The meeting was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance by Ms. Maurice.
The agenda and previous minutes were approved.
Ms. Kite thanked the community, staff, and students for their feedback on the superintendent search. Deb Campbell from K-12 Consulting shared findings from questionnaires and meetings, noting 110 participants and 57 questionnaires. Those findings are available on the Graham Local Schools website under Superintendent Search, https://tinyurl.com/2a2fumn2.
The meeting, hosted at Graham Middle School, featured Principal Mr. Guidera highlighting recent student and building celebrations, including Power of the Pen, the OAEA Art Show, the Ninja Madness competition, OMLA, Science Fair, and the upcoming Color Blast, with GHS Makerspace students designing shirts and medals. He emphasized the district’s positive trends, stating, “We are doing great things. Let’s talk about the great things!” Board members praised the middle school’s efforts to prepare students for high school and beyond.
Superintendent Lensman celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of students and groups in Solo and Ensemble, Wrestling, FFA, DECA, Student Leadership, Science Fair, OMLA, Skilled Trades, Power of the Pen, and the Makerspace Partnership with Ohio Hi-Point, highlighting the many successes across the district. The wrestling team continued its historic run, securing its 25th consecutive state championship and 27th overall. Individual placers and the team will be honored at the April Board meeting.
The Board completed the first and second readings of policies as part of the spring NEOLA update to ensure alignment with state and federal requirements.
The Board recognized several donations, including books provided by the St. Paris Public Library for preschool students during screening and Monte Carlo proceeds from the Graham Athletic Boosters supporting designated athletic teams and the marching band.
Personnel actions were approved, including retirements, substitute hires, coaching appointments, resignations, and volunteer approvals, bringing the district’s volunteer total to 174 for the year. Mr. Lensman also recognized the outstanding impact of Mrs. Butcher, Mrs. Dickerson, and Mrs. McGuire, who collectively dedicated 82 years to Graham Local Schools and 100 years to the profession of education.
Mr. Swan reported that finances are trending as expected.
Ms. Strader concluded by praising the positive reports.
The meeting adjourned at 7:02 PM.
The next meeting will be held at Graham Elementary School on April 20, 2026.
State Champions: Cooper Breslin (113), Jake Hoke (165), and Kyler Crooks (175).
State Runner-Up: Danny Hoke (190), Logan Souders (215)
4th Place: Gabe Krieger (157)
7th Place: Cole Winemiller (150)
Team Result
Division III Team Champion
148.0 team points
25th consecutive state team championship
27th overall OHSAA team title
This historic victory continues Graham’s national-level dominance and gives the Falcons the longest active state championship streak in U.S. high school wrestling!
This year, students have the opportunity to use any leftover change to take a chance on Pull-A-Pop.
All proceeds from Pull-A-Pop will support the GES Library and help purchase new books for students. 📖🍭
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/grahamelementaryschool1
Our Falcon family is full of incredible team members. We’re excited to start reintroducing some familiar faces!
This is my 26th year at Graham and my 34th year in education overall. I currently teach 3rd grade, focusing on writing, word study, and social studies. I began my time at Graham teaching 1st grade, which I did for 20 years, followed by three years in 4th grade. I have now been teaching 3rd grade for three years.
I feel so fortunate to have raised my daughter in this district. She attended preschool through 12th grade at Graham, graduated in 2025, and is currently attending the University of Findlay. Some of my favorite memories include watching her grow, participating in triathlons, playing soccer and basketball, and running track and cross country. I was honored to serve as a team mom and help wherever I could for her teams. Raising her here has been a true blessing, and the friendships I’ve gained along the way are unmatched. Many of my colleagues have become family.
Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, going to the beach, and exploring different countries and cultures on cruises. I also love reading, walking, and tending to my flower beds.
I entered education with a mindset of serving others and inspiring students to work hard and succeed while raising the bar. Helping students grow academically and personally, encouraging them to believe in themselves, is incredibly important to me. Graham is my home, and I am grateful to continue serving this community until my retirement in a few years.
