Up to Date, with SST8

News and Events for April 21 through May 2, 2025

Join us for the next Combating Chronic Absenteeism Network

May 9 at Summit ESC

When students feel seen, heard, and supported by a trusted adult at school, they’re more likely to show up and stay engaged. Positive student-teacher relationships create the foundation for effective behavior interventions and long-term success.

In this session, Mike Kaschak will share practical strategies to help educators build authentic connections with students—strengthening relationships, improving behavior, and boosting attendance. Even small, intentional interactions can make a big difference!

The second part of the presentation addresses a concern that many districts are facing: staff attendance. While the presentation does not cover collective bargaining constraints, it focuses on strategies that schools can implement to improve their climate and culture. The strategies shared are simple and easy to adopt.

For those who choose to stay past 11 a.m., the SST team will assist individuals in reviewing their student-level data. With less than a month remaining in the school year, it is important to identify which students are at risk of becoming chronically absent, as well as those who have already surpassed the threshold for chronic absenteeism. The SST will help attendees create a list of students based on their own data, enabling them to develop intervention methods before students reach the chronic absenteeism threshold. At the end of this session, participants will have a list of students and the number of hours they can miss before being considered chronically absent by the end of the school year.

Calling All SpEd Administrators!!!

Special Education Forum

Don’t miss the final SpEd Forum of the school year! Join SST8 for one hour of critical updates, announcements, relevant learning content, and networking opportunities. Option for in-person or Zoom for this hybrid event.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Building Recognition Awards

The 2024-2025 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Building Recognition Award Application is available April 1-30. Ohio’s PBIS Recognition System provides the Department an opportunity to celebrate schools and districts for the quality and fidelity of PBIS implementation.

To apply, schools must submit a PBIS Building Application Survey, which is also available on the PBIS Recognition page. Bronze, silver, and gold levels of recognition are available and determined by each school’s PBIS implementation.

Review the PBIS Recognition Application Manual for more information about application requirements and how to apply.

EDSTEPS Deadlines:

One Plans due April 30th

Attention Cohort 2 districts! As part of the EDSTEPS process, your One Needs Assessment and One Plan must be completed by April 30th. If you have any questions, please reach out to your SST8 consultants for support. Let us know if you have any questions before then.

Restorative Circles at the Next PBIS Leader's Network

Join us for the April PBIS Leader’s Network. We will have a local school presentation illustrating how to use restorative circles building-wide. SST8 will present information regarding changes in the new TFI 3.0. High school networking will occur again at 10:00 am at the same meeting link.

Don’t miss this opportunity to lead change, inspire others, and make a lasting impact on your school community.

R8LL SOR Network Meetings

8:45-9:45 am on Zoom

Thank you for those that joined us for R8LL. We are excited to continue our collaboration community improvement network with the Region 8 Literacy Leaders Network with SST8, Summit ESC, Medina ESC, focusing on the Science of Reading. This initiative allows professional development to come alive in the classroom as educators share practical applications. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discuss challenges and solutions with colleagues, enhancing their ability to apply the Science of Reading knowledge effectively.

If you would like to give us some feedback on what you would like to see in this network next year, please use this link to take a quick survey.

The remaining meetings for this year will be offered on Zoom at 8:45-9:45am.

May 16th: Implementing Vocabulary and Fluency

Stronger Together: A Unified Approach for Educating

Students with Disabilities (NEW DATE)

Calling all Curriculum and Special Education Director teams (1 person representing special education, 1 person representing curriculum at a minimum)! It's time to think differently about supporting the academic needs of students with disabilities.

Morning Session: Focus on Literacy. How can general education, intervention specialists, and speech language pathologists all play a role in helping students with disabilities achieve reading proficiency? Join us for a dynamic learning session on the intersection of literacy practices for students with disabilities, the necessity of collaboration across departments. Together, we will explore how high-quality assessment and evidence-based literacy instruction/ intervention come together to support students with disabilities.

Working Lunch: Lunch will be provided and we invite you to engage in a focus group discussion around designing successful literacy learning for students with disabilities, identifying what support from SST8 is needed to overcome barriers to implementation. We will use your feedback to help inform our work for the 2025-2026 school year.

Afternoon Session: Focus on Graduation. In the afternoon, we will dive into strategies for monitoring students' progress towards graduation, identifying those at-risk for not graduating via state-approved graduation pathway, and assigning targeted or intensive interventions. We will provide an overview of the ODDEX Progress Toward Graduation (PTG) module, and Akron Public Schools will share an internal tool for monitoring completion of graduation requirements.

6th Annual MAGIC CAMP!

University of Alabama’s Virtual Magic Camp for Students with Disabilities 9-18 Years Old

The camp uses magic tricks as a therapeutic tool to build confidence, improve motor skills, and encourage social interaction. Led by UAB occupational therapy grad students trained in the evidence-based HOCUS FOCUS program, this camp is a blend of fun and function!

🪄 Camp Options:

Virtual Camp 1: May 26–June 27 (M/W/F afternoons)
Virtual Camp 2: July 7–Aug 1 (M/W/F afternoons)
In-Person Camp: Fridays, July 11–Aug 8 (9 AM–12 PM @ UAB)

Each session ends with a magical performance to celebrate campers’ new skills!

💻 More Info & Registration: www.uab.edu/shp/ot/ot-magic-camp

📧 Questions? Email artsinmedicine@uab.edu

A Practice Guide to Supporting Implementation

Discover "A Practice Guide to Supporting Implementation," a comprehensive resource that outlines the essential competencies for implementation support practitioners. Authored by experts including Allison Metz and colleagues, this guide emphasizes core areas such as Co-Creation and Engagement, Ongoing Improvement, and Sustaining Change. It's an invaluable tool for professionals aiming to effectively implement and scale evidence-informed practices, programs, and policies to enhance outcomes for individuals and communities.

Educators are invited to attend the Department’s annual ReadOhio Literacy Academy, taking place June 12 in Columbus.

This free annual event will provide professional learning to support the use of evidence-based language and literacy practices for children from birth-grade 12.

Guardianship Information and Discussion event at Woodridge High School

Woodridge is hosting a discussion of guardianship decision making for families with students with special needs. We are welcoming families from other school districts as well to come find out more about this important and personal situation.

Please consider joining this conversation with other families as we listen to two parents share their journey and decision making process of why and why not to pursue guardianship of their child.

Coming Soon:

EDSTEPS One Funding Application (OFA)

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) is replacing the Comprehensive Continuous Improvement Process (CCIP) with the EDSTEPS One Funding Application (OFA). This new system will streamline grant applications and award reimbursements into a single platform.

OFA launches in Spring 2025 and will house grant applications for State Fiscal Year 2026.
The transition to OFA will take about a year, with CCIP retiring in Summer 2026.
Any active applications within CCIP will remain available through the Final Expenditure Process for State Fiscal Year 2025.

Find information about webinars and training sessions that are offered by DEW here.

Invitation to Provide Feedback - Ohio Required and Optional Forms

The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce has proposed revisions to the state required and supplemental (formerly optional) forms for special education to streamline and clarify expectations of state and federal requirements.

As part of the process, the Department is seeking input from stakeholders across the state on the proposed revisions. Feedback may be provided at any time until May 23 using the Microsoft Forms surveys available on our Ohio Required and Optional Forms webpage . Each of the proposed revised forms are also available through our Ohio Required and Optional Forms webpage, with a side-by-side comparison document that provides an overview.

The Department is hosting virtual sessions on these proposed revisions for external stakeholder feedback. Attendance at these meetings is optional, and the review of the proposed revisions will be recorded. To register, please visit the Ohio Required and Optional Forms webpage