April Grace

Disclaimer: All information about this candiate was directly obtained from their website and/or social media account. The feature of this candidate in our election guide does not equal an endorsement. CAIR Oklahoma is a registered 501c3 organization and non-partisan.

April Grace

Candidate Details

Party Affiliation: Republican

Website:

https://www.graceforoklahoma.com/

Email:

april@friendsofaprilgrace.com

Phone:

(405) 361-6228

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/GraceforOklahoma

Biography

April Grace is a passionate Republican advocate for education who has served as an Oklahoma educator for more than 30 years. She has worked with school communities to improve the lives of students, families and staff at every level of Oklahoma education.

April began her career as a high school science teacher and coach. As a teacher and coach, April was in the frontlines of education, serving as instructor, mentor, role model and guide for countless students.

Over the years, April has transitioned to various administrative roles in four different school districts giving her a unique perspective on the challenges school districts are facing across the state.

In 2016, April was named superintendent of Shawnee Public Schools. As a superintendent, as part of her many duties, she set the direction for her district, built consensus around ideas for improvements and new programs, provided instructional leadership, and managed complex budgeting to protect student instruction during years of declining revenues in state schools. April works hard to create a healthy culture and commitment to students and employees, which led to the Oklahoman naming Shawnee Public Schools’ one of the state’s top workplaces in 2019.

In 2020, April worked with Shawnee Public Schools educators, nurses and other staff to create a student health initiative including telemedicine clinics for students at every school. The effort received the National School Boards Magna award for innovative leadership.

Winning various awards over the years, April continues to show her commitment and dedication to supporting our local schools and ensuring they thrive.

  • Oklahoma Association of School Administrators Superintendent of the Year Award, 2021
  • Oklahoma State Superintendent Awards for Arts Excellence School Administrator Award, 2020
  • Pottawatomie Power 10 Leader of the Decade Nomination & Recognition 2020
  • Shawnee (Oklahoma) Forward 15 Excellence and Business Achievement Award, 2019
  • Member of 2018 AASA (The School Superintendents Association) National Women’s Leadership Consortium, a cohort of 25 top female leaders in the U.S.