Ravenna School District has recently hired two new parent mentors for families with students in our Special Education program. They will be here to provide information and resources to families for multiple aspects of the special education spectrum (such as laws on all government levels, eligibility requirements, etc.). Alongside that, they will also be connecting families, schools and communities by providing local services and organizations that support students with disabilities and assisting guardians at educational program meetings (such as IEP/504 plans), if requested by guardian or staff.
Ms. Danica Kirk is going to The University of Akron currently for a degree in Sociology, while also taking care of her two sons. James, her eldest son, is part of the Ravenna Raven family. James is a part of the Top Soccer program for kids with special needs through Rootstown Soccer Club. He is diagnosed with Hemiplegia Hemi-convulsion Epilepsy Syndrome and currently is receiving special services for his global developmental delays through Ravenna and has been thriving in his least restrictive environment since he entered public school in kindergarten.
Mr. Dave Ralph is a lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio where he attended both Malone University and Kent State University. Over the course of his professional career, he has worked in several fields with children including: as a detention officer, a social worker, an online tutor, and most recently as a substitute teacher. He met his wife Jackie in college and they have been married for 18 years. They have one 8-year-old Autistic son named Emmitt, who is currently a 2nd grader at Willyard Elementary. For the past 8 years, Dave has been a stay-at-home dad where he has witnessed the positive impact parents, teachers, and therapists can make on a child’s development. Dave stated “It is my honor to join the Ravenna School District and their wonderful staff!”
