To support educators' work to create learning environments that ensure the success of every student, the Ohio Department of Education has partnered with the state’s educational service centers, including the ESC of Central Ohio, and KnowledgeWorks to create the Ohio Personalized Learning Network. Personalized learning centers each students’ strengths, needs and interests and provides personalized supports and ways to demonstrate what they know and know how to do. The systems-level focus on the learner’s experience and readiness ensures each learner feels connected to authentic, flexible opportunities to acquire the skills, knowledge, and dispositions they need in an inclusive, collaborative environment.

As noted, the ESC is a partner of the Network and the agency’s efforts will be led primarily through the work of newly hired Christina Grady-Watts (pictured on left). Her role is to build capacity and support the scale and spread of personalized learning across the region and state, while also growing understanding of the national personalized learning landscape and developing the skills to foster implementation in schools and districts through engagement with national content experts. Christina will be the go-to thought partner for personalized learning for districts and schools within the region and will participate in its statewide scaling through participation and leadership in state-level professional development.

She has been working in the field of education since 2003, serving as a teacher, an instructional coach, and a high school administrator. Christina has worked in a variety of school and district settings, including KIPP: Columbus, the Reynoldsburg City School District, and the Liberty Union-Thurston School District.

Her formal education was completed at The Ohio State University and Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and she also is a military veteran who served in the Ohio Air National Guard for 11 years. She and her husband have three adult children, who all attend The Ohio State University, and they have recently become “dog parents” to Bernie, their Mini Bernedoodle. Christina said she is looking forward to collaborating with educators across Central Ohio and working together to incorporate learner-centered practices into classrooms, schools, and districts.

Dr. Quint Gage (pictured on right), who previously served the Bexley City School District as its personalized learning director, also joined the ESC in August as a program specialist. In this role, he will help coordinate and manage various programs within the agency. His responsibilities include planning and overseeing program activities, implementing relevant policies, researching and gathering resources, and communicating with various stakeholders.

Quint has worked in education for 27 years and comes to the ESC from the Grandview Heights City School District where he served as a middle school principal. Prior to that, he worked in the Bexley City School District as director of personalized learning, as noted previously, and as principal. He’s also worked in various educator roles for the Upper Arlington City School District and South-Western City School District, as well as a group rating analyst for the Frank Gates Service Company.

He completed his formal education at Wittenberg University and The Ohio State University where he completed his Master’s degree and Ph.D. program. Quint is married to wife, Laura, and had two children, Selby and Chase. Selby is married and works as a physician’s assistant in North Carolina. Chase died in an automobile accident in 2015 and attended Wittenberg University at the time. Quint loves to be outside enjoying time with family and friends and being active, skiing, riding bikes and walking. He said he is looking forward to helping to support the ESC and leading innovative efforts with member districts and schools.

To learn more about the Ohio Personalized Learning Network, please see here: https://www.personalizeoh.org/

Christina and Quint may be contacted at [email protected] and [email protected].