Happy New Year! As we begin a new year of service, support, and collaboration at ECESC, our team is energized to continue walking alongside the member districts and schools we serve throughout our region. We hope your holiday break provided a well-deserved season of rejuvenation and joy for you and your families.

Last week, we were honored to host many of our districts for our Governing Board Convening. This gathering brought together school and district leaders from across the area to discuss, celebrate, and strategize the ongoing work of ECESC. It was a wonderful day of collaboration, reflecting the power of the partnerships that define our region. Below are a few of the celebrations and highlights that were shared at this event:

95% of our member districts have participated in professional learning experiences through ECESC during the 25-26 school year.
85 districts participated in our recent AI Summit events.
In 2025, our Career Coaching Grant partner districts reported 125,000+ career coaching activities, expanding access to personalized advising, work-based learning, and postsecondary planning.
4,147 students have attended the Forge Your Future Student Experience in New Castle since our launch in October 2024.
2,632 students have been impacted by our Forge Your Future Mobile Experience.
ECPA (Educational Cooperative Purchasing Alliance) launched in late 2025. ECPA is a collaboration among 8 Indiana Education Service Centers that work together to provide competitively sourced vendor contracts for member districts.

These celebrations are only possible thanks to the tremendous support and collaboration we enjoy from educators and partners throughout our region and state. We look forward to all that lies ahead in 2026 and remain committed to providing the exemplary service and responsive support that our schools and communities deserve.

With Appreciation,

Pat Haney

Executive Director

Thank you to our Executive Board members for their
incredible leadership and support!

ECESC Welcomes Community Members to Sunnyside

We were honored to host the January New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce meeting at our facility. The event was especially fitting as it featured a State of the Schools presentation, with ECESC Executive Director Pat Haney serving on a panel alongside local education leaders.

We value opportunities to connect education and community partners and appreciate the Henry County Chamber of Commerce for convening this important conversation.

ECESC Staff News

ECESC is thrilled to welcome Ben Burris as our newest team member! Ben will serve as a Technology Consultant, newly contracted to support our team and our member districts on a part-time basis. Ben has been in the field of educational technology since 2012 and is a member of the HECC Board. In addition to serving our member districts, he continues to serve as Director of Technology for Western Wayne Schools.

PD Top 3

Making Sense of Indiana’s New Diploma Seals: Practical Strategies for High Schools

✔️ In-Person Session at ECESC, February 6, 9-11:30 am

✔️ Target Audience: Principals, Counselors, and Curriculum Directors

✔️ Free for ESC Members | $200 for Non-members

Communication is Key:
CPI Verbal De-Escalation Training & Crucial Conversations

✔️ In-Person Session at ECESC, February 12, 9 am - 3 pm

✔️ Prepares Participants to Identify, Respond to, and Prevent Low-Risk Crisis Behavior with Non-Restrictive Intervention Techniques

✔️Cost: Members: $184 (Includes VI Workbook), Non-Members: $284 (Includes VI Workbook)

ILEARN Checkpoints:

Unlocking the Story in

Your Students' Data

(Grades 3-8)

✔️ In-Person Session at

ECESC, February 23, 9 am

- 3 pm

✔️ Presented By IDOE

Assessment Specialist

Logan Miller

✔️ Participants Will Be

Guided to View Data,

Analyze Sample Reports,

and Use ELA and Math

Resources to Support

Instructional Next Steps

✔️Cost: Members: $150

(Available for member

credits), Non-Members: $200

NEW Purchasing Website

The Educational Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (ECPA) is hosting its first webinar of 2026, and we’re encouraging school leaders, purchasing officials, and administrators seeking to make the most of the resources available to join us. This session will cover key aspects of Indiana’s procurement regulations, cooperative purchasing opportunities, and best practices for leveraging existing contracts to save time and money. Attendees will gain practical insights into compliance requirements, contract management strategies, and tools to streamline purchasing across their districts.

✔️ January 29th, 9 am ET

✔️ Learn More About ECPA Here

✔️ Register Here

Celebrating Our ESC Partnerships

Thank you to our partners at Citizens State Bank for generously sponsoring lunch following Friday’s ECESC Governing Board convening. We appreciate their partnership and support of our area educators!