NOVEMBER 2024

HERE We Grow MONTHLY HEADLINES FROM THE ESC OF LAKE ERIE

WEST COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CENTER

DIRECTOR'S HEADLINES Exciting Grant Opportunity for Ohio Schools!
Ohio was recently awarded a $60 million Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This grant is designed to support teaching and learning initiatives that will help more Ohio students advance their literacy skills, with a special focus on traditionally underserved populations.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce anticipates releasing a Request for Applications for kindergarten-grade 12 subgrants in early 2025, with the subgrant application process for birth-kindergarten taking place later in 2025. To prepare for the upcoming application process, schools are encouraged to take the following steps:

Administer the Reading-Tiered Fidelity Inventory at proposed elementary, middle, and high school literacy implementation sites.
Write or update your district or community school’s Local Literacy Plan. Ensure building administrators at proposed literacy implementation sites complete the required professional development in the science of reading.

School Improvement and Academic Specialist, Aimee Mendelsohn, is credentialed

MORE INSPIRING READS THIS MONTH:

School Spotlight	2

Governing Authority	3

Academic Services	4

Compliance	5

Special Education	6

Professional Learning	7

ESCLEW Staff	8

to administer the Tiered Fidelity Inventory and can assist with creating or updating your Local Literacy Plan. To discuss grant specifics or set up a meeting, please contact Aimee at amendelsohn@esclakeeriewest.org. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance literacy education in your schools!

Celebrating Concept Schools for 25 Years of Service

Please join us in congratulating Concept Schools for 25 years of educational service. The ESC of Lake Erie West is proud to be in a partnership with Concept Schools and we are eager to continue our
collaboration in the years ahead.

OUR MISSION

"The ESCLEW Community Schools Center is a student-centered authorizer of charter schools, advancing quality educational opportunities throughout
the state of Ohio"

2	NOVEMBER 2024

School Spotlight THE INTERGENERATIONAL SCHOOL
Walking Together: How Fathers and Role Models Make a Difference

On Thursday, September 19th, the community came alive with the heartwarming sight of fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and male role models proudly walking with their children to school. The Fathers Walk event celebrated the vital role these figures play in shaping young lives, creating a morning filled with smiles, laughter, and a sense of togetherness.

The event kicked off with a walk that set a positive and memorable tone for the day, as children beamed with pride beside their dads and mentors. After the walk, attendees gathered in the school cafeteria, where they enjoyed donuts, coffee, and the chance to connect with other families.

More than just a morning stroll, the Fathers Walk highlighted the importance of male role models actively participating in their children’s education. It underscored how their involvement not only boosts children’s confidence and success but also strengthens the bonds between families and schools, creating a tighter-knit
community.

Thank you The Intergenerational School for your dedication to your community!

3	NOVEMBER 2024

Governing Authority Headlines Written by Julie Kadri

GOVERNOR DEWINE SETS BOLD FIVE-YEAR ATTENDANCE GOAL FOR OHIO SCHOOLS

Governor DeWine and the Department of Education and Workforce Director, Steve Dackin, have launched a significant initiative aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism in the state's schools by 50% over the next five years. This commitment highlights the critical importance of student attendance for academic and social development.

Chronic absenteeism is defined in Ohio as a student missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason, including excused, unexcused, and suspensions. The implications of chronic absence are profound, as research consistently links regular attendance to key educational outcomes such as reading proficiency, academic performance, and high school graduation rates.

Nationwide, approximately 14.7 million students were chronically absent during the 2021-2022 school year. However, recent data from the 2024 Ohio School Report Cards shows that the state is making progress in addressing this issue. Chronic absenteeism has decreased from 26.8% in the 2022-23 school year to 25.6% in the 2023-24 school year, reflecting the efforts of schools and communities across Ohio. Although this data is trending in a positive direction, one quarter of Ohio students remain chronically absent.

For school board members and educational leaders, fostering a culture of attendance is essential. Engaging students and families, especially at the start of the school year, is crucial. Research indicates that students who miss two to four days in September are likely to miss nearly a month of school during the academic year. School board members can continue to discuss student attendance at regular board meetings. Is the school engaged in data analysis to discover potential root causes? What is the school doing to combat chronic absenteeism? How does the school know if its efforts are effective?

To aid in this endeavor, a variety of tools and resources are available, including recommendations from the Attendance Taskforce and Ohio’s Attendance Guide, which emphasize early intervention and prevention strategies.

Additionally, the Stay in the Game! Network, managed by Battelle, plays a crucial role in promoting strong school attendance. This initiative brings together the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, various foundations, and over 140 school districts, fostering collaboration to improve student attendance across the state.

4	NOVEMBER 2024

Academic Services Headlines
Written by Kristi Hayward

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORTS

Every year, the ESC of Lake Erie West (ESCLEW) produces an Annual Performance Report for each community school it oversees for use by the school and other stakeholders. The report summarizes the school’s academic performance, legal compliance, financial health and sustainability, and organizational and operational performance according to the most recent data available and past data over the contract term.

ESCLEW is committed to promoting high-quality education for public school students in Ohio. This Annual Performance Report is produced in order to:

1. Provide timely information to the community school on its performance relative to the standards and expectations established by applicable federal and state law and the charter contract.

2. Identify the school’s strengths and any areas needing improvement.

3. Provide information that enables the community and the public to understand the school’s performance, including its fulfillment of public obligations.

These annual evaluations were emailed to school leaders and governing authority members in October. The last page highlights the school’s performance summary and prospects for renewal. The prospects for renewal section is for reference only as a preliminary calculation and does not guarantee renewal. Renewal determinations and subsequent contract terms are based on each school’s renewal application. Prospects for renewal are based on the assumption that the school will continue to produce consistent levels of performance as documented in the data trends of the previous sections of the report.

The 2023–24 Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West’s Community Schools Center Sponsor Annual Report is a combination of all sponsored Community School’s Annual Reports and will be provided to all school stakeholders in early November. ESCLEW is required to provide a written report to all parents of students enrolled in sponsored schools and the Department of Education and Workforce by November 30th of each year.

The 2023–24 Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West’s Community Schools Center Sponsor Annual Report is required to be posted to the schools’ websites by November 30, 2024, to serve as notification to parents of students enrolled at each school.
If you have questions regarding your school’s Annual Performance Report or the current Performance Framework goals, please reach out to your RTAE or Kristi Hayward, Academic Services Team Leader.

Julie
Special Ed Specialist
5	NOVEMBER 2024

Compliance Headlines ITEMS OF NOTE - NOVEMBER 2024

School Safety Drills and Emergency Management Test Reminders

Per ORC 5502.262, schools shall conduct at least one Emergency Management Test (EMT) between September 1st and August 31st each year. The EMT After-Action Report shall be submitted/documented using the School Safety Plans Portal via OH|ID. After completing an EMT, you have 30 days to document the exercise.

Per ORC 3737.73(D), schools shall conduct school safety drills, in conjunction with the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer, at least three times during the school year. Advance written notice shall be provided to law enforcement not later than seventy-two hours prior to the date the drill will be conducted and shall include the date and time the drill will be conducted and the address of the school. In addition, a theoretical school safety drill shall be conducted with faculty and staff.

Not later than December 5th of each year, the principal or person in charge shall provide written certification by mail, facsimile, or electronic submission of the date and time each school safety drill required under division (D)(1) of this section was conducted during the previous school year, as well as the date and time each drill will be conducted during the current school year, to the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation township, or township or joint police district in which the school or institution is located.

Please see the School Safety Compliance Requirements – Guidance and Resources LiveBinder for more details pursuant to the Emergency Management Test requirements. Access Key: safety

November 2024 Compliance Requirement	Due Date	Type

Monthly Financial

Automated External Defibrillators

(AEDs) in Ohio Schools Responsibility	House Bill 47 requiring AEDs to be

placed in schools took effect on

October 24, 2024, and schools are

Financial Reports - October	November 15	Submission

Board Submissions

Linda	required to comply with the law on the effective date. Schools must place an

AED in their school, adopt an

Emergency Action Plan, train teachers,

Approved Governing Authority Meeting Agenda Approved Governing Authority Meeting Minutes

#105 Policy Governing Academic Prevention and Intervention Services - This submission requires annual review

#111 Policy on Career Advising - This submission requires a review and update every 2 years
(Grades 6+)

2 Weeks After Meeting

2 Weeks After Approval

November 30

November 30

Submission

Submission

Submission

Submission

Regional Rep

Regional Rep

Kristi

Kristi

administrative employees, coaches, athletic trainers, any other person that supervises interscholastic athletics, and any other employee subject to in-service training requirements under division (A) of section 3319.073 of the Revised Code. Click here for more information.

School Submissions

#902 Grade Promotion and Retention Policy

#903 Policy on Parental Involvement in Schools that

Includes Foster Caregiver

November 30

November 30

Submission

Submission

Kristi	Fraud Prevention Training – This is Julie	a new requirement from the Auditor

of State. Please certify that all public

School Submissions

Fraud Prevention Training	November 15	Certification

employees completed AOS Fraud Training by November 29, 2024, or
30 days after hire, and repeated Julie	every four (4) years. Schools must

Special Education Policies and Procedures (FY25) #S-609 Annual Report
#186 Plan for Providing Special Education & Related Services to SWDs (FY25)

#671 Governance and Employment

November 30 November 30 November 30

November 30

Submission Certification Submission

Submission

Special Ed Specialist track training, collect employee

Julie	certificates and acknowledgment forms, and keep documentation on-

site for their annual fiscal audit.

Julie

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Kadri.

6	NOVEMBER 2024

Special Education Headlines
Written by Jessica Bair and Heather Tester

TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS

As you are working on IEPs this year, please make sure you are following protocol with text to speech testing accommodations.

The Department released the new Decision-Making Tool for Written Response Accommodations in the Ohio Accessibility Manual for Ohio’s State Tests in Appendix C. This tool serves as a checklist to assist Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams and 504 plan coordinators to determine eligibility for use of the embedded STT feature. If IEP teams and 504 plan coordinators determine that a student is eligible for STT, they must provide their District Test Coordinators (DTCs) with page 6 only of the Decision-Making Tool for Written Response Accommodations. DTCs will use this information to submit STT requests in TIDE under the Create Accommodation Requests task .

The DEW has also released a new guide for Administering Literacy Assessment for Students with Low Incidence Disabilities and Complex Communication Needs. Click here
for a copy of the guide .

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROFILES - UPDATED TARGET SETTING

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) established a series of special education “indicators” to measure services and results for students with disabilities. The Department of Education and Workforce (the Department) regularly engages stakeholders to review and revise methodology for these special education indicators to ensure the Department is appropriately analyzing local implementation of these measures (Indicator 4a,4b, 9 and 10). Additionally, the Department established new targets for these two indicators based on new baselines (Indicator 1 and 2). The Fact Book for
these updates can be found here.

OHIO OPERATING STANDARDS

Last spring the Ohio Operating Standards were updated. They have now released those updates in booklet form. You can access the booklet and the highlighted changes here. Most of the changes were adjustments to
language used in the document.

COMPLIANCE TIP: ETR/IEP SIGNATURES

A qualified group of professionals need to determine eligibility. Signatures need to include the parent and student (if turning 14 or older during the IEP). Digital signatures are legal and easy to obtain via email if your
IEP/ETR program has that capability. Use it!

7	NOVEMBER 2024

Professional Learning Headlines

Our Fall 2024 Professional Learning
Newsletter is now published. Please take a few moments to read about the upcoming professional learning available as well as consultation services that are always available and ongoing.

Please see our new curriculum page included in the Professional Learning Website to discover additional resources.

8	NOVEMBER 2024

ESCLEW Staff

Superintendent Sandra C. Frisch

ESCLEW Governing Board

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION

DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CENTER

Kurt Aey (419) 246-3142

Jeff Bunck

Jared Lefevre

Brent Buehrer

TEAM LEADER, ACADEMIC SERVICES

Kristi Hayward (419) 214-3893

TEAM LEADER, OPERATIONS

Julie Kadri (419) 724-4288

Thomas Ilstrup Joan Kuchcinski

Treasurer

Richard A. Cox

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND ACADEMIC SPECIALIST

Aimee Mendelsohn (419) 280-1661

SPECIAL EDUCATION SPECIALISTS

Jessica Bair (419) 367-3562 and Heather Tester (419) 260-4793

Director

Kurt A. Aey

FINANCIAL CONSULTANT

Linda Moye (419) 724-4291

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Natalie Miller (419) 246-3137

Administrative Offices

2275 Collingwood Blvd. Toledo, OH 43620 (419) 245-4150

Community Schools Center

4955 Seaman Rd. Oregon, OH 43616
(419) 246-3137

IN NEED OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE?

Contact your school's regional technical assistance educator (RTAE) for direct support related to on-site visits, governing authority updates, compliance, academics, and more.

Brittany Beck	DeAnna Hardwick	Augie Herman

(419) 461-5375	(330) 591-0217	(937) 243-4900

www.esclakeeriewest.org

Allison Lentz

(419) 260-7708

Joyce Lewis

(419) 290-4759

Jennifer Little

(419) 360-8213