BRUNSWICK, Ohio — The Brunswick City School District’s 2025-26 Parent Engagement Series kicked off Sept. 27 with the second annual Bright Futures Community Connection event at Brunswick Middle School.
Therapist Carrie Jancar, owner of Strongsville-based Family First Solutions, was one of the community service organizations at the event.
Jancar said Bright Futures Community Connection can be a vital resource for school staff, parents and students. She said while school districts in general do a good job of making families aware of support services, and organizations like hers contract with school districts to identify and follow-up when mental health “red flags” are noticed, there is still somewhat of a stigma attached to mental health struggles.
“But there is a generation of kids now who are very self-aware and not afraid to speak up and show support for one another,” Jancar said, adding that incidents of anxiety, depression and issues related to transitions to larger buildings have become common areas of concern for mental health professionals in schools.
The event featured a wide array of local organizations offering educational programs, wellness services, and family support resources, from mental health to food insecurity and childcare.
“This is a great resource for our families, and even our vendors learn from each other,” said Beth Dagostino, a special education coordinator for Brunswick City Schools. “A lot of them didn’t know the other existed, so it’s networking for the vendors. And for us too; we have to take care of this before we can teach. We want to provide a safe environment. It is really important to know people are here for you.”
Dagostino added that some of the services, such as Medina County Job and Family Services’ provision of services like dental care and after school care often fly under many parents’ radar.
Brunswick resident Sabrina Cali said she and her daughter, Henley, attended Bright Futures Community Connection to both visit the vendors and tour the middle school building. Cali said her daughter currently attends Crestview Elementary School and will be an incoming Brunswick Middle School student next year.
She added that the event was educational for both herself and Henley, and offered important conversation starters.
“There are some things I didn’t even know were here [in the community], and it is teaching the kids [Henley and her friend who also attended],” Cali said. “[For instance] when we saw the Feeding Medina County table they asked, why would people not eat?”
The Bright Futures event marks the beginning of the district’s Parent Engagement Series, which will feature additional programs throughout the school year addressing topics relevant to student success and family interests. The series aligns with the district’s strategic plan priority of Family and Community Engagement, which aims to cultivate supportive partnerships among families, schools, and community organizations.