Winter 2026 Newsletter

Click on one of the links below to read the article, or scroll down.

• Honoring Service and Welcoming New Leadership

• AAC in 2026: Expanding Access to Communication

• Bringing Life Skills to the Classroom

• Supporting Districts Through Leadership Transitions

• Creating Space for Collaboration in Small School Districts

• Recognizing the Impact of Educators Across Northeast Ohio

• Save the Date: Leadership Symposium

AAC in 2026: Expanding Access to Communication

Augmentative and Alternative Communication, commonly known as AAC, plays an increasingly important role as districts respond to growing and more complex communication needs. In 2026, timely access to AAC assessment and support remains essential for students who cannot rely on verbal speech to communicate.

AAC has evolved significantly over the past several decades. Originally developed in the 1950s for individuals who lost speech due to surgery or cerebral palsy, AAC expanded through research, technology, and advocacy to support individuals across a wide range of ages and abilities. In the 1990s, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association formally recognized AAC as a practice area, helping establish professional standards for assessment, training, and intervention.

Today, the need for AAC continues to grow. An estimated 97 million people worldwide could benefit from AAC, including approximately 30 percent who are children. In the United States, more than five million individuals may benefit from AAC supports, yet only about two million currently use them. As speech and language disorders increase, districts face rising demand for appropriate and timely services.

Current research affirms that AAC is not a last resort, but a means of supporting communication across the lifespan, beginning as early as 12 months of age. AAC includes low-, mid-, and high-technology tools that support language and communication rather than replace speech. Individuals with challenges in speech, language, reading, writing, or hearing may all benefit, reinforcing communication as a fundamental human right.

Summit ESC provides AAC assessment and support services to districts across Northeast Ohio through a collaborative, school-based approach. RyAnn Heller, Speech-Language Pathologist at Summit ESC, specializes in AAC and works alongside district teams, educators, and families to support student communication needs. Over the past five years, Summit ESC has completed more than 300 AAC assessments across multiple counties.

Evaluations are typically completed within three to four months, helping districts address wait times that often extend six to twelve months elsewhere. Summit ESC’s AAC services include assessment, device trials, programming support, staff training, and ongoing collaboration with school teams and families.

By offering timely access to AAC expertise, Summit ESC supports districts in meeting student communication needs through coordinated, responsive service. This work reflects Summit ESC’s commitment to creating personalized solutions for Ohio educators, students, and families.

For more information about AAC services and supports available through Summit ESC, please contact Dr. Kimberly Monachino. 

Bringing Life Skills to the Classroom

As the world continues to evolve, the transition from high school to adulthood requires more than academic knowledge alone. Students need opportunities to build practical life skills that help them understand their strengths, communicate effectively, and explore future pathways with confidence. The ERA Life Discovery Curriculum was designed to meet this need.

Summit Educational Service Center has partnered with the nonprofit organization ERA to help bring the Life Discovery Curriculum to life in classrooms. Summit ESC supported the development of the program by writing lessons, providing training, and connecting with partner districts interested in piloting the course with high school students.

The ERA Life Discovery Curriculum is designed to prepare students for real-world challenges by addressing key skill gaps. Currently, 43 percent of enrolled students report excitement to grow in public speaking, while more than 30 percent seek improvement in time management and financial literacy. The curriculum includes five core modules and 85 lessons that blend academic growth with practical application. Students participate in experiential learning opportunities such as communication and life discovery interviews, engaging with community members to practice speaking and listening skills. Strengths-based assessments further support students in identifying personal strengths and exploring career pathways aligned with those strengths.

Summit ESC’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Andrea Patt, along with consultants Lauren Pisanelli, Cerafina Gotto, and Kim Davis, has worked closely with ERA Executive Director Tim O’Shei to provide feedback and write lessons for the Life Discovery modules. Pilot districts participated in summer and winter trainings facilitated by ERA and Summit ESC consultants to support effective implementation. Ongoing professional learning includes monthly PLCs and classroom visits, ensuring teachers feel supported as they deliver the curriculum. ERA plans to continue refining lessons based on teacher feedback and expand the pilot to additional districts.

Educators are already seeing the impact in their classrooms. Beau Schluep, a teacher at Woodridge Local Schools who is piloting the program, shared:

“The ERA program is providing our students with highly valuable lessons that improve their life skills. All of the modules have significant value. Overall, the curriculum that we have today is very impressive. It is hard to believe that this was created prior to any of these lessons being taught. With careful consideration and a constant commitment to improvement, this foundation will grow to become a powerful instrument to improve the lives of students and communities.”

Through collaborative curriculum development, training, and ongoing support, Summit ESC is helping districts provide students with meaningful opportunities to build essential life skills. The ERA Life Discovery Curriculum offers districts a flexible, classroom-ready approach to preparing students for success beyond graduation while remaining responsive to teacher feedback and local needs.

Supporting Districts Through Leadership Transitions

Selecting a Superintendent, Treasurer, or Interim leader is one of the most important responsibilities a Board of Education undertakes. The process requires clarity, trust, and careful attention to a district’s values, priorities, and timeline.

Summit ESC’s Search Services are designed to support districts through each phase of a leadership search. Summit ESC partners closely with Boards to guide a process that is shaped around each district’s unique needs, culture, and expectations. The approach emphasizes transparency, communication, and alignment from start to finish.

Search Services follow a structured process that includes leadership profile development, professional recruitment materials, statewide and targeted candidate outreach, application screening, and interview support. Boards are provided with interview protocols, evaluation tools, and consultation at key points throughout the process to support informed decision-making.

Recruitment efforts draw on ESC networks, professional associations, and direct outreach to qualified candidates across Ohio and beyond. Application screening and reference checks are conducted in alignment with Board expectations to help focus attention on candidates who meet district criteria.

Districts that have partnered with Summit ESC have noted the value of a clear and organized process. One Board described the experience as “extensive and well planned,” while another shared that Summit ESC’s support helped make the search process feel manageable.

Search Services are led by a team with decades of district leadership experience—including Joe Iacano, Summit ESC Superintendent, and former district superintendents Jeff Ferguson  and Dr. Christina Dincklocker, plus SESC treasurer Laura Molnar—providing Boards with guidance grounded in an understanding of school systems and leadership transitions.

Creating Space for Collaboration in Small School Districts

Superintendents serving small school districts, particularly those with fewer than 1,000 students, often carry responsibilities that differ from those of their peers in larger systems. In many cases, district leadership consists of a Superintendent, a Treasurer, and one or two principals managing daily operations.

Recognizing these realities, Summit ESC created a Professional Learning Community (PLC) for Superintendents of small school districts to provide a consistent opportunity for collegial conversation and shared problem solving. In Ohio, there are more than 200 districts with fewer than 1,000 students, and Superintendents from across the state are invited to participate.

The PLC meets monthly via Zoom for 90 minutes and is open to Superintendents from any Ohio district, not only Summit ESC districts. There is no cost to join. Participation varies month to month as leaders balance other commitments, with some attending regularly and others joining when able.

Each session includes a short list of discussion topics, with the final portion of the meeting left open for general conversation. Participants often bring current issues or challenges to the group to seek feedback and insight from colleagues leading similar districts.

With the assistance of Wally Davis and Tara Glenny, here at Summit ESC, the PLC is structured to provide a safe forum for discussion, problem-solving, and professional growth among Superintendents serving small school communities. If you would like to learn more about this PLC, please contact Wally or Tara.

Recognizing the Impact of Educators Across Northeast Ohio

Each year, Summit ESC has the privilege of gathering for the Education Celebration to honor educators who shape lives, strengthen communities, and inspire the future. On February 5, 2026, this year’s celebration will bring together 26 districts and recognize 62 nominated individuals from across Northeast Ohio.

These educators represent the heart of our work. Through their dedication, passion, and care, they bring learning to life for students every day and make a lasting impact in classrooms and communities throughout the region.

The Education Celebration is both a recognition of that impact and a reminder of the shared purpose that connects educators, districts, and Summit ESC. We are honored to serve alongside Northeast Ohio’s educators as we advance educational excellence and provide personalized solutions that support Ohio’s educators, students, and families.

Save the Date: Leadership Symposium

Mark your calendar for August 6, 2026, as Summit ESC hosts its Leadership Symposium at the Sheraton Suites Cuyahoga Falls. This one-day event will feature a keynote speaker and a variety of breakout sessions designed to support learning, growth, and professional connection.