Message From The Superintendent - October 2020

Greetings, 

I hope this message finds you well! Here is your October update.  

 I just wanted to update everyone about working remotely. Unfortunately, the virus is not going away. The rest of the year will look the same for us, and we will continue to work remotely through the end of the year. The staff that needs to be in the buildings due to their job responsibilities will continue to be in the buildings.

 Portage DD has made a change to our school after consulting with the Portage County Health Department. Happy Day School will remain open even if Portage changes to the Public Health Advisory's red alert status. The staff continues to do a great job following safety guidelines, and, because of their tremendous efforts, there is no reason to close. We have worked together to keep everyone safe, and the safety of the students and staff will remain paramount. We appreciate all the staff and families that are invested in keeping everyone safe!  

 At the time this message is being written, Happy Day School has been open a month. I meet weekly with the Portage County Health Department and talk more frequently if needed. There is a new sense of energy with the students and staff in the building. Through these past several months, we have already confronted challenges. Luckily, we have a fantastic group of students, parents, and staff working hard. We know in-person learning is the best environment for our students, and we will continue to balance that with the priority of keeping everyone safe. 

 Portage DD's newest SSA Supervisor is Candie Burbick, and she will join our team on October 5th. Candie brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Portage DD team and is a tremendous addition to the SSA Department! She is positive, intelligent, kind, and hardworking! She has worked at Northeast Ohio, New Leaf, Mahoning County Board of DD, and most recently at Trumbull County Board of DD.  

 Portage DD has also filled our vacant SSA position. Morgan Lopuchovsky will join the Portage DD team and SSA Department on October 5th as well. Morgan has worked as a direct provider through an agency and independent provider for over 5 years. She has a lot of passion and positivity! We are excited to have them become part of the team at Portage County Board of DD!  

 After much hard work and collaboration, we are happy to announce that we have finalized the Route 88 building sale on Friday, September 25, 2020. Portage Industries, Inc. now has the title. We are thrilled that the people we serve will still be able to continue services at the building. Good luck Portage Industries, Inc., and thank you for your service to the Portage County community.

 We have been working hard internally and externally to create a positive environment. We want to treat people both externally and internally well. This will help improve relationships both externally and internally, which will enhance the lives of the people we serve. This is why we all work here. We expect the staff to treat all the people we serve, families, providers, coworkers, board members, and all people with kindness, respect, and dignity. We will continue to strive to do that. We want to meet and exceed everyone's expectations. 

 These continue to be difficult times. We must handle these difficult times the best we can to continue the mission to serve people, families, and providers. We will continue to do that! Thank you again for your continued 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