The Ohio Department of Education will open nominations for the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award Sept. 1. The RISE Award honors classified school employees who provide exemplary service to their schools, students, colleagues and communities. The Ohio Department of Education will accept nominations for the award Sept. 1-30. Congress created the award in 2019 and the U.S. Department of Education oversees the program.
September is almost here! School buses are back on the road, lunch bags are back on the kitchen counter and educators are in that exciting back-to-school mood. As the new school year begins, it’s a good time for a reminder of upcoming school deadlines required by state law and resources available to districts.
September deadlines
School Safety Grants
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) will be holding a webinar on Aug. 31 at 9 am regarding funding for the 2022 applicants of the School Safety Grant Program. Panelists from the OFCC, Ohio Office of Budget and Management and Ohio Department of Public Safety will be available for a Q&A at the end of the session. Click here to register for the webinar.
Federal update
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated COVID-19 guidance that removes the quarantine rule for unvaccinated individuals, the screening of healthy students and employees, and the 6-foot social-distancing standard. Click here for a link to the CDC website.
September is Attendance Awareness Month, which is a nationwide recognition of the connection between regular school attendance and academic achievement. This month recognizes the importance of mobilizing schools, partners and communities to promote regular attendance by developing tiered strategies and personalized interventions to reduce chronic absence.
OSBA’s division of legal services invites you to join us and register for an exciting learning opportunity on September 16, 2022, at 9 a.m. as we host the Human Resources Law in Schools Workshop.
Late in 2021, the Ohio General Assembly included a provision in S.B. 1 to allow school districts to hire an individual as a substitute teacher, for the 2021-22 school year only, if the individual met the requirements established by the district, was deemed of good moral character and successfully completed a background check.
School Safety Grants
Gov. Mike DeWine released details related to allocating $100 million from the K-12 School Safety Grant Program, recently authorized in House Bill 687. Nearly $47 million will be distributed to schools that applied for the program last year but did not receive grants due to insufficient funds. Click here for a list of districts/buildings receiving this funding.
Are QR codes in your digital toolbox?
Digital platforms are a hub for district information, helping to streamline access to materials and improve efficiency. Digital materials reduce printing costs and conserve paper. Providing access to resources and information is more effective than sending longer materials that people may not read or won’t be able to find when they need them.
