Euclid Schools officially welcomed staff back for the 2026-2027 School Year on August 12 with its annual Convocation, an all-staff gathering that serves as the unofficial beginning of a new school year.
This year’s event marked an important milestone for the district as Superintendent Karen Brown led her first Convocation since taking the role of Superintendent. Staff members from across the Euclid Schools gathered in the Auditorium at Euclid High School to celebrate the start of the year, recognize colleagues and hear a message focused on the difference everyone can make in the lives of students.
After a brief welcome from Mrs. Brown, nationally recognized speaker and author Mark C. Perna kicked off Convocation with a keynote centered on giving today’s students a Competitive Advantage.
Perna is an expert in identifying the differences between today’s generations and is a thought leader in education, workforce development and economic development. He is the founder and CEO of TFS Results, author of the bestselling book Answering Why, and a speaker who works with education and community leaders across the country.
During his presentation, Perna challenged educators to think beyond preparing students simply to earn a diploma. Instead, he encouraged staff to help our young people discover their purpose, develop their individual talents, and build the skills and mindset needed to gain a Competitive Advantage. His message centered on creating opportunities that position students to compete and thrive.
The idea of Competitive Advantage, and the IMPACT it can have, became a central theme throughout the remainder of Convocation.
Following Perna’s presentation, staff heard welcome messages from representatives of the Euclid Schools community and district leadership before new employees were introduced and veteran staff members were recognized for their years of service to Euclid.
The recognition of longtime employees provided a natural transition into Superintendent Brown’s closing message.
As she reflected on people who have spent decades serving Euclid students and families, Brown noted that their legacy is not simply measured by the number of years they’ve spent in the District. Instead, she explained that it can be seen in the students they have encouraged, families they’ve supported, colleagues they’ve mentored and countless moments that have helped shape Euclid Schools.
From there, Mrs. Brown introduced the District’s Word of the Year for 2026-2027: IMPACT.
Throughout the school year, she is challenging both staff and students to reflect on the question: “What impact am I having on the people around me?”
She emphasized that impact is not measured by how busy someone is or how many items they complete on a to-do list, but by the difference they make in the lives of others.
For Euclid Schools, IMPACT can happen in any role.
Mrs. Brown reminded everyone that a teacher, bus driver, custodian, secretary, paraprofessional, cafeteria worker, principal or central office employee can each influence a student’s experience. Often, that influence comes through ordinary moments: greeting a student by name, refusing to give up on a struggling learner, helping a family navigate a challenge, solving a problem or supporting a colleague.
She then connected the district’s focus on IMPACT directly to Perna’s keynote.
Perna challenged staff to give students a Competitive Advantage by helping them discover their purpose, develop their talents and prepare for what’s next. Brown posed another question to the staff: Where does that competitive advantage actually come from?
Her answer was simple. It's not the curriculum, technology, building, or even programs.
All of those things are important, Brown explained, but ultimately, “It’s our people that make the impact and give our students a Competitive Advantage,” she said.
To highlight that concept, she identified employees from throughout the Euclid Schools who exemplify what she called The Euclid Advantage.
The examples represented nearly every area of the district, including classroom instruction, attendance, literacy, preschool, special education, food service, technology and buildings & grounds.
Assistant Director of Student Services Jerimie Acree was recognized for building relationships with families and helping remove barriers that keep students from attending school consistently. Literacy Coach Kathy Borally was highlighted for helping students grow as readers and for extending that work this year by supporting teachers throughout the district.
Food Service Coordinator Carrie Rubino was recognized for helping ensure students have access to healthy meals each day, while Skilled Trades employee Mike Skirtic was highlighted for the work that keeps school buildings safe, comfortable and ready for learning.
Those stories helped reinforce the Superintendent’s larger point – the Euclid Advantage is found in the people who serve students every day.
She closed Convocation by reminding the staff that every lesson taught, bus route driven, meal served, classroom cleaned, schedule built, problem solved and relationship developed contributes to giving Euclid Students a Competitive Advantage.
“That advantage isn’t something we have,” Mrs. Brown told staff. “It’s who we are.”
As the 2026-2027 school year gets underway, Euclid Schools begins with a shared challenge for staff and students: find opportunities each day to make an IMPACT.