Message From The Superintendent - October 2023

Greetings! 

We hope everyone is doing well! Here are the updates.     

The Portage DD Levy number is issue #29. We have a renewal levy on the ballot on November 7th, 2023. We are combining a 2.0 mil (5-year term) and a 0.9 mil levy (10-year term). If the renewal passes, it will be for a 10-year term. There will be no new taxes from this levy. We haven’t asked for additional money since 2004. This levy will allow us to continue to do great things for the individuals, families, school districts, providers, staff, and the Portage County community.

The information above is not intended to promote the passage of the ballot issue.

We have a few significant events happening in October. On October 9th, Collen Brown, Alicia Hall, and Maria Catanese will be presenting to the Portage County District Library staff on inclusivity and sensory issues for people with developmental disabilities. They will also bring a few individuals to assist with the training. Michelle Dolensky won’t be in attendance but has also helped with this event. Thank you all.

October 26th will be the National Disability Employment Awareness Month recognition event and Fashion show. Again, We are holding this at Parkside to recognize the individuals who do community employment and acknowledge their employers. Thank you, Tiffany Jones and Michelle Dolensky, and the Community and Providers Relations staff that make this a great event.

On October 27th, we have Portage DD’s annual Trunk or Treat at the Happy Day Services building. We look forward to this event every year. We have a fantastic group of staff that volunteer their time and talents each year to make this bigger and better each time. Kudos to all the volunteers and, most importantly, Tim Torch, the driving force behind the scenes to make this a special event. Thank you, Tim.

We wanted to shout out the Special Olympic athletes and coaches. Thanks also to Colleen Brown and Eric Larsen, our Portage DD staff. Portage Thunder Team and Skills athletes competed in the Special Olympics Fall State Tournament on September 16th in Oregon, OH. 

The results are below.

Softball Skills: 
Jarrod Gaunter - 3rd
Carla Hamrick - 2nd 
Robert Hastings - 2nd
Mark McClenden - 2nd 
Ryan McCoy - 4th 
Coach: Lauren Edsall

Softball Team - 4th 
John Birch
Brandon Boyett
Chris Dejanovitz
Jerry Dowling 
Adam Gilmer
Mike Havel
Emily Knisley
Mason Lease
Jackie Menge
Richard Sparks
David Wilson 
Coaches: Ron Boyett and Chuck Menge

Congrats Everyone.

Believe in People!

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.

Sincerely,

John Vennetti