Portrait of a Graduate Initiative

Beginning in September 2024, Perry Local Schools partnered with community members, parents, teachers, students, and EnvisionEdPlus to develop a vision that outlines the attributes students should possess upon graduation. This vision is called, A Portrait of a Graduate. It is a vital step in enhancing the district's vision, mission, and strategic planning. In essence, a Portrait of a Graduate is a powerful tool to help us deliver more relevant and future focused student services.

Over the course of several months we explored the question: What are the top competencies/skills/mindsets our children need for success in this rapidly changing and complex world?

Community engagement yielded rich data that shaped the Portrait’s content. Several clear themes emerged from the surveys and focus groups. Overall, the community's input provided a clear mandate for our focus . Perry residents and staff want graduates who can thrive in a variety of environments without getting discouraged.

A final Portrait of a Graduate resulted in four core attributes.

Click here to view our Portrait of a Graduate Attribute Blueprint.

Our Portrait of a Graduate Detailed Report

The Portrait of a Graduate is the District's "north star" that ensures we prepare students for success, now and in the future. The Portrait is a collective vision that articulates our community's aspirations for every student in Perry Local Schools.

This report summarizes the community feedback received.

We appreciate our Design Team Members. Thank You!

Thank you to Ms. Angie Bender for leading the 2025 Senior Studies Focus Group.

Learn more about our Portrait of a Graduate process here.

The feedback reinforced the district’s plans to broaden career and technical education (CTE) – as one community member wrote, “Technology is going to play a big role in the future. I wish these kids had the opportunity to take a shop class/Ag classes.”

This sentiment directly influenced the inclusion of creativity and the upcoming Career & Technical Education expansions as part of our Portrait rollout.