NEWS, NOTES
Digital Issue VII • Fall 2020
& Notices
OHIO SCHOOLS COUNCIL
IN THIS ISSUE: •
A message to our members
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OSC can Provide Resources to help your District Safely prepare for the 2020-21 School Year!
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Save big through the OSC Bus Purchasing Program
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Earn 2.5% back on Everyday Cafeteria Food Items
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Power4Schools Energy Update
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GCSSA: Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side on Sept. 17
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GCSSA: 2020-21 Events Calendar
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GREATER CLEVELAND SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
A MESSAGE OF SUPPORT TO OUR MEMBERS As we’ve progressed through the summer and begin heading into the fall, I continue to try to appreciate the emotional stress, political turmoil and professional uncertainty that you’ve endured as a result of the pandemic. While, during my 13 years as superintendent, I experienced stress and uncertainty related to financial shortfalls, closing school buildings, state report cards, significant changes in student demographics and the untimely death of students, nothing seems to compare to the intensity of emotions and uncertainty related to this period of history.
At the OSC, we’ve attempted to provide the support and resources that districts need during these difficult times. Knowing that each district is unique, just as students are unique, with differing strengths, weaknesses and needs, we’ve tried to create programs that are inclusive and yet can be customized to meet the varying needs of each community. Over the past few months, we have seen the news media coverage of the inequities related to the spread of COVID-19, the access to education, medical coverage, employment and the justice system due to socio-economics, racism, and privilege. As we enter the fall, I believe that we all need to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all of our students in the most equitable manner possible. We are hearing voices of the many who feel disenfranchised, in some manner, due to the pandemic and the current constraints placed upon our districts. And while we need to work to meet the needs of the many voices which we hear each day, we also need to carefully and purposefully identify the needs, and meet the needs, of those who are unable or unsure as to how to raise their voices, in these very difficult times. So, as you move into fall, if there is anything that I, or the OSC, can do to assist you and your district in meeting the needs of your community, please do not hesitate to email or call. Because I believe that there isn’t anything too big or too small, for which we can provide support. Thank you for your work in educating and caring for our students; our children, our grandchildren, my grandchildren.
OSC/GCSSA | 6393 Oak Tree Blvd., Suite 377 | Independence, Ohio 44131 216.447.3100
William J. Zelei, MBA, Ed.D. Executive Director, Ohio Schools Council
www.osconline.org
www.gcssaohio.org