Highlighting an OAESA Hero

Working for the Greater Good

OAESA’s Zone 1 Director, Ryan McGraw, has a unique role as principal of Minford Elementary in Minford, Ohio. As a graduate of the district, he knows the culture of the small, rural community. He knows the families, he knows what is important to the people he serves, and he knows how to connect to resources for his school and students. Even though it can sometimes feel like everybody knows everyone and everything, he ultimately knows it’s an advantage.

McGraw has been in education for 12 years: six as a teacher, two as a high school assistant principal, and four as the elementary principal.

“I taught high school math for six years before I went into administration,” McGraw said. “My wife is an elementary teacher, and

a conversation with OAESA Zone 1 Director and Board Member Ryan McGraw

by Mary Mitton-Sanchez

we had many conversations about what it was like to be in an elementary building. Every building and grade level has challenges, but I enjoy being around kids who enjoy being at school. They’re happy to be there. That’s a great feeling, and it helps motivate me.”

McGraw takes pride in the fact that his school culture is one of positivity and care, even though some of his students face serious difficulties at home.

“Our kids who face challenges generally love being at school, because our teachers embrace the idea that school is a safe place,” McGraw said. “We try to take care of their basic needs before we try to teach them anything. We do all we can to get them clothes, food, or shoes.”

New York Times article entitled, “Inside the Elementary School Where Drug Addiction Sets the Curriculum.” The piece detailed all that McGraw and his staff have done to help students survive, cope, and thrive while serving a community that has been devastated by the opioid crisis.

McGraw knew that putting their story out there was a risk, but that it was a story that needed to be told to the world at large.

“We’ve received an overwhelming amount of positive response from around the country,” McGraw said. “People say that they appreciate what we’re doing, and they offer support. You can see the reach of social media in this type of case, and it’s important for people to know about it. We will see the effects of this crisis for a long time.”

McGraw does everything he can to make sure students know that he is present and available for students, even serving as a foster parent to two boys for nearly a year. our area, and a regional meeting is a great opportunity to network and get PD. If people are going to leave their buildings, it has to be worth it.”

Highlighting an

“Try to stay active and involved in the classrooms, and I try not to be in my office too much,” McGraw said. “We work on PBIS, and I try to be involved in the building through classroom visits. I set goals on visits, and I work to get 10,000 steps every day so I’m out and moving around the building. I want to be involved, whether that’s through reading books or just being present.”

McGraw said he hoped his staff would describe him as “passionate, energetic, positive, and caring.”

“At Minford, we put kids first,” he said. “They are the basis of all of our decisions.”

McGraw wanted to be involved in OAESA as a way to stay connected to others, despite working in a small, rural district. He’s beginning his fourth year as Zone 1 Director, which includes Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton Counties.

“It’s an opportunity to talk to people around the state, talk to people locally, and bounce ideas off of each other,” McGraw said. “It designates times to make those connections and ensure that it doesn’t get skipped.”

“A lot of Zone 1 members are from our area originally, so there are a lot of familiar faces,” he continued. “A lot of us are looking for things that we can provide in

McGraw feels lucky to connect with those across the state, in his region, and even in his own building. For him, collaboration is key to doing the best for Ohio’s students.

“I am blessed in my district to have a curriculum coordinator, a school psychologist, and an assistant principal (shared with the middle school), and I have a lot of teachers who want to work to make a difference,” McGraw said. “I have a really great team, and we are all on the same page of what we want to accomplish. Even if they aren’t formal meetings, we talk about decisions every day, we are always bouncing ideas off each other, and we are all willing to make changes.”

McGraw thinks the key to collaboration is keeping an open mind. It’s also the greatest challenge.

“We are going to do things a little differently here, and for the most part people have grabbed hold of that,” he said.

Ultimately, McGraw feels thankful for his role in his community.

“Being an administrator is a great way to impact things on a broader scale,” McGraw said. “Sometimes, people don’t want to leave the classroom because they’re comfortable, it’s rewarding, and they love it. But if you can see that impact across a whole building, to me, that’s even more rewarding.”

“We work to take care of their basic needs before we try to teach them anything. We do all we can to get them clothes, food, or shoes.”

OAESA Hero!

THE BASICS

FAMILY MEMBERS? My wife of 15 years is a second grade teacher in a school district that is nearby. Together, we have three kids who are in 6th, 4th, 2nd grades.

PETS? Star, a Goldendoodle puppy,

YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM? YEARS IN ADMINISTRATION? 6 in the classroom, 6 as an administrator

EMERGENCY DESK FOOD? I drink A LOT of coffee. There’s always a pot of coffee on

PERSONAL MANTRA? They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

FAVORITE DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES? Golf, working out (stress relief), coaching kids’ sports teams

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A STUDENT? Goal-oriented. I liked to get whatever was in front of me done and move on to the next thing.

FAVORITE OAESA EVENT? Professional Conference