BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      Meeting on Monday night, the Boardman Local School Board unanimously approved what it called “an investment” of at least $29,500 to hire a Hudson, Ohio firm, The Impact Group, to develop a strategic plan.
      “The Impact Group’s innovative approach to the strategic planning process will deliver a streamlined strategy that is both creative and appealing, while maintaining the essential elements of practicality and ease of implementation,” the Hudson firm said in a letter to Supt. Chris Neifer.
      A “Project Overview’ provided to the school board says “Boardman Local Schools has a desire to plan, develop and implement a new strategic plan while aligning stakeholder with their mission and core values.
      “The timing is perfect to update the strategic plan that will combine Boardman’s rich traditions with an understanding of how they move forward for a productive future. This initiative will help to actualize the district’s mission” Together, we transform lives through academics, athletics and the arts.”
      Phase one of the process, according to a document provided to the local school board will include a team, led by the Impact Group’s director of strategic services, meeting with a leadership team from the district, as well as the Board of Education in separate meetings. A focus of the meetings will be “the current standing of the district, as well as its future vision and goals.”
      According to the document provided to the school board, “the leadership team and Board of Education “will participate in separate SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis sessions to extract valuable information that will help inform the strategic planning process from the start. Both SWOT sessions will be held in-person.
      “The Impact Group will help establish aspirations and behavioral expectations that are necessary for the culture desired in the district.”
      Phase two of the effort will include focus groups, on-lie surveys and “five to ten” personal phone interviews with “key community influencers, as approved by the superintendent.”
      According to the document provided to the Boardman Local School Board, phase three of the effort includes establishing goals and objectives, as The Impact Group says “synthesize all data...extracting trends and outlining areas of focus,” following which the consulting firm says it will meet with “all leaders in the district to collaboratively create actionable steps for the objectives,” and a timeline will be created to “effectively propel the district forward over the life of the plan.”
      The $29,500 expense does not include what the Impact Group calls: hard costs,” such as printing, postage or ‘boosting’ advertisements on social media. If time is needed beyond what the original cost is, an hourly rate of $135 per hour will be imposed.
      The final plan will be completed by May 31, the Impact Group said.