GRAHAM LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION APPLICATION TO FILL BOARD MEMBER VACANCY Return via mail or email by Thursday, May 7, 2020 to: Mr. Matt Curtis, Interim Superintendent 7790 W US Hwy 36 Saint Paris, Ohio 43072 Email: curtism@grahamlocalschools.or: Phone: 937-663-4123 ext. 2607 NOTICE: Applicants must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a resident and registered voter in the Graham Local School District for at least 30 days prior to appointment. State law deems some public employment positions and public offices incompatible with schoo! board membership, and some convictions render an applicant ineligible for appointment. This vacancy is expected to be a 1 year & 8 month commitment. Name (First, Middle, Last): Karyl Beth Strader Residential Address: City/State/Zip Code: Home Phone: N/A Cellular Phone: __ Occupation: Elementary Principal Current Place of Employment: Tecumseh Local School District Are you a public employee? Yes If so, provide your employer, dates of employment, position, and brief description of your job responsibilities: Tecumseh Local Schools, Auaust 2004 - present, elementan ptincipal at Park Layne Elementary, in charge of a staff of 50 employees and 460 students in grades K-1. Are you an elected or appointed public officeholder? No If so, provide the title of your public office and the duration of your term of office: Are you 18 years of age or older? Yes Are you a U.S. citizen? YesAre you a registered voter in the school district? Yes Have you ever pleaded guilty to or been convicted of a felony? No If so, provide the date of the plea/conviction and the offense: Do you have school-age children? Yes Do your children attend Graham Local Schools? Yes Is any member of your household or immediate family employed by Graham Local Schools? No If so, provide their name and position: 14956186v1 Please explain your qualifications to be a member of the Graham Local School District Board of Education and the reasons you are interested in filling the board member vacancy (submit additional sheets if necessary): Lam a mother of three boys who have all attended Graham Local Schools since kindergarten. They are currently in grades 7, 10 and 11. My husband and | chose to build a house in this district to be close to family and raise our children in this rural community, We have been pleased with so many aspects of the Graham Local Schools and have appreciated the efforts of Graham employees from bus drivers, to teachers to administrators in the care and education of our children. I would very much like the ‘opportunity to serve the Graham Local School District and the Graham community as a member of the Graham Local Board of Education. | know the district has worked tirelessly to secure new monies to increase the educational offerinas and support our staff and students in meaningful ways. It is certainly not due to a lack of effort that the sed levies have not passed, Despite the lev Graham Local has continued to seek out additional funding sources, has worked to trim the already lean budcet and has instituted other creative solutions. | would love the opportunity to offer my support and leadership to continue these efforts to make Graham Local Schools the strongest district it can be, starting with the hiring of a superintendent who is for thinking, put nts first, is not afraid to make tough decisions, who cares deep| about education and who wants to be a vital member of our Graham community. Lbelieve that my strong educational background will s well in this role, | crew p with the best role model anyone could ask for. My father, Richard Van Hom, was a high school teacher and intervention specialist, worked for the Champaign County Board of Education, and then served as the principal at Graham Jr. High in the late 60s rly 70s before leaving the community to serve as the superintendent of the Highland Local District in Morrow County for nearly 20 years. His strong work ethic, n students. and his belief t! ion was the great equalizer for everyonedrove me into education. I wanted to be able to make the kind of differences my father made in the communities he served. have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education, a teaching license, and principal's license. | first taught in the Clark-Shawnee Local District where | also Served as an assistant principal at Reid Primary and Middle School, | was at Clark-Shawnee for 15 years and planned to finish out my career there. However, there were other plans in my future and | was fortunate enough to secure a principal's job in the Tecumseh Local Schoo! district where | currently work and have now served for 16 irs._| have continued to learn ow as an educator and administrator than! the amazing staff and administrative team at Tecumseh Local, my opportunities to collaborate with other educators, and through life experiences, | believe even more today that education can serve as the great equalizer. | believe that every child can learn and that those of us in the school business must do everything in our power to support students and give lat is needed in order for them to be successful. | want this for every student in the Graham community, not just my own, Our family is actively in in the Graham community through activities, clubs ani sports teams at Graham Middle Schoo! and Graham High School including FFA. basketball, football, baseball_ and band. In addition, we are in in 4-H clubs are actively involved with our church in St. Paris. | would consider it an honor to be bart of the Graham Local Board of Education and serve our community, staff, and students in this way,