Spring 2026 Newsletter

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• Celebrating Leadership and Looking Ahead

• Advancing Mathematics Learning Across Ohio Classrooms

• Welcoming a New Face to Early Learning

• A Day to Align Leadership, Learning, and the Future — 2026 Leadership Symposium

• Big Creativity in Little Hands

Mathematical proficiency plays a critical role in preparing students for the expectations, knowledge, and skills required in today’s world. As districts continue to address challenges in student achievement, a central question remains: how do we ensure consistent, equitable access to high-quality mathematics instruction for all students?

In response, Ohio has developed a strategic roadmap to guide this work. Ohio’s Plan for K–12 Mathematics was created by an advisory group of more than 30 instructional experts and system leaders, with additional input from local stakeholders. The Plan is designed to address gaps in student proficiency, support readiness for workforce demands in data and problem-solving, and provide a framework for meeting legislative expectations.

A key focus of the Plan is a shift toward rigor. In this context, rigor reflects students’ ability to communicate their thinking and describe their work with clarity and precision. Effective mathematics instruction integrates conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application. The Plan also emphasizes ensuring students have access to grade-level content along with the supports needed for success.

Student success in mathematics is grounded in the development of the five strands of mathematical proficiency, as identified by the National Research Council: conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and productive disposition. These competencies are strengthened through students’ engagement with the Standards for Mathematical Practice and through teachers’ use of effective instructional practices.

Ohio’s Plan for K–12 Mathematics is intended to serve as a framework for educational leaders at the local, regional, and state levels. It emphasizes the importance of high-quality instructional materials, building teacher capacity, and ensuring access to rigorous instruction in every classroom.

To support districts in understanding and implementing the Plan, Summit ESC will provide opportunities for district leaders, implementers, and stakeholders to come together to explore its components in greater depth. These sessions will focus on helping districts consider strategies for introducing and implementing Ohio’s Plan for K–12 Mathematics in ways that align with their local context and goals.

As this work continues to take shape across Ohio, districts have the opportunity to align these priorities with their own goals for student learning and success.

Summit ESC is pleased to introduce and welcome Sydney Campbell, who is serving as Secretary in the Early Learning Department.

Sydney brings a background in Elementary Education and is currently supporting the work of the Early Learning team through collaboration and organization across daily operations. In her role, she works closely with staff to help maintain a supportive environment for both educators and students.

She values the opportunity to contribute to a team-focused setting and is especially passionate about creating positive experiences for others while continuing to grow professionally.

As districts partner with Summit ESC’s Early Learning team, roles like Sydney’s help ensure a consistent, organized, and supportive experience for educators and students alike.

Summit ESC’s 2026 Leadership Symposium, Workforce-Ready Schools: Leadership that Connects Learning to Life, will take place on August 6, 2026, at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls.

This one-day event brings educational leaders together to reflect, plan, and prepare for the upcoming school year. The Symposium provides space for connection with colleagues while exploring topics that are shaping schools and districts across the region.

Breakout sessions will focus on key areas of leadership and practice, including:

• Transition to Career and Workforce Development

• Artificial Intelligence and what school leaders need to know

• Paraprofessionals Pathway to Teach

• ERA Curriculum presentation focused on life skills

• Additional sessions designed to support leadership and instructional priorities

• And more!

The cost to attend is $120 per person.

Each year, Summit ESC’s Preschool Art Show and Book Fair brings together students, families, and educators to celebrate creativity, literacy, and early learning. This year’s event featured artwork from every preschool student across 11 partner districts, highlighting the imagination, effort, and growth of each young learner.

In classrooms leading up to the event, teachers selected books to guide instruction, with students creating artwork inspired by the stories they explored together. This approach connects literacy and creativity, giving students the opportunity to express their understanding through hands-on learning.

The event also included a Book Fair, where proceeds directly support teachers in purchasing new books for their classrooms, helping to expand access to literacy resources for students across districts.

A highlight of the week was the “Read, Create, Connect!” family engagement event, held during the evening of the Art Show and Book Fair. Led by Pam Kennedy, Regional Literacy Consultant from State Support Team 8, the session focused on helping families understand the importance of early literacy and provided practical ways to support reading and learning at home.

Together, the Preschool Art Show and Book Fair created space for students to share their work, for families to engage in the learning process, and for educators to connect literacy and creativity in meaningful ways.