Positive Education Program

This week, Youth Today, a national news and information publication, published an article written by three PEP staffers on how can impact learning. The piece highlights a PEP's students journey from test refusal to compliance and how it happened not through testing accommodations, but through relationship building.

The article was jointly authored by Lauren Nash, senior director of educational services, Sweta Asher, coordinator of curriculum and instruction and Deanna Moore, director of communications and marketing.

Read the full article here:

https://youthtoday.org/2026/09/more-test-how-trauma-disrupt-learning/

This is all about Zachary (center), a former student who graduated in 2025, pictured here with Occupational Therapist David Weiss (right) and Governor Mike DeWine (left).

Zachary is an inspiring example of the positive impact of extracurricular activities on students with disabilities, and the importance of bringing learning to life by giving our students complex tasks worth their productive struggle, in this case sports participation, which has become a way of life for Zachary!

He is still crushing it as an athlete, and recently ran a 5k. He has also participated in the Special Olympics Summer Games four times, including once in Columbus, where he met governor DeWine. 🏃🏼🏅

PEP CEO recently served as a panelist on an episode of Thriving Youth Knowledge Exchange, a podcast intended to help “listeners understand and leverage the complexity of learning and development in ways that are clear reflective and actionable.” According to the podcast’s webpage, “each episode brings together multiple voices to explore an important theme in depth.”

In the episode, which focused on social emotional learning in the classroom, Eric explains that SEL can't be a portion of something on the plate - it must be the plate itself.

https://www.pepcleve.org/who-we-are/news/2026/10/01/eric-gordon-serves-as-panelist-on-thriving-youth-knowledge-exchange-podcast

Some call it "Joe." Some call it "Brain juice" or "Nectar of the gods."

PEP CEO Eric Gordon calls it "Personality in a cup."

No matter what you call it, coffee puts a PEP in our step!

Enjoy these photos of PEP staff and their "rocket fuel" on International Coffee Day!

⚠️Tomorrow is the deadline to register for "The Real Benefits of Classroom Jobs."⚠️

In this training, participants will learn the benefits of classroom jobs and how to implement them with fidelity in the classroom. This training will include a step-by-step process of how to carry out this impactful strategy.

Appropriate for teachers of all grade levels!

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/msuskfdb

On Monday, Aug. 10, PEP staff and leadership came together for the 2026-2027 Program Year Kickoff at Windows on the River in downtown Cleveland.

Laughter and excited chatter filled the room as nearly 400 PEP staff members greeted their colleagues from across PEP's programs.

This annual event served a dual purpose--to acknowledge the achievements and hard work of the past year, and to share PEP’s goals for the coming school year.

Find the full story here, as well as a photo gallery of the event!

https://tinyurl.com/7tdtpn6p

PEP Celebrates the Beginning of the 2026-2027 School Year | August 17, 2026 Positive Education Program serves children with developmental trauma, mental health challenges, and autism throughout Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

"When staff members can see that forward motion and commitment to the framework, and when they know their feedback matters, they become committed to that forward motion. They tap into their aspirations."

PEP CEO Eric Gordon's blog post for "CREATE for Education" is all about the importance of nurturing the social-emotional health of PEP staff as well as students.

Read all about it here: https://tinyurl.com/5b9my5x6

This celebrates the late, great Dolly Parton, a champion of youth literacy through her establishment of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

In Ohio, September 25 (9 to 5) is now officially Dolly Parton Day! PEP appreciates Dolly's commitment to literacy through her free book program. 📚❤💕