Stay connected! This page is updated regularly with news, events, resources, and supports for family and community engagement.
These AI tip sheets for parents are useful to educators too. While AI has the potential to support learning, it can also put kids’ development, safety, and autonomy at risk. Avoiding these risks requires empowering parents to help their kids manage AI use and strengthen the skills that AI can undermine. Brookings Institute created a series of tip sheets for parents of kids aged 10-14. This series focuses on 10 core skills kids need to become resilient learners in an AI-driven world. Each tip sheet offers bite-sized information about AI and its impact on kids, highlights what parents might notice as they observe AI use at home and school, and provides conversation starters and activities families can use together.
(Tip sheets will be added on a rolling basis over the coming months, visit this link for updates)
For more resources, visit our Digital Wellness Resource Page.
At the Table: Family Engagement Network
We invite you or your building leadership team to join SST 9’s At the Table Family Engagement Network, designed to support districts and school teams in strengthening meaningful, sustainable family engagement practices across all grade levels. Participants gain access to high-quality resources, collaborative networking, and structured support to enhance family–school partnerships.
Next Meeting: April 21st, 2026 | 8:00–9:00 AM | Virtual
Click here to register!
Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center
The 2026 Summit is dedicated to the understanding that the most extraordinary breakthroughs in education begin with simple, intentional shifts in how we lead. By empowering educators and community leaders to prioritize everyday authentic connections, accessible communications, and support for student learning, we transform everyday actions into lifelong success for every student.
The Family Engagement Leadership Summit is a professional learning event for those dedicated to advancing effective family-school-community partnerships, K-12. The Summit brings research to action providing schools, families, and community partners with the tools they need to work together. If you are a teacher, leader, family liaison, parent, caregiver, or community partner looking for opportunities to build better family-school partnerships, this virtual summit on Zoom is for you!
Save the Date: September 18, 2026
Registration will open in Spring 2026.
General Admission: $99*
*Check Eligibility for Discounts
Within Reach: Multi-Tiered Family Engagement Principal Institute
Ohio Statewide Family Engagement center
Within Reach is an intensive, in-person institute for principals who want to move their school past basic family engagement events and create a system that actually connects with every family. In today’s educational landscape, true partnership is the key to student success. This seminar transforms family engagement by first centering families' needs and preferences and then planning responsive school strategies to create a robust, research-based framework that reaches every family.
Dates: Tuesday, July 21 to Thursday, July 23, 2026.
Schedule: 8:45 AM to 4:00 PM, with a break for lunch on your own.
Location: Center on Education and Training for Employment, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities would like to invite your students to their Trades Fair!
This event is not sponsored by State Support Team 9 but is provided for your information.
Here are the details:
When – Wednesday May 6th 2026 from 9:00-12:30
Where – Eric Snow YMCA - 420 3rd St. NW, Canton, OH
Who- Any student on an IEP who is graduating from a construction or trades program. Any student on an IEP who is a sophomore or junior who is exploring a current construction or trades field. Any current student with an IEP, regardless of whether or not they have an open OOD case, is invited.
What – Currently, there are over 10 union trades with confirmed attendance, with more expected to commit!
More details will be coming soon!
Virtual Sessions Sponsored by OCECD and SST9
2025-2026 Lunch and Learn
Presenter: Penny Moody - Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities
Target Audience: Parents, Family members and Community agency partners. These sessions are free and designed to support in learning about special education services, state and federal regulations and parent rights.
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
March 3, 2026 – Understanding the Evaluation Process under IDEA 20024, Part One
March 24, 2026 – Understanding the Evaluation Process under IDEA 20024, Part Two
April 7, 2026 – Understanding an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Part One
April 28, 2026 – Understanding an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Part Two
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: Please click HERE to register.
PLEASE NOTE: After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing details on how to join the virtual session(s).
Any questions, contact Deb Bates by email - debbie.bates@starkesc.org - or by calling her at 330-492-8136 Ext. 1552.
Virtual Sessions sponsored by OCECD
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Are you interested in providing support to other families who have a loved one with a disability or special healthcare need? Who was that person for you?
Apply to become an Ohio P2P Support Parent!
Ohio P2P is an evidence-based statewide parent support program that matches parents, siblings, self-advocates, foster parents, grandparents, etc. who have family members of any age, with a disability or special healthcare need, to an experienced, trained, volunteer support parent.
Training is comprised of two one-hour Zoom sessions and a set of four online modules to complete on your own during the weeks in between. Total time commitment for the training is around 4 hours, including the Zoom sessions.
The two one-hour Zoom sessions are held on the first and fourth Thursdays of each month (except December). You may choose the time that best fits your schedule, either 12 pm-1 pm OR 6:30 pm-7:30 pm.
Please join us as we build this network. No one should feel alone. Ever.
Apply at: Ohio P2P Support Parent Trainee Application Questions?
Contact us at OhioP2P@cchmc.org, 513-636-1245
https://www.ucucedd.org/ohio-parent-to-parent-p2p/
Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Conference
Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Conference
Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities
This conference brings together families, early childhood professionals, and community partners to explore inclusion, transitions, and family engagement from Early Intervention through Kindergarten. Participants will gain practical strategies, resource connections, and a clearer understanding of rights and supports across early childhood systems.
Who should attend: Families/caregivers, EI providers, preschool staff, administrators, related service providers, and advocates.
Stark/Tuscarawas County ASPIES Events
Stark/Tuscarawas County ASPIES Events
The Stark/Tuscarawas Counties Branch of ASPIES is hosting a full lineup of family-friendly, homeschool-inclusive, and acceptance-fueled events over the next five months. Please feel free to share these flyers and events with anyone you feel may benefit.
The best way to stay up to date with everything happening at ASPIES is to sign up for our email listserv at aspies.org or by reaching out directly to brittney@aspies.org.
Here’s what’s coming up:
March
Parent Support Meeting
“Holding It All Together: The Mental Load of Autism Parenting”
March 3 | 6–8 PM | Faith Baptist Church, BolivarLEGO Event
March 4 | 6–7 PM | NCPLOh, the Books You’ll Take!
(Celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birth month)
March 21 | 1–3 PM | Faith Baptist Church, Bolivar
Click here to access a folder with a flyer for each upcoming event.
April
Homeschool LEGO Group
April 1 | 1–2 PM | NCPLCelebrate You
An Autism Acceptance & Awareness Family Dinner
April 24th | 5–7 PM | Faith Baptist Church, Bolivar
May
LEGO Event
May 6 | 6–7 PM | NCPLSTEM & Creativity Day
May 30 | 1–3 PM | Faith Baptist Church, Bolivar
Self-Advocacy
Self-advocacy, what is it and how can you start practicing advocating for yourself? The video, Self-Advocacy Is for Everyone by the Exceptional Children's Assistance Center, illustrates how individuals can learn to speak up for themselves, make informed decisions, and actively participate in shaping their own lives.
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