Message From The Superintendent - March 2021

Greetings! 

We are looking forward to the weather warming up to enable the staff to see more clients in the community. It is easier to social distance when the weather is nice, and you can have more space outside. We are hopeful that with March coming, this is a sign of better things to come.  

Our board approved two new positions during our February regular board meeting. The first position is for a Community Employment Coordinator. This person will assist in finding and maintaining community employment for people with Developmental Disabilities. This person will report to the Director of Community and Provider Relations, Michelle Dolensky. The other approved position is an Educational Services Manager. This person will work closely with our Director of Education & Child Development, Alicia Hall, to assist with our school and Early Intervention Program. This staff member will spearhead new services/programs for kids ages 3 to 21 and will also work closely with our local school districts. Both of these positions speak to the vision of our board and services we would like to provide in Portage County.

I want to extend a special "congratulations" to Ann Geiger Smith. Ann, an Account Clerk with Portage DD, has served Portage County for over 29 years and retired effective 3-1-21. We wish her well in her new journey!

Currently, our buildings continue to remain closed to the public, with minimal staff members on-site. The on-site staff's responsibility is to assist with the crucial day-to-day business that cannot be done remotely. 

We had a good month in February. Happy Day School was able to do in-person learning the entire month of February, just as we did in January. Happy Day School had a week in November and December where we had to close due to COVID-19. We are hopeful to continue without any more bumps for the rest of the school year. 

Thank you to the students, families, and faculty at Happy Day School. This has been such a challenging year, unlike any other, and I wanted to again express my gratitude to those who figured out ways to keep the students learning and provide a safe environment for them to do so. Thank you so much! 

Portage DD continues to work with the Portage County Health District to get our staff and the people we serve vaccinated. The Portage County Health District has been incredible throughout the pandemic! With their help, our first clinic was held on February 5th at Happy Day School and almost 350 people received their first vaccine shot. The Portage County Health District and Portage DD staff did a fantastic job with the first vaccine clinic and it went very smoothly. We are now more prepared for the second clinic and excited to partner with the Health Department again. Our clinic for the second shot is scheduled for March 5th at Happy Day School also. 

Portage DD has started referring families in need of OndeCare for caregiver services. Ohio-based OndeCare provides on-demand, ad-hoc, and part-time home care for loved ones of all ages and needs while delivering worthwhile jobs to local care professionals. OndeCare refers to their caregivers' network as "Heroes" who work in or are retired from professions such as teaching, medicine, social work, therapy, or other approved Hero professions. Through this partnership, the Portage DD offers information about OndeCare to the families that we serve. Portage DD also provides free training for the staff at OndeCare. This relationship is not a contract but rather a working relationship between the two organizations. Families that don't have a waiver and qualify for our Family Support Services Program (FSSP) can utilize money from the FSSP to pay for OndeCare. Portage DD is very excited to add another resource for families to use! 

We are also in the planning stages for our summer camp at Happy Day School. Registration will soon be open at www.gotcamp.org. Portage DD funds the summer camp for ages 6-21 that qualify for services at Portage DD. 

We contract with Akron Rotary Camp to have this camp at our building.  

Thank you again for your continued support. We are incredibly grateful for all your support! We will get through this together! Portage DD will continue to be available via phone, email, and virtual meeting (ZOOM or TEAMS) as we navigate these unique times together. Portage DD will continue to strive to meet and exceed your expectations. 

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.

Sincerely,

John Vennetti