed by certified teachers, counselors, and adventure professionals, with a master's level mental health counselor on the team. A positive behavior modification system and family involvement complete the program.

Families choose Hill Top because we look beyond a diagnosis to understand the whole student. Through personalized academics, clinical support, experiential learning, and real-world preparation, we help students recognize their strengths and prepare for success in college, trade school, the workforce, and life beyond Hill Top.