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Board hears strategic-plan update; district will launch 'Portrait of a Black Tiger' process
Summary
Superintendent outlined a four-year strategic plan and previewed a 'Portrait of a Black Tiger' initiative to define graduation competencies; the district will convene three facilitated meetings beginning in January and seeks more parent and student participation.
The Cuyahoga Falls Board of Education received an update Nov. 12 on its four‑year strategic plan and a community-driven effort to build a “Portrait of a Black Tiger” — a localized version of a portrait‑of‑a‑graduate intended to identify the skills, mindsets and characteristics district leaders want students to demonstrate.
Superintendent Dr. Salica told the board the plan centers on three goals — a culture of caring, facilitating the district's financial future, and steering student achievement — and summarized outreach to date, including convocation, newsletters, videos, social media and a business‑alliance presentation. "This is the board's plan, and we get to execute it and see it through," Dr. Salica said.
On the portrait work, Dr. Salica said Summit County ESC consultant Jeff will facilitate roughly three consolidated design meetings in January with business leaders, city officials, administrators, teachers and parents. The consultant’s typical model required the same participants across sessions to build cohesion; several board members urged at least one evening option and broader parent outreach so working parents can participate.
Board Member Mister Gomez stressed that parent and student voice should be central and asked for clarity on the facilitator’s role. "It’s coming across that our business advisory council is going to tell us what we want our graduates to be," he said, urging stronger input from families and in‑school participants.
The district will provide examples of other districts’ portraits, continue classroom and community engagement strategies and report back to the board with monitoring data and committee membership lists. The board discussed using student projects or art classes to create shareable graphics and directed staff to publicize the January sessions and clarify parent time commitments.
What’s next: Staff will send committee rosters and dates to board members, post meeting invitations on ParentSquare and return to the board with monitoring updates and public engagement plans.
