Superintendent Silvus explains goal team

Marietta City Schools has entered the third stage of its strategic planning process following weeks of data review, reflection and guided teamwork.

“We’ve had a core team working over the past four weeks to sift through that data from the input sessions and survey and identify the main areas that we need to focus on,” Superintendent Brad Silvus explains.

This week, he now moves to assign members of staff and the community to specific goal teams.

“There is still time for anyone that wants to be involved in goal teams,” says Silvus. “But I need to hear from you this week because it will be a time commitment to do this work before and after Spring Break.”

Silvus held an initial organizational meeting for goal team interest on Monday, asking attendees to provide their availability to meet before Spring Break and to rank which goal identified by the core team sparks the most interest for additional planning this school year.

During the input stage of the process, 24 staff members and 57 community members indicated an interest in serving on a goal team.

Core Team Review

Following the input portion of the strategic planning process, Silvus invited facilitators from the Ohio School Boards Association back to Marietta to meet with a set of 19 individuals representing parents, teaching staff, students and administrators on Feb. 13 and 22.

"Those members were recommended by building administrators and the school board," explains Silvus.

This group will also have the role of oversight of specific goals/action plans created to address the identified areas of focus.

“I’m encouraged by how these discussions are producing a clearer understanding of shared values and priorities between parents, staff and community members,” shares Sam Tuten, board president. “There’s been healthy debate and the dialogue about how we develop trust and pride has produced an early camaraderie between differing perspectives and life experiences.” 

The core team reviewed both the present district vision, “District of Choice | Learners for Life”  and the Board of Education's December 2022 adopted vision, “Focused on success for each student.” 

Then, the core team outlined its own drafted vision for the district: Every Student, Every Day.

“With each iteration, the words are focusing more and more on our students,” describes Silvus. “And our core team challenged us to support every student with a collaborative environment that creates opportunities for lifelong success.” 

The work now continues from the core team to goals and action plans.

Identifying Goal Areas

With facilitation from the Ohio School Boards Association, the core team narrowed needed improvement in Marietta City Schools to four core goals areas:

  1.  Academic Achievement
  2.  Personal Accountability for All
  3. Building Mutual Trust
  4. Commitment to Safe Buildings and Facilities

“These seem general by design, but remember academic achievement is not just a state test score,” Silvus explains.

Each goal area, as outlined by the core team, also bears guiding statements to kick off the work of teams this spring.

Click here to learn more about the Goal Team Process.

Scroll below for a list of the individuals who have participated in the Core Team.

OSBA Facilitators: Teri Morgan and Will Waidelich

Marietta Core Team:

  • Adam Eichhorn
  • Alison Woods
  • Brad Silvus
  • Brittany Schob
  • Cindy Burton
  • Chad Rinard
  • Cody Parman
  • Danielle Moore
  • Emily Hopp
  • Frank Antill
  • J.D. Benson
  • James Wakefield
  • Janelle Patterson
  • Lisa Barth
  • Sam Tuten
  • Tim Fleming
  • Tom Fenton