GCSSA April Calendar & Member Feature ...

April Events at a Glance...

Thursday, April 9: 
“Facing History & Ourselves” with Dr. Desmond Blackburn

Thursday, April 16:
"Spring Legal Update" with Robert McBride and Hollie Reedy

Thursday, April: 23:
"Public Education in Turbulent Times" at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

ALL EVENTS ARE FREE TO ATTEND! Register Below.

More on What's to come ...

“Facing History & Ourselves” with Dr. Desmond Blackburn

Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026

Session One @ 8:30 am

Corporate College East 
4400 Richmond Rd., Warrensville Heights
Includes light breakfast!

Session Two @ 11:30 am

City Club at Playhouse Square

1317 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
Includes lunch!

GCSSA, in partnership with the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, welcomes Dr. Desmond K. Blackburn, PhD, President and CEO of Facing History & Ourselves. Since April 2023, Dr. Blackburn has focused on expanding access to high-impact instructional resources and building organizational cultures that support educators and students.

Previously, Dr. Blackburn served as Deputy Chancellor of School Leadership for New York City Public Schools and as Superintendent of Brevard Public Schools, where the district earned consecutive “A” ratings and national recognition.

Superintendents will benefit from Dr. Blackburn's unique perspective as a former district leader who has led at every level, from classroom teacher to superintendent to senior leadership in the nation’s largest school system. His session will offer practical insights on advancing equity, strengthening leadership pipelines, supporting school improvement, and creating systems that empower educators to confront bias, build inclusive school cultures, and improve student outcomes.

 🖊️ To register, e-mail Teri Hedrick at thedrick@osconline.org.

Spring Legal Update with

Robert McBride and Hollie Reedy 
of Ennis Britton Co., LPA

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026; 9:30 am
Location: Virtual

Education policy is evolving rapidly, from transportation changes to emerging AI regulations and new legislation moving through committee. For superintendents, staying ahead of these developments is critical to leading your district with confidence and ensuring compliance in a shifting landscape.

The GCSSA Spring Legal Update will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., featuring Robert McBride and Hollie Reedy of Ennis Britton Co., LPA. This annual session will provide timely updates on legal issues impacting schools, including transportation changes, AI policy considerations, and current legislation in committee, helping education leaders stay informed and prepared in an ever-changing policy landscape.

This year’s program will be held virtually via Zoom, offering a convenient opportunity for members and their staff to participate and gain valuable legal insights from anywhere. Ample time will be reserved for questions and answers, giving attendees the opportunity to engage directly with the presenters and discuss how these developments may affect their districts. Thanks to the support of Ennis Britton Co., LPA, this session continues to be a key resource for keeping districts up to date on current legal trends and considerations.

🖊️ To register, e-mail Teri Hedrick at thedrick@osconline.org.

Rescheduled: GCSSA In-Service Session: Public Education in Turbulent Times

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026; 1 pm

Join us for an engaging session on the challenges and opportunities facing public education today, presented by Faiza M. Jamil (Clemson University) and Javaid E. Siddiqi (The Hunt Institute). The event, held in partnership with Cleveland State University, will take place on Thursday, April 23, 2026 (rescheduled from September 2025) at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Agenda:

• Program: 1-2:30 pm
• Social Event/Light Food and Refreshments with the Authors: 2:30-4 pm
• Guests may also choose to attend a FREE 3D Movie Showing of "DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA" at 3:05 pm (Learn more)



Location: 
Cleveland Museum of Natural History (1 Wade Oval Dr., Cleveland)

Sponsor:
Special thanks to our event sponsor, RBC Capital Markets.

 🖊️ To register, e-mail Teri Hedrick at thedrick@osconline.org.

Recent Events & Updates ...

GCSSA Expands Member Support Through Informative Regional Info Sessions

GCSSA partnered with two Educational Service Centers across the region last month to provide members with timely information on workforce development and retirement planning.

Event Recap: Skills-Based Approach to Occupational Mobility with Kyle Fee on

March 10 at the ESC of Northeast Ohio

GCSSA partnered with the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio to host a session featuring Kyle D. Fee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. The discussion focused on the growing importance of skills-based hiring and the need for stronger connections between education and regional employers. Fee highlighted trends shaping the future workforce, including the rise of nondegree credentials, Career Connected Learning, and evolving workforce policies. He also demonstrated the Occupational Mobility Explorer, an interactive tool that helps users identify career pathways by mapping transferable skills across occupations, reinforcing how education and workforce partners can work together to support economic mobility.

Download Presentation.

Event Recap: STRS Update with Christina Elliott on March 12 at the ESC of the Western Reserve/Auburn Career Center

Later in the week, GCSSA partnered with the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve to host an informational session with Christina Elliott, Deputy Director for Benefits at STRS. The presentation, held at Auburn Career Center, provided updates for members who may have missed the fall session and covered key topics including current retirement trends by age, the retire/rehire process, and anticipated changes to healthcare benefits. The session gave education leaders a helpful overview of pension trends and retirement planning considerations as districts continue to plan for staffing transitions and support employees nearing retirement.

Download Presentation.

Together, these sessions highlight the strength of GCSSA’s ongoing partnerships with ESCs in providing relevant, actionable information for today’s education leaders. By connecting members with experts in workforce development and retirement planning, GCSSA continues to support informed decision-making and foster collaboration that benefits schools, staff, and the broader community.