Networks and Newsletters

CAREER ADVISING - CAREER TECH EDUCATION, GRADUATION PATHWAYS & TRANSITION NEWSLETTER

Career Advising/Transition Summer 25-26 Newsletter

Fall Newsletter coming soon!

CLICK HERE to access the Archived SST9 Career Advising Newsletters.

This newsletter contains information to support career awareness, exploration, and advising for students with and without disabilities. Career Technical Education and secondary transition are the focus topics. Resources to support planning, implementation, and professional development are included.

Description: This network for Early Childhood Directors will cover pertinent topics in early education from a regional, state, and national perspective. Participants will learn the latest information on these topics, consider how to apply it in their setting, and plan how to support program implementation.

Format: In-Person & Virtual - check the date

Time: 9:00 - 11:00 am

OA Hours: 12 (Ohio-Approved Hours will be provided for meetings attended.)

Dates:

Aug. 28, 2026 In-Person SCESC - Room T106 KICKOFF EVENT

Oct. 6, 2026 In-Person SCESC - Room 121

Jan. 12, 2027 Virtual Join via Google Meet

Mar. 30, 2027 Virtual Join via Google Meet

May 11, 2027 In-Person SCESC - Room 121

Sign up HERE for the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center’s Family-to-Family Newsletter.

Click  HERE for family and community engagement news and updates. 

Click HERE for more family and community engagement resources. 

Description: This networking opportunity is designed for preschool itinerant teachers who want to identify learning goals that are relevant and meaningful to their current practice and overcome challenges in their practice. Teachers will develop a shared bank of resources and identify strengths in their own practices, fostering a network of support for problem-solving among teachers. Facilitators: Debbi Bailey, SST 9; Hannah Cowie, SST 9; and Michelle Smith, SST 8 

Format: In-Person

Time: 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Registration Link (coming soon)

Dates:

October 13, 2026 Summit County Educational Service Center

December 8, 2026 Stark County Educational Service Center

February 9, 2027 Summit County Educational Service Center

April 13, 2027 Stark County Educational Service Center

Advancing Literacy Outcomes: A Deep Dive Into the Advanced Tiers

Download Flyer

Once again this year, SST 9 will be combining the Special Education Network and the Regional Literacy Network. All administrators are welcome to attend; however, Special Education Directors and Curriculum Directors are our intended audience. 

There will be three virtual meetings throughout the year: Tuesday, October 20, 2026; Tuesday, January 26, 2027; and Tuesday, March 16, 2027. The meetings will be from 9-11 am.

The focus of the three sessions will be on Advancing Literacy Outcomes by Diving Deeper into the Advanced Tiers. Our learning outcomes for our participants are as follows:

• To analyze district and school-level reading practices against specific R-TFI item criteria to identify implementations strengths and growth areas (Session 1)

• To co-create, refine and customize operational artifacts, aligned to R-TFI standards, for immediate implementation (Session 2)

• To design structured processes for monitoring student progress, evaluating intervention fidelity, and making data-informed adjustments within the advanced tiers reading systems. (Session 3)

Facilitated by Andrea Ciavarelli, Erin Class, Barb Cockroft, and Michelle Rentsch, these virtual sessions will ensure alignment within your building and district to current literacy practices for ALL students.  There is no registration required. Please access the flyer here and save the dates. We look forward to “seeing” you at our first session on October 20, 2026.

By the end of this professional learning series, participants will be able to:

• Evaluate Advanced Tier Implementation: Analyze district and school-level reading practices against specific R-TFI 2.0 item criteria to identify implementation strengths and growth areas.

• Develop High-Leverage Artifacts: Co-create, refine, and customize operational artifacts aligned to R-TFI standards for immediate district implementation.

• Establish and Facilitate Systems for Data-Based Decision Making: Design structured processes for monitoring student progress, evaluating intervention fidelity, and making data-informed adjustments within the advanced tiers reading systems.

All sessions will be virtual from 9:00 to 11:00 am

Join Meeting HERE

Facilitators: Andrea Ciavarelli, Erin Class, Barb Cockroft, Michelle Rentsch

Target Audience: Special Education Directors and Curriculum Directors

Dates:

• Tuesday, October 20, 2026

• Tuesday, January 26, 2027

• Tuesday, March 16, 2027

Click here to visit our SST9 website to access resources after each session.

Legal Update Series

Sponsored by Stark County Educational Service Center

For questions or more information, contact Susie McKelvey at Susie.McKelvey@starkesc.org.

All meetings are VIRTUAL from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Meeting Link 

Dates:

September 22, 2026

November 10, 2026

March 9, 2027

May 11, 2027

Please note: These sessions are not sponsored by State Support Team 9 but are provided for your information.

Increase district and building capacity with data by joining OEDPN. The purpose of the Ohio Education Data Professionals (OEDP) Network is to bring together individuals who are passionate about education data and to provide a collaborative space for members to deepen their knowledge and expertise in educational data; collect, share, and manage resources; and create new ideas, knowledge, and practices.

OEDP Network members come from all around Ohio and are employed by public school districts, community schools, educational service centers (ESCs), state support teams (SSTs), universities, and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Members include district administrators, academic coaches, ESC/SST consultants, professors, EMIS coordinators, and many more. 

General Network Members:

General network members include individuals who are committed to building knowledge, sharing resources, and connecting with other data professionals to help support the vision of the network. General network members may have credentials and support their own organization, but they do not provide any regional support.

Regional Data Leads:

Regional Data Leads (RDL) are network members who work at the regional level. They provide professional development, technical assistance, and coaching support for educators to strengthen professional practice and improve learning for all students. 

Complete this form to become a member of the Ohio Education Data Professional Network.  

Ohio Education Data Professional Network Meetings

The OEDP Network virtual meetings are the third Friday of every month from 9-10:30 a.m. on Microsoft Teams.
More Information.

Audience: District Staff who serve in special education leadership positions – Pupil Services Directors, Special Education Directors, and Special Education Coordinators

This series will provide updated information related to federal and state regulations. Sample topics include the “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA), OSDOE, OSEP, IDEA, ODE, Office of Exceptional Children, and Special Education Profile Indicators. Opportunities for networking and resource sharing will be provided.

TIME: 9:00 - 11:00 AM

DATES:

October 20, 2026

January 26, 2027

March 16, 2027

May 18, 2027

Meeting Link 

If you have questions about the network meetings, please contact Michelle Rentsch, SST 9 Consultant, at Michelle.Rentsch@sst9.org.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Please click HERE for the calendar of SST9's special education events.

Listen to the Inclusive Schooling Podcast Episode 32: The Educator's Life Line: 10 Strategies to Support Challenging Behaviors

Episode 32 Link

Key Takeaways:

• Educators can use “lifelines” as practical strategies to support students with challenging behaviors, helping them stay calm and engaged without resorting to exclusion.

• Approaching students with empathy and giving them choices allows educators to guide them back to a ready-to-learn state, prioritizing emotional safety in the classroom.