LeJay Graffious 17098 Brandonville Pike, P. O. Box 69

Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 304-777-0605 (Cell) - 304-379-7505 (Business)

lejaygraffious@gmail.com (Home) - lejay@oldhemlock.org (Business)

Professional Preparation

B.S., Frostburg State University, Major: K-8 Instruction (1972)

M.A., West Virginia University, Major: Curriculum & Instruction (1976)

West Virginia University Certification Education Administration (1986) Specialized Training

WV Principals' Academy, 1986

WV Principals' Academy, 1996

WV Principals' Academy, 2000

Web Design and HTML Programming, 1995, 2010

WV Code §18A-2-12 Evaluation Certified, 1992

Master Naturalist Certification, 2007

Ohio State Literacy Collaborative, Team Planning 2003-2004

Ohio State Literacy Collaborative, Principals' Academy, 2004 West Virginia Permanent Certifications

Superintendent, Grades K-12

Supervisor General Instruction, Grades K-12

Principal Elementary, Grades K-8

Middle/Junior/Senior High School Principal, Grades 5-12

Vocational Administration, Grades 5-Adult

Elementary Education, Grades 1-8

Employment History

Administrator of Old Hemlock Foundation (March 2007 to present) o Executor of George Bird and Kay Evans Estate o Manages physical and intellectual property of Old Hemlock Foundation o Goals: Scholarship; Literacy and Cultural Education; Preservation of

House built in 1782; Perpetuate the Lives, Writings and Philosophy of George Bird Evans

o Accomplishment of establishing GBE Collection in West Virginia and Regional History Collection at WVU Library, June 20, 2008

o Manage and provide care of 1782 historical house o Develop educational programs for foundation: Literature of Evans; Evans’s

Art Career; Dog Training and Breeding; Pioneer Life (Living Off the Grid); Flora and Fauna of Old Hemlock grounds; and Forest Succession.

o Web Site Development: Web manager and designer for the Old Hemlock Foundation. (www.oldhemlock.org)

Principal of Ridgedale Elementary School, (June 2003 to July 2008)

Principal, Easton Elementary School and Waitman Barbe Elementary School (December 21, 2001 to 2003)

o Easton- Preschool to Fourth Grade (130 students) o Waitman Barbe- Preschool to Fifth Grade (108 students)

Assistant Principal, Cheat Lake Elementary School -Kindergarten to Fourth (August 27, 2001 to December 21, 2001)

Principal, Bruceton School, Bruceton Mills, WV o Kindergarten to Six (1984-1993) o Pre-Kindergarten to Ninth (1993-1996) o Kindergarten to Eighth (1996-2001)

Sixth Grade Teacher, Bruceton Elementary, Bruceton Mills, WV (1972-1984)

Awards

Bruceton-Brandonville Fire Department’s 2017 Good Neighbor Award Recipient

Tussey Mountain Distinguished Alumni Recipient, 2013

Selected as One of 100 Most Influential Persons by the Dominion Post, Morgantown, WV, April 4, 2010

Who's Who in Executives and Professionals, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions

West Virginia Reading Council Principal of Reading Award, 1995

Preston County Reading Council Principal of the Year, 1995

Selected Rotary Foundation Group Study Exchange Member to Japan, 1994

West Virginia 4-H All Star, 1993

Preston County Friend of 4-H Award, 1993

Partner in 4-H Award, 1992

Grants

Comprehensive School Reform Grant, WV DOE, $475,000 for Waitman Barbe Elementary, 2002-2004

Education First Grant, funded $17,000, 2000-2001

GEAR UP Grant, Coordinator $59.000, 1999-current

Legislative Digest- Walking Track- $32,000 1998-1999

Legislative Digest- Capitol Improvements- $5000, 2000-2001

Old Hemlock Foundation, Discretionary Fund, $2700

NEA School Based Management Grant- $1000, 1985

Art and Humanities Grant for Cultural Education, $2000, 1994

Examples of School Improvements and Initiatives

Technology Across the Curriculum. 1980-2001

Bruceton School Website, Web Master, 1994-2001,

Easton Elementary School, Web Master, January 2001to 2004

Monongalia Character Education Homepage, Web Master, January 2001 to 2007

Monongalia Ed. Leadership Resource Homepage, Web Master, January 2001 to August 2007

Ridgedale Elementary School, Web Master, June 2004 to July 2008

Ridgedale Elementary Outdoor Wildlife Learning trail, April 2007

Ridgedale Elementary Led Development Book Room and leadership in strategies to implement Book Room into classroom ($24,000)

Benedum Collaborative/Professional Development School, 1994-2001

Summer Reading Challenge, established 1994 to 2001 o In order to stimulate reading over the summer and celebrate reading in the

school, began a summer reading challenge which has documented 2,095,959 (2000) pages during the project.

o dressed as Mother Goose....1994 o rode a mule through town.....1995 o planted as a tree with bank president.... 1996 o principal sundae....1997 o ate worms....1998 o monkey's uncle...1999 o principal cheerleader....2000 o slime the principal...2001

Established Multi-cultural Initiative, 1991-2001

WV School Beautification Project, 1984-2001

WV PTA Beautification First Place Award, 1988-1989

Arbor Day/Earth Day for Environmental Awareness, established 1984

Wildlife Learning Environment for Bruceton, 1988-1989 o developed hummingbird and butterfly gardens for environmental

education, 1999-2000 o Arboretum of native and historical valve trees and shrubs, 1999-2000

Preston County Initiatives

Established First Preston County Teachers' Institute, 1988

Re-established and Chair Preston County Science Fair, 1988 to 2001

Preston County Staff Development Committee, 1991-2000

Preston County Staff Development Committee Chair, 1999-2000

Professional Associations

Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, 2011

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1984 to 2008 West Virginia Education Association, 1973-2008

o Chairperson, State Conference Credential Committee, 1982 o Chairperson, Citizenship Committee. 1980-1982

Preston County Educational Association o President, 1980-1982 o Treasurer, 1976-1980

West Virginia/Preston County Reading Council, 1974-2001

West Virginia Middle School Association, 1993-2008

Preston County Principals' Association, 1984-2001 o President, 1990-1992

Preston County School Employees Federal Credit Union o Supervisory Committee, 1982-1990 o Chairperson, 1991-2001

Community Service

West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Board Member, 2012-current

Bruceton School Local Improvement Committee, Chair, 2008-Current

Preston County School Bond Committee, Member, 200-2013

Preston County School Levy Committee, Member, 2008-2012

Bruceton Community Lions Club, 1982-1992 o past president

WVU County Extension Service Committee, 1996-2000

WVU-Benedum Governing Board, 1995-1999

WVU Educational Personnel Preparation Advisory Committee (EPPAC),1999-2008

Mountaineer Audubon Society, 1976-current o past president, 1990-1991, 2011-2012

o Vice President, 1988-1989, 2015-present o education chair, 1995-2000 (Audubon Adventures Coordinator, 1995-

current) o National Audubon Morgantown Christmas Bird Count Coordinator, 1993-

current

WV Breeding Bird Atlas o Regional Coordinator, 1986-1991 o Volunteer, 2009-2013

DNR Bird Census Point Count Volunteer, 2002-2012

Contributor to Birding Guide to West Virginia, 1999

Allegheny Front Bird Observatory o Federally Licensed Bird Bander Sub-permit, 1994-2015 o Federally Licensed Master Bird Bander, 2016-present o Station Builder and Set-Up Coordinator, 1981-present o Net Tender, 1976-present

Old Hemlock Bird Observatory member of the Institute of Bird Population’s Monitoring Avian Production and Survivorship initiative, Point Reyes, CA. 2017-present

WV Birds Records Committee, Member 2008 to 2013, 2017-current o Chair, 2011-2012

WVU Maurice Brooks Lectureship Advisory Board, 1995-1996, 2010-2013

Brooks Bird Club- 750 members, 1976-current o President, 1994-1996 o Board of Directors, 1989-1991, 2015-Current o Executive Committee, 1991-1996- o Trustee, 1997-1999 o Advisor 2006-2012

Wildflower Pilgrimage, Leader 2002 to 2016, 2018-present

Cooper’s Rock Foundation, Bird Study Leader 2005-2013

Boy Scout Merit Badge instructor- Birds 2009-2013, 2018

WVU Center for Civic Engagement, Community Partner, 2007-2017

WVU Service and Learning Community Partner, 2014-present o WVU Service and Learning Partnership Advisory Council, 2014-present

SAMPLE BLURBS LeJay Graffious had a thirty-six year career as a teacher (12 yr) and principal (24 yr) in Preston and Monongalia Counties, WV. He has had a lifelong interest in the natural world. His special interest in bird watching has led him to many unique locations and introduced him to many like-minded friends. He has completed his Master Naturalist certification. After a thirty-three year friendship with authors, George Bird and Kay Evans, he is currently managing their estate and working to perpetuate their literary works and philosophy of upland hunting. He serves with three other directors to manage the Old Hemlock Foundation a charitable educational trust. LeJay Graffious had a thirty-six year career as an educator... After a thirty-three year friendship with authors, George Bird and Kay Evans, he is currently a director and administrator of the Old Hemlock Foundation managing their physical and intellectual property to promote and preserve their legacy. After 36 years as an educator, LeJay Graffious is now the administrator of the Old Hemlock Foundation. He explores his interest in bird watching through bird banding, doing population monitoring and educating people through programs, classes and guided walks.

LeJay Graffious-bio

LeJay had a thirty-six year career as a teacher and principal in Preston and

Monongalia Counties, WV before becoming manager of the Old Hemlock estate in Bruceton Mills, WV, where he lives with his wife, Helen Ann.

He has had a lifelong interest in the natural world with a special interest in bird watching, and interest that has led him to many unique locations and

introduced him to many like-minded friends. He has completed his Master

Naturalist certification and teaches birding classes for the Master Naturalist Program. He is a long time member of the Brooks Bird Club and has served

as president, board member and trustee. LeJay has served as a member and chair of the WV Bird Records Committee. He is a past president and longtime

board member of the local Audubon chapter where he also serves as coordinator of the Mountaineer Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Each year he

conducts a variety of DNR Point Count Surveys and USGS Breeding Bird Surveys throughout the state. LeJay regularly leads bird watching field trips

for a number of organizations and has been involved with the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory as a net tender and bird bander since 1981. He

currently sits on the board of the WV Highlands Conservancy. After a thirty-three year friendship with authors, George Bird and Kay Evans, he currently

manages their estate in Preston County, WV and works to perpetuate their literary works and philosophy of upland hunting. He serves with three other

directors to manage the Old Hemlock Foundation a charitable educational trust.

Or, a shorter version something like:

LeJay Graffious had a thirty-six year career as a teacher (12 yr) and principal (24 yr) in Preston and Monongalia Counties, WV. He has had a

lifelong interest in the natural world. His special interest in bird watching has led him to many unique locations and introduced him to many like-minded

friends. He has completed his Master Naturalist certification and teaches birding classes for that Program. After a thirty-three year friendship with

authors, George Bird and Kay Evans, LeJay currently serves as a director

and administrator of the Old Hemlock Foundation, managing their physical and intellectual property to promote and preserve their legacy.

LeJay and his wife Helen Ann live on and manage the Old Hemlock estate in Preston County, WV. He explores his interest in bird watching through bird

banding, doing population monitoring and educating people through programs, classes and guided walks.

Philosophy of Leadership Leadership is defined by Bennis (1984) by four competencies: management of meaning; of attention; of trust; and self-management. An administrator must be able to manage the meaning of schooling. Principals must have firm understanding of school’s and system’s vision, and can manage all of the policies, regulations and symbols of the system around which all activities are organized. Management of attention is the principal’s ability to focus the energy of the staff toward student achievement. This includes motivating staff to focus their abilities and interests to teach students. This also means creating a strong structure such as schedules and communicating continually with all interest groups. Management of trust means that the educational community believes in the leader and the leadership style is not an issue to distract from the focal energy of teaching children. Teachers must feel confident in their skills and safe to explore researched based practices. Management of self is “Know Thyself.” The principal must know his/her relative strengths and weaknesses. The leader must play to his/her strengthens and minimizes his/her weaknesses. When these competencies are achieved, then administration functions in the background. The school’s focus is on the children. LeJay Graffious February 28, 2001

LeJay Graffious-bio LeJay Graffious had a thirty-six year career as a teacher and principal in Preston and Monongalia Counties, WV. His wife, Helen Ann, has supported his lifelong interest in the natural world. His special interest in bird watching has led him to many unique locations and introduced him to many like-minded friends. He has completed his Master Naturalist certification. He is a long time member of the Brooks Bird Club who has served as president, board member and trustee. LeJay has served as a member and chair of the WV Bird Records Committee. He is a past president and longtime board member of the local Audubon chapter where he also serves as coordinator of the Mountaineer Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Each year he conducts a variety of DNR Point Count Surveys and USGS Breeding Bird Surveys throughout the state. LeJay regularly leads bird watching field trips for a number of organizations. He teaches birding classes for the Master Naturalist Program. He has been involved with the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory as a net tender and bird bander since 1981. He currently sits on the board of the WV Highlands Conservancy. After a thirty-three year friendship with authors, George Bird and Kay Evans, he is currently managing their estate and working to perpetuate their literary works and philosophy of upland hunting. He serves with three other directors to manage the Old Hemlock Foundation a charitable educational trust, d

Distinguished Alumni Recipient NAME (AS IT IS TO APPEAR ON PLAQUE) LeJay Graffious

YEAR OF HS GRADUATION: 1968

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Lives at Old Hemlock, south of Brandonville near Bruceton Mills, WV

COLLEGE(S) ATTENDED & DEGREE(S) RECEIVED:

>B.S., Frostburg State University, Major: K-8 Instruction (1972)

>M.A., West Virginia University, Major: Curriculum & Instruction (1976)

>Post Graduate: West Virginia University Certification Education Administration (1986)

MILITARY BACKGROUND: None

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Even though LeJay served twelve years of my thirty-six year career as a teacher, he has always thought of himself as a teacher. During his principal experience, he thought of himself as a teacher of teachers. He has had several accolades during his career such as being selected as the West Virginia Reading Council Principal of Reading Award in 1995. This state association dedicated to the teaching of reading acknowledged his commitment to motivating students and promoting quality instruction. He feels his biggest accomplishment is the feedback from former students who acknowledge his influence on their life. Here is a Facebook response from a former student who had posted his philosophy of teaching on his Facebook page after LeJay had had complimented his viewpoints on education.

Mr. Graffious, It is great to be added as your friend. Thank you for the comment about my message. I hope that you can recognize some of yourself in those words. Of all of the teachers I have ever had you had one of the biggest influences in my development. I always remember how much you cared about your kids. I still remember when you took us to the 4H camp when I was in 6th grade. That will always be a cherished memory. You were strict when needed, but always fair and nurturing. I will always be grateful for all of the wisdom and empathy that you instilled in me. So as you can see much of what I wrote was influenced by you. I teach 8th grade World History and this is my 8th year. I really love seeing the development of the kids. I won the faculty excellence award last year, which was one of my prouder moments thus far. I hope all is well and congratulations on your retirement. Hope to hear back from you soon. In warm regards, Bob (Knight)

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

LeJay credits his parents, Howard and Maude Graffious, for instilling in him his commitments to community service. Currently, his service centers around the natural world and education. . He is past president and trustee of the Brooks Bird Club of WV. LeJay has served as a five year member and two year chair of the WV Bird Records Committee. He is a past president and longtime board member of the Mountaineer Audubon chapter where he also serves as coordinator of the Mountaineer Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the past twenty years. Each year he conducts a variety of avian population assessments for the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and United States Geological Survey.

LeJay regularly leads bird watching field trips for a number of organizations. He teaches birding classes for Monongalia County Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners, and the Master Naturalist Program. He has been involved with the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory as a net tender and bird bander since 1981. He currently sits on the board of directors for the WV Highlands Conservancy. As an educator, he is currently the Chairperson of the Bruceton School Improvement Committee. He serves on county committees to support instruction, and promote safe, modern schools. He has served on committees at West Virginia University to develop teacher education programs and review changes to preparation programs.

Programs

Sounds of Spring: Morgantown’s Morning Chorus LeJay Graffious will present a program about birds and their songs around Morgantown. Learn to identify our avian songsters by sight and sound. After 36 years as an educator, LeJay Graffious is now the administrator of the Old Hemlock Foundation. He explores his interest in bird watching through bird banding, doing population monitoring and educating people through programs, classes and guided walks. Other Programs

Old Hemlock Foundation o Life and Times of George Bird Evans and Kay Harris Evans o George Bird Evans and the Blackwater/Canaan Valley o History of Old Hemlock Setters o Birds of Old Hemlock o Fauna of Old Hemlock o Developing Young Forest Habitat

Travel Logs o Costa Rica o Ecuador and Gallipolis

Ornithology o Owls o Winter Birding o Birding 101 o Master Natural Class Objectives o Spring Birding o Bird Song o Girl Scout Outdoor Badge o Boy Scout Birding Badge o American Woodcock

Natural History of Dolly through my Personal Experiences