I attended the College & Career Academies’ Akron in Action opening session at House Three Thirty March 5. The Akron in Action partnership with Ford Next Generation Learning provides schools across the country with a behind-the-scenes look at the APS College & Career Academies program. I want to give a shout out to APS Superintendent Dr. Michael Robinson and the APS staff for a wonderful opening. This event also gave me the opportunity to reconnect with my former colleagues from APS and Cheryl Carrier, executive director at Ford NGL.
March 8 I returned to House Three Thirty for Pathways to Progress: Enhancing Mental Health Support, hosted by Peg’s Foundation. Dr. Arthur C. Evans, Jr. PhD, CEO and executive vice president of the American Psychological Association, was the keynote speaker. Topics included the challenges and opportunities around youth mental health and how policy can translate into the home, street, school and community. The program included a roundtable discussion on mental health within the Akron community from a variety of perspectives, including the impact on our schools. Thank you to Rick Kellar, president and CEO and Thom Craig, director of the mental health program at Peg’s Foundation, for an outstanding program.
We also completed our survey on March 1. Thank you to everyone who answered our call to participate. We had a great response and will use this insight as we complete our strategic plan.
David James, Ed.D.
Utilizing American Community Survey (ACS) Data
The ACS is an annual survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau which provides key demographic information about families, households and local communities. ACS data can help contextualize educational outcomes we report to the community and our partners. We have compiled several data points in the following table for Summit County.
VIP Evaluation
We continue to work as the evaluation partner for the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Strategic Plan. To date, the team has completed 23 site visits, each consisting of collaborative logic model creation, discussions on the 40 developmental assets and interviews. Our first annual VIP report will be completed in just a few short weeks - stay tuned to see the great things the ARPA-funded organizations are doing for the Akron community!
Data Dashboards
We recently updated our Graduation Rates Dashboard which now includes four-year and five-year graduation rates for public schools in Summit County. A high school diploma is a standard requirement for most employment opportunities, as well as for enrollment in higher education. There is a strong connection between high school educational attainment and future health and economic outcomes. There are many factors at the individual, school and community level that can impact a student’s ability to graduate and/or graduate on time. Graduation rates can serve as an indicator of the health of our local, state and national systems that impact students and their ability to succeed.
Introducing First Things First
First Things First is a dynamic collaborative comprising organizations, providers and regional partners that are committed to strengthening the comprehensive early childhood system in Summit County. The shared mission is to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive, learn and succeed on their journey from birth to career.
The collaborative includes three networks: The Pre-K to Kindergarten Network, The Language and Literacy Network, and The Quality Early Learning Network. Each month we will be highlighting a different network. Read about Pre-K to Kindergarten below.
Pre-K to Kindergarten Transition Network
This collaborative action networkis dedicated to devising targeted strategies to prepare our youngest learners for kindergarten. The network's primary initiative involves crafting a comprehensive "Portrait of a Kindergartener," which breaks down the essential skills imperative for kindergarten success. This network seeks to give early learning providers, educators and parents a definitive guide to facilitate a more practical approach when supporting children during the critical transition from preschool to kindergarten.
Collaborative Action Network meetings
Quality Early Learning Network: March 21
Summit County Youth Coalition: March 22
Pre-K to Kindergarten Transition Network: April 11
Cradle to Career Steering Committee: April 15
Language and Literacy Network: April 16
Summit County Parent Coalition: April 20
Interested in joining one of our network events? Register here.
Save the date
First Things First Breakfast, May 15, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Their Success Is Our Success event, Sept. 18, Greystone Hall
