Earlier this month, the Compass Pathfinder team traveled to Columbus to represent Koinonia at the Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference.
Workforce Development Manager Jason Dresden, Transition Services Supervisor Carrie Hau, Director of Koinonia Enterprises Sabrina Johnson, Vice President of Business Development Ryan Wood, and Chief Clinical and Program Officer Jeanne Greene all staffed the conference booth, interacting with hundreds of conference attendees to share what the Compass Pathfinder Program has to offer students.
“It was great to be back in person and to have a team in support of the event,” said Jason. “We were able to introduce the Compass Pathfinder Program to many high-level school officials from around the state and address how Compass could help their students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).”
The Compass Pathfinder Program leverages Koinonia’s extensive expertise to improve graduation and employment rates among students with IDD. The only program of its kind in Ohio, the Compass Pathfinder Program is anchored by a unique partnership between Koinonia staff, school districts, and county boards of developmental disabilities. With Koinonia staff working day-to-day in the schools, these three partners provide students with the guidance, resources, and support they need to pursue a life of independence, community integration, and personal fulfillment.
In addition to engaging with conference attendees at the booth, Jason and Carrie hosted a breakout session to share more in-depth information on how the Compass Pathfinder Program works. Joined by Intervention Specialist Megan Zimmerman and Director of Pupil Services N’ecole Ast from Woodridge High School, the team shared the history of Compass and how schools can benefit from the program. Additionally, Megan and N’ecole shared positive feedback and testimonials from Compass Pathfinder Program participants at Woodridge High School.
Jason said that Compass having a presence at the conference was important because it was the only service product that focused specifically on students with IDD.
“We know that there is a need for our services, and this conference confirmed that school systems across northeast Ohio are in need of these types of transition services for students with IDD,” said Jason. “We hope that next time we can share our presentation with a wider audience and share Compass with more people.”
