Superintendent Position
JON GRAFT NAMED NEW BUTLER COUNTY ESC SUPERINTENDENT
July 12, 2011— During its meeting on July 11, the Governing Board of the Butler County Educational Service Center (BCESC) announced the hiring of Jon Graft as Superintendent, effective January 1, 2012. Graft will succeed Daniel E. Hare, who has been the Superintendent of the BCESC since 1998.
Graft has worked for the BCESC for the past three years. As the Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood Programs, he supervises Help Me Grow, Early Head Start, Head Start, Special Education Preschool Programs, and the Therapeutic Interagency Preschool. He also has been responsible for operations for all BCESC locations, and was the Project Manager for the newly renovated ESC Central Office, which opened in September 2010.
Prior to joining the BCESC, Graft was the Principal at Creekview Elementary School with Middletown City Schools for five years. He also worked in the Madison Local School District as a Junior High School teacher, Junior High Assistant Principal, Junior High Athletic Director and Intermediate Principal.
Graft received his Bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and his Master’s degree from the University of Dayton with post-graduate work from Xavier University. Graft resides in Butler County’s Lakota Local School District with his wife Jennifer and their three children.
“As Jon Graft steps into the Superintendent role in January, we can look forward to a seamless transition. He’s been here for more than three years leading early childhood programs but he has also been an integral leader for all BCESC program operations,” said Mary Pritchard, BCESC Board President. “Even with this continuity, we do not expect things to be static. The BCESC will continue to emerge as a leader for making things happen. Jon emphasized new collaborations and innovation while leading our early childhood programs, and we have seen those programs soar in recent years.”
For example, approximately 800 preschoolers attended preschool programs at the BCESC’s 15 different preschool sites in 2010-2011, and the BCESC will begin a new partnership to provide preschool programming to Middletown City Schools in the 2011-2012 school year. The BCESC also began Early Head Start for 125 children in 2010. Graft has been involved with each of these achievements for the BCESC.
The BCESC is a countywide school district offering a variety of services for the enhancement of educational programs. School districts can tailor BCESC services to meet the needs of children and families in their districts while achieving successful programming from an established agency. When services can come from a central clearinghouse like the BCESC, administrative costs decrease, and fiscal savings are passed on to the schools.
The BCESC serves as the central resource for educational programs, professional development and related family services from prenatal care through high school. BCESC programs include the Union Day School, Help Me Grow, Early Head Start, Head Start, Butler County Success, the Family and Children First Council, and more. For more information, visit www.bcesc.org.
