The Akron Board of Education elected Patrick Bravo president at its organizational meeting Monday night.
Bravo previously served as vice president. The new vice president is board member Tim Miller. Members also received their committee assignments for the year. The vote was unanimous for both.
Bravo said he was inspired by his grandmother, who pushed education, and public school teachers who made an impact when he was growing up. “They believed in me, when I was the poor kid who didn’t have everything everyone else had,” Bravo said. He has an 11-year-old son in the Akron Public Schools. “I want to be part of the process,” he said.
As for his plans for the coming year, “I really want to continue positioning us to be a high-performing district,” Bravo said. “There are some things I want us to do to more effectively engage us in the community. I think it’s important we focus our energy on the bigger picture. ... I’m really excited about this year.”
Bravo has served on the school board five years. He was sworn in as vice president in January 2016 to finish out the term of Veronica Sims, who resigned to take an at-large seat on the Akron City Council. He grew up in Indiana and is executive director of the Summit County Land Bank.
Miller said as vice president, he hopes to help set policies and continue to champion educational opportunities in the schools.
Miller also has served on the school board five years. He is a graduate of the Akron Public Schools and the owner/agent of Insurance Service Agency Inc. in Akron.
In other news, Superintendent David James reported his name was submitted by the Buckeye Association of School Administrators for a spot on a graduation requirement work group in Columbus that will share its findings with the state superintendent, who will take them to the state school board. James is waiting to hear whether he was selected.
Monica L. Thomas can be reached at 330-996-3827 or mthomas@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @MLThomasABJ and https://www.facebook.com/MLThomasABJ.