Welcome to The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center’s official podcast. Join host Tom Capretta and producer Fara Allen as they hear the experiences, advice, and expertise of families on topics and questions about the education system. This podcast blends the stories of Ohio families with strategies from education professionals.
Episodes
Diving in the Deep End: Family-school partnerships to address student mental health
In this debut episode of the Family-to-Family Podcast, we hear from three families as they share their experiences recognizing and responding to their child’s mental health needs in partnership with their school. Amy Welly, Michelle Tuite, and Christina Chalmers all care for school-age children in Ohio and provide unique perspectives on identifying mental health concerns in the children they care for and how they engaged with their child’s schools to address them head-on. We will also hear from Patrick Cunningham, Graduate Research Associate at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center as he provides the perspective of a school counselor on this much-requested topic.
From Advocating for Your Child to All Children
In this episode, we talk to two family leaders who overcame challenges with their schools to ensure that their children received the resources they needed to meet the high expectation that they held for them. Hear Sharon McCullom and Christian Davis discuss how by advocating for their children, became advocates for all children in their school and community. Jackie Arendt from the Ohio PTA also joins in the conversation to provide information on how parents can take their first step towards partnering with their child’s school.
Navigating Special Education: I don’t know what I don’t know
In this episode, we hear again from Christian Davis, a parent in Southwest Ohio, and Amy Welly, a parent in Northwest Ohio, as they share their experiences navigating the special education system with their child. They open up about the good and the not-so-good experiences they had working with their schools to ensure that their children receive the quality education they deserve. We will also hear from Dr. Kenyona Walker, a Senior Project Manager and a Licensed School Psychologist, as she provides her perspective as a special education professional. Â
