Transition Tidbits
May 2024
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
Check out OCALI's entire section of Take 5 videos on mental health supports and resources. One of those videos is: The Wellness Project. This is a virtual tour of the wellness webpage, which offers a variety of ways to support wellness for individuals, groups, and community members. Presented by: Holly Jones, Regional Liaison from Ohio DODD.
Graduation is here...you did it!
Some of your students will acknowledge you, but many will not. Please accept the poem below as a reflection of how you are appreciated by most of your students.
Your SST 16 consultants have great respect for all you do to prepare students for life and want to encourage you to spend your summer break being renewed and refreshed. See you in the fall!
Supreme Court Asked To Consider Whether Parents Can Record IEP Meetings
The U.S. Supreme Court is being asked to take up a case centering on whether parents have the right to record meetings with their child’s school district about special education services.
Appalachian Ohio Child and Family Health Dashboard
The Appalachian Children Coalition (ACC) has released a new Appalachian Ohio Child and Family Dashboard. Developed with funding from OhioMHAS and in partnership with Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, this one-stop data source consists of over 200 community indicators on health and well-being across Appalachian Ohio. Health care practitioners, health departments, ADAMH boards, school districts, social service agencies, policymakers, local leaders, researchers, and community members can utilize these tools and data to better understand root causes of inequities and improve outcomes for our children and families.
The Dashboard includes data for the entire 32-county Appalachian Ohio region, as well as separate data summaries for each of those 32 counties. In the coming weeks, ACC will continue to add indicators to this list, as those data are made available to us. We will also be regularly updating the Dashboard so you will know you are accessing the most current data available.
Informational Webinar
For those who may be interested in learning more about the Dashboard, the Coalition will be holding a webinar on June 6 from noon-1:00 p.m. to provide guidance on how to use it and to highlight its features. Click HERE to register for the webinar.
Science of Reading Professional Development Requirements
What do you need to do to meet the requirements? The Department has a page to help you figure it out.
Teachers and Intervention Specialists who complete either Pathway A or Pathway C of the Department’s Science of Reading Professional Development course will fulfill both the Dyslexia Professional Development requirements and the Science of Reading Professional Development requirements.
Five pathways are now available on the Department’s Learning Management System:
- Pathway A: Ohio’s Introduction to the Science of Reading, Kindergarten-Grade 5 Course
- Pathway B: Ohio’s Introduction to the Science of Reading Course, Kindergarten-Grade 5 (Abbreviated)
- Pathway C: Ohio’s Introduction to the Science of Reading, Grades 6-12 Course
- Pathway D: Ohio’s Introduction to the Science of Reading Course, Grades 6-12 (Abbreviated)
- Pathway E: Ohio’s Introduction to the Science of Reading Course, Grades 6-12 Content Areas
- Pathway F: Ohio’s Introduction to the Science of Reading Course, Administrators K-12
Virtual Conference - Spotlight on Dyslexia
Unlocking student potential is a core mission for educators, and it’s essential to cultivate a mindset that challenges preconceptions about what students with dyslexia can achieve. I hope you’ll join me at our 9th annual Spotlight on Dyslexia conference where we will learn together and discover how to unleash student potential!
We offer free access to our keynote sessions, presented by renowned speakers Jason Yeatman and Pamela Snow
The Ride Ahead
Samuel Habib is a typical 21-year-old, itching to move out, start a career, and find love. But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability. Can a community of disability activists help him follow his dreams?
Traveling Through Transition
Resources for All in the Transition Process
Looking for resources for your next in-person or virtual event? Not sure where to start using LTC transition tools? No matter your place in the process, title or audience, we have tools for everyone supporting others to live their best life!
Governor DeWine Signs Bill Requiring Ohio Schools to Create Cell Phone Policies
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250 today at Karrer Middle School in Dublin. The new law will require every school district in Ohio to establish an official policy governing cell phone usage during school hours and aims to minimize student use of cell phones in K-12 schools.
“Our school children currently face countless distractions every day from the devices in their pockets,” said Governor DeWine. “By limiting these distractions, we will reestablish the opportunity for students across Ohio to immerse themselves in their classwork, learn from their teachers, and create lifelong memories with their closest friends.”
Sponsored by former Rep. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) and Rep. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville), and with the cell phone provision championed by Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), HB 250 requires that all districts place an emphasis on limiting cell phone use and reducing cell phone-related distractions in classrooms. It also includes exceptions for students who require a cell phone to monitor a health concern or for student learning as determined by school officials.
As a result of the new law, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will soon publish a model policy regarding cell phones that schools across the state can utilize as they create their cell phone policies.
Schools will be required to adopt their cell phone policies no later than July 2025, ahead of the 2025-2026 school year.
Scientists reveal how autism develops in kids
Newsweek
Researchers have identified critical biochemical pathways in childhood autism, potentially advancing early detection and preventive approaches. Globally, autism spectrum disorders impact about one in 100 children, posing challenges in social interaction and communication. Read More
