Medford Mother, Business Owner Announces School Committee Run

MEDFORD, MA — Jenny Graham, a parent of two Medford Public School students and owner of a local business, has announced her candidacy for School Committee.. Graham kicked off her campaign at Medford Day June 2, where she met with hundreds of residents and children.

"It was a pleasure to meet with so many engaged Medford parents, caregivers, teachers and students to hear more about their experiences in the schools," Graham said in a statement. "To hear directly from the students, we sponsored a coloring contest for the children and asked them to draw a picture and tell us what they love about their schools. Nearly 70 students participated and shared their views in their own words and pictures. The winning entry was submitted by a student from the Roberts Elementary School who drew a picture of her school and its beloved playground rainbow, saying that she loves her school because of her friends and because it is a happy place. We were pleased to present her with a $20 gift card to Colleen’s Ice Cream Shop!"

Graham is the co-chair of the Brooks Elementary School PTO and was a founding member of the Citywide Elementary Alliance, which raised almost $7,000 for each elementary school in its first year, according to a prepared press release. She was appointed to the Superintendent Search Committee by Mayor Burke, authoring key materials to attract a qualified field of candidates and recommending finalists. She has also developed and authored other district-wide policies, according to a release.

"As a founding member of the newly formed Citywide Elementary Alliance, Jenny Graham has been a dynamic and inclusive leader, bringing parents and teachers together from around Medford to work together," Bailey Schendell, president of the McGlynn Elementary Parent Teacher Group, said in a statement. "The group raised tens of thousands of dollars in its first year and Jenny demonstrated that she delivers on her promises and gets things done. Jenny is a leader who thrives on thoughtful listening and collaborating with other community members to develop a plan of action, and then skillfully leads the effort bring those plans to success. Her contributions to our district have had an immediate impact and I am so excited to see what she will accomplish as a member of our School Committee."

Medford faces a projected net loss in school funding for the 2019-2020 school year, second only to the decrease potentially facing the Boston Public Schools. In response, Graham launched a petition to Gov. Charlie Baker and the state legislature urging key fixes to the school funding formula. Over 700 Medford residents and stakeholders have signed the petition as of June 2.

"Jenny is a regular participant in Medford School Committee meetings, and she has a strong grasp of the issues and opportunities that are facing our school district, from the decrease in state funding, to the loss of students to charter schools, and the urgent need to make a plan to maintain and improve our school buildings," Kristy Avino, a Roberts Elementary School parent said in a release. "Jenny, like the rest of us, wants our school district to continue to strive for excellence, and she understands how state funding decisions impact education. Her professional skills and already proven personal commitment to all of our schools and children are much needed on the School Committee."

Graham graduated from Babson with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. She is the co-owner of Zelus Consulting Group, LLC, which is celebrating its 15th year in business helping government and insurance clients improve their core operations, become more efficient, and improve the customer experience they provide. Graham said she achieves success for her clients through attention to the client's budget, culture, and other constraints, as well as a rich understanding of how to help people change.

A recognized Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP), Graham develops strategic recommendations around improving processing times, installing new technologies to support changing business goals and designing curriculum to teach staff so they can be efficient and improve the customer’s experience.

"With two children proudly in the Medford public schools, I am a highly-involved parent in our school district, and I truly care about the education that my children and yours receive," Graham said. "I have dedicated myself to understanding how the School Committee operates as a body of elected officials, and the key role its members have in making decisions for the schools district-wide. With this knowledge and what I have learned in running my own business, I have made it a priority to advocate before the School Committee for the betterment of our schools. I look forward to bringing my dedication and skills to the School Committee to serve our children, families, and the community."

To learn more about Jenny and her platform, go to www.electjenny.org or follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jenny4medford/.