Supporting schools and districts in the
counties of Holmes, Stark, and Wayne.
Vision: Maximizing Partnerships to Elevate Learning
Networks
Career Advising and Transition Network
We understand the critical role educators play in guiding students through the secondary transition process. This network is designed specifically for educators working with students of transition age, and serves as a platform for career advising and secondary transition support. This network will provide comprehensive resources, guidance on best practices, networking opportunities and be a collaborative community to build our career advising and secondary transition capacity. To register click this link.
Location: Virtual. A Zoom link will be sent out prior to the meeting.
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
2025-2026 dates are being planned
Early Childhood Director Network
Description: This network for Early Childhood Directors will cover pertinent topics in early education from a regional, state and national perspective. Participants will ascertain the latest information specific to these topics, consider how they apply them to their setting and how to support program implementation.
Format: Hybrid
2025-2026 dates are being planned
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 am
Location: Stark County ESC- 6057 Strip Ave NW, North Canton - Main Entrance
Registration: Click here to register
OA Hours: 12.5 total
ED STEPS Network
This support network has been designed for the internal facilitators and federal program leads in your district to receive guidance on completing, implementing, and monitoring the One Needs Assessment and the One Plan. Using a workshop model to create, implement, and monitor plans, participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with peers from Stark, Wayne, and Holmes counties. Walk out of the sessions ready to lead your stakeholders through the ED STEPS process!
We will meet face-to-face from 8:30-11:30:
2025-2026 Dates
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September 12, 2025 (TCESC) Event Center Room A
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December 12, 2025 (SCESC) Room T105
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February 13, 2026 (TCESC) Event Center Room A
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April 10, 2026 (SCESC) Room T105
CLICK HERE to register for the ED STEPS Support Network.
TRI-COUNTY
Tri-County ESC Event Center - Room A
700 Winkler Dr., Wooster, OH 44691
STARK COUNTY
Stark County Educational Service Center - Room T105
6057 Strip Avenue NW, North Canton, OH 44720
Every session will also be offered virtually. Each month will have a different focus, so you will want to be sure to attend them all!
The Office of Innovation and Improvement and the Office of Federal Programs at the Ohio Department of Education has a monthly ED STEPS newsletter. CLICK HERE to view the newsletters.
Family & Community Engagement Network
Join SST9 for our 2024-2025 Family and Community Engagement—At the Table Network! Our monthly
meetings will take place from October 2024 to June 2025 on the third Tuesday of the month,
from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
You can access the meetings via the Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/xhm-awmi-snb.
Throughout the year, we will focus on achieving high-impact engagement through discussions on the following topics:
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Engaging families to improve attendance
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Family engagement basics for educators
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Family engagement in mental health and trauma
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Family engagement in early literacy
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Family engagement in the middle school and high school years
Krista Allison - Krista.Allison@sst9.org
Andrea Ciavarelli - Andrea.Ciavarelli@sst9.org
Intervention Specialist Network
The purpose of the Intervention Specialist Network is to identify and analyze best practices related to planning for and delivering special education services. Networking with colleagues is a focus for each session. Registration is not required.
Virtual Meetings
2:45-3:45 for MS/HS intervention specialists
4:00-5:00 for Elementary intervention specialists
2025-2026 dates are being planned
Contact Michelle Rentsch at michelle.rentsch@sst9.org or Andrea Ciavarelli at andrea.ciavarelli@sst9.org for network information.
Itinerant Teacher Network
Description: This networking opportunity for itinerant teachers will focus on planning and providing individualized support and instruction for young children with disabilities. Participants will learn practical, research-based practices for use in inclusive classrooms and other early learning environments. Forms and resources for planning, teaching, and monitoring children’s progress
will be shared. Facilitators: Debbi Bailey, SST9 and Michelle Smith, SST8.
2024-2025
Time: 12:30-3:00pm - All meetings are in person.
Registration Link (register one time only)
Itinerant Network
Date: Oct 7, 2025 12:30 PM EDT Location: Summit County ESC
Date Dec 2, 2025 12:30 PM EST Location: Stark County ESC
Date: Jan 20, 2026 12:30 PM EST Location: Summit County ESC
Date: Mar 10, 2026 12:30 PM EDT Location: Stark County ESC
Ohio Education Data Professionals Network (OEDPN)
Increase district and building capacity with data by joining OEDPN. The purpose of the Ohio Education Data Professionals (OEDP) Network is to bring together individuals who are passionate about education data and to provide a collaborative space for members to deepen their knowledge and expertise in educational data; collect, share, and manage resources; and create new ideas, knowledge, and practices.
Join Now
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Network
Virtual Meetings 9:00 - 10:00 am
2025-2026 dates are being planned
Let’s work smarter, not harder! These networking sessions aim to create a platform for leaders to share their experiences, strategies, and best practices related to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).
Region 9 PBIS Network Meeting Virtual
Certificates will be emailed upon completion of an attendance form at each session. If you have any questions about any of the above sessions, please contact:
Debbi Bailey, SST 9 Consultant - debbi.bailey@sst9.org
David Rogers, SST 9 Consultant - david.rogers@sst9.org
For additional information about PBIS, click HERE
Special Education Leadership Network
Audience: District Staff who serve in special education leadership positions – Pupil Services Directors, Special Education Directors and Special Education Coordinators
This series will provide updated information related to federal and state regulations. Sample topics include the “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA), OSDOE, OSEP, IDEA, ODE, Office of Exceptional Children and Special Education Profile Indicators. Opportunities for networking and resource sharing will be provided.
These meetings will be virtual. The link will be shared to the leadership network members at the beginning of the year.
DATE & TIME
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May 15, 2025 - 8:30 - 11:00
If you have questions about the network meetings, please contact Leeann Weigman, SST 9 Consultant at leeann.weigman@sst9.org
Thank you for your participation in the Regional Literacy Network this year. We recognize it was a year of deep investment in professional learning, implementation of high-quality instructional materials materials and assessments and building of new systems at the district, building and classroom levels. The extra mile you have gone to continue to engage with your colleagues in this network is greatly appreciated!
As we close out this year and look forward to next, we will NOT be holding our Regional Literacy Network meeting as scheduled this Thursday, May 15. We want to share an exciting restructure of our network and allow you and your literacy leaders time to process what your system of support might look like for next year based on your district One Plan, adult implementation and student level data.
Beginning in 2025-2026, our Regional Literacy Network will be merging with our Special Education Leadership Network! We believe bringing Curriculum Directors and Special Education Directors together to learn and collaborate in the development of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support aligned to the Science of Reading will allow for more clarity and intentionality as we build integrated, data-driven frameworks that are inclusive of all students and educators.
For more information, including dates and topics, please see the flier linked above.
Please know that we highly value the many committed instructional and peer coaches that have been an integral part of our current networking structure and we are working to ensure there is a system of support available for you as well. As those plans of support are finalized, we will communicate via email, as well as our SST9 newsletter and website.
Should you want to connect with our team for planning support, sharing of celebrations or brainstorming around barriers, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We know implementation of this scale takes time, but we hope you are starting to see some evidence of your efforts in growing the language and literacy development of all of your learners.
We look forward to our continued networking together!
SST9 Regional Literacy Support Team
From Struggle to Strength: Evidence-Based Reading and the Data That Proves It
Audience: Special Education Directors, Curriculum Directors
These meetings will be virtual from 9:00 am to 11:30 am.
DATES:
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September 17, 2025
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November 6, 2025
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January 21, 2026
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March 11, 2026
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May 14, 2026
Outcomes:
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Use screening data to create targeted RIMPs and IEPs and understand the alignment between the two.
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Understand the essential "WH's" of progress monitoring for tracking student growth.
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Discuss Special Education Profile (SPP) literacy indicators.
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Determine the data analyzed by teams – from district to classroom.
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Apply data to inform SDI instruction.
Facilitators: Leeann Weigman | Jen Griffing | Michelle Rentsch | Erin Class
Thank you for your participation in the Regional Literacy Network this year. We recognize it was a year of deep investment in professional learning, implementation of high-quality instructional materials materials and assessments and building of new systems at the district, building and classroom levels. The extra mile you have gone to continue to engage with your colleagues in this network is greatly appreciated!
As we close out this year and look forward to next, we will NOT be holding our Regional Literacy Network meeting as scheduled this Thursday, May 15. We want to share an exciting restructure of our network and allow you and your literacy leaders time to process what your system of support might look like for next year based on your district One Plan, adult implementation and student level data.
Beginning in 2025-2026, our Regional Literacy Network will be merging with our Special Education Leadership Network! We believe bringing Curriculum Directors and Special Education Directors together to learn and collaborate in the development of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support aligned to the Science of Reading will allow for more clarity and intentionality as we build integrated, data-driven frameworks that are inclusive of all students and educators.
For more information, including dates and topics, please see the flier linked above.
Please know that we highly value the many committed instructional and peer coaches that have been an integral part of our current networking structure and we are working to ensure there is a system of support available for you as well. As those plans of support are finalized, we will communicate via email, as well as our SST9 newsletter and website.
Should you want to connect with our team for planning support, sharing of celebrations or brainstorming around barriers, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We know implementation of this scale takes time, but we hope you are starting to see some evidence of your efforts in growing the language and literacy development of all of your learners.
We look forward to our continued networking together!
SST9 Regional Literacy Support Team
Stark County School Psychologist Network
This network provides updates on federal and state regulations, assessment practices and other relevant school psychologist topics. NASP, OSPA and KAASP resources are discussed and networking time is provided during each meeting. Registration is not required.
All Meetings are Hybrid
Dates and Times:
-
2025-2026 dates are being planned
Location: There are 2 participation options.
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In-person at the Stark County ESC
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Virtual at a Google meet link sent by Leeann to School Psychologists.
Contact Leeann Weigman at leeann.weigman@sst9.org for network information.
Tri-County ESC School Psychologist Network
This network provides updates on federal and state regulations, assessment practices and other relevant school psychologist topics. NASP, OSPA and KAASP resources are discussed and networking time is provided during each meeting. Registration is not required.
Dates and Times:
-
2025-2026 dates are being planned
Location: There are 2 participation options.
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In-person at the Tri-County ESC Event Center
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Virtual at a Google meet link sent by Leeann to School Psychologists.
Contact Leeann Weigman at leeann.weigman@sst9.org for network information.
