State Support Team 11

📚✨ As the school year came to a close, staff at North Columbus Preparatory Academy spent their final day engaged in meaningful reflection and planning for continued student success! 🎉

Working alongside Regional Literacy Specialist James Cutlip in his role as their ReadOhio coach, Teacher-Based Teams analyzed 📊 OST results, short-cycle assessment data, and i-Ready End-of-Year screener data to monitor progress toward this year's goals and celebrate growth. 🌟

The team also began action planning for the 2026–2027 school year 📝, using data-driven decision-making to strengthen instruction and support positive outcomes for all learners. 🚀 Thank you to the dedicated educators and leadership team for their commitment to continuous improvement and student achievement! 🍎👏

📚❤️

🇺🇸 This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our country.

This year, we are proud to recognize the loved ones of our team members who served for our country. Their dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to something greater than themselves does not go unnoticed.

Thank you to the families who shared these special photos with us—your stories remind us of the true meaning behind today.

We honor you. We remember. ❤️🤍💙

So proud to see Project SEARCH highlighted in this news story! 🎉👏 While this feature focuses on Columbus City Schools, we are fortunate to have several Project SEARCH programs throughout our region, all working to create meaningful employment opportunities for students with disabilities. ❤️

Programs like Project SEARCH show what is possible when schools, families, businesses, job coaches, and community partners come together to support students as they transition into adulthood. 🤝🏫💼

Graduation from these programs is about so much more than completing a school year. 🎓✨ It represents growth, confidence, independence, employability skills, and the belief that every student deserves the opportunity to contribute their strengths in the workplace and community. 🌟

Congratulations to the graduates featured in this story, and to all of the Project SEARCH graduates across our region! 🎉👏 Your hard work deserves to be celebrated. ❤️🎓

https://www.nbc4i.com/video/program-for-students-with-disabilities-celebrates-graduates/11811138/

Program for students with disabilities celebrates graduates A program helping students with disabilities prepare to enter the workforce is celebrating its recent graduates.

📚☀️ Summer reading fun is happening all across Central Ohio! Help keep young minds growing all summer long with reading challenges, library events, prizes, and family literacy activities.

Check out these great opportunities:
📖 Columbus Metropolitan Library Summer Reading Challenge(https://columbuslibrary.beanstack.org/reader365)
🍕 Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Summer Reading Program (https://www.bookitprogram.com/)
✂️Half Price Books Summer Reading Camp
(https://www.hpb.com/summer-reading.html)
🐭 Chuck E. Cheese Reading Rewards Calendar (https://www.chuckecheese.com/activities-and-downloads/reading-rewards-calendar-english/)

Whether it’s 20 minutes a day, a family read-aloud, or a trip to your local library, every page helps build stronger readers! ❤️📚

Calling all educators, employment service providers, and support staff! Are you looking to train new employees? Or are you a seasoned professional looking hone your skills and strategies? Our free online modules, “What Works for Work,” will help you teach skills to youth and adults with disabilities for successful employment and increased independence. Modules include templates, handouts, and other takeaway resources to help implement these effective practices. Start the self-paced modules today! https://ocali.org/what-works-for-work

🌟 Supporting successful futures starts with strong transition planning! 🌟

Join the upcoming Transition Conference Virtual Edition hosted by TransCen
for two days of learning, collaboration, and practical strategies focused on transition-aged youth with complex support needs.

This year’s conference theme, Creating Pathways to Community Connections and Employment for Students with Complex Support Needs, will feature nationally recognized speakers and sessions focused on:
✔️ Transition assessment
✔️ Universal Design for Transition
✔️ Employment outcomes
✔️ Supporting students across the lifespan

📅 June 16–17, 2026
💻 Virtual Conference
⏰ Flexible scheduling options available

Whether you support students in schools, transition programs, or community agencies, this conference offers valuable tools and ideas to strengthen postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities.

🔗 Learn more and register: https://www.transcen.org/news/transition-conference-2026/

📣 Professional Development Opportunity for Educators Serving Transition-Age Youth!

Have you ever worked with families concerned about losing disability benefits or healthcare coverage if their child enters competitive integrated employment? Join this valuable two-day training to learn the facts and gain practical tools to better support transition-age youth and their families.

💡 Participants will learn about:
✔️ Social Security work incentive programs for young workers
✔️ Medicare protections
✔️ Ohio Medicaid protections for youth entering the workforce

📅 Dates: May 28–29, 2026
⏰ Time: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Quest Conference Center, Armstrong 1 Room
9200 Worthington Road, Westerville, OH

🍴 Lunch will be on your own; a lunch break will be provided.

🎓 Registration is FREE and due by May 21!
Space is limited to the first 35 participants, and attendees must participate both days to receive a certificate of completion (available upon request).

This course is offered by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and presented by Cornell University.

🔗 Use this link to register: [Insert Registration Link]

❓Questions? Contact Chelsea Canterbury at [email protected]

Exciting news from Ohio Department of Education and Workforce! 🎉

The Department has launched Ohio Learn — the new and improved professional learning management system designed to make accessing training and professional development opportunities easier than ever for Ohio educators and education partners.

Whether you’re completing required trainings, exploring new learning opportunities, or tracking professional development, Ohio Learn provides a more streamlined and user-friendly experience.

📘 Need help getting started? Access the Ohio Learn Citizen Guide here:
(https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Teaching/Professional-Development/Learning-Management-System-LMS/Ohio-Learn-Citizen-Guide_May-2026.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US&utm_source=chatgpt.com)

From rookie season to regional recognition, this robotics team continues to inspire the next generation of innovators! 🤖⚙️

Founded in 2017 at North Woods Career Prep, the program was created to empower students from underrepresented communities through hands-on experiences in engineering, CAD, 3D printing, programming, and real-world STEM learning opportunities.

Since then, students have competed at the Buckeye Regionals and CORI, earned the 2018 Rookie Inspiration Award, and qualified for the WOW Championship — all while building teamwork, leadership, and career-ready skills along the way.

This year, the combined North Woods/Graham School team placed 23rd out of 41 teams in 2026 competition play! 🎉

We are proud to celebrate the dedication, creativity, and perseverance of these students and educators who continue opening doors to future STEM careers.

North Woods Career Prep Fusion
The Graham School

💚 May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Supporting the whole child means recognizing that mental health is essential to learning, engagement, and long-term success. Across our region, schools continue to play a critical role in creating safe, supportive environments where students and staff can access meaningful supports.

For additional resources, information, and tools to support mental health awareness, visit Mental Health America:
👉 https://mhanational.org/

We remain committed to helping districts strengthen systems that support well-being for all learners.