To strengthen its ongoing support for districts and schools in enhancing instructional practices and student performance, State Support Team 11 (SST11) has welcomed six new staff members to provide professional development, coaching, and technical assistance.
Cynthia (Cyndi) Brill joins us with over 30 years of experience in Career Technical Education, fueled by a lifelong passion that began when she was a CTE student herself. Her impressive career includes 15 years as a classroom instructor, roles as a Director of Student Services and Workforce Development, and Associate Superintendent. Her decade-long tenure as a CTE Consultant at the Ohio Department of Education underscores her deep commitment to advancing CTE. Her roles on the SST 11 team will include Career Tech and CTPD work groups, 11 District Plan, Special Education, and Continuous Improvement teams.
Paula Brunton retired from Southwest Licking Local Schools where she served as the Director of Student Services and a principal. Prior to that, Paula also worked in Amanda Clearcreek Schools as a principal and Lakewood Local and Licking Valley Schools as a teacher. Her formal education came from Ohio University (B.S.Ed., M.Ed), Muskingum College (principal’s licensure) and the University of Dayton (superintendent’s licensure). Throughout her career, Paula has been a passionate learner adding to her knowledge and skills through professional development opportunities afforded to her. Special Education became an area where she spent considerable time and effort developing her capacity to support a safe, inviting and masterfully taught learning community for all stakeholders. Paula is excited to continue her learning and have the opportunity to work with colleagues and LEAs in their pursuits for transformational school improvements to enrich their students, staff and community.
Theresa (Terri) Crawford will serve on State Support Team 11 as an Urban Literacy Specialist. She joins the team after 34 years of educational experience with the South-Western City School District. There, she taught grades Kindergarten through 4th grade and served as a literacy coach in both elementary and intermediate school buildings for several years. Terri is passionate about literacy and helping each child succeed. One of her favorite quotes comes from Kate DiCamillo: “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a precious gift.” Terri loves to be active through jogging, walking, and exercising. She loves sports and cheering on her favorite teams: the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Her most enjoyable activities include spending time with her husband, kids, son-in-law and grand-dog, Elly!
Catherine (Cathy) Rodeheffer will serve SST11 as a consultant primarily focused on providing special education and PBIS support. Cathy comes to SST11 from Bexley City Schools where she served as the Special Education Coordinator. Before Bexley, she served as an Instructional Coach on the Specialized On-Site Support (SOS) Team for the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO). She has over 30 years of experience in the field of special education as an Administrator, Instructional Coach, Intervention Specialist, and Instructional Paraprofessional. In addition, Cathy has served on a local autism task force as well as the OCALI Advisory Board. She has her B.A. in Psychology and a M.Ed. in Special Education, both from The Ohio State University. She holds a K-12 teaching license in Multi-Handicapped and an Administrative Specialist License in Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development. Cathy is passionate about supporting educators in building their capacity to provide quality instruction for all students. She is looking forward to her collaborative role in supporting schools throughout the region.
Dr. Rachelle Smith has a Doctor of Education in organizational leadership from Franklin University. She also holds a master’s degree in art education and is certified as an intervention specialist for students with visual impairments. Dr. Smith has worked in education for almost two decades and has served as an art educator in community schools teaching students in grades K-12. Additionally, she worked for several years at the Ohio State School for the Blind with students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities. Most recently Dr. Smith served as the Director of Career Pathways and Community Partnerships for a local community school serving students in grades 9-12. Dr. Smith is passionate about advocating for equity in education and has served as a leader in the community through her work in founding and leading nonprofit organizations to increase high-quality educational opportunities for children. Dr. Smith hopes to continue working to promote equity in schools in her new role as a consultant with SST11.
Erin Webb is entering her 22nd year of work in education. Her role as a consultant will focus on supporting educators, schools, and districts in special education, OLi4 principal coaching, and early learning. Before joining the SST, Erin worked in the Triad Local Schools district for four years as the Director of Student Services. Before that, she was an intervention specialist and classroom teacher for 17 years in the London City Schools district. She completed her formal education at Wittenberg University and University of Cincinnati where she received a master’s in educational leadership. Erin enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and dog, reading, and spending time outdoors. Erin is excited to work for SST11 working with different districts and helping districts and staff support students with disabilities to succeed.